Read this The Boroughs review to see if the episode ”Welcome to The Boroughs” is worth watching.
Netflix’s supernatural mystery series The Boroughs (2026) kicks off its premiere episode, “Welcome to The Boroughs,” by introducing audiences to an eerie retirement community in the New Mexico desert. Executive produced by Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers, the first episode masterfully blends small-town drama with chilling sci-fi suspense. When grieving widower Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina) moves into the facility, a terrifying supernatural encounter quickly shatters the quiet routine of the elderly residents. This spoiler-free premiere establishes a pulse-pounding race against the clock, proving that this group of unlikely heroes must band together to fight an otherworldly threat targeting the one thing they have left: time.
About The Boroughs
- Season 1, Episode 1: ”Welcome to The Boroughs”
- Directed by Ben Taylor
- Written by Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews
- Synopsis: “When grieving widower Sam Cooper reluctantly moves to a desert retirement community, he discovers something is lurking beneath its perfect surface.”
- Airdate: May 21, 2026
- Starring: Alfred Molina, Bill Pullman, Jena Malone, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, Alice Kremelberg, Eric Edelstein, Seth Numrich, Carlos Miranda, Rafael Casal, Emilia Faucher, Juan Gabriel Pareja, Eldon Jones, Jane Kaczmarek, Dee Wallace, Ed Begley Jr., Karan Soni, Mousa Hussein Kraish, and Beth Bailey
If you want to avoid The Boroughs spoilers, skip to the overall section at the end.
Warning: Spoilers for The Boroughs Season 1 Episode 1 ”Welcome to The Boroughs”
Recap The Boroughs (2026): S1E01 – ”Welcome to The Boroughs”
The episode opens with Grace (Dee Wallace) at home, eating dinner and watching Jeopardy. She gets a video call from her husband, Edward (Ed Begley Jr.). It doesn’t take long to realize he’s in a memory care center, asking to “come home” and asking about “Joey.” My mother suffered from Alzheimer’s, and this scene hits home. She promises to come visit the next day, as he warns, saying “the owl is in the walls” before being taken away by the guards.
Grace is winding down for the night when a creature attacks her. Just as she’s going through the door, legs grab her and pull her inside. The doorknob breaks and falls to the floor as she screams for help.
Sam Arrives at The Boroughs
The show cuts to Sam, his grandkids, daughter Claire (Jena Malone), and his son-in-law Neil (Rafael Casal) driving through New Mexico. They’re taking him to the retirement community called “The Boroughs.” The kids complain he’s watching a “boring” old movie, Ride the Pink Horse (1947). This is one of many Easter Eggs in the show. The movie is about a cynical, disaffected World War II veteran arriving in a small New Mexico border town. This fits the tone of his character and setting perfectly. It also shows his love of nostalgia and his comfort with electronics as an engineer.
Claire and Neil are arguing with Sam about moving to the community. He obviously feels like it’s just a place to go when you’re dying. As they go to his new home, the song Golden Years” by David Bowie plays, which is an upbeat song reflecting on aging.
Following that shocking opening, we’re in the car with Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina) and his family as they drop him off at The Boroughs. His daughter Claire (Jena Malone) drives, and his son-in-law Neil (Rafael Casal) tries to keep Sam optimistic. When they pull up to his house, they’re met with Kayleigh (Beth Bailey), his bubbly transition manager.
Kayleigh explains that Grace passed away two months ago. Her husband, Edward, lives in the long-term care facility called The Manor. When Sam spots Seraphim, which essentially is The Boroughs’ AI support radio, he rips it from the wall. As it turns out, Sam’s wife died, and she was the one who wanted to move here. He thinks he’s a “prisoner.” His daughter mentions that he likes to repair old cathode ray television sets. Neil surprises him with a golf cart, but Sam’s still cranky.
Sam Struggles With Grief and Isolation
After bidding an emotional farewell to Claire, Sam tries to settle into his new home. He watches an introductory video from The Boroughs’ CEO, Blaine Shaw (Seth Numrich), and his wife Anneliese (Alice Kremelberg). His grandfather started the community in 1950. Just then, he’s unexpectedly visited by his neighbor, Jack (Bill Pullman), who brings beer and insists on making friends as a fellow “film buff.” They talk about a welcome barbecue but Sam is less than excited. It’s obvious that Jack is living his best life with golf and women.
Later, Sam dreams or has a memory about making dinner with his late wife, Lilly (Jane Kaczmarek). He’s jolted awake by the noise from his neighbors, Renee Joyce (Geena Davis) starting her car, and Art Daniels (Clarke Peters) doing yoga. Art’s wife, Judy Daniels (Alfre Woodard), researches Sam’s history online as a former journalist.
Reluctant about his situation, Sam drives to meet Blaine in hopes of exiting his contract. But when he hears “Thunder Road” by Bruce Springsteen playing over the PA system. The song causes him to have a panic attack. The show goes back to the dinner flashback, and he sees his wife collapse. It’s a memory of her death. The song is about the desperate, burning desire to escape a dead-end town and the fear of getting stuck in a stagnant life. It’s another Easter egg capturing Sam’s mood.
