Stranger Things’ New Spinoff Redeems The Show’s Most Disappointing Cameo

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The new book, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, has improved upon a cameo that many viewers found underwhelming in the original series. While the ending of Stranger Things season 5 left some fans wanting more – particularly regarding Eleven’s fate or whether it lived up to high expectations – the show generally provided good character arcs, and the main characters received appropriate conclusions.

Beyond just the main characters, Stranger Things consistently creates memorable supporting roles, even if they aren’t always perfectly developed. A key to this success has been casting well-known actors – like Sean Astin as Bob in season 2, Cary Elwes as Mayor Kline in season 3, and Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay in the upcoming fifth season.

Even though certain characters weren’t powerful on their own, they were still important to the overall story of Stranger Things. In Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, Cosmo, a writer for the local Hawkins magazine, The Weekly Watcher, fills a similar role.

In the Stranger Things spin-off, Tales from ’85, horror legend Robert Englund voices the character Cosmo, who appears prominently in episode 5. A key detail revealed about Cosmo is that he has a picture of one of the monsters from the Upside Down. Though a relatively minor villain, Cosmo is a standout character, largely due to Englund’s performance. This role is especially notable as it improves upon Englund’s previous Stranger Things appearance as Victor Creel, a cameo that many fans found underwhelming.

Robert Englund’s Cosmo Makes His Victor Creel Cameo More Disappointing

In season 4 of Stranger Things, Robert Englund played Victor Creel, the father of Henry Creel, also known as Vecna. He appeared in the fourth episode, where Nancy and Robin sought information about Henry. Fans were particularly excited about this casting because Englund is famous for playing Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street films. Having a horror legend join the cast of Stranger Things – especially as a character so closely tied to the show’s main villain – felt like a perfect fit.

Honestly, it was a little disappointing to see Englund with so few scenes in that episode. But I’m really excited about his role in Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 – he actually gets a lot more to do than Creel did in season 4 of Stranger Things. Considering how much voice work Englund has done throughout his career, beyond just Freddy Krueger, it’s fantastic to see him get a chance to really showcase his skills.

Although Cosmo doesn’t seem like a particularly interesting character at first glance, he actually plays a more important part in the story. This makes it even more frustrating that Creel, who had the potential to be a truly great villain connected to the main antagonist of Stranger Things – especially with Robert Englund cast in the role – ended up being underused. Cosmo, a simpler character, received more attention in comparison.

However, giving Englund a bit more to do only highlights how underwhelming his appearance in Stranger Things ultimately was, making it feel like a missed chance in hindsight.

Stranger Things Had A Supporting Cast Problem

Jamie Campbell Bower’s performance as Victor Creel really shows a bigger issue with Stranger Things: its supporting characters. While some, like Bob Newby, were memorable, they didn’t last very long. Many well-known actors were only in a handful of episodes, and often just for one season.

Even characters with seemingly important roles, such as Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine) and Sam Owens (Paul Reiser), weren’t used consistently throughout the show. They’d appear and disappear, lacking a strong presence in most episodes. This was especially noticeable in season 5, with characters like Holly Wheeler and Dr. Kay feeling underutilized.

Although Holly has been on Stranger Things since the beginning, her character didn’t receive significant development until the last season. This made her feel like a supporting character who suddenly became important, rather than someone who grew and evolved consistently throughout the show.

Dr. Kay felt underdeveloped in the fifth season of Stranger Things, making her role in the story confusing. The show generally had trouble giving enough screen time to characters outside the main group. This was partly because many supporting characters died throughout the series. Although Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 isn’t necessarily better written than the main show, it does a better job of utilizing its supporting characters, as demonstrated by Robert Englund’s impactful performance.

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2026-04-27 01:19