Stranger Things Fans Are Not Happy About the Removal of Fan-Favorite Characters in New Series
The minds behind Stranger Things have made a decision for their new animated series, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, that has fans seriously up in arms. And while the animated version of the IP was supposed to keep the series, which had a finale season that was nothing short of divisive, fresh in people’s minds, it looks like this choice might have more than a fair share of fans choosing not to watch at all.
Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is set between the second and third seasons of the original Stranger Things and centers on Eleven and the rest of the gang, including members not seen in the original series, as they solve a paranormal mystery taking place in Hawkins. “This is one of the rarest opportunities that we’re ever going to get to be with the main characters. We get to go back in time and really just hang out with these kids,” says showrunner Eric Robles. The issue? The show is effectively cutting out some of the most central characters to the story—the Byers family, with the exception of Will.
Is There Stranger Things Without the Byers Family?
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The internet says the answer to that question is a resounding “no.” Which feels appropriate, considering how imperative to the plot both Joyce and Jonathan are, with the first two seasons revolving almost entirely around their family. It doesn’t help matters that during this time, Jonathan and Nancy have only recently started dating—and it’s been confirmed that both Nancy and Steve Harrington will be central characters in Tales from ’85. “What’s silly is reducing the importance of Jonathan as a sibling to Will and Joyce as literally the most important parent in the show,” says one fan.
Taking a more critical position, another fan added, “The writers simply don’t care anymore. If they did, we wouldn’t be discussing this now. There is a different feel to seasons 1 and 2, and the Byers are the main reason why it felt very grounded and compelling. For me, it’s also the wasted potential of what it could have been with the Byers as a family. We were robbed of some great moments that could have happened in later seasons, especially season 5. Seems like we won’t be getting anything new with this series.” It’s a sentiment that doesn’t feel entirely out of place, considering the drastic changes to the show that started in Season 4 and really culminated in Season 5, leaving viewers with a finale that felt hollow, abandoning all substance for style, and doing away with narrative continuity and character journeys altogether. Overall, it feels like we just keep getting further and further from what made the first two seasons of Stranger Things so incredible, even as Netflix keeps trying to capitalize on the show’s early-moments nostalgia.
What are your thoughts on Tales from ’85 removing the Byers family from the narrative? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to head over to the ComicBook forum to see what other fans are saying.
