It seems like Netflix can’t keep up with its biggest shows

It wasn’t Which long since Strange things I finishbut it’s clear that fans are still clamoring for more. I was overwhelmed by the ending Plot about a secret ringand Standard behind-the-scenes documentary It has become a hotbed for theorizing. Of course, given the size Strange thingsNetflix wasn’t about to let the franchise die completely, but its first attempt to expand the franchise largely failed. Tales from ‘85 It’s a risk-free return to Hawkins that misses most of what made the original series such a phenomenon. This is another example of Netflix’s struggle to turn its biggest shows into ongoing franchises.

Tales from ’85 It is a spin-off series that shows what the main cast of kids were up to between the second and third seasons. It’s an animated series with a Saturday morning cartoon vibe, with bright colors and much less violence than the main show. The story has the crew dealing with another group of monsters. Instead of standard Demogorgons, Hawkins is overrun by plant-like creatures that have become dangerous thanks to a combination of the Upside Down’s influence and mysterious green goo.

Like the rest Strange things, Tales from ‘85 Filled with nostalgia. Use of characters She-Ra: Princess of Power To explain major plot points, there are scenes that seem to have been ripped from them He – sheVery sticky Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesAnd there is even GhostbustersWeapon style towards the end. But it’s also nostalgic in a different way. While the later seasons of Strange things Treat the young actors as they grow up, here frozen in time, unburdened by the burdens of impending adulthood. It’s a throwback to simpler times in more ways than one.

The problem with the offer is that there are no quotas. With the exception of a new character — a repair worker named Nikki who supplies the team with handcrafted weapons — it’s always clear that nothing too bad can happen to anyone, since we’ve already seen them survive in later seasons. Telling a story like this is a difficult proposition. Obviously it should be interesting, but it’s not also Interesting because otherwise viewers would wonder why these moments weren’t shown in the main show. There are few situations like this in Tales from ‘85 – I have no idea why Nikki is never discussed in later seasons given the close friends they’ve all become – but mostly it happens so little of any significance, because it can’t.

It’s not like every hit show needs to become an ongoing franchise, of course, and many of these titles — Squid game In particular – it might have been better if this was a one-time thing. But Netflix wants franchises, and the problem with each of these spinoffs is that the streamer seems to have misunderstood why the stories were so popular in the first place. Tales from ‘85 It seems like Strange thingsbut it misses the stakes and drama that made the original film so beloved. Without that, it’s just another cartoon inspired by ‘1980s.

The idea behind Netflix’s franchise ambitions makes sense from a business perspective. Creating a successful show is difficult, and trying to capitalize on that seems a lot easier than starting from scratch. But as Netflix’s track record has shown, achieving success is difficult no matter where you start. Spin-offs and expansions run the risk of being just watered-down versions of the original, and that’s pretty much what’s happened to Netflix so far.