Netflix releases first-look at its best replacement for Stranger Things

Since Stranger Things came to an end right at the start of 2026, it's safe to say that fans assumed we wouldn't be riding the same highs that the series gave us for nearly 10 years. What would we do without one of the biggest and most beloved Netflix original series of all time? Well, we didn't have to wait for long for the franchise to return or for the Duffer Brothers to debut their next new series.

On top of the Stranger Things animated spinoff series Tales from '85 debuting on April 23 and the Duffer Brothers-executive produced horror series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen making a splash in March, the creators of the Upside Down return to Netflix once again in May with a sci-fi production that feels as close to Stranger Things as we'll ever get.

The Boroughs teaser trailer offers first-look at Netflix series

If you have been missing the heroic ethos of Stranger Things, we will rediscover it tenfold with the new Netflix original series The Boroughs. The show from co-creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews releases its eight-episode first season on Thursday, May 21 and ahead of the big premiere, Netflix has released the first-look teaser trailer to give us a taste of what to expect.

Watch the teaser in the video below:

While Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen wasn't very closely aligned with Stranger Things genre or storytelling wise, The Boroughs teaser makes a real case that the new Duffer Brothers production could be the best answer to their breakout hit yet. Between the science fiction, the bold colors, the atmospheric music, and the eclectic group of characters, it's a real fan-favorite in the making.

The new series is sure to draw the most comparisons to Stranger Things given its obvious similarities, and it already looks like exactly what fans of the series have been waiting for after the show's series finale. The teaser previous as much action and sci-fi wonder as it does heart and humor, which are the ingredients that made the Duffers' show so adored.

The Boroughs takes place in the titular retirement community in the desert, where the residents appear to have an encounter with something otherworldly that leads to something magical but potentially dangerous. Are there monsters and secrets and threats lurking in what seems to be a paradise resort? The group joins forces to uncover the hidden truths of their new home.

Take a closer look at how Netflix describes The Boroughs in the official synopsis:

"In the sun-drenched expanse of the New Mexico desert lies The Boroughs, a picturesque retirement community promising its residents the time of their lives. But for new arrival Sam Cooper (Alfred Molina), paradise feels more like a prison. Everything changes when a terrifying nighttime encounter reveals that something monstrous is stalking the manicured cul-de-sacs. Dismissed by the powers that be as just another confused old man, Sam finds unlikely allies in a band of neighborhood misfits: a sharp-witted former journalist, a spiritual seeker, a cynical music manager, and a brilliant doctor running out of options. Overlooked and underestimated, these unlikely heroes must band together to unravel the dark truth at the heart of The Boroughs before their time runs out."

In addition to Alfred Molina leading the cast as Sam, The Boroughs also stars Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, Bill Pullman, Carlos Miranda, Jena Malone, Seth Numrich, Alice Kremelberg, Ed Begley Jr., Dee Wallace, Eric Edelstein, Rafael Casal, Mousa Hussein Kraish, Beth Bailey, Karan Soni, and Jane Kaczmarek.

Don't miss The Boroughs series premiere on May 21 only on Netflix!