Calling all Stranger Things fans — Netflix has just dropped The Boroughs, a new eight-part mystery series that’s already being talked about as a mash-up between The Thursday Murder Club and Stranger Things.

Executive produced by The Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things, Wayward Pines), the story unfolds inside a retirement community that looks peaceful on the surface but hides something far more unsettling underneath. At the centre is Sam (Alfred Molina), a newcomer dealing with grief as he tries to settle into his new surroundings.

Denis O'Hare as Wally, Alfre Woodard as Judy, Alfred Molina as Sam and Clarke Peters as Art in The Boroughs

© COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Denis O’Hare as Wally, Alfre Woodard as Judy, Alfred Molina as Sam and Clarke Peters as Art in The Boroughs

What begins as quiet daily life quickly shifts after Sam experiences something terrifying and unexplainable. That moment pushes him into an unexpected alliance with a group of residents who don’t seem like heroes at all — yet find themselves drawn into uncovering a disturbing secret buried within the community.

With its mix of mystery, sci-fi tension, and unlikely teamwork, the series has been compared to Stranger Things with a different generation at its heart. Backed by a strong cast including Geena Davis, Bill Pullman and Denis O’Hare, The Boroughs is already being positioned as Netflix’s next big binge-watch.

What have viewers said about The Boroughs?

While the series only arrived on Netflix on Thursday, The Boroughs has already received a warm reception from viewers. One user on Rotten Tomatoes described it as “an absolute masterpiece” and a “must-watch,” adding praise for The Duffer Brothers’ storytelling and expressing excitement for future episodes and potential continuation of the story.

Critics have also responded positively. Variety highlighted the strength of the ensemble cast, noting how the series “turns a familiar genre on its head,” while exploring themes such as human limitation, fearlessness, and mortality through a fresh lens.

The Guardian described it as a “retirement village Scooby gang of heroes” facing a terrifying creature in a story that is “funny, tender, wise,” while The Times called it a blend of The Thursday Murder Club and Stranger Things, praising its mix of adventure, humour, drama and wonder.

What is The Boroughs about?

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The eight-part series is set in what appears to be a peaceful retirement village, located deep within the sun-drenched stretches of the New Mexico desert.

The synopsis reads: “But for new arrival Sam Cooper, paradise feels more like a prison. Everything changes when a terrifying nighttime encounter reveals that something monstrous is stalking the manicured cul-de-sacs.

The Boroughs has already been hailed as a masterpiece
© COURTESY OF NETFLIX

The Boroughs has already been hailed as a masterpiece

“Dismissed by the powers that be as just another confused old man, Sam finds unlikely allies in a band of neighborhood misfits: a sharp-witted former journalist, a spiritual seeker, a cynical music manager and a brilliant doctor running out of options.

“Overlooked and underestimated, these unlikely heroes must band together to unravel the dark truth at the heart of The Boroughs before their time runs out.”

Who stars in The Boroughs?

Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Three Pines) leads the series as Sam, while Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own) plays Renee and Alfre Woodard (Clemency, Salem’s Lot) is Judy.

Rafael Casal as Neil, Alfred Molina as Sam, Jena Malone as Claire Cooper, Eldon Jones as Cody and Emilia Faucher as Ella
© COURTESY OF NETFLIX
Rafael Casal as Neil, Alfred Molina as Sam, Jena Malone as Claire Cooper, Eldon Jones as Cody and Emilia Faucher as Ella

They’re joined by Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story, This Is Us) as Wally, Clarke Peters (The Wire; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) as Art and Bill Pullman (The Sinner, Independence Day) as Jack.

What have the creatives said about The Boroughs?

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The series is created by showrunners and executive producers Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), who say the project grew out of ideas they’ve carried since childhood.

Alice Kremelberg as Anneliese Shaw, Beth Bailey as Kayleigh, Seth Numrich as Blaine Shaw, Anisha Adusumilli as Phyllis, Moses Jones as Reed
© COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Seth Numrich plays Blaine Shaw

“When Jeff was a child, all he did was draw monsters. And when Will was a child, he started planning for his retirement,” they told Tudum. “So a show about a group of retirees who fight monsters really plays to both our strengths. The result is an adventure about a group of unlikely heroes that we can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with.”