The Boroughs, a new series from the executive producers of Stranger Things and the Duffer Brothers, and created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), is a whimsical new Netflix series that blends mystery, sci-fi, horror, and heartfelt character drama into something genuinely special. This is going to be another hit for the streaming giant.
Set within a seemingly idyllic retirement community in the New Mexico desert, the show immediately establishes an atmosphere of intrigue and unease. From episode one, The Boroughs hooks you with its central mystery, creating a constant sense of tension and curiosity that makes it incredibly difficult to stop watching. I ended up binging the entire series over three nights.
Alfred Molina leads the show and is exceptional as Sam Cooper, a grieving newcomer whose emotional trauma becomes the emotional core of the series. His performance grounds the more fantastical elements of the story, and the supporting cast surrounding him – Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Geena Davis, Clarke Peters and Bill Pullman – is equally strong. Every character feels layered and purposeful, and the show’s character-driven storytelling is far richer than the trailers might suggest.
The show carries a strong Steven Spielberg and J. J. Abrams energy throughout, mixed with the adventurous spirit of The Goonies and the mystery-driven storytelling of Stranger Things. It captures that classic 80s sense of innocence, wonder, and adventure incredibly well, despite centring on an older cast of characters. Visually, The Boroughs embraces a gorgeous retro-futuristic 1950s aesthetic that gives the series a unique identity. The pastel neighbourhoods, vintage-inspired production design, and eerie desert setting all combine to create an atmosphere that feels both comforting and unsettling at the same time.
The score is another standout element. It’s whimsical, mysterious, and emotionally resonant, perfectly capturing the show’s balance between adventure, innocence, and creeping horror. Much like the music in those aforementioned 80s classics, it invites you into the mystery while maintaining a childlike sense of wonder beneath the darker themes. Without spoiling anything, the creature-feature elements are also fantastic. The show slowly reveals its horrors piece by piece, never giving too much away too early. Several twists throughout the season genuinely caught me off guard, and the story explores surprisingly emotional themes surrounding grief, morality, ageing, and purpose.
What makes the show work so well is how it treats its elderly protagonists not as stereotypes, but as capable, complex people still searching for adventure and meaning. That emotional sincerity gives the show far more depth than you might initially expect. Overall, The Boroughs is thrilling, emotional, nostalgic, and incredibly fun television. It balances mystery, horror, humour, and heart with confidence, delivering one of the most enjoyable binge-worthy shows I’ve watched in a long time.
★★★★
Premieres May 21st on Netflix / Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, Bill Pullman / Showrunners: Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews / Netflix
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