Netflix fans hail new Duffer Brothers' drama an 'absolute masterpiece' as Rotten Tomatoes score passes Stranger Things
Netflix is once again trying to prove why it's worth our monthly subscription, with the latest show from the Duffer Brothers already getting everyone talking around the water cooler.
Having come a long way from getting your DVDs in the mail, Netflix's business model has evolved into becoming the biggest streaming service around. As part of this, it's delivered its own catalog of original shows and movies ranging from Squid Game to Wednesday, KPop Demon Hunters to Red Notice.
Among the Netflix greats is Stranger Things, and while the main series bowed out with a somewhat divisive final season, the IP is set to grow with various spin-offs and other projects.
While the Duffer Brothers' contract with the streaming giant ended in April 2026 as they transition to Paramount, they still have a few surprises up their sleeve.
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In the aftermath of serving as executive producers on Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, they're back in their EP positions for The Boroughs. While it's a little too easy to brand the TV series 'Stranger Things for old people', we'd argue that it actually works in the show's favor.
Boasting an all-star cast of Geena Davis, Alfred Molina, Denis O’Hare, and Alfre Woodard, there's a distinctly Stranger Things vibe as we follow our heroes being hunted by an otherworldly presence while they live out their twilight in a retirement community. The twist this time around is that the creature is coming for the one thing they don't have much left of...time.
The early critic reviews praised The Boroughs as a slightly uneven but ultimately strong freshman series, with plenty of scope for the story to continue. It's much the same over on Rotten Tomatoes, and while there's much debate about how much we should listen to review aggregator sites, some have heralded The Boroughs as an 'absolute masterpiece'.
At the time of writing, it's weighted with an impressive 95% score from critics and equally lofty 83% from fans. Despite only having eight episodes, The Boroughs' 95% score puts it above Stranger Things 90%, as well as every individual season of the sci-fi drama aside from Stranger Things season 1's 97%.
Even though viewers can be notoriously hard to please, one fan gushed: "An absolute masterpiece, a must-watch. The Duffer Brothers definitely know how to choose a story. I can't wait to see what they do with this series, I'd like them to continue the story."
It will be interesting to see if The Boroughs can maintain this momentum. Although there's no official word from Netflix on the fate of the series, creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews told IGN they always mapped out multiple seasons. Addis explained: "We have a very specific three-season plan, and we think we know the last shot of the last scene of the last episode.
"How we get there might change a little, but we have the answers to all the questions, and a plan of how and when to answer those. We wanted season one to feel emotionally complete, but leave some questions unanswered."
With The Boroughs nabbing the likes of Davis as an Oscar winner, we can only imagine what other Hollywood favorites could be lured in for a role. Given how Stranger Things wasted Terminator's Linda Hamilton, let's hope Addiss and Matthew can do better with the rest of these golden oldies.