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How to Choose the Right TV for Your Space

How to Choose the Right TV for Your Space

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TVs can be tricky to buy. Whether you read our exquisite guide to the Best TVs or not, you probably won’t find every top model at your local Walmart, Best Buy, or Costco. And when you’re browsing retail websites, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by marketing speak like HDR, QLED, or “local dimming.” That’s why we’ve collected a few tips, tricks, and terms to help you shop smarter when buying a new TV. Think of this as a checklist to consider before you buy your next big screen.

Be sure to check out our guide to the Best Bookshelf Speakers, Best Soundbars, and our How to Buy a Soundbar Guide for other helpful hints on how to upgrade your home theater.

Updated June 2025: We’ve added new information with the latest in TV tech, including RGB LED, new OLED displays, HDMI 2.2, and updated pricing and TV options.

Table of Contents

What Size TV Should You Get?

TCL 6-Series

Photograph: TCL

When it comes to screens, bigger is better, right? Sure, but that doesn’t mean you should always spring for the largest size. Pricing on bigger models continues to drop, but it can still get out of hand quickly, and you should always make sure you have room for all that screen footage. If you’re watching your budget, common cheap TV performance issues like screen aberrations, inaccurate colors, and mediocre image processing may be harder to overlook on a bigger canvas, so you’ll want to balance your size and performance needs equally.

Under 55 Inches

Some high-end OLED TVs have smaller sizes so they can double as computer monitors, but most TVs below 55 inches are largely nonstandard these days. Many manufacturers still make models below this size, but you likely won’t get the latest and greatest performance.

55-Inch TVs

This is the smallest standard size for modern TVs. It’s generally considered ideal for the small-to-average room in a home or apartment, but if you have a larger space, you may want to size up. Be aware that TVs this size and larger often come with feet on both ends of the screen; if you’re not wall-mounting, make sure you measure the width of your TV stand to ensure it can hold your new TV. That said, we’re seeing even midrange models switching to adaptable feet and/or pedestal stands more often.

65-Inch TVs

This has long been the default option for larger living rooms or for spaces where you’re going to have many eyes watching at once. As TV tech has improved and prices have dropped, 65-inch models have started to become the standard for many, though it should be noted that they may dominate your decor to some extent in smaller rooms. If you have the extra cash and space, it is worth the upgrade for those who love seeing details even closer in films and TV shows.

75 Inches and Above

I only recommend TVs this size and larger for people who have huge rooms and are looking for a truly cinematic experience. Buyer beware: Pricing on TVs this large can get quite pricey (well above $2,000 for higher-end models). Cheaper ones (under $1,000) might not look great due to limitations in processing and panel lighting. Be prepared to have a professional or a group of friends help you move and mount a screen this large.

What Screen Resolution Do You Need?

Image may contain Graphics Art and Paper

TCL 8K TV

Photograph: TCL

Resolution means the number of pixels on your screen. Modern TVs come in 1080p “Full HD” resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels), 4K Ultra HD or “UHD” (3,840 x 2,160), and 8K “8K UHD” (7,680 x 4,320) variants. TVs below or above 4K UHD resolution are relatively rare but for opposite reasons: Full HD screens are now old tech and are reserved for only the smallest and cheapest models; 8K resolution is available mostly on expensive, big-screen TVs and 8K content is still virtually non-existent.

What’s the difference? More pixels! 4K TVs have about four times the number of pixels as 1080p screens, and 8K TVs have about four times that of 4K models, or 16 times (!) that of 1080p. In theory, this means a much clearer picture than 4K TVs, but that’s not necessarily the reality. Because the pixels in a 4K TV at standard sizes (55-65 inches) are already packed so densely into the display, you may not be able to see the difference between 4K and 8K TVs unless you’re watching from a close range or on a very large screen (75 inches or above).

The lack of 8K content also means most of the video you’re watching will need to be upscaled, or raised to the TV’s resolution by its internal processing system. For this reason, if you’re buying an 8K TV, you’ll usually want to buy a more premium model with good upscaling from a brand that makes them regularly, like Samsung’s QN900 series.

Stick to a 4K UHD screen for now, unless you’re a high roller.

What Is Backlighting?

