Netflix’s The Boroughs is the spiritual successor to Stranger Things

📺 Misfits vs. monsters, take two: Brought to life by Stranger Things executive producers Matt and Ross Duffer, alongside Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, Netflix’s The Boroughs reheats the signature formula that made Stranger Things a success: misfits vs. monsters — but this time, the misfits are a not-so-jolly bunch of retirees in a gated community where a sinister force seems to be lurking in the walls.

The plot: Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina) is a retired engineer who has recently lost his wife. Prior to her passing, she had wanted to move to The Boroughs — a community designed specifically for retirees, with everything they might possibly need provided there. Following her death, Sam no longer wants to move, but is forced to as the contract cannot be rescinded. Begrudgingly, he begins to adapt to live in The Boroughs, welcomed by a lively group of neighbors, played by stars Denis O’Hare, Alfre Woodard, Geena Davis, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman.

As the days go by and Sam begins opening up to the community and its members, an incident turns his life upside down — he witnesses one of his neighbors and newfound friends murdered by an unidentifiable creature. When he reports it, security shrugs it off, blames it on an old-age-induced hallucination, and calls it a day. More peculiar incidents begin taking place, and it becomes clear that The Boroughs, and its CEO Blaine Shaw (Seth Numrich), have plenty of skeletons in their proverbial closets. Sam, alongside his neighbors, team up to get to the bottom of it.

What we liked: Despite the supernatural premise, the show is incredibly human. The eight-episode series places just as much emphasis on its cast of characters as it does on the plot. Through a series of flashbacks and heart-to-heart conversations, each character gets their time in the spotlight, exploring their backstories, emotions, and motivations. The show does a commendable job of navigating grief, loneliness, and trauma, with one message made clear throughout: It’s never too late to start again, even when you’re nearing the finish line.

The verdict: The Boroughs is a supernatural adventure drama that somehow still manages to be wholesome and emotional, somewhat reminiscent of The Thursday Murder Club. The plot may be a tad predictable — with lots of parallels to Stranger Things — yet the show still proves undeniably binge-able, with a great score, good pacing, and cliffhangers that will have you subconsciously pressing “next episode.” If you’ve missed Stranger Things, you’ll want to catch up on The Boroughs.

WHERE TO WATCH- The Boroughs is streaming on Netflix. Watch the trailer on YouTube (watch, runtime: 2:42).