A Binge That Earns Its Runtime

Read Time:5 Minute, 1 Second

TV SERIES REVIEW
The 'Burbs
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Genre: Comedy, Mystery
Year Released: 2026 (Peacock)
Runtime: 8 x 45m episodes
Creator(s): Celeste Hughey
Writer(s): Celeste Hughey, Rachel Shukert
Cast: Keke Palmer, Jack Whitehall, Julia Duffy, Paula Pell, Mark Proksch, Kapil Talwalkar
Where to Watch: premieres on Peacock February 8, 2026

RAVING REVIEW: What makes a neighborhood feel safe, and how quickly does that illusion fall apart once doubt creeps in? The ’Burbs takes that question and stretches it across eight tightly constructed episodes, using comedy not as a release valve but as a delivery system for discomfort. This isn’t a lazy remake, nor is it a nostalgia trap desperate to coast on the past. Instead, it’s a deliberate reworking of an idea that still feels uncomfortably relevant: the belief that danger always comes from somewhere else.

Set in present-day suburbia, the series follows a young couple who relocate to the husband’s childhood home, a move motivated by need but haunted by emotional dislocation. The show grounds itself in that unease from the start. City habits don’t disappear just because the lawns are cut, and the neighbors wave. That tension, between what a place promises and what it actually delivers, becomes the focus of what drives the series forward.

At the center of it all is Keke Palmer, who proves once again that she’s one of the most reliable actors working right now. Her performance operates on multiple fronts, all at once. She’s funny without pressing, skeptical without becoming shrill, and emotionally present in a way that keeps the series grounded even as suspicions escalate. The show understands that if the audience doesn’t trust her perspective, the entire premise collapses, and it wisely lets her carry that weight.

Opposite her, Jack Whitehall delivers a more restrained performance than some might expect, and that restraint works in the show’s favor. His character functions as both an emotional counterbalance and a source of friction, someone who wants stability badly enough to ignore warning signs. The dynamic between them feels genuine if not slightly predictable, which helps sell the series’ anxiety. This isn’t a couple unraveling because the plot demands it, but because they’re navigating competing definitions of safety.

The ensemble fills out the cul-de-sac with a perfect balance rather than excess. Each neighbor feels distinct without tipping into caricature, and the writing resists the temptation to turn everyone into a suspect. Patience is one of the series’ strengths. Suspicion accumulates through half-heard conversations and the subtle realization that everyone is performing for everyone else.

THE ’BURBS walks a careful line between comedy and mystery, and for the most part, it succeeds. The humor isn’t about deflating tension but sharpening it. Jokes land because they’re rooted in behavior rather than just punchlines, and the series understands that laughter can coexist with apprehension. When the show leans into awkward silences or overly polite exchanges, it finds its edge. These moments say more about suburban culture than any satire ever could.

Fans of the original The ’Burbs will recognize the DNA without feeling spoon-fed references. The series respects the legacy without being beholden to it, borrowing the core idea of paranoia while updating the viewpoint. Where the film reveled in exaggeration, the series reframes that impulse through a more contemporary understanding of isolation, surveillance, and self-curation.

Structurally, the eight-episode format works to the show’s advantage. The pacing allows tension to build organically, giving relationships time to shift and assumptions time to harden. The series avoids the trap of cliffhangers, instead relying on the slow burn of unease to keep viewers engaged.

What ultimately sets THE ’BURBS apart is its refusal to provide any form of comfort. It doesn’t reassure viewers that everything is okay; it understands that even ‘the safest communities’ have their skeletons. It suggests that suspicion is contagious and that the structures we build to feel safe often make us more vulnerable to our own fears. That’s a weighty idea for a comedy-mystery, and the show handles it with surprising confidence.

By the time the season ends, THE ’BURBS establishes itself as more than just a rebranding of a classic film. It’s a thoughtful, well-acted series that understands why its premise still resonates and isn’t afraid to let discomfort linger. It may be a comedy, but beneath that lies a sharp, observant look at how quickly trust erodes when everyone is watching everyone else. This is suburbia with the lights on, the doors locked, and the smiles practiced, and THE ’BURBS knows exactly how unsettling that can be.

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[photo courtesy of PEACOCK, FUZZY DOOR PRODUCTIONS, IMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT, UNIVERSAL CONTENT PRODUCTIONS (UCP)]

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