TCL 5Series 55Inch TV

TCL 5-Series

Photograph: Amazon

All TVs—besides OLED and some specialty Micro LED models—use a combination of LED backlighting passed through a multi-layer substrate. There are layers that make the color and image, as well as a layer that lights said image so we can see it, controlled by the TV’s internal processing. These lighting systems have a big impact on how good your LED TV screen looks in terms of contrast (the differences and definition between dark and light objects) and color.

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L’Atitude 52°N’s glasses is called Goya, named after Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish artist who painted renowned masterpieces of romanticism.

CEO and founder Gary Chen, who has worked on wearable devices for companies like Oppo, OnePlus, and HTC, says his company’s glasses are focused on travelers, with AI features that act like a tour guide and talk about all the paintings in famous museums.

“Basically, you can say, ‘Hey, Goya, what is the story about Mona Lisa?’” Chen says. “You can ask anything and, with your permission, they will take a photo to analyze what’s in front of you.”

I ask if you could quiz it about perhaps the most famous Goya painting, the terrifying, Gothic horror-esque image of Saturn devouring his own son.

“Yes, yes,” Chen says, “It can also give you some recommendations about restaurants.”

Image may contain Accessories Sunglasses and Glasses

Berlin-based L’Atitude 52°N is a new player in the smart glasses space, selling its first pairs on Kickstarter in September 2025, where the campaign surpassed its funding goal and raised more than $400,000. There have been some bumps since then, as shipments were delayed from an originally announced release date in February 2026, and one model in development was scrapped outright. Now, L’Atitude 52°N has announced an official release date for its smart glasses.

Preorders for one model, called Berlin, start on May 19. The glasses actually go on sale on May 26. This might be a disappointment for Kickstarter backers, as the most recent official update from the campaign came in March and said shipping would begin on April 15 for Berlin units and June 7 for the second model, called Milan. L’Atitude 52°N still hasn’t set an official launch date for the Milan, except to say that it will be “arriving in the second quarter of 2026.”

The Berlin glasses cost $399. Add another $50 for the photochromatic lenses. There is one very big catch: The AI features enabled on the device will only work for 12 months, which L’Atitude 52°N calls an “AI feature trial.” After that, customers have to pay for a subscription service, or will be limited to the base features, like playing music and capturing media.

How much will that subscription service cost? Chen says he doesn’t know.

#Smart #Glasses #ExOnePlus #Engineers #Hidden #Costsmart glasses,wearables,design,gadgets">These New Smart Glasses From Ex-OnePlus Engineers Have a Hidden CostLots of smart glasses have AI bots inside them now. The one in L’Atitude 52°N’s glasses is called Goya, named after Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish artist who painted renowned masterpieces of romanticism.CEO and founder Gary Chen, who has worked on wearable devices for companies like Oppo, OnePlus, and HTC, says his company’s glasses are focused on travelers, with AI features that act like a tour guide and talk about all the paintings in famous museums.“Basically, you can say, ‘Hey, Goya, what is the story about Mona Lisa?’” Chen says. “You can ask anything and, with your permission, they will take a photo to analyze what’s in front of you.”I ask if you could quiz it about perhaps the most famous Goya painting, the terrifying, Gothic horror-esque image of Saturn devouring his own son.“Yes, yes,” Chen says, “It can also give you some recommendations about restaurants.”Berlin-based L’Atitude 52°N is a new player in the smart glasses space, selling its first pairs on Kickstarter in September 2025, where the campaign surpassed its funding goal and raised more than 0,000. There have been some bumps since then, as shipments were delayed from an originally announced release date in February 2026, and one model in development was scrapped outright. Now, L’Atitude 52°N has announced an official release date for its smart glasses.Preorders for one model, called Berlin, start on May 19. The glasses actually go on sale on May 26. This might be a disappointment for Kickstarter backers, as the most recent official update from the campaign came in March and said shipping would begin on April 15 for Berlin units and June 7 for the second model, called Milan. L’Atitude 52°N still hasn’t set an official launch date for the Milan, except to say that it will be “arriving in the second quarter of 2026.”The Berlin glasses cost 9. Add another for the photochromatic lenses. There is one very big catch: The AI features enabled on the device will only work for 12 months, which L’Atitude 52°N calls an “AI feature trial.” After that, customers have to pay for a subscription service, or will be limited to the base features, like playing music and capturing media.How much will that subscription service cost? Chen says he doesn’t know.#Smart #Glasses #ExOnePlus #Engineers #Hidden #Costsmart glasses,wearables,design,gadgets

’s glasses is called Goya, named after Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish artist who painted renowned masterpieces of romanticism.

