The Boroughs
The Boroughs: Jubilación rebelde starts from a very good idea: taking the shape of a supernatural coming-of-age adventure, with mystery, monsters, strange neighbours and an apparently perfect community, and moving it to a group of retirees who are not ready to sit quietly and wait for the end. That alone gives the series something different. It does not reinvent the genre, of course, but it shifts the point of view, and that shift works very well.
The show is entertaining, easy to watch and never feels heavy. It has a pleasant adventure tone, a bit of mystery, a bit of science fiction, some comedy and a rather lovely melancholy about ageing, loss and the desire to keep living when others have already placed you in the “end of the road” box. Its strongest idea is exactly that: it treats older characters not as charming side figures, but as real protagonists.
The cast helps a lot. Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters and Denis O’Hare give the series a special warmth. Even when the story is not particularly surprising, you want to stay with them. There is chemistry, tenderness and several moments where the show works better because of its characters than because of the mystery itself.
That said, The Boroughs is not quite the great series it could have been. At times, it feels as if it has a brilliant premise but does not always know how to make the most of it. Some side plots carry too much weight, the development can be uneven and the supernatural side is not always as strong as the initial idea. Even so, it keeps your attention and preserves a very enjoyable tone.
The best thing is that it is not about “old people doing funny things”. It is about older people facing fear again, wanting to belong, dealing with grief and discovering the possibility of one last adventure. And when the series finds that balance, it works. There is a touch of Spielberg, a little of The Goonies, a little of Cocoon and, of course, something of that ensemble mystery formula Netflix has used so often. But here the change of age gives it a personality of its own.
It is not perfect, nor especially deep, nor always as moving as it wants to be. But it has charm, enough rhythm and an original idea that keeps it going. It is refreshing to see a fantasy series that understands adventure does not belong only to teenagers. Sometimes it can also begin when everyone thinks everything is already over.
The show is entertaining, easy to watch and never feels heavy. It has a pleasant adventure tone, a bit of mystery, a bit of science fiction, some comedy and a rather lovely melancholy about ageing, loss and the desire to keep living when others have already placed you in the “end of the road” box. Its strongest idea is exactly that: it treats older characters not as charming side figures, but as real protagonists.
The cast helps a lot. Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters and Denis O’Hare give the series a special warmth. Even when the story is not particularly surprising, you want to stay with them. There is chemistry, tenderness and several moments where the show works better because of its characters than because of the mystery itself.
That said, The Boroughs is not quite the great series it could have been. At times, it feels as if it has a brilliant premise but does not always know how to make the most of it. Some side plots carry too much weight, the development can be uneven and the supernatural side is not always as strong as the initial idea. Even so, it keeps your attention and preserves a very enjoyable tone.
The best thing is that it is not about “old people doing funny things”. It is about older people facing fear again, wanting to belong, dealing with grief and discovering the possibility of one last adventure. And when the series finds that balance, it works. There is a touch of Spielberg, a little of The Goonies, a little of Cocoon and, of course, something of that ensemble mystery formula Netflix has used so often. But here the change of age gives it a personality of its own.
It is not perfect, nor especially deep, nor always as moving as it wants to be. But it has charm, enough rhythm and an original idea that keeps it going. It is refreshing to see a fantasy series that understands adventure does not belong only to teenagers. Sometimes it can also begin when everyone thinks everything is already over.
Mini Review: The Boroughs: Jubilación rebelde starts from a very good idea: taking the shape of a supernatural coming-of-age adventure, with mystery, monsters, strange neighbours and an apparently perfect community, and moving it to a group of retirees who are not ready to sit quietly and wait for the end. That alone gives the series something different. It does not reinvent the genre, of course, but it shifts the point of view, and that shift works very...
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