The 'Burbs: Is Peacock's New Keke Palmer Show Related to the 1989 Tom Hanks Movie?
What does Peacock's new original series have to do with a Tom Hanks cult classic?
We're just days away from the premiere of The 'Burbs, a new Peacock original dark comedy/mystery series starring Keke Palmer, Jack Whitehall, Paula Pell, and more stars. The show promises to be a delightfully dark treat, following the story of a woman (Palmer) who moves into her husband's (Whitehall) old suburban neighborhood, only to find dark secrets lurking behind those well-manicured lawns.
But you may have noticed in the lead-up to the series premiere that there's already a story called The 'Burbs, in the form of a 1989 film starring Tom Hanks. What do the two have in common? Let's take a closer look.
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Is Peacock's 'The Burbs series related to Joe Dante's 1989 film of the same name?
The short answer is yes! The 'Burbs was developed for Peacock by creator Celeste Hughey, who adapted the concept from the original film, directed by Joe Dante and written by Dana Olsen.
As for exactly how closely the two stories are related in terms of plot, the answer is not too much. Both are stories of a suburban resident (in the series, Palmer) who starts to suspect something strange is going on when new neighbors move into a creepy old Victorian house down the street. The neighborhood seems safe, the people seem happy, and there's no reason to worry too much... but what if there is? In the new series, that's what Palmer's character, Samira, is going to find out, even if everyone thinks she's crazy.
So, we have similar concepts, and a similar look and feel, but this version of The 'Burbs is very much updated for 2026, and promises to add new layers of satire and intrigue to the story.
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What is the 1989 version of The 'Burbs about?
Unlike the show, which follows a pair of newlyweds as they move back to the husband's childhood neighborhood, 1989's The 'Burbs follows Ray (Hanks), an average guy who takes a week off from work and decides to make it a staycation. His wife warns him he'll get stir crazy, but when Ray decides to people-watch his neighborhood during the day, he starts to notice a few odd things, particularly when new neighbors move in next door. Everything about the mysterious neighbors, from their nocturnal comings and goings to the weird flashes of electricity coming from their basement, suggests that something is wrong. But is Ray on the right track, or is he just going nuts?
The film was a solid moneymaker, but not a huge hit, when it was released back in 1989, and since then it's become a staple among horror fans, Tom Hanks fans, and viewers who like a little bit of the macabre with their comedy. It took almost four decades, but now the film is getting a tribute and an adaptation in the form of a brand-new Peacock original, and you won't want to miss all the new ways the show twists the story.
Where can you stream both 'The Burbs TV series starring Keke Palmer and the 1989 movie starring Tom Hanks?
All eight episodes of Season 1 of The 'Burbs premiere February 8, exclusively on Peacock. Joe Dante's original 1989 film starring Tom Hanks is now streaming on Peacock.
