It’s been a while since a horror series grabbed my attention, like really grabbed my attention. We’re living in an era where genre programming feels plentiful, yet formulaic — where the algorithm can overpower originality. It’s important to say that, because I’ve discovered a new horror show that, through its familiar-feeling aesthetic, feels fresh, original and requires my complete attention.
I’m talking about Widow’s Bay on Apple TV, and if this is the first you’ve heard of the series, the best way I can describe it is to ask, what if Parks and Recreation was created by Stephen King? If that question stopped you in your tracks, then you’re going to want to read what I have to say.
This is a show that blends the small-town sensibilities of The Andy Griffith Show with David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. It’s quaint like the beach scenes from Jaws; it’s terrifying like the shark scenes from, well, Jaws.
Bold statement, incoming: It’s the best new horror series on TV, and there’s nothing else on quite like it.
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Matthew Rhys stars in Widow’s Bay on Apple TV.
Widow’s Bay follows Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), the mayor of the struggling coastal town, who works tirelessly to make it the next Martha’s Vineyard. No matter how hard he tries, though, the fishing village just can’t measure up to the iconic tourist attraction. Aside from the conflict and complications that come with working a municipal job such as this, Tom’s drive to successfully revamp the town is overshadowed by local legends of monsters, boogeymen and other such omens stemming from a centuries-long curse.
To delve deeper into these details would be to unleash major story spoilers and, since the series is still airing — new episodes hit Apple TV every Wednesday — I’d prefer not to ruin the experience for you. What I will say, though, is that Widow’s Bay should be a bigger part of the conversation. It’s a bona fide sleeper hit, and audiences should wake up and take notice.
If I were to categorize Widow’s Bay, I’d say it is a horror-comedy. But not in the overt, blood-spattered, wisecracking manner most horror-comedies behave. There’s a Twin Peaks/Picket Fences quality to the show that allows the humor to jump out and surprise you in the most unexpected places.
Kate O’Flynn, Matthew Rhys and Stephen Root star in Widow’s Bay on Apple TV.
While the comedy isn’t really laugh-out-loud funny — it’s way more peculiar and quirky than anything — there have been a few moments where I’ve cackled uncontrollably at the stuff playing out on screen. You can tell there’s a deep understanding of the horror genre and its tropes from those behind the scenes making this show, which leads to smart choices and moments that feel like inside-baseball winks at the audience.
Widow’s Bay is in on the joke, and that’s what makes it so good.
The Apple TV series hails from creator and writer Katie Dippold, who cut her teeth on Parks and Recreation, which makes complete sense when you dip into this show. She’s enlisted directors like genre faves Ti West and Hiro Murai to contribute their visual sensibilities to the mix.
When it comes down to it, though, the real standout elements of Widow’s Bay are its cast. Matthew Rhys, who showcased his insidious side in Netflix’s The Beast in Me last year, flips expectations and leans into some big underdog energy as the town’s mayor. The comedy that arises from his bewilderment isn’t overt because his internal conflict stems from deep-seated pain and the denial that accompanies it. This combination, along with his drive to make the town better, is the right formula to make the viewer root for him and go on this wild ride.
Stephen Root is a pleasure to watch as Wyck, the hardened fisherman who carries the history of the island on his back. I mentioned Jaws earlier, and several elements throughout the series honor the classic film. Root’s performance is one of them as he dives into the Quint-like quirks that drive Wyck, and he’s so good here that it’d be worth watching the series just for him.
Kate O’Flynn stars in Widow’s Bay on Apple TV.
That said, it’s Kate O’Flynn’s Patricia who steals the show. The awkward town hall assistant is the energetic middle ground between Tom and Wyck, and her work in the series is star-turning. Patricia has layers beneath his grumpy exterior that command the screen — whether she’s hosting a Wiccan death party, running for her life in the middle of the night or holding a shotgun to a monster’s burnt ashes.
Oh, and there are monsters. Widow’s Bay has an assortment of creepy threats from ghosts to killer clowns, to an undead pilgrim and a murderous boogeyman I alluded to above.
Reading that above sentence can make this article sound like the show just throws an assortment of scary monsters at the screen to see what sticks. Let’s be real: there are moments when it feels that way, but the series sprinkles its lore throughout the episodes, pointing to a deeper curse that has plagued this island for centuries.
Widow’s Bay is an amalgamation of so many genre elements and references to other things that, in the wrong hands, it could easily come off as formulaic. But it isn’t. This is a show that feels familiar but remains fresh. It’s scary like Stephen King at his best; it’s creepy like a ghost story at a campout. Through it all, it’s a surprisingly fun ride.
