Widow’s Bay Review

If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my time as a TV critic, it’s that when Allison Jones is listed as a show’s casting director, you’re going to be in for a treat. So, after watching the pilot of AppleTV+’s new show Widow’s Bay – which had a host of actors in it that I absolutely adore – I wasn’t shocked to see her name in the credits. Of course she put together this truly spectacular cast that makes this truly delightful horror comedy series tick. But its success isn’t just due to the gang in front of the camera. Creator and showrunner Katie Dippold (who worked on Parks and Rec) and director Hiro Murai (perhaps best known for his work on Atlanta) have created a really special series that manages to balance the truly creepy factor of the series’ horror elements along with some very funny moments, never letting one overpower the other.

So, what is Widow’s Bay? To steal a line from critic Alan Sepinwall, it’s essentially Jaws if the threat was supernatural and the mayor (here, played by the great Matthew Rhys) opted to bury his head in the sand rather than close down the beach. In the pilot, we learn that something has broken the seal that was keeping some of the more demonic and disturbing elements embedded into the fabric of Widow’s Bay – an island in New England hoping to become the next Martha’s Vineyard – dormant, leading to various terrors popping up after a calm spell. Of course, our mayor, Tom Loftis (Rhys), has a choice: keep ignoring what’s happening to him and his island or accept it and team up with other members of the island – namely the local believer, Wyck (a great Stephen Root), the sheriff, Bechir (an also great Kevin Carroll), and Loftis’ trusty assistant, Patricia (Kate O’Flynn, who slowly but surely starts to steal the show) – to try to get to the bottom of what is happening and stop it.

The structure of the series is pretty perfect. It’s mostly episodic with a clear narrative arc. We get a monster of the week format in the early going, showing us the different scares the island has to offer, while circling back at times to let us know what, say, Patricia, was up to while Loftis was trying to take out his own monster. We also get to spend a (far too brief) time with supporting characters like the town reverend (played by the great Toby Huss), who also have encounters with darkness. Honestly, between the interesting mix of characters and the stellar cast (Somebody Somewhere’s Jeff Hiller also co-stars as a co-worker of Loftis’ who more or less just comes along for the crazy ride), there’s enough here for a couple different shows, had Dipplold wanted to focus on someone other than the mayor.

But Rhys is the show’s star, and what a great job he does with what could be a mess of a role in someone else’s hands. If you’ve followed his career, you’re likely well aware of just how good Rhys is at playing the saddest man in the room. Those soulful eyes and hangdog face can go a long way toward helping an audience sympathize and trust his characters. But here, we also get to see a different side of Rhys – the genuinely funny one. If you’ve watched any interviews with him, you know this guy is a hoot and a half, so to get to see him flex his comedic muscles in a juicy part? Well, that’s pretty great too. And Rhys is up for the challenge, making sure we are drawn in to the terror Loftis feels at times while also hamming it up as needed (there’s an episode midway through the season that sends Loftis on a drug trip and Rhys is just spectacular in it).

Widow’s Bay is a show that knows what it is and gives us precisely that. It’s not out there trying to be the best of prestige television. It’s a smart, funny, incredibly well acted series that makes sure to ground the horror elements just enough to make them plausible (as much as ghosts and demons can be) without making them silly. The blend of horror and comedy is perfectly balanced, allowing the cast the chance to stretch themselves into both genres. And the writing and directing? Smart, clear, and focused. I had a heck of time watching the series and I think you will too.

Widow’s Bay premieres on April 29 on AppleTV. All ten episodes were provided for review.