From Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers, The Boroughs dropped its complete first season on Netflix on May 21 and becomes the latest sci-fi mystery series sure to keep fans on the edge of their seats. That promise is kept almost right away as we're planted right into the titular retirement community in Grace's (Dee Wallace) home as she eats dinner and winds down for the night.
She takes a video call from her husband Edward (Ed Begley Jr.), who says "the owl is in the walls" like a warning before being yanked off the call by guards. While sleeping with The Golden Girls on her television, a creature descends on her from the ceiling fan and attacks her. As she tries to scream for help outside, she's pulled inside by the creature, which slams the door so hard the doorknob falls.
Following that shocking opening, we're in the car with Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina) and his family as they drop him off at The Boroughs. His daughter Claire (Jena Malone) drives and his son-in-law Neil (Rafael Casal) tries to keep Sam optimistic. When they pull up to his house, which is very clearly Grace's, they're met with Kayleigh (Beth Bailey), his bubbly transition manager.
Kayleigh explains that Grace passed away two months ago, and her husband Edward lives in the long-term care facility called The Manor. When Sam spots Seraphim, which essentially The Boroughs' AI support radio, he rips it from the wall. As it turns out, Sam's wife died, and she was the one who wanted to move here. Neil surprises him with a golf cart, but Sam's still cranky.
What happened to Sam's wife?
After an emotional goodbye with Claire, Sam gets to work on settling into his new home. When he gets his television on, he watches an intro package from The Boroughs CEO Blaine Shaw (Seth Numrich) and his wife Anneliese (Alice Kremelberg). His neighbor Jack (Bill Pullman) lets himself in with a six pack of beer since the doorknob is broken. Jack doesn't give him any option but to be his friend and invites him to a barbecue. Sam dreams of his wife Lilly (Jane Kaczmarek).
He's woken up from his dream by Renne's (Geena Davis) loud car, and his other neighbor Art's (Clarke Peters) loud music. Art's wife Judy (Alfre Woodard) looks up Sam's backstory online and learns almost everything about him. Despite his initial hesitation when it was presented to him, Sam drives his golf cart to the main building of The Boroughs to speak with Blaine Shaw to get out of his contract. While waiting for an appointment, music triggers Sam into a panic attack.
A flashback to the past finds Sam arguing with Lilly when she pulls him into a dance to diffuse the argument. During the dance, Lilly fell to the ground. The episode brings him to his knees just like in the memory. The security guard Hank (Eric Edelstein) trains the new guard Paz (Carlos Miranda) to deal with Renee dealing with a robbery of rose quartz in the community center. Hank believes that Renee simply misplaced the stones and refuses to file a report.
Sam watches an old movie and wakes up on the couch again because of Renee's noisy car. He rushes out with a toolbox and fixes her engine. When she thanks him, she has to force him to reciprocate with "You're welcome." In the bathroom, Sam hears a strange noise and finds Edward in his house banging on the walls with a knife, looking for the owl, Grace, and some kind of door. Edward stabs Sam's arm and demands him to give back Grace. Edward's taken away and yells "He's one of them."
Sam's welcome barbecue leads to a shocking death
After his encounter with Edward, Sam gets the opportunity to meet with Blaine Shaw at The Manor. Sam finds him tending to guests in the café, and he apologizes to Sam for not keeping him safe. He drew up documents for Sam to get out of his contract, but before moving forward, Edward wants to apologize to Sam. Blaine explains that Edward suffers from the rare neurological disease called Maxwell's that has no cure or treatment. Blaine makes a case for Sam to stay.
Later that night, Sam drops by Jack's house to accept his invitation to his barbecue. Clearly, what Blaine said about having nowhere to go struck a chord. Claire calls Sam and asks him to find her mom's copy of a Bruce Springsteen record. While waiting outside Jack's for his party, Sam meets Wally (Denis O'Hare), a neighbor with stage 4 prostate cancer. The gathering also includes Art, Judy, and Renee, and over dinner, they casually get to know each other over light conversation.
While sitting around the fire drinking and smoking, everyone compares scars from various surgeries over the years. Sam explains that his retina detached and his driver's license was taken away. Again, Sam's triggered to remember the night Lilly died as he watches Judy choke on something. Sam rushes home from the party without saying goodbye. Jack follows him home to check on him and help give hope to his anger.
Back at home, he looks over his contract. He leaves a message for Blaine informing him that he has decided to stay at The Boroughs. Finally, Sam unpacks his belongings, settles in, and fixed his doorknob. While in bed, he hears an alarm going off in the neighborhood. He follows the sound to Jack's house, breaking a window to enter the house and check on him. He finds a creature, the same creature that killed Grace, in Jack's room, which leaps out at him and escapes.
Watch The Boroughs only on Netflix.
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