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Stranger Things producers' new show turns the formula upside down with retirees stuck in The Boroughs

We've seen kids deal with the unknown. Now it's time to see how retirees do it.

Published on Mon Apr 13 2026

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The producers of Stranger Things are pivoting for their next big Netflix project: we’ve seen how kids deal with the unexpected — now it’s time to see how retirees do it. At least, that seems to be the gimmick behind the upcoming series The Boroughs, judging by its first trailer.

The show — created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, who’ve worked together on The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, and produced by Upside Down Pictures, the company formed by Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers — isn’t afraid of trading on the goodwill of the hit Netflix series that predates it. The official description of the series makes that clear from the very first sentence: “The executive producers of Stranger Things invite you to a new community. Welcome to the Boroughs, starring Geena Davis, Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman, Clarke Peters and Denis O’Hare. In a seemingly picturesque retirement community, a group of unlikely heroes must band together to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don’t have - time. Coming May 21st only on Netflix.”

Take a look at the trailer — which has very Steven Spielberg vibes, perhaps fittingly — below.

The Boroughs drops all episodes of its first season May 21.

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Graeme McMillan: Popverse Editor Graeme McMillan (he/him) has been writing about comics, culture, and comics culture on the internet for close to two decades at this point, which is terrifying to admit. He completely understands if you have problems understanding his accent.