The Boroughs comes wrapped in Duffer brother designed nostalgia, channelling some of the best back catalogue bangers from yesteryear. From feelgood anti-aging staple Cocoon through to The Burbs, a much maligned and misunderstood Joe Dante masterstroke. Fronted by the consistently underrated Alfred Molina and including heavy hitters Clarke Peters, Geena Davis, and Bill Pullman amongst its ensemble cast.
The Boroughs come with a boatload of secrets, serious (Steven) Speilberg overtones, and character-driven drama with emotions to match. Building a grounded reality brick by brick and touching on mortality in the most considerate way without missing a beat. Bringing together disconnected couples, philandering singletons, and others muddling through in search of fulfilment even as they run out of road.
Building on the fear of loss and aging without becoming morose of overly introspective, The Boroughs builds into a well-crafted piece of melodrama. Each resident bringing their own specific dysfunction but ultimately healing the others through association. The skill from a writing perspective is that audiences may see it coming, but each piece is so meticulously placed it makes things feel fresh.
Image Courtesy of Netflix
From nefarious founders to revelations that take events in different directions, this series also shares some strong connections to Strangers Things. Sending audiences down a rabbit hole of every increasing absurdity, until they have no option but to take this sci-fi horror hybrid on face value. Fountains of youth in everything but name, Faustian pacts with their own dire consequences, and choices that drive this disparate band to question themselves are all up for grabs.
What sells this series in those opening minutes remains the same reason audiences will still be watching hours later; a formidable ensemble cast. Alfre Woodward who plays Judy Daniels and has sci-fi connections through Star Trek: First Contact is a beguiling presence. Grounding her connection to Clarke Peter’s Art as a couple forged in the fires of free love and now living out their lives as passing ships rather than partners.
Sam is locked in a similar spiral fuelled by grief and resentment, haunted by visions of a wife he lost to illness. Cantankerous, suspicious, and bitter in an opening episode that maps it all out for the observant. Alfred Molina carefully keeps audiences on side and retains their empathy as those defences are slowly broken down by new friends. Each one seeking solace from an emotional malady that comes from knowing too much and not having the time to change direction.
Those introspect moments aside, The Boroughs is essentially an optimistic and life-affirming slice of grounded entertainment that maintains the Netflix batting average. To give away too many secrets in this piece would be robbing people of the emotional investment. Suffice to say that this Stranger Things for the older generation delivers just as much wisdom, just as many one-liners, and copious amounts of curveballs. Proving once and for all that the Duffer brothers have more than one ace to play when it comes to entertaining audiences.
The Boroughs is streaming now on Netflix.