How do you follow up a global phenomenon like Stranger Things? For the Duffer Brothers, it’s with another supernatural drama on Netflix – one that mixes a dash of Hawkins’s horror with some Thursday Murder Club-style charm.
For Sam (Alfred Molina), life post-retirement turns out to be anything but relaxing. Following the death of his wife, he reluctantly moves into an idyllic New Mexico retirement village – something he agrees to in order not to worry his daughter Claire (Jena Malone).
While his friendly neighbour Jack (Bill Pullman) gives him an enthusiastic welcome he didn't ask for, he soon falls in with a gang of pensioners putting the world to rights: retired reporter Judy (Alfre Woodard), and her husband, loveable eccentric Art (Clarke Peters), as well as witty former doctor Wally (Denis O'Hare), and glam romantic Renee (Geena Davies).
Soon, Sam realises there are strange goings on in The Boroughs and the gang of golden oldies must face up to the monsters, all while Sam needs to convince his daughter that he’s not losing the plot.
As this is a small-town supernatural mystery series about – in the words of executive producers the Duffer Brothers – “a lovable bunch of misfits”, it’s unsurprising there are parallels to Stranger Things around every corner. Yet The Boroughs doesn't quite manage to establish its own identity.
The show, from writers Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) is an eight-part series but it tries to do too much in too little time, and the monsters can't compete in any way, shape or form to those from the Upside Down.
We're teased with a terrifying threat – a creepy creature with a grotesque habit that will undoubtedly prove deadly to everyone in The Boroughs. But around the midpoint of the show, that entire thread is upended, giving us a new perspective on the supernatural force haunting the retirement village. That results in a rather disappointing pay-off, with villains that don't quite hit the mark.
The show's sprawling, starry cast is also a blessing and a curse. It has to spend a huge amount of time introducing (and making us invested in) a large ensemble of characters, resulting in the first couple of episodes feeling rather slow. But once warmed up, they’re a treat.
In between witty one-liners, O'Hare delivers an emotional performance as a man who has spent his career saving lives but is now faced with his own mortality. Peters and Woodard also do a beautiful job of portraying the complexities of marriage and what happens if, after 40 years, love isn't quite enough. Meanwhile, Molina's depiction of a man who is just trying to keep afloat after the death of his soulmate is truly touching.
The series is also just a lot of fun, largely thanks to O'Hare and Davis, with Wally and Renee's friendship (which seemingly just involves drinking cocktails at any hour and gossiping about the other residents) being a delight. There are also some outrageously campy and ridiculous moments, the best of which features Davis being involved in a Thelma and Louise homage. The cast are clearly having such a blast it's not hard to go along with them.
In between the missteps and monsters, The Boroughs is ultimately a heartfelt and charming series that poses a fair few questions about life, ageing and death – and asks just how far you’ll go for the ones you love.
The Boroughs is available to stream on Netflix now.
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