Alfre Woodard has officially joined the cast of the upcoming Netflix sci-fi mystery series The Boroughs. The project, executive produced by the Duffer Brothers, relocates the supernatural danger of Stranger Things to a retirement community, casting Woodard alongside a group of veteran actors who must band together against an otherworldly threat.
Reviewing the series' setup on Fresh Air, critic David Bianculli drew direct parallels to the creators' previous megahit, noting that the new show "plays with that same theme, but on the other end of the age spectrum." He described the ensemble of characters as quirky misfits who are all elderly, living in neighboring homes in an exclusive retirement community.
While Woodard's character Judy is poised to be a key player in the cul-de-sac, early attention has also focused on co-star Alfred Molina. Bianculli described Molina's character as a "reluctant arrival played with deadpan gruffness" who has been recently widowed and doesn't want to be there. Whether this geriatric sci-fi formula can capture the same monocultural magic as its teenage predecessor remains to be seen, but the pedigree of the cast suggests a major hit in the making.