Nodding to ‘Jaws,’ ‘Widow’s Bay’ casts a shadow on an island with strange happenings

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The new Apple TV+ series, “Widow’s Bay,” starring Matthew Rhys, introduces us to Tom Loftis, the mayor of a small island town located 40 miles off the New England coast. The show initially leaves the exact time period ambiguous – old-fashioned TVs, landline phones, and even a cigarette machine in the local bar suggest a bygone era, where Wi-Fi and the internet are just stories. This creates an unsettling atmosphere – is the town charmingly old-fashioned, or something more sinister?

Currently, Tom has lived in Widow’s Bay for years – ever since his son, Evan Southwick, was born – and also spent childhood summers there. Despite this, he often seems like an outsider, both in the town and as mayor. While he knows many people, including Reverend Bryce (played by Toby Huss), he’s often ridiculed for seemingly no reason, and was only elected because no one ran against him. Tom’s main goal is to attract tourists to the island, and he manages to convince a travel writer from the New York Times to visit. Though things don’t go smoothly, an article is published, and tourists begin to arrive.

The real problem lies with the island itself – a place brimming with strange, supernatural occurrences. It’s generally peaceful, but seems to come alive whenever visitors arrive, raising unsettling questions – like how the church bell can ring when it’s locked up. Aside from occasional bursts of trouble, the island is presented as a fairly normal place to live, if you can overlook the troublesome teens, catty adults, and regulars at the local bar. What the islanders actually do for work, including the previous occupation of the current mayor, remains a mystery.

The local history museum is filled with disturbing relics – things like old reports of cannibalism and a mask worn by a killer. Only Wyck, who people usually dismiss as an alcoholic (though Stephen Root plays him brilliantly), notices anything strange about it. Interestingly, most residents believe leaving the island means certain death, and even Tom agrees when it comes to Evan. It’s similar to the people of Sunnydale in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, who carried on with their lives despite living above a portal to hell, or the residents of Los Angeles, who largely ignore the threat of earthquakes.

Set on a New England island, this series features a mayor hoping to improve the local economy and a mysterious threat lurking in the water – and beyond. It often feels like a spooky take on “Jaws,” and it wouldn’t be surprising if that was a starting point for the creators. However, horror stories are timeless and currently everywhere, meaning truly original ideas are rare. “Widow’s Bay” relies on familiar horror elements, but that’s intentional – recognizing these tropes builds anticipation and ultimately, fear.

The show throws a lot at you – think classic slasher villains like those from “Halloween,” a terrifying sea witch, a quick scare from a creepy clown, and a fog filled with demons reminiscent of the movie “The Fog.” There’s also a haunted hotel clearly inspired by “The Shining,” complete with subtle references to the film. Beyond that, expect plenty of hallucinations, nightmares, possessions, unsettling atmospheres, and tense family dynamics – all stemming from a dark secret in the past that threatens the present. While the show feels somewhat like a collection of standalone episodes, it builds towards a larger story where Wyck, Tom, and his assistant Patricia (played brilliantly by Kate O’Flynn) team up to fight an evil that most people around them don’t seem to recognize. Patricia, initially underestimated, proves to be a valuable ally.

Katie Dippold, known for shows like “Ghostbusters,” “Haunted Mansion,” and “Parks and Recreation,” created the series. Hiro Murai directed five of the ten episodes, reuniting with his frequent collaborator, cinematographer Christian Sprenger – a pairing that suggests high quality, given their previous work on “Atlanta” and “Station Eleven.” While Apple TV+ calls it a horror comedy, the show leans much more into horror. The humor comes mostly from the quirky characters working at City Hall – like the confused secretary (K Callan) and the blunt records keeper (Dale Dickey) who knows everything – and the generally frantic energy surrounding the main character, Tom. There are a few moments of slapstick, and some characters are broadly drawn for comedic effect, but the horror quickly takes over, especially in the intense and impactful final episodes.

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2026-04-28 21:10