Next, the show cuts to Hank Williams (Eric Edelstein), a security guard, training new guard Paz Navarro (Carlos Miranda). They’re handling a situation involving Renee Joyce (Geena Davis). She’s complaining that someone stole some of the rose quartz at the community center. Hank believes Renee has merely misplaced the stones and declines to file a report. He says it would read, “Confused old woman is confused again.” Hank is very disrespectful, and the residents hate him for it.
Hidden Clues and Easter Eggs Build the Horror
Later, Sam is watching The Killers (1946) on the couch. It’s another important easter egg because the movie is about fatalism and the inevitable consequences of past choices. Has Sam made good choices in life? Is that why he’s here at this time in his life?
Renee’s loud automobile causes him to wake up. With a toolkit in hand, he dashes outside and surprisingly fixes her engine. When she says thank you, she forces him to say “You’re welcome.” Sam goes back home and hears an odd noise in the bathroom. He discovers Edward in his home, pounding on the walls with a knife while searching for Grace, the owl, and a door of some sort. Sam tries to calm the man down. But the hysterical man demands that Sam “return” his wife and slashes him on the arm. The orderlies burst in, and Edward screams, “He’s one of them,” after being carried away.
The Boroughs Deepens Its Mystery
Sam gets patched up by the nurse, and Hank introduces himself and explains that they’re on unincorporated land. So they don’t have a police department to bother about “small stuff” like the attack. The new resident threatens to contact the sheriff, but the guard says the owner wants to speak with him first. At The Manor, he visits Shaw, who’s kindly feeding one of the residents. He apologizes to Sam for not keeping him safe and says Edward wants to apologize. Blaine says that Edward has Maxwell’s disease, a rare neurological condition for which there is no known cure. It’s a made-up disease, so I’m assuming they didn’t want to use one of the many real neurological diseases for some reason. It’s also revealed that Joey, whom he talked about with Grace, died young. The owner also says that “time is a precious commodity around here.” That’s one of the main themes of the show.
Blaine gives him the paperwork to break his contract in exchange for not talking to the Sheriff. Still, he suggests that Sam should remain to relieve loneliness.
After a few hours, the widower meets Jack and asks to have the barbecue to meet his neighbors. The CEO’s words have moved him. He also gets a call from his daughter asking about a Springsteen record called “Born to Run.” This is another reference to the song from earlier since “Thunder Road” was the first one on the album.
Friendship and Fear Collide
Sam goes to Jack’s house and meets Wally Baker (Denis O’Hare) outside, who is suffering from Stage Four cancer. It’s the most advanced and difficult stage to cure. He says standing outside is a waste since he probably doesn’t “have much time left.” The widower reveals his wife was the sociable one, and he hates parties.
They go in, and the show cuts to later in the evening. “Shining Star” by Earth, Wind & Fire is playing, which is a fittingly hopeful song about universal self-empowerment and the inherent worth of every individual. Art, Judy, and Renee casually get to know each other over light conversation at dinner. The four make fun of Art for his alien conspiracy theories.
During a gathering around a fire, the friends talk about CBD and share stories of their surgical scars. It’s an empowering moment of what should be painful memories from the past. Sam recalls his detached retina, which led to the loss of his driver’s license. Suddenly, Judy starts choking. It makes the widower remember Lilly’s death, and Sam leaves abruptly. Jack follows him to offer support and address his anger.
A Chilling Final Reveal Ends the Episode
He admits that he’s angry at the world for going on when his wife died. The other man remembers words from his wife that “grief makes your past feel too close and your future too far away.” Then Jack says, “Everybody’s trying to figure out what to do with the time you got left. And that’s young people, old people.” Again, this is the theme of the show.
When Sam gets inside, he reviews his contract. He calls Shaw and says he’s decided to remain at The Boroughs and not call the sheriff. After unpacking and repairing his doorknob, he hears an alarm from Jack’s house. Breaking a window to investigate, he discovers a creature—identical to the one that killed Grace—in Jack’s room. It’s hanging over him as he sleeps with his CPAP. It then leaps out and jumps at him before scurrying away.
Overall: Watch The Boroughs (2026): S1E01 – ”Welcome to The Boroughs”
Watch The Boroughs episode “Welcome to The Boroughs” because it’s an intriguing and promising show with an original concept.
Alfred Molina leads an incredible ensemble of seasoned actors in Netflix’s The Boroughs, which gets off to a promising start as the residents of a retirement home cope with a terrifying, otherworldly threat. The first episode establishes an appealingly offbeat tone that, hopefully, is supported by a strong tale across the eight episodes that will properly utilize these players. This episode is pretty slow, but the setup is intriguing and enjoyable.
I’m giving this episode 3 out of 5 stars.
All episodes of The Boroughs are available to stream on Netflix.
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