It feels like there are new shows coming out every week these days. So many that it can be very hard to keep up with any of them. I read one article about a new show by the Duffer Brothers (of Stranger Things fame), and decided I wanted to give it a shot based on that alone. (I mean, I’ve helped teach a class on Stranger Things multiple times, so I wanted to check out what else they were coming up with.)
It turns out The Buroughs (on Netflix) is only produced by the Duffers, not created and directed by them, but it was still solid enough that Denisa and I finished it in about a week. (That’s the problem with shows. Find one that’s actually good, and you’re burn through it too quickly.) This wasn’t a perfect season by any stretch, but it was a fair bit of fun, and there were things in it that were pretty original, so I wanted to make sure it’s on some of your radars.
It stars Alfred Molina (Doc Ock) and Geena Davis(!) and an ensemble cast of mostly post-retirement aged people. Molina moves to a retirement community called the Buroughs that’s supposed to be designed as a sort of utopia for the elderly. Except once he’s there, it appears some sort of monster might be preying on the residents. He doesn’t fancy the idea of being something’s dinner, so adventure ensues. It’s a mystery-focused show, so I don’t want to give away any more of the plot than that.
What was good? Well, the setting and characters for one thing. Typically in a show like this, you’d have it be focused on a bunch of 20 and 30 year olds. It’s not often you get “regular retirees” cast as the heroes. (It’s not like they’re retired spies or former government agents. Molina was an engineer and Davis was a music executive.) There were some genuinely creepy parts, and the mythology the show developed was strong enough to keep the plot clipping along. It was a fun show to watch.
What wasn’t so good? Despite the originality of the premise, it was too predictable at times, especially once we got around to the last few episodes. You know what’s going to happen next, and it’s frustrating that the characters can’t figure out the same thing. (Seriously. Have none of these characters watched a single scary show? Ever?) When characters start making bad decisions, I get ticked off. And I got ticked off a number of times in the show. Not enough to give up, but certainly enough to remember.
That said, it’s only 8 episodes long, so it’s not like you’re losing out on a ton of time by giving it a go. It’s TV-MA for some violence and language. I’d give it around a 7.5/10.