CEO and founder Gary Chen, who has worked on wearable devices for companies like Oppo, OnePlus, and HTC, says his company’s glasses are focused on travelers, with AI features that act like a tour guide and talk about all the paintings in famous museums.

“Basically, you can say, ‘Hey, Goya, what is the story about Mona Lisa?’” Chen says. “You can ask anything and, with your permission, they will take a photo to analyze what’s in front of you.”

I ask if you could quiz it about perhaps the most famous Goya painting, the terrifying, Gothic horror-esque image of Saturn devouring his own son.

“Yes, yes,” Chen says, “It can also give you some recommendations about restaurants.”

Image may contain Accessories Sunglasses and Glasses

Berlin-based L’Atitude 52°N is a new player in the smart glasses space, selling its first pairs on Kickstarter in September 2025, where the campaign surpassed its funding goal and raised more than $400,000. There have been some bumps since then, as shipments were delayed from an originally announced release date in February 2026, and one model in development was scrapped outright. Now, L’Atitude 52°N has announced an official release date for its smart glasses.

Preorders for one model, called Berlin, start on May 19. The glasses actually go on sale on May 26. This might be a disappointment for Kickstarter backers, as the most recent official update from the campaign came in March and said shipping would begin on April 15 for Berlin units and June 7 for the second model, called Milan. L’Atitude 52°N still hasn’t set an official launch date for the Milan, except to say that it will be “arriving in the second quarter of 2026.”

The Berlin glasses cost $399. Add another $50 for the photochromatic lenses. There is one very big catch: The AI features enabled on the device will only work for 12 months, which L’Atitude 52°N calls an “AI feature trial.” After that, customers have to pay for a subscription service, or will be limited to the base features, like playing music and capturing media.

How much will that subscription service cost? Chen says he doesn’t know.

#Smart #Glasses #ExOnePlus #Engineers #Hidden #Costsmart glasses,wearables,design,gadgets">These New Smart Glasses From Ex-OnePlus Engineers Have a Hidden Cost

Lots of smart glasses have AI bots inside them now. The one in L’Atitude 52°N’s glasses is called Goya, named after Francisco Goya, the famous Spanish artist who painted renowned masterpieces of romanticism.

CEO and founder Gary Chen, who has worked on wearable devices for companies like Oppo, OnePlus, and HTC, says his company’s glasses are focused on travelers, with AI features that act like a tour guide and talk about all the paintings in famous museums.

“Basically, you can say, ‘Hey, Goya, what is the story about Mona Lisa?’” Chen says. “You can ask anything and, with your permission, they will take a photo to analyze what’s in front of you.”

I ask if you could quiz it about perhaps the most famous Goya painting, the terrifying, Gothic horror-esque image of Saturn devouring his own son.

“Yes, yes,” Chen says, “It can also give you some recommendations about restaurants.”

Image may contain Accessories Sunglasses and Glasses

Berlin-based L’Atitude 52°N is a new player in the smart glasses space, selling its first pairs on Kickstarter in September 2025, where the campaign surpassed its funding goal and raised more than $400,000. There have been some bumps since then, as shipments were delayed from an originally announced release date in February 2026, and one model in development was scrapped outright. Now, L’Atitude 52°N has announced an official release date for its smart glasses.

Preorders for one model, called Berlin, start on May 19. The glasses actually go on sale on May 26. This might be a disappointment for Kickstarter backers, as the most recent official update from the campaign came in March and said shipping would begin on April 15 for Berlin units and June 7 for the second model, called Milan. L’Atitude 52°N still hasn’t set an official launch date for the Milan, except to say that it will be “arriving in the second quarter of 2026.”

The Berlin glasses cost $399. Add another $50 for the photochromatic lenses. There is one very big catch: The AI features enabled on the device will only work for 12 months, which L’Atitude 52°N calls an “AI feature trial.” After that, customers have to pay for a subscription service, or will be limited to the base features, like playing music and capturing media.

How much will that subscription service cost? Chen says he doesn’t know.

#Smart #Glasses #ExOnePlus #Engineers #Hidden #Costsmart glasses,wearables,design,gadgets

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.

Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.)

SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why.

There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped.

That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past.

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Credit: Netflix

Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.

But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2.

Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series.

SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.

Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.

Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem.

Nikki greets the Hawkins party in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85."

Credit: Netflix

That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.

Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.

In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing.

That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.

Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?

I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?

Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix Stranger Things

#Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred">‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.

Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.)

SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why.

There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped.

That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past.

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Credit: Netflix

Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.

But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2.

Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series.

SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.

Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.

Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem.

Nikki greets the Hawkins party in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85."

Credit: Netflix

That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.

Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.

In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing.

That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.

Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?

I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?

Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix Stranger Things

#Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred">‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.

Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.)

SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why.

There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped.

That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past.

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ review: This baffling prequel won’t cure the Season 5 hatred Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 might be the most bizarre step Stranger Things could have taken.Take the release date, for starters. Tales From ’85 airs just four months after the Stranger Things series finale. That gives fans barely any breathing room between the end of the flagship series and the beginning of this animated spin-off, proof of Netflix’s ambitious, nonstop designs to turn one of its most original shows into a massive franchise. (It’s already got a stage play, books, and games to its name.) SEE ALSO: ‘Stranger Things’ fans are furious about the finale. Here’s why. There’s just one big wrinkle in that plan: Stranger Things‘ final season was so controversial, it left distraught fans theorizing about a secret surprise episode and accusing the Duffer Brothers of writing Season 5 with ChatGPT. The outrage is still too fresh for another TV trip to Hawkins, Indiana, to go the way Netflix hoped. That trip back to Hawkins doesn’t actually move the story of Stranger Things forward. Instead, Tales From ’85 returns to the past, sandwiching itself between Seasons 2 and 3 and raising tons of questions about the series. Namely, why?Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is a bewildering trip to the past. Credit: Netflix Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2. Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series. Mashable Top Stories SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5 However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem. Credit: Netflix That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing. That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix. Topics Netflix Stranger Things #Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

Credit: Netflix

Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, many months before the Hawkins kids ever set foot in Starcourt Mall. It’s winter break, and Mike (voiced by Luca Diaz), Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Dustin (voiced by Braxton Quinney), Lucas (voiced by Elisha Williams), Will (voiced by Ben Plessala), and Max (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) are excited to enjoy the snow, the Hawkins winter festival, and of course, some Dungeons & Dragons.

But the Upside Down has other plans, as a strange new wave of creatures descends on Hawkins. A “snow shark” burrows through snowdrifts, its relentless motion reminiscent of the Graboids from Tremors. “Jerk-O-Lanterns” plague the pumpkin patch that proved pivotal to Season 2.

Encounters with these beasts range from frightening to full-on fun, thanks to dynamic, vivid animation from Flying Bark Productions. The painterly style is reminiscent of Netflix’s smash hit Arcane, and while that series certainly isn’t the first to pioneer that look, there is a sense that Netflix is trying to recreate that same magic in what could be a blockbuster new animated series.

SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped ‘Stranger Things’ fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

However, as inventive as each creature or fight gets, there’s a larger issue hanging over Tales From ’85. None of this has any bearing on future seasons of Stranger Things itself. In Season 3 and beyond, no one brings up the perilous winter of ’85, or discusses how the strategies they used while solving this mystery could help them in their current investigations. Dustin even makes a full-on push to start a Hawkins Investigators’ Club, something that would definitely come up in later seasons were Tales From ’85 more than an afterthought.

Plus, not to be too much of a stickler for canon, but Eleven is pushing her psychic abilities here to almost Season 5 levels of superhero-dom, all without breaking a sweat. (Nosebleeds are still included, of course.) That comes down to the magic of animation, which allows Tales From ’85 to go wild with its portrayal of Eleven’s powers. As epic as it is, it’s also divorced from the reality of the main series. For something that’s meant to fit into Stranger Things, Tales From ’85 winds up feeling woefully disjointed. Nowhere is that clearer than when it introduces a new key character whom we know has to disappear from Hawkins before Season 3.

Nikki is the heart of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85… and its biggest problem.

Nikki greets the Hawkins party in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85."

Credit: Netflix

That new character is Nikki Baxter (voiced by Odessa A’zion). A brawny punk accustomed to moving towns with her scientist mother Anna (Janeane Garofalo), Nikki’s not used to putting down roots. But when she gets caught up in a snow shark attack and witnesses Eleven’s powers firsthand, she’s welcomed into the Hawkins party and quickly becomes fast friends with them.

