Hulu’s new series has two brothers named Frank and Joe Hardy, and they do face a mystery or two, but the show is more Riverdale or Stranger Things than Hardy Boys.

Set in the late 1980s (no one has a cell phone and there are cut-off sweatshirts a la Flashdance) and shot in Canada, this production is a bit gloomy and the mystery (there’s really only one) is more than a little grim. In the first episode, (SPOILER ALERT) the boys’ mom, a part-time journalist, is killed while attempting to investigate a story.

This isn’t a huge spoiler, as it’s fairly well telegraphed and happens early in episode one. It is tiresome, though, as yet another instance of a woman dying to propel the story of men.

From there the story veers into the unusual: a sunken boat, a cursed object, a menacing stranger, a carnival gypsy hiding a terrible secret, and more. But it’s all part of the same mystery. Unlike the books, or the previous versions made for television, there isn’t a mystery of the week.

And Frank and Joe don’t work together to solve the mystery; they team up with their respective group of friends and chase after clues, only coming together at the end of the episode to compare notes.

Frank (Rohan Campbell) is supposed to be 16, though the actor playing him is in his early 20s. And Joe (Alexander Elliott) looks to be a terribly young 13 or 14. Their acting improves as the show progresses and they settle into their roles.

In fact, everything about the show improves the longer you watch it. The show grows more compelling as the mystery deepens. The supernatural element might’ve seemed like a nutty touch years ago, but shows like Riverdale and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina have added dark tones to the brightly-colored characters of the past.

If you’re looking for the Hardy Boys of your childhood, you’ll definitely be disappointed. But go in expecting the unexpected, and this show might just be a pleasant surprise.