The 'Burbs (2026) Review: Cul-de-Sac Mystery, Light on Dread

Is The ’Burbs worth watching?

It depends on what you want from it. The ’Burbs is a breezy, likeable comic mystery carried by Keke Palmer’s superb timing, but it is softer and safer than the cult film it borrows its name from. Its best idea is shifting the story’s paranoia onto a Black woman who really is an outsider on her husband’s all-white street. Its weakness is that it rarely commits to either the comedy or the horror hard enough to make an impression, so it is pleasant rather than memorable.

What is The ’Burbs about?

Samira (Keke Palmer) and Rob (Jack Whitehall) are new parents who swap city life for the quiet cul-de-sac in Hinkley Hills where Rob grew up. The neighbours arrive bearing casseroles and smiles that seem a little too fixed. As the only Black resident on the street, Samira already feels watched, and her unease grows when she starts to suspect that the abandoned Victorian house across the road is hiding something, and that her husband knows more about the street’s history than he has told her.

Julia Duffy, Paula Pell, Mark Proksch and Kapil Talwalkar play the eccentric residents who may be helpful, harmless or something else entirely.

The ’Burbs was created by Celeste Hughey as a reimagining of the 1989 Joe Dante comedy that starred Tom Hanks. It is an American series in English, streaming on Peacock. This review covers season 1, eight episodes; the series is ongoing.

Keke Palmer is the reason to watch

Palmer is one of the most naturally funny performers working today, and the series is at its best when it simply hands her the scene. She makes Samira’s suspicion both relatable and hilarious, finding comedy in the gap between polite suburban small talk and her growing certainty that something is badly wrong. Her reactions to the neighbours’ oddities provide the show’s biggest laughs, and she gives the character enough intelligence that her paranoia never feels foolish.

Jack Whitehall is a good-natured partner, playing Rob with an amiable evasiveness that keeps the audience guessing about how much he knows. The supporting cast, particularly Paula Pell and Mark Proksch, bring a welcome strangeness to the neighbourhood.

A smart update to an old premise

The original film was about a bored suburbanite convinced his new neighbours were murderers. The series inverts that set-up in a way that gives it real point: here, the newcomer is the one under scrutiny, and her discomfort with the overly friendly street carries a sharper edge. The show uses that tension for comedy, but it also hints at more pointed commentary on race, belonging and the suffocating politeness of suburban life.

The production design captures the eerie perfection of the cul-de-sac nicely, and the abandoned house is a suitably ominous focal point for the mystery.

Where it plays it too safe

The trouble is that the series rarely pushes its ideas or its genre elements very far. The horror is mild and the mystery unfolds slowly, with several episodes spent on neighbourhood gags and red herrings that stall momentum. The satirical edge promised by the premise is often blunted in favour of broad comedy, and viewers who loved the chaotic, cartoonish energy of the film may find this version tame. It is charming, but it rarely surprises.

Who should watch The ’Burbs?

It suits fans of Keke Palmer, viewers who like light suburban mysteries, and anyone looking for easygoing comedy with a hint of the spooky. Eight episodes make a quick and undemanding watch. Expect some strong language and mild creepiness, but nothing that will keep you up at night.

Two similar picks from 2026 and earlier:

• Widow’s Bay for another comedy-horror series set in a strange community, with more commitment to the scares.
• Poker Face for a sharper mystery-comedy powered by a charismatic lead.

The verdict

The ’Burbs is a pleasant, often funny neighbourhood mystery that coasts on the considerable charm of Keke Palmer. Its update to the original premise is clever, but its reluctance to lean into real dread or sharper satire makes it a diverting watch rather than an essential one.

Rating: 3/5