Entertainment
Netflix’s New 8-Part Sci-Fi Mystery Series Officially Earns Stephen King’s Stamp of Approval
The Duffer Brothers, Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, have become to Netflix what Taylor Sheridan is to Paramount+ — creatives capable of consistently producing high-profile hits that become the identity of an entire platform. It’s only fitting, then, that they’ve been chosen to receive the baton from Sheridan after his Paramount exit. Netflix has begun building a franchise out of their sci-fi horror juggernaut, Stranger Things, starting with a new animated entry in the Upside Down world. Their latest Netflix show, The Boroughs, is a sci-fi mystery series that, while not directly written by the Duffers, still bears their creative fingerprints through their role as executive producers. The series has become another streaming sensation for Netflix and has now drawn praise from the undisputed maestro of modern horror storytelling himself, Stephen King.
The Boroughs premiered on Netflix on May 21, with all 8 episodes released at once in the familiar binge-friendly approach that Netflix has re-adopted for launching new originals. Dubbed “Stranger Things for seniors,” the story follows a group of elderly retirees living in a New Mexico desert community who are forced to band together after a sinister supernatural force begins haunting them. Within just three days of release, the series has reportedly amassed more than 35 million views worldwide. Among those tuning in was horror icon Stephen King, who took to his Threads account to praise the show, writing:
“THE BOROUGHS (Netflix): An absolute delight. Bonus: I believe, because it’s Netflix, you can watch all the episodes. It’s actually worth it.”
King has recently made a habit of sharing streaming recommendations on his socials, which has delighted fans. The legendary horror writer was especially vocal about his love for the once-under-the-radar sci-fi horror series, FROM, helping bring the show to widerrecognition. King’s endorsement of The Boroughs caught the attention of one of its makers, Jeffrey Addiss, who co-created the show alongside Will Matthews. Addiss, in his response, reflected on the enormous influence the horror icon has had on his career and concluded with a line notably referencing King’s The Dark Tower series. “Welp. This is pretty cool. Thank you on behalf of the whole cast and crew for watching and writing, he wrote. “Your work was a big influence on The Boroughs. Hell, I know I started reading your stuff far too young. Thank God. We have remembered the face of our father.”
Critics Agree With Stephen King on ‘The Boroughs’
The growing viewership for The Boroughs reflects the positive reception the series has received from both audiences and critics alike. The show currently sits at a near-perfect 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes. In her review for Collider, Greer Riddell praised the show’s brilliant adoption of classic sci-fi conventions. The review also singled out the performances of the ensemble cast, which includes Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, and Clarke Peters as the elderly residents at the center of the supernatural mystery.
One of the review’s biggest points of praise was the way the series handles its older protagonists with sincerity and respect rather than reducing them to tired stereotypes. As Riddell wrote, the show “refuses to infantilize or depict them through stereotypical images of retirement,” instead portraying them as “active, intelligent, and resilient” individuals with rich emotional lives.
The Boroughs Season 1 is currently streaming all 8 episodes on Netflix. There’s no word yet on a renewal, but the odds are looking good given the reception so far. Stay tuned for more updates.
- Release Date
-
May 21, 2026
- Network
-
Netflix
- Showrunner
-
Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews
- Directors
-
Augustine Frizzell, Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Ben Taylor
You must be logged in to post a comment Login