Despite her intimidating appearance, Nikki proves to have a heart of gold (as well as a keen ability for tinkering that makes her indispensable to the party’s investigation). While she often serves as the friend group therapist, mediating arguments with ease, she also bonds with Will over their outsider status, encouraging him to embrace what makes him different. Tales From ’85 overtly ties Will’s “difference” to his supernatural troubles in Seasons 1 and 2, although given his coming out as gay in Season 5, Nikki’s advice takes on new meaning here. Does Tales From ’85 act further on that subtext, or do anything in its power to reflect more meaningfully onto the show’s next seasons? No.

In rewinding us to the time period between Seasons 2 and 3, Tales From ’85 traps its characters in an odd arrested development. We know where their character arcs lead them, but here, we’ve taken several leaps back in their journeys. That none of the original actors lend their voices to the series doesn’t help either. While the voice cast does a solid job, even nailing several of their live-action counterparts’ mannerisms, there’s no denying how important the original cast was in establishing these characters. Without them, the Tales From ’85 versions of the Hawkins party wind up as uncanny simulacra of the real thing.

That’s why Nikki is so important to Tales From ’85. As an original character, she’s a breath of fresh air in an ensemble we’ve spent a decade with. It’s exciting to shake up the Hawkins party with a new face, even if her worries about moving away or not fitting in are fairly cliché.

Given that Nikki doesn’t appear or even get mentioned in future Stranger Things seasons, audiences will know she eventually exits the narrative. Does she continue Stranger Things‘ proud tradition of introducing a beloved side character only to kill them off? (See: Barb, Bob, Alexei, and Eddie.) Does she move away as she’s always feared? Does she get wiped from everyone’s memories somehow?

I tried to banish these questions from my mind as I watched Tales From ’85, hoping to meet the show more on its level. But when its level is awkwardly shoehorning itself into a broader show in order to keep a franchise chugging, how can I not be thinking of how it will all eventually connect, and why this exists in the first place?

Of course, we already know why it exists: franchising. More than that, though, it’s an attempt to stir up easy nostalgia for earlier Stranger Things seasons, which fans might be more willing to digest following their reaction to Season 5. But a franchise needs more than nostalgia to survive, and it’s clear from Tales From ’85 that Stranger Things still needs to learn that lesson.

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix Stranger Things

#Stranger #Tales #review #baffling #prequel #wont #cure #Season #hatred

On top of that, almost immediately after Trump’s announcement, Mizan, an Iranian state news agency, called the president a liar. “Last night, Donald Trump, citing a completely false news story, called on Iran to overturn the death sentences of eight women.” Mizan said that some of the women had already been released and others were facing prison time but not execution, and furthermore said that Tehran had made no concessions — presumably, the status of the women has not changed.

The X account for the Iranian embassy in South Africa, perhaps the most relentless shitposter among Iran’s state-affiliated accounts, was quick to pile on by generating its own set of eight women:

The collage that Trump posted is, at the very least, AI-modified, Mahsa Alimardani, the associate director of the Technology Threats & Opportunities program at WITNESS, told The Verge. But the women themselves are real. The woman in the top right corner of the collage is Bita Hemmati, whose photograph appeared in several news stories in various right-leaning news outlets last week. Hemmati is confirmed to have received a death sentence issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “operational action for the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.”

Alimardani named six of the women (Bita Hemmati, Mahboubeh Shabani, Venus Hossein-Nejad, Golnaz Naraghi, Diana Taherabadi, Ghazal Ghalandri), and said that the identities of the final two (said to be Panah Movahedi and Ensieh Nejati) were still unverified. The six verified women participated in protests against the government in January. Aside from Hemmati, none of the other women are reported to have received death sentences.

It’s not surprising that Trump has a careless disregard for the truth; it’s not surprising, either, for the Iranian regime to fudge the details to suit its own narrative, or to make light of real political prisoners in order to dunk on the United States.

The additional wrinkle is that the account mocking Trump for coming to the rescue of “8 AI-generated women” is the very same one that landed South Korean president Lee Jae-myung in hot water when he quoted a misleading labeled video posted by that account. Israeli officials have accused the account of being “well-known for spreading disinformation.” The case of the sketchy Lee Jae-myung quote-post is a story of mingled truth and misinformation, where the post got facts very wrong, but the video — of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers shoving a limp body off a rooftop in Gaza — was real, documenting an event that possibly implicates Israeli forces in a violation of international law.

