Netflix's latest science fiction series, The Boroughs, has generated significant buzz among critics and viewers alike, with many drawing comparisons to the works of legendary director Steven Spielberg. The eight-part mystery thriller, which debuted on the streaming platform today, follows a group of retirees in a seemingly idyllic New Mexico retirement community who discover a monstrous threat lurking beneath the surface.
Plot and Premise
The series is set in the sun-drenched expanse of the New Mexico desert, where lies The Boroughs—a picturesque retirement community promising residents the time of their lives. However, for new arrival Sam Cooper, paradise feels more like a prison. Everything changes when a terrifying nighttime encounter reveals that something monstrous is stalking the manicured cul-de-sacs. Dismissed by authorities as just another confused old man, Sam finds unlikely allies in a band of neighbourhood misfits: a sharp-witted former journalist, a spiritual seeker, a cynical music manager, and a brilliant doctor running out of options. Overlooked and underestimated, these unlikely heroes must band together to unravel the dark truth at the heart of The Boroughs before their time runs out.
Star-Studded Cast
The series boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Alfred Molina, known for his villainous turn in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man: No Way Home along with crime drama Three Pines. He is joined by Thelma & Louise icon Geena Davis, Salem's Lot actress Alfre Woodard, This Is Us actor Denis O'Hare, and The Wire alum Clarke Peters. Meanwhile, Independence Day's Bill Pullman also makes an appearance.
Critical Reception
While the series has yet to register an official score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, early reviews continue to pour in, with many comparing it to the works of Steven Spielberg. One critic describes the series as a "witty, star-packed monster show that could have been made by Spielberg." Another agrees, calling it "a sci-fi mystery series that feels like the genre love child of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King. Yes, despite neither of them being involved with the production. I absolutely loved it – all the way from the opening scene."
Comparisons don't end there, with one outlet declaring it is "Stranger Things Meets Thursday Murder Club." One review urges fans to binge-watch immediately, commanding: "Stop what you're doing and watch retirees fight monsters in this fantastic sci-fi series." Fans are already taking the advice to heart, with one taking to social media to admit: "My weekend plans are officially locked in. The Boroughs looks incredible!"
Spiritual Successor to Stranger Things
The series is co-created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, writers of a Lord of the Rings spin-off movie, and is billed as the latest project from the creators of Stranger Things. The Duffer brothers are credited prominently as executive producers and have spoken about how the new series continues the spirit of their own creation. One reviewer suggests The Boroughs is a mix of two popular Netflix titles: Stranger Things and the 94% rated feel-good comedy A Man on the Inside. They explain: "The Boroughs feels like a sci-fi version of another stellar Netflix offering: A Man on the Inside. The Boroughs may have 100 percent more monster attacks, but it also has A Man on the Inside's same compassion when it comes to telling stories of retirees living fulfilling, adventurous lives."
They continue: "Yes, in terms of pure adventure, The Boroughs establishes itself as the spiritual successor to the best parts of Stranger Things. But it's the show's embrace of its older ensemble, in all their joy and grief, that sets it apart and makes it truly worthy of that Spielberg-style awe its characters experience so often."
The Boroughs is streaming now on Netflix.
