HBO's 'Neighbors' Offers Unpleasant Look at Suburban Dysfunction

The unscripted comedy series captures contemporary property disputes and social media-fueled feuds between neighbors.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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HBO's new unscripted comedy series "Neighbors" offers an unflinching, and often unpleasant, look at the toxic dynamics that can arise between people living in close proximity. Directed by Harrison Fishman and Dylan Redford, the show examines how social media, surveillance technology, and political polarization have exacerbated previously benign neighbor disputes over issues like fences, property lines, and public nuisances. While the series is occasionally perceptive about these societal trends, its gawking, exploitative approach means it often feels more interested in mocking its subjects than truly understanding them.

Why it matters

"Neighbors" taps into growing concerns about how the breakdown of community, rise of social media, and political divisions have eroded neighborly relations in many parts of the country. The series serves as a window into the petty grievances, surveillance tactics, and escalating conflicts that can arise when people live in close quarters, reflecting a broader social dysfunction.

The details

Each half-hour episode of "Neighbors" focuses on the disputes between two sets of neighbors, ranging from fights over property lines and fence heights to more absurd conflicts like a disagreement over the placement of Halloween decorations. The show features a mix of social media influencers, conspiracy theorists, and other eccentric characters, many of whom are already profiting off the exposure of their personal dramas. While some episodes feature logical resolutions, others simply stop without conclusion, mirroring the unresolved nature of many real-life neighbor feuds.

  • The series premiered on HBO in February 2026.

The players

Harrison Fishman

Co-director of the "Neighbors" series.

Dylan Redford

Co-director of the "Neighbors" series.

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What they’re saying

“To watch Neighbors is, I think, to understand a reasonable amount about America's poisoned discourse.”

— Daniel Fienberg, TV Critic (The Hollywood Reporter)

“If one just came away from most of the episodes of Neighbors feeling gross — one episode also bored me, and then there was the episode in which sadness and introspection are upstaged by nudity — it would be one thing.”

— Daniel Fienberg, TV Critic (The Hollywood Reporter)

The takeaway

"Neighbors" offers a disquieting reflection of the ways in which social media, political polarization, and a breakdown of community have eroded neighborly relations in many parts of the country. While the series is occasionally perceptive, its gawking, exploitative approach means it often feels more interested in mocking its subjects than truly understanding the complex social dynamics at play.