Duffer Brothers' new show praised as Stranger Things for old people following season 5 backlash
Are you finally ready to forgive the Duffer Brothers for the final season of Stranger Things?
Alongside Game of Thrones and now The Boys, the harshest critics have slammed season 5 of the teen drama as one of the worst final seasons of all time.
Landing the ending of any TV series is hard enough as it is, but when you have over a decade of fan theories and somewhat obsessive viewers, we can only imagine the pressure Matt and Ross Duffer were under.
While it's easy to point out various instances where the pair seemed to drop the ball, Matt Duffer asked irate fans to cut them some slack.
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Those Conformity Gate theories about secret episodes were promptly shut down, and even though we know various spin-offs are on the way, it could be time to move on from Hawkins.
Despite only serving as executive producers, the Duffer Brothers have redeemed their legacy with Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen.
Up next on Netflix, the Duffer Brothers are back on EP duty for The Boroughs, which has somewhat unfavorably been dubbed 'Stranger Things for old people'.
That might not be a bad thing, as The Boroughs boasts an all-star cast of Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, and Bill Pullman.
It's not just having an Oscar winner like Davis on the books that’s sure to attract attention, as The Boroughs has an intriguing premise. Set in a seemingly idyllic New Mexico retirement community, this unlikely band of heroes unites to stop an otherworldly threat from stealing the one thing they don't have...time.
The logline itself feels like a bit of a burn for this more mature ensemble, but according to the first reviews, The Boroughs could be the next big thing.
Even though some vowed to boycott all things Duffer in the aftermath of Stranger Things, The Boroughs looks like it's off to a strong start ahead of its release today (May 21).
Boasting 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews are trickling in. In a review that literally refers to it as Stranger Things for old people, The Daily Beast's Nick Schager wrote: "Ultimately, the best thing one can say about The Boroughs is that at the conclusion of its eight-episode debut run, one immediately craves more. If Netflix is smart, they’ll keep this superior scary saga alive for a long time to come."
Polygon's Aimee Hart added: "With a concept that is as fantastical as it is terrifying, as well as a truly phenomenal cast with off-the-charts chemistry, there’s a lot about The Boroughs that feels as though you’re sitting down to watch Stranger Things for grown-ups.
"However, it’s what lies beyond the Duffer Brothers' influence, where we get into the weeds of human connection and the psychology of who we are within our souls, regardless of age, that The Boroughs truly becomes magical."
Comicbook.com's Simon Gallagher said: "The show takes its time in places, which won’t be for everyone, but I had a lot of fun along the way, and the characters and performances more than justify the ‘gimmick’ of swapping what would usually be a kiddy cast for golden girls and boys. The very fact that it should have to be considered a gimmick is a rather ironic commentary on the whole thing."
While Empire's David Opie says that the Stranger Things for old people idea has stuck with The Boroughs (for better or for worse), there's enough here to reel people in for its eight-episode run. It remains to be seen whether the general public is as keen on the concept, but either way, we're sure there's going to be a question about whether this is one and done or The Boroughs really is the next Stranger Things.