What Time Does Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Season 2 Come Out? Netflix Release Time and All 8 Episodes (2026)

The gist: Stranger Things: Tales From '85 season 2 unlocks on Netflix on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET. It's a full-season drop, so all eight new episodes appear together. Nobody waits a week for the next chapter.

When does Tales From '85 season 2 hit Netflix?

Netflix's Tudum page gives the date as Sept. 17 and doesn't name a special hour. That means the usual Netflix clock: midnight on the West Coast, which is why East Coast kids can technically start it before breakfast. We break down why nearly every Netflix original uses that slot in our Netflix release-times explainer.

Parents in Hawaii and Alaska get the easiest version of this. It's out Wednesday evening there.

How many episodes are in season 2?

Eight. That's two fewer than the first season. What's on Netflix and Animation World Network both report eight episodes, while TVmaze still carries 10 placeholder slots dated Sept. 17. We're going with the eight until Netflix's app shows otherwise.

That gap between seasons is short, too. Just under five months separate the two premieres, which is fast for an animated series. If you're keeping track of which shows drop everything at once and which go weekly this fall, our weekly-versus-binge tracker has the list.

What happens in the new season?

It picks up right after the season 1 finale. Valentine's Day is close, ghostly apparitions and a swarm of "hate sprites" are loose in Hawkins, and the kids' monster-hunting club, the HIC, has to figure out what's behind it before another gate to the Upside Down opens.

Showrunner Eric Robles told Tudum the gang will revisit Hawkins Middle School and the Palace Arcade, then head somewhere new: a mine the franchise has never shown. We won't go further than that here. No spoilers on this page.

Who voices the kids this time?

The same young cast is back, per Netflix:

• Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven
• Luca Diaz as Mike
• Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max
• Elisha "EJ" Williams as Lucas
• Braxton Quinney as Dustin
• Benjamin Plessala as Will
• Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter

Brett Gipson (Hopper), Janeane Garofalo (Anna Baxter), Jeremy Jordan (Steve Harrington), Alessandra Antonelli (Nancy Wheeler), Valeria Rodriguez (Rosario) and Jack Griffo (Jeff) return in supporting roles.

Will there be a season 3?

Netflix hasn't said. Season 2 was confirmed in late April, only days after season 1 came out. The first season spent two weeks in Netflix's Top 10 with 4.9 million views, according to What's on Netflix's tally, so a third season will likely depend on how this one performs.

Where to watch

Only on Netflix, on every plan, including the one with ads. Season 1's 10 episodes are already there if you need a refresher. Comparing plans before you sign up? See streaming plans and prices for 2026.

FAQ

Can I watch it Wednesday night? Yes if you're in Hawaii (9 p.m.) or Alaska (11 p.m.). Everyone in the lower 48 waits until Thursday.

What else lands on Netflix that morning? Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, all eight episodes, drops on the same 3 a.m. ET clock. It's definitely not for the same age group.

What's streaming the rest of the week? Neagley on Prime Video is Wednesday, and MobLand season 2 starts its Friday run on Paramount+. The full day-by-day list is in New This Week, Sept. 14–20, and our Netflix section collects the rest.

Sources

• Netflix Tudum — Tales From '85 season 2 release date, cast and plot
• What's on Netflix — season 2 release date and episode count
• Animation World Network — season 2 trailer and episode count
• Seat42F — season 2 premiere date

Episode listings via TVmaze. Netflix links here aren't affiliate links; some other service links on this site may earn us a commission.

By the Streaming On Air desk · Updated 4:50 a.m. ET, Sept. 15