If there's one thing that becomes increasingly disappointing throughout the eight episodes of the second season of Stranger Things: Stories from '85, it's the realization that this series really should have been released sooner. It's sad that such a fun, creative, and visually stunning animation is seen by a limited audience due to timing.

In its second season, released just five months after the series premiere in April, Stories of '85 advances the plot by only one month. After enduring the cold of January, our familiar group now prepares for Valentine's Day, which takes place on February 14th in the US.

It's interesting that this is the backdrop for the season because it allows for good moments between Eleven (Brooklyn Davey Norstedt) and Mike (Luca Diaz) – and great moments between Lucas (Elisha Williams) and Max (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport), who have a slightly more eventful relationship here, but with adorable moments as they work things out. But, more than that, Valentine's Day brings an unusual protagonist to the new mythology introduced in the series: flowers.

Stranger Things: Stories from '85 begins with two mysteries: plantations upon plantations of glowing flowers that begin to appear in Hawkins, but which gradually reveal themselves to be major energy drains for those nearby; and… a ghost. For school, the children are doing a project on the history of the town and come across the curse of Bloody Bill, a supposed murderer who worked in the mine.

Initially, the series forgets about the Upside Down to focus on a supernatural area that is perhaps closer to our reality, and that's where the screenwriting duo, Joshua Pruett (Phineas and Ferb) and Jennifer Muro (Star Trek: Prodigy), really succeeds. Focusing on basic fears of children and pre-teens instead of once again resorting to a giant monster from the Upside Down brings a freshness that Stranger Things has needed for a long time.

The idea of ​​a ghost reveals some funny moments and others that are genuinely scary, especially reflected through the characters' own fear or their desire to appear braver in front of their friends.

Mike has a well-developed journey in terms of overcoming fears, and even knowing that the events of the animation are not canonical in relation to the original series, it's still hard not to think about how perfectly they seem to fit the characters we end up meeting in the third season of the live-action.

Dustin (Braxton Quinney) leads the investigation and delivers some truly funny moments throughout his saga, especially with the introduction of a new character, the misunderstood Charlie (Benjamin Valic). The two make a fun duo, and even better, they don't try to replicate Dustin's dynamic with Steve, despite the older character not appearing this time.

The biggest challenge for the script remains what to do with Will (Benjamin Plessala). He had good moments of overcoming adversity in the first season and great exchanges with Nikki (Odessa A'zion), but in the second year, he seems almost lost amidst the events, and his journey is forgettable.

In any case, the second season of Stranger Things: Stories from '85 is even better than the first. With a more consolidated foundation, the series takes the opportunity to expand the fantasy, featuring creative animations and visuals that literally shine on the screen. All this without losing the essence of Stranger Things and the characters we fell in love with ten years ago.

Created by: Matt Duffer e Ross Duffer

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