A couple of years ago, Netflix announced they had given a series order to The Boroughs, a supernatural mystery show that’s executive produced by Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers. Now, we finally know when we’re going to have a chance to watch this new show, as a May 21st premiere date has been announced for the eight-episode series – and along with that announcement comes the unveiling of some first-look images. You can check them out at the bottom of this article.
Cast and Logline
Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance), who also serve as showrunners, The Boroughs has the following logline: In a seemingly perfect retirement community, a grieving newcomer’s monstrous encounter inspires him to join a misfit crew of unlikely heroes who uncover a dark secret that proves their “golden years” are more dangerous, and they are more formidable, than anyone expects.
The series stars Alfred Molina (Spider-Man: No Way Home) as Sam, Geena Davis (Blink Twice) as Renee, Alfre Woodard (Salem’s Lot) as Judy, Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story) as Wally, Clarke Peters (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) as Art, Bill Pullman (Independence Day) as Jack, Carlos Miranda as Paz, Jena Malone as Claire, Seth Numrich as Blaine, and Alice Kremelberg as Anneliese.
Also in the cast are Dee Wallace (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial) as Grace, Ed Begley Jr. (Better Call Saul) as Edward, Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle) as Lilly, Rafael Casal (Loki) as Neil, Eric Edelstein (Twin Peaks: The Return) as Hank, Beth Bailey (Breaking Bad) as Kayleigh, Karan Soni (Deadpool) as Toby, and Mousa Hussein Kraish (American Gods) as Dr. McGinnis.
Statements
Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews provided the following statement: “When Jeff was a child all he did was draw monsters and when Will was a child he started planning for his retirement. 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.
From the beginning, we knew we wanted The Boroughs to feel equal parts scary, mysterious, exciting and emotional. The challenge was to create a world that could hold all of these different tones at once. Which is why it was so fun to work with the Duffer Brothers – the masters of balancing heart and horror.
According to some very unofficial napkin math, our stars bring something like 350 years of craft to The Boroughs. We knew they would be great. We didn’t expect them to be so fun. They can make you laugh or cry with just a look. Makes it whole lot easier on us writers.
Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina) is the heart of our story. He recently lost his wife and he’s trying to figure out what to do with the time he has left. Which is a question we all face. No matter our age. It’s just the stakes get higher the more years you have under your belt.
Everyone talks about wanting to make a show that teenagers can watch with their parents. We wanted to make one that teenagers could watch with their parents and their grandparents that everyone could enjoy.“
The Duffer Brothers added, “For years, we’ve wondered why no one has made a film like Ron Howard’s wonderful Cocoon since, well, Cocoon. Then, out of nowhere, Jeff and Will emailed us an idea for The Boroughs: a story about retirees and monsters. They were adamant that — unlike so many stories about older characters — this wouldn’t treat aging as a punchline. Instead, it would treat its characters as real people facing real challenges… along with a few supernatural ones. It was exactly the show we’d been dreaming of.
While the characters are a little older than the kids in Stranger Things (they ride golf carts instead of bikes), the spirit is very much the same. At its core, this is a story about belonging and growing up — no matter your age — filled with adventure, wonder, comedy, scares, and tears.
And most importantly, you’re going to fall in love with these characters.
Watching legends like Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, Denis O’Hare, and Bill Pullman bring them to life was genuinely magical. The monsters are very cool — but it’s the characters who will stay with you.“
Does The Boroughs sound like a show you’d want to watch? I’m definitely sold on it. Take a look the images, then let us know if you’ll be watching this show by leaving a comment below.
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