Summary
Stranger Thingsis one of Netflix’s most popular franchises, and audiences eagerly await the fifth and final season later this year. However, while the main show might be coming to an end, theStranger Thingsjourney is far from over because Netflix has huge expansion plans for spinoff content related to this iconic television series.
The first of which has now been announced, withStranger Things: Tales From 85. It will be created by the Duffer brothers, which is something that will excite fans. However, there does appear to be one major problem with the upcoming show, as it seems to target the wrong audience.
What Is Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 Going To Be?
This Should Be An Epic Television Show
Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85is going to be an animated series that will continue to dive into the world of Hawkins and the Upside Down. It’s set tobring all of the 1980s nostalgiathat audiences know and love from the original series, but it will have a fresh twist given that it will have an animated style. There aren’t too many details known at the moment in terms of the plot or what the show is going to be about, but audiences can expect plenty of similarities to the original series, which will expand the world even further.
Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 Already Has A Problem
The Show Is Set To Target The Wrong Audience
When talking about the new series,the Duffer brothers have claimed that they want it to be similar to Saturday morning cartoons, which is perfectly fine, as many people grew up watching and loving those. However, it instantly provides an instant problem regarding the target audience.The original series is rated at TV-14, which means that a lot of the material isn’t suitable for younger viewers due to the violence and the darker themes. That means that a lot of children should never have watched an episode ofStranger Things, yet they’re going to be the target audience for this new show. While people of any age can watch animated content, the fact that they’re specifically making it like a Saturday morning cartoon means that it’s likely going to be focused on younger viewers, which feels very strange. It’s hard to imagine young children sitting down to enjoy anycontent related to theStranger Thingsworld, as it isn’t exactly fun, family-friendly television.
Stranger Thingsmight offer a great level of immersion that is ideal for an animated show, and the core cast is also young, which appeals to a younger audience. However, there are themes in the live-action show that are simply not acceptable for a Saturday morning cartoon, and that’s where the confusion is.The Duffer brothers will need to adjust thingsdrastically to make it appropriate for younger viewers, which is why it feels like the wrong audience is being targeted. An adult animation would’ve made sense, as it would have fit the tone, but for this to be a Saturday morning cartoon, it is going to take away from the heart of the show and what has madeStranger Thingsso beloved in the first place.
Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 Will Be Watered Down
This Isn’t A Series For Young Viewers
Stranger Thingshaving an animated series could have been a lot of fun, as it’s a world that lends itself to that style due to the vibrant colors and the detailed characters that emerge from the Upside Down. However, the upcoming cartoon is likely to be watered down in comparison to the source material. Had Netflix targeted a more mature audience, they could have kept the same level of horror throughout the show, which would have felt more in line with whatStranger Thingshas always delivered. That would have appealed to a broader audience and thus given the show a better chance of succeeding. Instead, it feels like Netflix is targeting a niche audience due to it being an animation, and they have made that pool even smaller by having it aimed at a younger audience.Fans ofStranger Thingswill be going into this, expecting many of the show’s horror themes and darker tones to appear, as that is what people have grown up enjoying.
However,Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85will need to adjust things dramatically to truly have a Saturday morning cartoon vibe that is appropriate for the entire family to sit down and enjoy. Having villains isn’t going to be an issue as many cartoons tackle the classic good vs. evil story, but the show will not be able to push things to the extreme ofStranger Things, and that will likely disappoint many people. Fans do want to seetheStranger Thingsworld expandedand continued beyond the upcoming fifth season, but changing the tone as dramatically asStranger Things: Tales From ‘85is about to might not be what most people had in mind.