The case of the eight Iranian protesters also features that same mingling of fact and fiction into a fuzzy distortion that fuels an endless disputation of real human rights violations. Their lives have been reduced to glossy pixels and quote-dunks, the stuff of propaganda and parody. While known liars fight with each other on the internet about who these women are and what will happen to them, they — verifiably six of them, at least — remain real people who exist beyond the Iranian internet blackout.

#Iranian #women #Trump #saved #execution #simultaneously #real #AImanipulatedPolicy,Politics">The Iranian women Trump ‘saved’ from execution are simultaneously real and AI-manipulatedOnly the night before, he had posted on Truth Social about the imminent executions of these women, quoting a screenshot that included a collage of eight glamorously backlit, soft-focus portraits. The photos of the women were immediately accused of being AI-generated. “Trump is begging Iranian leaders to not execute 8 AI-generated women. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” said one viral X post.On top of that, almost immediately after Trump’s announcement, Mizan, an Iranian state news agency, called the president a liar. “Last night, Donald Trump, citing a completely false news story, called on Iran to overturn the death sentences of eight women.” Mizan said that some of the women had already been released and others were facing prison time but not execution, and furthermore said that Tehran had made no concessions — presumably, the status of the women has not changed.The X account for the Iranian embassy in South Africa, perhaps the most relentless shitposter among Iran’s state-affiliated accounts, was quick to pile on by generating its own set of eight women:The collage that Trump posted is, at the very least, AI-modified, Mahsa Alimardani, the associate director of the Technology Threats & Opportunities program at WITNESS, told The Verge. But the women themselves are real. The woman in the top right corner of the collage is Bita Hemmati, whose photograph appeared in several news stories in various right-leaning news outlets last week. Hemmati is confirmed to have received a death sentence issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “operational action for the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.”Alimardani named six of the women (Bita Hemmati, Mahboubeh Shabani, Venus Hossein-Nejad, Golnaz Naraghi, Diana Taherabadi, Ghazal Ghalandri), and said that the identities of the final two (said to be Panah Movahedi and Ensieh Nejati) were still unverified. The six verified women participated in protests against the government in January. Aside from Hemmati, none of the other women are reported to have received death sentences.It’s not surprising that Trump has a careless disregard for the truth; it’s not surprising, either, for the Iranian regime to fudge the details to suit its own narrative, or to make light of real political prisoners in order to dunk on the United States.The additional wrinkle is that the account mocking Trump for coming to the rescue of “8 AI-generated women” is the very same one that landed South Korean president Lee Jae-myung in hot water when he quoted a misleading labeled video posted by that account. Israeli officials have accused the account of being “well-known for spreading disinformation.” The case of the sketchy Lee Jae-myung quote-post is a story of mingled truth and misinformation, where the post got facts very wrong, but the video — of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers shoving a limp body off a rooftop in Gaza — was real, documenting an event that possibly implicates Israeli forces in a violation of international law.The case of the eight Iranian protesters also features that same mingling of fact and fiction into a fuzzy distortion that fuels an endless disputation of real human rights violations. Their lives have been reduced to glossy pixels and quote-dunks, the stuff of propaganda and parody. While known liars fight with each other on the internet about who these women are and what will happen to them, they — verifiably six of them, at least — remain real people who exist beyond the Iranian internet blackout.#Iranian #women #Trump #saved #execution #simultaneously #real #AImanipulatedPolicy,Politics

called the president a liar. “Last night, Donald Trump, citing a completely false news story, called on Iran to overturn the death sentences of eight women.” Mizan said that some of the women had already been released and others were facing prison time but not execution, and furthermore said that Tehran had made no concessions — presumably, the status of the women has not changed.

The X account for the Iranian embassy in South Africa, perhaps the most relentless shitposter among Iran’s state-affiliated accounts, was quick to pile on by generating its own set of eight women:

The collage that Trump posted is, at the very least, AI-modified, Mahsa Alimardani, the associate director of the Technology Threats & Opportunities program at WITNESS, told The Verge. But the women themselves are real. The woman in the top right corner of the collage is Bita Hemmati, whose photograph appeared in several news stories in various right-leaning news outlets last week. Hemmati is confirmed to have received a death sentence issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “operational action for the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.”

