I went into The Boroughs expecting Stranger Things in a retirement home, and this is by and large what I got. But the sci-fi series is so much better than I had expected, an addictively bingeable show that puts seasoned, mature actors at the helm, showing young actors why they’ve had such successful and enduring careers. Boy, do they deliver, providing a story that reinforces that there’s no place for ageism in Hollywood. With the right story, actors, and characters, those in their golden years can downright kick ass.
The Boroughs Turns Retirees Into Avengers
The story in The Boroughs, produced by The Duffer Brothers who most famously created Stranger Things, centers around the recently widowed Sam (Alfred Molina), who is taken to a lavish retirement community by his daughter. The place looks lovely, almost too picturesque. It’s a community that exists entirely on its own, a small town where retirees live out their days on perpetual vacation, playing golf, having barbecues, taking arts and crafts classes, swimming, and generally enjoying one another’s company.
Being the grumpy old man that he is, however, and still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, Sam wants nothing to do with the community nor the people there, despite their best efforts to welcome him with open arms. That is, until he encounters something strange and feels compelled to investigate. He can’t do it alone, which means banding together with other residents he thinks can help, despite his reluctance to engage with, well, anyone.
The story had me on board from the jump, the opening scene hooking me in the first five minutes. You can’t help but draw comparisons to Stranger Things even if this cast is old enough to be the kids’ grandparents. Instead of discussing crushes, arcades, and Dungeons & Dragons games over pizza, they talk about surgery scars and aching muscles while imbibing in beer and wine. It becomes evident rather quickly that these aren’t ordinary retirees. They’re far from living out their final days; they’re just getting started.
An ’80s Vibe with a Killer Cast
The Boroughs has an ’80s vibe to it, even though it’s set in present day. The cinematography and filming techniques will remind you of sci-fi and horror films from that time, but with a modern-day spin. It’s clear the creators, Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, who also wrote The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, draw from the same classic movie inspirations as the Duffers.
The incredible writing is brought to life by the A-plus cast, a who’s who of actors with impressive resumes dating back decades. Bill Pullman, Geena Davis, Clarke Peters, Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, and Denis O’Hare come together to present a masterclass in acting that any aspiring actor should watch to learn the art of delivering lines and selling a character. From their Academy Awards to their extensive stage careers on Broadway, this is a dream cast for making a show about badass 70+ year olds.
As they assemble, you get a superhero feel. Various frames and scenes play into this humorously but also pointedly. It’s not to mock them but to show that they’re fully capable of standing on their own and getting things done just as well as kids half their age can. Their life experience and fearlessness are unmatched, and it counts for much more than they’re given credit for. The kids in Stranger Things were underestimated because of their age, but so are these characters.
The Plot Takes Weird and Wonderful Turns
As the story develops and Sam and his crew learn more about this community that seems far too good to be true, it dives into the concept of time, doing the most with the time you have left, and the idea of tempting fate. These folks have already lived most of their lives. They’re in the home stretch and they understand the value of life but also the inevitability of death.
As the series progresses, The Boroughs takes oddball twists and turns you won’t see coming, some you might pick up on before they’re revealed. It takes a more comedic slant at times, sometimes even gets a little campy. That’s a welcome departure from the more serious themes that are, when it boils down to it, real ones we face every day of loss, love, betrayal, and, quite simply, the complications of life. The plot leans into the idea that these retirees taking on the task of facing otherworldly threats are doing so because they have both nothing and everything to lose.
The show serves as a metaphor for the temporary nature of life, and the difficult decisions we face when nearing the end of it. The “grey rebellion” is formed to fight monsters, but they aren’t necessarily the type of creatures you might think. When the truth is revealed, it all makes sense. You feel even more connected to the ensemble cast, what they’re fighting for, and what they’re fighting against, a moral dilemma that transcends the basic notion of life and death.
My only complaint about The Boroughs, and it isn’t really a complaint, is that I wish it was stretched out for at least two more episodes. The story is tightly written, leaving no filler episodes. But the characters are so compelling, so likable, that I would have loved some backstories, greater character development, and more drawn out suspense. On the flip side, this would have detracted from the core plot. But the fact that I crave it is a testament to how well each character is presented, not to mention a possibility to consider digging deeper into should there be a Season 2.
The Boroughs is a must-watch not just for fans of Stranger Things, but anyone who appreciates a good light sci-fi story with a comedic tilt. The amazing cast combined with the brilliantly written story and the fantastic set design, effects, and cinematography, come together to make the series one of the best new shows this year. Set the entire weekend aside, because you’ll want to watch it in one sitting.