The Boroughs: Netflix Series Explores Aging and Community
A new Netflix production examines ageing, loss, and fellowship among retirees in a supernatural setting.
Netflix has released The Boroughs, a science fiction series set in a retirement community in New Mexico. Produced by the Duffer Brothers, the creators of Stranger Things, the programme follows a group of older residents who discover supernatural threats within their seemingly peaceful neighbourhood.
The series was created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews. It draws inspiration from Ron Howard's 1985 film Cocoon and the works of Steven Spielberg, while establishing its own distinct narrative centred on themes of ageing and grief.
Premise and Narrative
The programme opens with the death of Grace, a resident played by Dee Wallace, who is attacked by a creature that infiltrates her home. Her death makes way for a new resident, Sam Cooper, a grieving widower portrayed by Alfred Molina. Sam had intended to move to the community with his late wife, Lilly, played by Jane Kaczmarek. Following her passing, he views the relocation not as a fresh start, but as an endpoint.
Sam's encounter with the same creature that killed Grace prompts him to investigate the dangers present in the community. In doing so, he gradually forms bonds with his neighbours.
An Ensemble of Established Performers
The cast brings together several veteran actors. Molina's Sam, a former engineer, collaborates with Wally, a former doctor played by Denis O'Hare, to study the creature scientifically. Judy, a former journalist portrayed by Alfre Woodard, investigates suspicious activity alongside her husband Art, played by Clarke Peters, who approaches the mystery from a spiritual perspective. Geena Davis plays Renee, the community's art teacher, who notices unusual disappearances of her possessions.
The narrative structure allows each character to contribute different elements to the central mystery, culminating in their collective effort. The performances are measured and committed, with the cast conveying both resolve and vulnerability.
Themes of Ageing and Mortality
What distinguishes The Boroughs from similar supernatural adventures is its treatment of ageing and loss. The series addresses the realities of declining health, the death of peers, and the erosion of one's faculties with directness and dignity.
Sam's grief over his wife is a consistent thread throughout the series. Flashbacks to their final day together serve not merely as emotional devices, but become integral to the plot and its resolution.
A significant subplot involves the Manor, a long-term care facility within the community for residents requiring additional support, including those living with dementia. The programme portrays these individuals with respect, even as it depicts the failings of those entrusted with their care. The most unsettling moments in the series arise not from the supernatural elements, but from scenes in which older characters are dismissed or diminished by caretakers and family members.
In this regard, The Boroughs shares thematic ground with another Netflix production, A Man on the Inside. Both programmes treat the lives of retirees with a seriousness that acknowledges their capacity for purpose and engagement, rather than reducing them to figures of pity or neglect.
Conclusion
The Boroughs delivers a structured supernatural narrative while maintaining a steady focus on the dignity of its older characters. The series treats community, loss, and the confrontation with mortality as subjects worthy of thoughtful consideration, set within a framework that remains accessible and purposeful. It is available for streaming on Netflix.