written by Tim Estiloz
Tim Estiloz interviews the cast of Netflix’ “The Boroughs” / Courtesy: The Spiel TV
It’s not often you get to see an established “All-Star” team of superbly talented and experienced veteran actors gathered together for one unique project. It’s even more rare for the storyline to have such performers fully embrace their senior level of maturity and age via their characters; and to present such characters with lives filled with excitement and a good measure of youthful aspiration.
Toss in an odd, unexpected dash of murder mystery intrigue and science fiction boogey-monsters; and you have Netflix’ thrilling new series called “ The Boroughs”.
Geena Davis, Alfred Molina, Bill Pullman, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters and Denis O’Hare comprise an exceptional ensemble of talented actors who convincingly create an eclectic mix of humor and horror, pathos and passion, with some multi-legged
creatures that go bump in the night lurking the shadows.
Think Netflix’ immensely successful multi-season series “Stranger Things”; but targeting the retired AARP demographic as its inquisitive protagonists. However, while “The Boroughs” may share some of that series’ basic DNA in its narrative; the characters in this new series trailblaze their own compellingly unique path through the supernatural.
Alfred Molina plays Sam, a recently widowed retiree still grieving the sudden passing of his wife when he arrives at a beautifully tranquil Southwestern retirement community known as “The Boroughs”. Prior to her passing, Sam purchased a home in this quiet desert community at his wife’s urging for their retirement. Now that she’s gone, any anticipation and excitement he might have had about their new home has vanished; now supplanted by his crushing grief and bitter gruffness.
The problem for Sam is that he’s signed a contract to move in; and getting out of the agreement and getting a refund may prove more difficult than he expected.
However, Sam soon meets his wonderfully genial and welcoming neighbor named Jack ( Bill Pullman ) and Jack convinces Sam, albeit with some persistent prodding, to reluctantly join his nearby neighbors for a welcoming barbecue
In his honor. At the barbecue, Sam gets acquainted with a mixed group of eclectic semi-seniors settling in to enjoy their golden years in this cookie cutter designed community under the desert sun.
Among this group, there’s glamorous Bohemian gal Renee ( Geena Davis ), witty and charmingly sarcastic Wally ( Denis O’Hare ) and “married with problems” couple Art and Judy ( Clarke Peters and Alfre Woodard ). A wonderful scene with this awesome assemblage of talent just sitting around a backyard campfire, drinking beers and sharing ( and showing ) their various medical surgical scars is a hilarious delight to behold.
Geena Davis may be the first actress to ever make a hip replacement look sexy.
To watch these actors’ characters just letting down their hair and comfortably riff is a beautiful experience. Each of the actors have worked with each other one way or another on other projects during their careers; and that easygoing comfort level and familiarity with each other shines through here, making this twilight backyard gathering warmly intimate and fun to watch.
However, the joyous camaraderie is disturbed when Sam has a flashback vision of his wife’s death and in grief, excuses himself to go home, emotionally breaking down on his front porch. Jack follows Sam and tries to comfort him; compassionately urging Sam that he has lots more life ahead of him; if he only opens his heart and mind to the possibility.
Once inside, Sam reflects on Jack’s advice and decides to stay in the community and finally begins to unpack his belongings for good. However, later that night, Sam is awakened by the sound of Jack’s CPAP alarm sounding repeatedly, indicating something is wrong over at his new friend’s place.
When Jack doesn’t answer the doorbell, Jack breaks a window to enter Sam’s home but is cautiously alarmed when Jack doesn’t respond to Sam’s repeated calls. When Sam slowly enters Jack’s bedroom; he sees his new friend laying in bed motionless.
However, it’s the horrific looking creature that he also sees crouching above Jack’s still body that sends a chilling shock throughout his system. What Sam witnesses will also change his life and those of his new neighbors in frightening ways in the coming days.
The performances in this thrilling series are truly top-notch. The core ensemble of Davis, Pullman, Molina, Woodard, Peters and O’Hare are an exceptional team that has the audience rooting for them; while also drawing us in to empathize greatly with the emotional complications, sadness, illness and grief that they all are experiencing within their personal lives and complex relationships.
The supporting cast is also exemplary in many ways; including Carlos Miranda as a younger hunky security guard that becomes amorously attached to Renee; and also Seth Numrich and Alice Kremelberg as the CEO of The Boroughs and his wife. They skillfully portray their young Millennial executive couple with all the slick smarminess of 90’s TV televangelist grifters Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker in their heyday; albeit with a far more monstrously sinister hidden agenda.
Keep a close eye out for cameos by actress Dee Wallace ( Cujo ) and Ed Begley Jr. ( St. Elsewhere ).
With the support of the wunderkinds behind “Stranger Things”, the Duffer Brothers; co-creators and show runners Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews have created a thrilling, nail biter of a series where characters who have perhaps seen it all at their mature age; can still prove they have far more ingenuity, excitement and life to live than they ever imagined.
You’ll be excited to see season two. Netflix, are you listening ?