Netflix’s The Boroughs delivers a sharp, ensemble-driven supernatural thriller
Set in a New Mexico retirement community, the series explores grief and aging through a creature feature lens, marking a creative success for creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews.
Ars Technica has published a review of The Boroughs, a new supernatural thriller on Netflix that has been described as a "creative home run." The series, created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews and executive produced by the Duffer brothers, is set in a retirement community in the New Mexico desert. While the Duffer brothers recently departed Netflix for a production deal with Paramount, they retained certain projects, including this series and the animated Stranger Things: Tales from ’85.
The narrative centres on Sam Cooper, played by Alfred Molina, a widowed aeronautical engineer who reluctantly moves into the community after his late wife’s death. The plot thickens when Sam investigates the mysterious death of his neighbour, Jack, portrayed by Bill Pullman, and a supernatural creature lurking beneath the community’s idyllic facade. The pilot episode ends with Jack’s death, a bold move that establishes high stakes and unites the surviving neighbours to solve the mystery.
The series features an ensemble cast including Geena Davis, Jane Kaczmarek, Clarke Peters, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Ed Begley Jr., and Dee Wallace. The review highlights the show’s witty script and strong performances, noting that the roles offer broad emotional ranges for the world-class 60+ acting talent. Specific plot points include a creature stealing quartz, crows dying in the desert, and a former resident claiming there is an "owl in the walls."
Themes of grief, aging, and the societal undervaluation of seniors are central to the story, with the creature serving as a metaphor for these fears. The review notes that the series mirrors how society might dismiss the concerns of seniors as senility, preventing them from seeking help. A cultural touchstone in the series is Bruce Springsteen’s 1975 song "Thunder Road," which holds emotional significance for Sam and his late wife.
The Boroughs is positioned alongside other recent senior-themed Netflix content, such as A Man on the Inside. The finale leaves unanswered questions, hinting at a potential second season, though the Duffer brothers’ future involvement remains unclear. Co-creators Addiss and Matthews will need to flesh out the broader mythology if the series is to continue.
