Widow’s Bay: Season 1

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I will say that I’ve had a bit of an up and down relationship with Matthew Rhys. You can look back at my past posts complaining mostly about his face and hair, but have said very little about his actual acting. I’m petty like that. But, I will admit that he has completely redeemed himself in every way with his incredibly entertaining performance here on Widow’s Bay. The man absolutely kills it. Well, he actually doesn’t kill it, but that’s a plot point I won’t spoil. Anchoring a professional cast of character actors who can all magically make what amounts to a sitcom feel like a more comedic version of Lost is a trick I’m not sure how creator (and former Parks and Rec writer) Katie Dippold pulled off. A series that certainly shows its Stephen King idolization, but doesn’t fall into that trap that so many of his adapted projects do. Because, yes, there are elements of horror here, but it manages to make this salty New England tale a great mashup of mystery box, horror and comedy without turning it into some meditation on good and evil. Or ruining things with some “it’s all magic” or “it’s all god” nonsense.

The thing that separates a sitcom from a prestige property — at least for me — is that the formula is never predictable. That every episode isn’t just a slight tweak on the episode before it. That a season isn’t just a clear whiteboard of 22 episodes boxed in by a premise where the writers are basing the plot of each episode on a set of parameters and they get to basically rearrange those parameters inside a given box and we just kind of blindly guffaw at the machinations of it. It’s the “situation” in situation comedy. And that situation and participants in that situation never change. It’s predictable and expected and we tune in week after week knowing what we’re going to watch, merely wondering what kind of shenanigans the gang is going to get up to this week. So, when I heard that a veteran of Parks and Rec — which is a primary example of this type of TV — was going to helm this thing, I was a little worried. I mean, goofy is fine when you want to second-screen something or have a show running in the background while you wolf your dinner. But I wanted more out of my Apple TV+ programming. Mostly because it’s an expensive service. But also because this thing seemed to have promise, and I just didn’t want it to be some dumb, hokey network yuck-fest. Spoiler: it is not.

I will admit, it took me a second to understand what this show was up to. It sets itself up, at first, like a workplace comedy. Then it lets the weirdness bleed in at the edges. And then it just goes for it. It’s effective and engaging in a way few shows have been lately. And it’s fun. Fun! I know, that’s an insane thing to say in 2026, but I tuned in every week not knowing what to expect and always finding myself delighted by the tonal shifts and the biting humor and the fearlessness to inject horror tropes that we all recognize as tried-and-true Stephen King scares, but there’s almost something communal about couching the island of Widow’s Bay in a familiar haunted New England universe. So, yeah, it’s nice to watch a comedy that isn’t afraid to do sight gags and physical humor, but also relies on its cast to deliver comedic performances that don’t rely on cheesy lines and broad, just-for-laughs schtick. It’s clever in its deployment of humor, staying true to the tone of the series, which also leans heavily into lore and mystery. Shows of its ilk have, in the past, doled out laughs almost as an anecdote to their seriousness rather than an actual part of the world. As if the writers of those shows felt the narrative getting too heavy, so they trot out the comic relief character to pop in and lighten things up. Or throw something in as a bone to viewers so that they don’t feel overwhelmed with information or whatever the heaviness of the plot might be. Making those moments feel not genuine and mostly tacked on. But, in Widow’s Bay, the writers manage to interweave humor in and amongst the goings on in a way that feels natural and authentic and organic. Even when blood is being shed and a Michael Myers / Jason killer is on the prowl.

It is kind of funny that the town of Widow’s Bay is set up not completely unlike Pawnee in Parks and Rec. You have your Leslie Knope comp in mayor Tom Loftis (Rhys), your mayor’s office of wacky underlings and a cast of eccentric locals. All sequestered on this quaint, idyllic New England island off the coast of either Massachusetts or Maine (though its exact location is never revealed). Bathed in a dark history that goes way back to pilgrim-ish days, we’re slowly let into the secrets and mysteries of the island’s past. And the shit is wacky. Loftis seems to be a bit of a reluctant leader, but also wants to up the ante and bring his little island hamlet into the big time, making it the new Martha’s Vineyard. Despite the fact the place clearly suffers from something deeply supernatural and/or Satanic. The plan seems to be working, until the island decides to “wake up” and apprently hunger for humans. After which, all of the the island’s ire comes to bear on the inhabitants and the tourists who have been lured to its shores with the promise of a quintessential seafaring New England village vacation.

Outside of the clever writing, compelling plotting and just fun of it all, the cast is terrific. I already mentioned my reconciliation with Rhys, but a close second to him here is the heretofore unknown to me, Kate O’Flynn. Playing Loftis’ loyal assistant, Patricia Moyer, she is the heart of the show. A perfect vector of pathetic doormat and focused Tracy Flick energy. She is just an edgy, comedic tour de force. Without being dumb and cheesy or over the top. She’s metered to just the right level and gives amazing face acting. Stephen Root is the guy you expect and hope him to be, playing the lovable town crank in a way only he can. Oscillating between crazy conspiracy theorist and the only man who can stop that which will destroy everyone. All while being incredibly salty with a sweet nougaty center. The rest of the cast is rounded out by a series of character actors you’ve undoubtedly seen over the years, but have never really been highlighted in the way they are here. With each — including two amazing episodes featuring Dale Dickey and K. Callan’s characters — getting their moment to shine. Even Betty Gilpin shows up to give an incredible guest performance alongside another dude I’ve had my up-and-down issues with, Hamish Linklater, who manages to sprinkle some of that Widow’s Bay fairy dust on him and pull out a super-weird, but very memorable performance.

Smart writing. Great acting. A tone that is both consistent, but also variable and surprising. A comedy that is also a mystery box that is also a spooky ghost story and vexing tale of folk horror. Alongside some really creative imagery and a story that compels you to tune in week after week. This is what television is meant to be. What it was built to do. We used to make things in this country. And apparently we still can.