Alimardani named six of the women (Bita Hemmati, Mahboubeh Shabani, Venus Hossein-Nejad, Golnaz Naraghi, Diana Taherabadi, Ghazal Ghalandri), and said that the identities of the final two (said to be Panah Movahedi and Ensieh Nejati) were still unverified. The six verified women participated in protests against the government in January. Aside from Hemmati, none of the other women are reported to have received death sentences.

It’s not surprising that Trump has a careless disregard for the truth; it’s not surprising, either, for the Iranian regime to fudge the details to suit its own narrative, or to make light of real political prisoners in order to dunk on the United States.

The additional wrinkle is that the account mocking Trump for coming to the rescue of “8 AI-generated women” is the very same one that landed South Korean president Lee Jae-myung in hot water when he quoted a misleading labeled video posted by that account. Israeli officials have accused the account of being “well-known for spreading disinformation.” The case of the sketchy Lee Jae-myung quote-post is a story of mingled truth and misinformation, where the post got facts very wrong, but the video — of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers shoving a limp body off a rooftop in Gaza — was real, documenting an event that possibly implicates Israeli forces in a violation of international law.

The case of the eight Iranian protesters also features that same mingling of fact and fiction into a fuzzy distortion that fuels an endless disputation of real human rights violations. Their lives have been reduced to glossy pixels and quote-dunks, the stuff of propaganda and parody. While known liars fight with each other on the internet about who these women are and what will happen to them, they — verifiably six of them, at least — remain real people who exist beyond the Iranian internet blackout.

#Iranian #women #Trump #saved #execution #simultaneously #real #AImanipulatedPolicy,Politics">The Iranian women Trump ‘saved’ from execution are simultaneously real and AI-manipulated

Only the night before, he had posted on Truth Social about the imminent executions of these women, quoting a screenshot that included a collage of eight glamorously backlit, soft-focus portraits. The photos of the women were immediately accused of being AI-generated. “Trump is begging Iranian leaders to not execute 8 AI-generated women. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” said one viral X post.

On top of that, almost immediately after Trump’s announcement, Mizan, an Iranian state news agency, called the president a liar. “Last night, Donald Trump, citing a completely false news story, called on Iran to overturn the death sentences of eight women.” Mizan said that some of the women had already been released and others were facing prison time but not execution, and furthermore said that Tehran had made no concessions — presumably, the status of the women has not changed.

The X account for the Iranian embassy in South Africa, perhaps the most relentless shitposter among Iran’s state-affiliated accounts, was quick to pile on by generating its own set of eight women:

The collage that Trump posted is, at the very least, AI-modified, Mahsa Alimardani, the associate director of the Technology Threats & Opportunities program at WITNESS, told The Verge. But the women themselves are real. The woman in the top right corner of the collage is Bita Hemmati, whose photograph appeared in several news stories in various right-leaning news outlets last week. Hemmati is confirmed to have received a death sentence issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “operational action for the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.”

Alimardani named six of the women (Bita Hemmati, Mahboubeh Shabani, Venus Hossein-Nejad, Golnaz Naraghi, Diana Taherabadi, Ghazal Ghalandri), and said that the identities of the final two (said to be Panah Movahedi and Ensieh Nejati) were still unverified. The six verified women participated in protests against the government in January. Aside from Hemmati, none of the other women are reported to have received death sentences.

It’s not surprising that Trump has a careless disregard for the truth; it’s not surprising, either, for the Iranian regime to fudge the details to suit its own narrative, or to make light of real political prisoners in order to dunk on the United States.

The additional wrinkle is that the account mocking Trump for coming to the rescue of “8 AI-generated women” is the very same one that landed South Korean president Lee Jae-myung in hot water when he quoted a misleading labeled video posted by that account. Israeli officials have accused the account of being “well-known for spreading disinformation.” The case of the sketchy Lee Jae-myung quote-post is a story of mingled truth and misinformation, where the post got facts very wrong, but the video — of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers shoving a limp body off a rooftop in Gaza — was real, documenting an event that possibly implicates Israeli forces in a violation of international law.

The case of the eight Iranian protesters also features that same mingling of fact and fiction into a fuzzy distortion that fuels an endless disputation of real human rights violations. Their lives have been reduced to glossy pixels and quote-dunks, the stuff of propaganda and parody. While known liars fight with each other on the internet about who these women are and what will happen to them, they — verifiably six of them, at least — remain real people who exist beyond the Iranian internet blackout.

#Iranian #women #Trump #saved #execution #simultaneously #real #AImanipulatedPolicy,Politics

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