The legacy of Stranger Things may well not be quite as golden as we all thought when it first launched, but it will forever be counted as the benchmark for high-concept sci-fi shows from here until something more culture-defining comes along. So far, there have been surprisingly few copycat series, though the show’s success has absolutely contributed to revived interest in sci-fi shows in general. As sci-fi fans, we’ve eaten well, as the kids say.
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The first major attempt by Netflix to capture the attention of Stranger Things fans still subscribing is The Boroughs, from creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews. The 8-part series inverts the kids-on-a-mission approach of Stranger Things by introducing an elderly cast (each in their 60s and 70s), who are drawn together by a mystery at the heart of their weirdly-perfect retirement community. Deaths, monsters, and a deeply hidden conspiracy theory follow, and it’s impossible to ignore the same Steven Spielberg and Stephen King vibes that inspired the Duffer Brothers’ global success. No surprise that they’re involved in The Boroughs as executive producers. And as a mark of how good the series is – I gave it 4 stars in my own review – the show has debuted with a near perfect 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Boroughs is Your Next Sci-Fi Binge Watch
At 8 episodes, The Boroughs packs a lot in. It starts almost like a slasher movie, with a prologue sequence starring ET‘s Dee Wallace that’s not unlike Scream’s famous opening. From there, we’re introduced to Alfred Molina’s Sam, a former engineer whose wife signed them both up to live in the chocolate box community of The Boroughs, only to sadly die before they could move. Unable to get out of his contract, Sam moves in, and is adopted by a starry cast of lead characters – Jack (Bill Pullman), Wally (Denis O’Hare), Art (Clarke Peters), his wife Judy (Alfre Woodard), and Renee (Geena Davis). When a death rocks the community, and Sam witnessed an actual monster, the gang come together to uncover the mystery behind it and a disturbing truth about the supposedly idyllic community.
It’s a great sci-fi that captures the same formula as Stranger Things, with a slightly lighter tone (though there are shocking moments of violence and gore thrown in), great wit, and a compelling story that feels like a love letter to 1990s sci-fi. In other words, it’s heartily recommended: the 8-episode run means it can easily be binged over a weekend (if you wait that long), and there’s a lot of heart packed in. Just as Stranger Things watched its young cast form their identities and relationships across the 5 seasons, exploring more personal issues than just the possible end of the world, The Boroughs uses its team of retired Avengers to comment on elder abuse and how society deems older people redundant or expendable. That it manages to balance that with gleeful Amblin-like action and mystery is all the more impressive.
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