George and Josh Bate
The following is a non-spoiler review of all eight episodes of Peacock’s new series The ‘Burbs
Amidst the sprawling filmography of Tom Hanks, the 1989 horror-comedy The ‘Burbs often flies under the radar. The movie from Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment drew inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window to tell a darkly comedic story about the eccentricities of suburban dwellers and the dark secrets they harbor. In the years since its release, the film has secured its status as a cult classic, albeit one seldom mentioned in conversations about the great Tom Hanks movies. Using the Joe Dante-directed film as its basis, a new Peacock original series introduces a new generation of audiences to The ‘Burbs and treats viewers to a light-hearted, quirky, and intriguing blend of the comedy and mystery genres.
From creator and executive producer Celeste Hughey, The ‘Burbs stars Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall as Samira and Rob, respectively, a young couple who move into Rob’s childhood home in suburbia after Samira gives birth to their baby. Seeking excitement during her mundane maternity leave, Samira becomes intrigued by a dilapidated Victorian manor across the street from her and rumors about a murdered teenager who may be buried there. This spark of curiosity evolves into a full-blown obsession for Samira and her new neighbors as they seek to uncover a disturbing truth that threatens to expose a dark underbelly to their quiet little cul-de-sac.
Unlike the feature film on which it is based, The ‘Burbs pivots away from its source material’s horror inclinations to tell a story more tonally aligned with Only Murders in the Building. Like the hit Hulu series, the new show weighs humor and mystery equally by focusing on an eccentric collective of neighbors attempting to uncover the secrets of their seemingly idyllic living environment. The humor may not always land or elicit audible laughs, but it nonetheless excels in enveloping the series with an irreverent sensibility that makes for engaging, light viewing. Intelligently, however, it never allows its wit to undercut the stakes or tension of the mystery, instead using humor as a means to add levity and invite the audiences to join Samira and the others for what is an otherwise serious puzzle to solve.
The fun of participating in this investigation is the collective of amateur sleuths we, as viewers, get to collaborate with. Headlining the group (and the series more generally) is Keke Palmer, who also executive produces the series. Palmer makes an outstanding lead for the show, easily creating an empathic lead out of Samira from the get-go. The Nope actress retains her trademark, bubbly, talk-sing line delivery, while firmly playing within the confines of the series’ tone to avoid making Samira too heightened or unrelatable.
The same can be said for the rest of the ensemble, all of whom activate the quirky sides of their acting repertoire to feed into the show’s somewhat frivolous tone. English comedian and actor Jack Whitehall plays Rob, the husband of Palmer’s character who has a secret or two tied to his neighborhood’s mysterious past. The chemistry between Whitehall and Palmer feels a tad forced at first, although, over the course of the eight episodes, their relationship increasingly feels more authentic as we spend more time with their characters.
Filling out the ensemble of neighbors is Julia Duffy as Lynn Gardner, Paula Pell as Dana Richards, and Mark Proksch as Tod Mann. The trio make for an odd, yet endearing neighbors that, together with Palmer’s Samira, serve as the life and heart of The ‘Burbs. Their back-and-forth appears effortless, as does the ability of each of the actors to embrace the strangeness of their characters while never losing sight of the emotion and challenges underlying them. Mark Proksch in particular stands out as the nosy, reclusive, and socially awkward technology expert of the bunch. Anyone who has seen him in the world of On Cinema at the Cinema or countless other comedy projects will know that Proksch always elevates anything he’s in, and The ‘Burbs is no exception. With Samira, the neighbors grow close and find endearing ways to support one another through all sorts of trials and tribulations. The series never quite reaches profound emotional heights, but the bond between them makes for admittedly heartwarming viewing.
Despite the humor and heart that this trio of neighbors (alongside Rob’s friend Naveen, played by Kapil Talwalkar) bring to the show, one of The ‘Burbs’ weaker elements comes from the various subplots and side conflicts these characters occupy. Sprinkled amongst the central mystery are individual plot arcs for the neighbors, whether that be Naveen’s post-marital difficulties, Lynn’s unusual reluctance to let anyone in her home after the death of her husband, or the fact that Dana never leaves the cul-de-sac anymore. None of these arcs prove particularly interesting, with all seeming to primarily serve as easy ways to expand the story to eight episodes. Especially as the mystery intensifies, every moment spent on these side quests drags the show’s pacing down and makes one eager to return to the narrative’s core.
The subplots feel as lackluster as they do because the mystery in The ‘Burbs is so intriguing. Executive producer Celeste Hughey’s series does not focus on a whodunnit in the traditional sense. Rather, it creates a mystery in which Samira and, in turn, the audience don’t quite know what they’re even looking into for quite some time. For instance, a typical murder mystery series features a dead body in the first episode, which serves as the instigating event for a detective to investigate. In The ‘Burbs, there is no instigating event per se (other than Samira and Rob moving into the neighborhood)—the set-up is just a creepy house, rumors of a mysterious death, and the arrival of a strange neighbor. But strong writing bolstering twists and turns around every corner keeps one guessing as to what’s going to happen next and what’s really going on in this seemingly perfect cul-de-sac.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with winding mysteries, The ‘Burbs converges on an underwhelming resolution. What was once a fascinating series of questions eventually devolves into very routine and flat answers that deplete the series of its preceding intrigue. That being said, the writing should be commended for not completely falling apart nor providing incomprehensible answers to the questions posed. Everything makes sense and clicks into place well—it’s just a shame that there is so little novelty and subversion in its conclusion.
Speaking of the conclusion, things go from bad to worse as the show ends on a massive cliffhanger. Cliffhanger may not even be the appropriate term to describe the final note of The ‘Burbs —loose end may be more fitting. It’s obviously commonplace for shows to end on a tantalizing note to get viewers eager to watch a second season if it ever comes to fruition. But The ‘Burbs resolves in a manner that is ill-fitting for a season finale. Leaving a plot thread hanging is fine (and expected), but there has to be some semblance of a bow tied on a season capper, otherwise it ends up feeling just another episode.
Finally, the series introduces a potentially interesting concept that it never capitalizes on. In the first episode, Samira becomes the only Black woman living in an all-white suburban neighborhood. Palmer’s character even jokes, “This is giving Get Out.” And, while a few moments throughout the show touch on the idea of what it feels like for a Black woman to exist in a predominantly white society (namely an interaction with Samira and the police), the show seems unwilling to do anything substantive with this concept. There’s ripe opportunity to provide nuanced commentary on interracial marriage, racial microaggressions, and racial isolation that the show sadly avoids taking.
Verdict
Overall, The ‘Burbs effectively breathes new life into a nearly 40 year old cult classic. Shelving the horror in favor of an Only Murders in the Building-esque blend of mystery and comedy, the new Peacock series engages with a frivolous tone and eccentric collective of lead characters. Keke Palmer leads the bunch, crafting a heightened yet empathic lead character using her trademark line delivery and comfort swiftly pivoting to more dramatic material. With scene-stealer Mark Proksch among them, the cast that comprise Palmer’s character’s neighbors similarly excel in delivering cringe and warm-heartedness in equal measure, even though various side plots used to flesh out their characters drag the show down. The central mystery, meanwhile, proves intriguing with all manner of twists and turns before resolving underwhelmingly and on a massive loose end. And although the show misses out on exploring the seeds of racial isolation and interracial marriage that it plants at the beginning, it nonetheless triumphs as light, quirky, and, at times, rather compelling entertainment. This is certainly a neighborhood worth visiting.
All episodes of The ‘Burbs stream February 8 on Peacock
