TV Review: Netflix's 'The Boroughs' – A Senior Citizen Version of 'Stranger Things'

 

I will say this immediately – I loved this series! I will also admit that the executive producers of Netflix's The Boroughs are The Duffer Brothers – creators of the juggernaut television series Stranger Things, so it is not surprising that I am connecting the two series as kindred spirits. 

The big differences between the two series relate to time, locations, and characters. Stranger Things focuses on a group of young people dealing with extraordinary circumstances in Hawkins, Indiana, during the 1980s. The Boroughs deals with a group of senior citizens dealing with extraordinary circumstances in The Boroughs, a seemingly perfect retirement community in the New Mexico desert during the present day.  

The First Victim

The story begins on a very idyllic night in The Boroughs. Elderly Grace (Dee Wallace) is having a quiet evening at home. She speaks on an iPad to her husband Edward (Ed Begley Jr.) who is apparently in a facility and struggling with dementia. She promises him that she will see him tomorrow, even though he wants to see her right away. 

Grace hears a noise and checks around the house. She opens the front door to look outside in hopes of figuring out what is happening, and she is promptly entangled in tentacles and  dragged back into the house. This incomprehensible moment leaves us wondering what happened with no explanation.

A Grieving Man

Sam wonders if he's losing it

It is made clear that a good amount time passes after Grace's incident, and we see the recently widowed and still grieving Sam Cooper (an outstanding Alfred Molina) moving into what was Grace's house. He is there reluctantly because his daughter Claire (Jena Malone) can no longer handle him being at home. Sam does not want to be there, but Claire has signed a contract and used all of his savings to purchase the property. 

Sam is plagued by visions of his dead wife Lilly (Jane Kaczmarek). They are disturbing because they seem so vivid. Now he is in this place unconnected to Lilly, and he feels all alone. Sam believes he must break the contract and get out of there.  

He meets a friendly neighbor named Jack Willard (Bill Pullman) who tries to get him to see the good side of the community, and Jack even offers to throw him a welcome barbecue in order for him to meet his neighbors on the cul de sac. 

Corporate Office Visit 

Blaine and wife Anneliese have a secret

Sam goes to the corporate office to demand a way out of the contract. He meets with Blaine Shaw (Seth Numrich) – the CEO of The Boroughs – and, while he comes off as friendly, there is something about him that Sam doesn't like. Blaine asks Sam to give the place a chance.

Sam also sees some of the worst cases of senior citizens with dementia or other issues who are not able to live in houses. They are kept in a place called The Manor, and Sam gets a bad feeling about that place. 

Owl in the Walls 

When Sam returns to his house, he finds a visibly disturbed Edward there. Edward is scratching at the walls and trying to find the "owl in the walls." Sam tries to talk calmly with him, but then Edward grabs a kitchen knife and declares that Sam is "one of them." He stabs Sam in the arm, but then security arrives, and Sam receives medical attention.  A disturbed Edward is taken back to The Manor. 

The Barbecue

Sam bonds with his new neighbors

Jack makes good on his word and throws a party for Sam. Sam gets to meet his neighbors – former doctor Wally (Denis O'Hare), Judy (Alfre Woodard) and her husband Art (Clarke Peters), and Renee (Geena Davis). They are all warm and welcoming, and Sam feels better about the place after meeting the neighbors.

After the party, Sam returns to his house with a different perspective. He calls Blaine and lets him know that he has decided to stay. Blaine seems very pleased to hear this news. 

A Disturbing Occurrence

Later on that night, Jack hears an alarm, and then he realizes that it is coming from Jack's house. Sam rushes over there, but the door is locked. He breaks a back window to get into the house. When he walks inside he sees Jack lying on the floor under an obviously alien like creature attacking him. This is how the first episode ends. 

A Cover Up

Renee suspects a cover up

When the paramedics come, Jack is dead. They say that Jack died of a heart attack, but Sam explains that a creature attacked Jack. The paramedics and head security guard Hank (a creepy Eric Edelstein) try to dismiss what Sam is saying, but Hank's younger partner Paz (Carlos Miranda) is willing to listen. Renee reports to Paz that quartz items are being stolen all over the community, and she thinks there's a connection to Grace and Jack's deaths. 

Making Connections

Sam seeks answers from Edward

Sam goes back to The Manor to talk to Edward about what happened to Jack.  Somehow, Edward already knows why Sam came. Edward says, "You caught one!" Sam is shocked.  Edward rambles on for a while then he tells Sam, "The owl is in the walls. The key is in the light." 

Sam goes back home and searches the house. He finally finds a key to a storage locker in a light fixture. Sam searches the storage locker and finds a large stuffed owl. He disappointedly returns home thinking that Edward didn't know anything about the creature. 

A Discovery 

Sam is playing around with old televisions sets – he was an engineer and likes to tinker with things. Wally comes by and Sam shows him some inky blood that he found in Jack's house that must have been from the creature that killed Jack. When exposed to the lights from the televisions he's working with, the blood explodes in a burst of energy. Wally says "It's a miracle." 

What are these creatures? Why does the staff at The Boroughs downplay what Sam saw? There have been two deaths, but no one seems to care? What's going on here?

The Autopsy

Not satisfied with the official explanation of Jack's cause of death, Wally and Sam decide to find out what really happened. They break into the funeral home in order for Wally to perform an autopsy on Jack. Judy comes in and discovers what they are doing, so now she is involved.

Wally, Sam, and Judy looking for answers

During the examination, Wally discovers puncture marks in the back of Jack's throat that lead directly to his brain. He surmises that the creature killed Jack by sucking out his brain fluid. They figure this is what happened to Grace as well. 

They realize that Shaw and his staff are deliberately covering up what these creatures are doing. The question is why are they doing this? Do they not want everyone to find out because the seniors would all want to leave the community? Or is there even a darker motive – are Shaw and company somehow involved with what these creatures are doing for other nefarious purposes? 

No Spoilers Here

While the rest of the way is spoiler territory, I can say that we face a similar situation here that the kids deal with in Stranger Things. This time it's a group of fiesty senior citizens that won't take "No" for an answer. They are determined to find out what is going on at The Boroughs. 

The Cast

The main characters are all wonderfully realized, with Molina's Sam leading the way. Each one has a moment to shine in different capacities. As the clues add up, they become proactive detectives who are going to solve this puzzle. It's exciting to see the chemistry between the characters – it seems all of the actors are having a great time acting in this series. 

The Verdict

I really enjoyed this series. It may be for an older audience, but if young people give it a chance I think they would enjoy the show. Hopefully, the fact that the Duffer brothers are involved will attract a wider viewership.

I give The Boroughs 4.5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend the series. The episodes are all around 45 minutes long, so I was able to watch all eight episodes over the course of two evenings. So, if this kind of thing matters to you, you'll appreciate that. 

Overall, this a very enjoyable series with a satisfying conclusion. 

Please check out the trailer for The Boroughs below: