If you’re a fan of The Goonies or even Stranger Things, the Duffer brothers have a new Netflix series they’re executive producing called The Boroughs.
It’s got an all-star cast and mixes mystery and adventure. should you check into this neighborhood? In a seemingly perfect retirement community, a grieving newcomer’s strange encounter inspires him to join a misfit crew of unlikely heroes who uncover a dark secret that proves their golden years are more dangerous than anyone expects. Okay, so with this eight episode series, we’ve got Alfre Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, Bill Pullman, Carlos Miranda, and Jenna Malone starring with only the last two of those not being well past their 50s in age.
The story line is both straightforward and somewhat predictable, but that doesn’t remove the intrigue or even the adventure from the plot. When the cast comes together, that’s when the whole thing shines, creating this production whose positives greatly outweigh the negatives. The main plot follows a group of retired people living in a culde-sac. Bill Pullman, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, and Denis O’Hare are longtime friends and neighbors who work to befriend the newcomer to the community, Alfre Molina. Molina is wonderfully grumpy and standoffish.
He’s newly widowed and doesn’t want to be there at all. Despite the somewhat intrusive friendliness of the rest, he very slowly begins to slightly warm to them. But then he happens upon something very strange and dangerous. And that urges him to begin an investigation that draws the others in as well. And because this cast is mainly made up of the older acting generation, it is really awesome to see them in top form and being hired for something more than just a cameo within a series.
Watching these actors, it made me think of cocoon. Did you know that Wilford Brimley was only 51 when he starred in that movie? I mean, what the heck? He’s playing some geriatric retiree and he was only 51. I mean now none of the actors in this series look as though they’re approaching the end of their road.
They’re lively and energetic. Just baffles me though that so many actors of the previous generation looked way older than they really were. Okay, I know that had nothing to do with anything, but whatever. I love the setting of this community. While it’s picturesque and pristine, it’s out in the middle of literal nowhere, surrounded by this desert as if it’s some longabandoned nuclear test site that they just bulldozed away the debris and then built a town on top.
There’s a loneliness to the isolation, but also a sort of menace because if something really is happening within this community, there aren’t any outside resources to assist. But then if there is something nefarious going on, what better victims than the aged? I mean, many, if not all, would be seen as scenile or mirroring dementia if they were to ever tell a loved one of what they expected. I appreciate the dark and twisted bent of this story element because it creates another layer of hopelessness that some of the residents already face, especially those like Molina, who just didn’t want to be there in the first place, separated from the rest of his family. This sort of sounds like a depressing setup, but thanks to the charisma of the cast, their timing together, then the subtle but earned comedy, there’s just the right amount of risk and peril to create excitement while also maintaining a story that you want to continue watching.
I appreciate how the show defines and then exploits the eccentricities of each of the neighbors, turning them from single-dimension nobbies to characters we can become invested in and even root for or maybe against. Take Denis O’Hare. He’s witty and bitingly sarcastic, but also a wonderful friend and listener. his outlook is shaped by some circumstances that allow him to be carefree while still being internally conflicted about some other choices. Clarke Peters, he’s consistently stoned throughout the show, but in his mellowess, he is extremely wise and observant.
I love how the plot sometimes makes him the fool of the narrative because he’s discounted when he really should be consulted. Each member has unique qualities that create robust presences, but no matter how larger than life some may get, the writing never allows them to overshadow Molina. And this is really his story and ultimately his journey. But without the others to create some havoc, laughs, and intrigue, the show wouldn’t be nearly as engaging or watchable. I mean, we need this group dynamic much like the Goonies or Stranger Things.
The collective assembly of the off-kilter personalities is the glue that binds the whole thing together. I also appreciate the theme of belonging and appreciation for life that the story explores. The characters start out feeling as though they’re discarded and forgotten, and then that’s reinforced by some key plot devices, but by the end, there’s a camaraderie and a belonging that’s built, demonstrating some massive growth that only works to make the characters more endearing. of course, with a mystery, there needs to be some antagonists, even villains. The show does provide these, but just like some of the story progression, these are obvious and predictable, even if the motives may not be.
I think this is the weakest portion of the show. Also, not so much in the antagonist themselves, but in the overall development and depth of their intent. On a basic level, their pursuits make sense and are understandable, but the background is weak. For being a core element of the overall arc, it’s a little disappointing to have such a lackluster lore presented to us. And really, it’s barely even skimmed over.
I mean, we can get the gist and make our own assumptions, but I think had the story built this out way more than it did, the story could have delved much deeper into its mythos and then perhaps even created something that feels as though it reaches beyond what happens inside the retirement community. As it stands, once the conclusion is reached, that’s it.
I’m not looking for additional seasons, although to have more of the central cast would be awesome, but just to have richer world building for the adversary would certainly add to the show’s memorability. because of the nature of this story, the show utilizes a lot of CGI. I was pretty impressed at how realistic the graphics were.
They showcase textures and movements that are believable and mildly creepy. And the lighting on the graphics, I think it’s also great to watch. A lot of the time, especially with subpar CGI, the imagery has this flatness, even a thin halo around it, like it’s been photoshopped poorly into a scene. Here, the visuals appear organic and part of the surroundings, so they don’t end up distracting from the storytelling, but instead create more immersion in it. Despite the episodes each being close to an hour, the pacing is steady with a building urgency.
Outside of the lack of development on the antagonists, the writing it doesn’t rush us through progressions in ways that feel as though we’re missing chunks of information. Instead, it maintains an efficient presentation while still holding on to the adventure that’s at the story’s core. Overall, I had fun with the Burrows. It’s comedic, stacked with seasoned but still prime cast, contains both core journeys and engaging side quests, and most importantly draws on the honed strength of the actors to build out endearing and mischievous characters who long for adventure, but also they don’t want to miss out on cocktail hour. The villain arc is underdeveloped and could benefit from more depth, but the pacing, imagery, and themes work to fill in the gaps the adversarial background lacks.
This is excellent for a weekend bench. It’s quick despite taking about eight hours to get through and is just the right balance of curious adventure and humorous antics. It’s almost like a grown-up Scooby-Doo but without the talking dog.
I give the Burrows four out of five couches. Anything fun that you could recommend? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
