Fans Of Widow’s Bay Need To Watch This 3 Part Series That’s The Perfect Weekend Binge

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Apple TV+’s new hit, Widow’s Bay, is a funny and frightening horror comedy taking place in a small New England town. The show is gaining a lot of attention from both viewers and critics, and its popularity is growing with each new episode. It doesn’t shy away from intense moments as it explores the mystery of a curse on the island. Will the town’s mayor, Tom Loftis, be able to save everyone, or will his plans to boost tourism lead to disaster? That remains to be seen, and the wait for each episode can be difficult! Luckily, there’s another show available to keep fans entertained in the meantime.

Like Widow’s Bay, the show Stan Against Evil – which ran for three seasons and stars John C. McGinley – is set in a small New England town and features monsters and curses. Both shows are funny and have a main character who’s in over their head. However, Stan Against Evil stands out with a distinctly New England sensibility, including surprisingly strong language used in clever and cutting insults.

Stan Against Evil Asks The Important Question: What If Dana Gould’s Dad Had To Fight Monsters

Created by Dana Gould, a comedy writer known for shows like The Simpsons and Ted, and currently working on Hanging with Dr. Z, Stan Against Evil is a genuinely scary horror series with a similar tough, relatable vibe to the movie Good Will Hunting. The show centers on Stan (played by John C. McGinley), a retired sheriff grieving his wife’s death and navigating a strained relationship with his daughter. He also finds himself helping the town’s new sheriff – all while battling a constant stream of demons, monsters, and witches.

It turns out Stan’s wife was also a witch, and she used her magic to protect the town of Willard’s Mill from an ancient curse. This curse causes a terrible fate for anyone in a position of power, and now it’s targeting the new sheriff, Evie Barret, played by Janet Varney. Luckily, Stan, Evie, and his daughter Denise will team up, using the witch’s books and tools, to break the curse and save the town.

The character of Stan was inspired by the creator’s own father, a traditional New England bartender. A lot of the comedy in Stan Against Evil comes from Stan’s grumpy, old-fashioned opinions delivered with surprising energy. The dynamic between Stan and Evie (played by Janet Varney) is also a highlight, as Evie is much more progressive and arguably the show’s real hero. Plus, Deborah Baker Jr. as Denise is consistently hilarious. Her cheerful and innocent personality, even when dealing with a difficult father and constant demonic threats, is sure to make you laugh.

The show truly shines in the small, fleeting moments when Stan McGinley reveals the pain he’s been carrying since his wife’s passing. The writers, led by Gould, understood that to make Stan’s gruff personality believable, viewers needed to see he was a complex character—more than just a blunt, unambitious man from New Hampshire.

Stan Against Evil’s Practical Gore FX Make It A Sight To Behold

As a horror fanatic myself, I really appreciate what Dana Gould has done with Stan Against Evil. It’s clear he and his team are dedicated to the craft, opting for wonderfully disgusting practical effects whenever they could. Forget CGI – we’re talking truly unsettling pigmen, realistically decaying zombies, and even a surprisingly hilarious Mothman. If you’re craving some genuinely creepy, old-school horror, this show is exactly what the doctor ordered.

The show isn’t without computer-generated imagery – it uses CGI effectively. Combining it with practical effects makes everything feel more real and intense, which definitely adds to the show’s often shocking and disturbing moments. And Stan Against Evil definitely has plenty of those! But, like the best horror comedies, the gross-out humor isn’t just for shock value; it actually helps move the story forward and makes the jokes even funnier.

Despite being canceled after three seasons and only 24 episodes, you can still enjoy Stan Against Evil! It’s currently available to stream on The Roku Channel, AMC+, and Shudder.

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2026-05-24 01:41