With it being set between Stranger Things seasons 2 and 3, it's hard to imagine Stranger Things: Tales From '85 matching its predecessor's 10-year run. It might have a few more chapters up the sleeve of its Hellfire Club tee, though, says showrunner Eric Robles.
"I think it's a little bit of both, you know?" he tells GamesRadar+ when we ask whether they imagine the show will return to plug more gaps in the future, or if they'd want to explore doing more of a What If? thing. "I can't predict how big this thing can grow. Like, it might become something that everybody wants more of, and then we'll just continue to grow and see where it goes from there. I'm happy to do that. We're all happy to do that, because I feel like we've only just started creating this world that's becoming its own thing."
"The more ownership that we have as, not only the filmmakers, but as a community of people who enjoy this," he continues. "Then we can start to kind of branch out and keep growing."
'Keep growing' is an appropriate turn of phrase given what Tales From '85 is about – and, specifically, what happens right before the season 1 finale cuts to black. Since Eleven closed the Gate to the Upside Down, there aren't any Demogorgons running around Hawkins in January 1985. Instead, the kids find themselves up against some ferocious flora. Warning! The rest of this article contains spoilers for Stranger Things: Tales From '85.
After realising that new substitute teacher Mrs. Baxter wasn't intentionally trying to create monsters with her plant-reviving serum, and that her thieving boyfriend Dan was wanted to steal her scientific glory rather than unleash the botanical beasties, The Party manages to kill the Queen and stop it from opening another gate. As everyone settles back into their quiet lives rightside up, the scene cuts back to a slain creature in the Upside Down, as a flower grows out of its back, glows blue, and sprouts a Demogorgon head and screeches. A sign of what's to come, perhaps?
"We do have fun plugging a couple little holes throughout. You know what I mean? As we're kind of going through, we're just kind of like, 'Oh, that's a cool little Easter egg that we can do,'" adds Robles. "So I think we kind of service both at the same time. I think as long as people don't try to put us in a perfect box and just enjoy the ride, I think you're gonna have fun on the adventure."
Stranger Things: Tales From '85 is streaming now. For more, check out our picks of the best Netflix shows for some watchlist inspiration.
