The Duffer brothers finally bid farewell to the Upside Down on New Year's Eve, but we haven't had time to miss them in the months since. The siblings have somehow produced three new Netflix shows this year, perhaps to distract from the mixed reaction to the Stranger Things finale. The third iteration, The Boroughs, offers its own twist on the Hawkins teenagers by focusing a supernatural mystery around a group of senior citizens.
Alfred Molina stars as Sam, a recently widowed man who is grumpy in an endearing way, reminiscent of the old man in Up. He is taken to a remote New Mexico retirement community by his worried daughter, played by Jena Malone. The Boroughs is a special town just for grown-ups, featuring an in-house Alexa and a legal setup that keeps regular law enforcement away. It seems like a promising premise.
Familiar Setting and Stacked Cast
Sam's bungalow cul-de-sac will be familiar to anyone who followed the Don't Worry Darling discourse. His fellow retirees include a stellar supporting cast: Geena Davis (seen driving a Thelma and Louise-style vintage car), Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman. Residents spend their days playing golf, hosting barbecues, and engaging in extramarital affairs. But there's a Stepford-like sense that not all is well.
The Boroughs is overseen by a slick creep named Blaine (Seth Numrich), who is so blatantly evil it's almost hilarious. His security lackey Hank (Eric Edelstein) battles low-level crime, and Edelstein looks so much like David Harbour that viewers may wonder if he snuck into the cast unnoticed.
Supernatural Encounters
Sam doesn't want to be there, not only because it's "God's waiting room" but because he is still grieving his wife. His time at The Boroughs changes after a creepy nighttime encounter with an arachnid-like alien that descends from the ceiling, reminiscent of creatures from A Quiet Place. When a resident is killed, the seniors form a new Scooby Gang, albeit one with more aches, pains, and fear of death.
Key Details
- Creators: Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews
- Stars: Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman, Clarke Peters, Denis O'Hare, Jena Malone
- Producers: Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews, the Duffer brothers, Ben Taylor, Hilary Leavitt
- Streaming: Netflix
- Release date: May 21
- Run time: 8 x 40-50 minute episodes
Verdict
The Boroughs is unlikely to set Netflix on fire like Stranger Things did. It has an old-timey vintage feel but lacks the nostalgia bomb that made Hawkins so popular. The cast is charming, with stars like Davis, Peters, Molina, and Denis O'Hare providing light relief, but the material is thin. The mystery is predictable, and the story lacks the hooks to keep viewers engaged. Perhaps the Duffer brothers should focus on fine-tuning one project rather than producing several at once. If you adjust your expectations, you may have a fine time at The Boroughs.
The Boroughs is available to stream on Netflix now.
