WIDOW’S BAY (2026)

Don’t get us wrong, the AppleTV hit Widow’s Bay (2026-) is a great one. It’s a treat for horror and quirky dark comedy fans, thanks in large part to its wry and dry script and characters that broadcast as unfunny and gruff within their universe, having us laughing out loud throughout its 10 episodes. Matthew Rhys helms the series as Tom, an uncontested mayor-elect who’s trying to make a Martha’s Vineyard out of a sow’s ear, or Salem’s Lot (1975 horror novel by Stephen King) as one journalist puts it. His town is dying financially and Tom gets it in his head to promote the island as the newest and quaintest New England tourist destination. Trouble is, the place is cursed and despite a slow first episode that introduces us to the place and people, the show gets down to it rather quickly, which is a welcome change from the usual slow burn approach. Beyond the comedically inept Tom, there are so many notable townsfolk, but we must call attention to his assistant Patricia (Kate O’Flynn) who is grating and angry, and as repugnant as she would be in real life, she’s charming and her party episode (S01E04) is the season’s best. Unfortunately, the show falls victim to what so many before it have and continue to do; it doesn’t want to end. Widow’s Bay isn’t a limited series, our preferred format, but is meant to keep going and though we loved spending time and laughing with the ensemble cast, we would have preferred a gut-wrenching and -spilling final. Now it’s not exactly set up to be ridiculous drawn-out psychological horror slop like Lost (2004-2010) or Severance (2022-) that make money from writing themselves into corners. The Widow’s Bay ending isn’t nearly as frustrating as these season one cliff-hangers. It answered a lot of questions, just not as boldly or as conclusively as we would have liked. Instead of a day after whimper, it could have come and gone at the peak of night, leaving us giggling and spooked. We’re scared for Widow’s Bay, just not in the way we think they would have hoped.

WATCH OR NOT: WATCH