Stranger Things: Tales from '85 season 1 has arrived on Netflix, and the newest addition to the Stranger Things franchise brings with it the returns of many of our favorite characters for a new animated adventure.
Stranger Things: Tales from '85 transports viewers to Hawkins in the winter of 1985 as we follow Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max as they try to settle back into their normal lives after the gate to the Upside Down was closed. When a new threat emerges, the gang must race into action to solve the latest mystery to strike in Hawkins, taking them on a new adventure that unfolds ahead of the events of season 3.
While the show is built around The Party, the season also welcomes back many beloved characters in smaller roles, including Hopper, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, and Karen. These characters appear in supporting roles across the show, which is certainly disappointing, but at least the characters appear. The same can not be said for quite a surprising number of core characters from Stranger Things who fail to appear in any capacity across the first season of Stranger Things: Tales from '85, including a character who played a pivotal role in the main series.
Joyce Byers and every key Stranger Things character not in Tales from '85
Although Stranger Things: Tales from '85 finds a way to incorporate all of the key characters from Stranger Things, there was one glaring omission from the animated spinoff: Joyce Byers.
That’s right, across the 10-episode first season of Stranger Things: Tales from '85, there is not a single appearance from Joyce. In fact, she’s not really even acknowledged in the show, with the most notable exception being the opening of the premiere in which Jonathan tells Will their mom said to call if he’s going to be late.
While the show puts a focus on The Party, it certainly felt strange not seeing Joyce appear in the first season in at least some manner. Joyce is probably the most glaringly missing character from Stranger Things, but she was not the only character who failed to appear across the spinoff.
Some characters were never expected to appear in the season given where Stranger Things: Tales from '85 takes place in the timeline of the show. This includes characters who entered the picture after the events of season 2, such as Robin Buckley, Henry Creel/Vecna, Eddie Munson, Argyle, and Derek Turnbow. There’s also no appearance from Holly Wheeler, which makes sense given the character played more of a background role until the final season.
As the events of the show take place after season 2, this also explains why there is no appearance from Bob Newby or Brenner. Bob, of course, died in season 2, while Brenner was presumed dead after season 2 and wouldn’t reemerge until season 4. It also makes sense that Sam Owens did not appear, as there really wouldn’t have been a natural way to bring him into the mix.
In addition to Joyce, though, there were a few major characters who failed to appear in Stranger Things: Tales from '85 despite having a presence in the show since the early days of the show. There is no appearance from Murray, Ted Wheeler, Erica, or Billy at any point in the show. We get mentions of Billy and Erica, but neither character appears in the season, which was definitely disappointing. We can understand Erica not appearing, as she didn’t take on a larger presence until season 3, appearing in a more minor capacity in the early seasons, but it would have been nice to see Billy back, given his death had not yet come in the timeline.
Should a second season of Stranger Things: Tales from '85 get greenlit, there is hope we could see the likes of Billy, Erica, and Joyce pop up down the line. However, there’s no telling what the future might hold for the animated offshoot beyond its first season.
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