You know you’re in for a treat when you see a specific font blaring across your TV screen. Those big, blocky letters that signal you’re about to have goosebumps rise on your skin, feel a creeping sense of unease, and probably be scared out of your gourd. Sometimes called the Stephen King font, the style shows up in many shows and films that will wet your horror whistle. Stranger Things used the nostalgic, old-school King font for its title, as did Twin Peaks, and several John Carpenter films before it. Just seeing it shoots a shiver through your body. My newest watch already has me in its clutches, but not only because of that familiar title style. With only three episodes out so far, you might wonder how it got my attention so quickly.
Widow’s Bay, airing on Apple TV, is like Jaws with more supernatural teeth. It’s as if Stephen King guest-wrote for Northern Exposure. Even the town’s name screams King, who loves a good two-word town. Set on a quaint fishing island off the coast of New England, Widow’s Bay features your usual cast of quirky characters, led by the incredibly talented Matthew Rhys (The Americans, Perry Mason) as Mayor Tom Loftis, a non-native whose father was from the island. Sceptical to a fault, Tom fights against the islanders’ superstitious tales, wanting to bring prosperity to the island and flailing town. He even tempts a writer from the New York Times to visit! If only the town historical society didn’t have a massive newspaper clipping from a cannibalism incident up on the wall.
Tom’s foes include town drunk Wyck (Stephen Root), who hasn’t met a local legend he doesn’t believe, and Rosemary (Dale Dickey), the office gossip who adds subtle taunting comments to every interaction. They’re not the only ones who disapprove of Tom and his plans for the island, though he has support as well.
Standout Kate O’Flynn plays Tom’s assistant Patricia, a woman haunted by one of the island’s past terrors. Her stoic yet hilarious line deliveries make every episode better, slotting the show comfortably into a horror-comedy, which sets it apart from the usual scary fare. Though each episode has uncanny encounters and a few jump scares, there’s also plenty of laughs. Rhys’ innate comedic chops match well with O’Flynn as well as the other island residents, whose portrayals are serious as a heart attack or filled with mocking animosity.
While there is an overarching plotline, the first three episodes reminded me of The X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, employing monsters of the week to build setting and character. There’s definitely something going on in Widow’s Bay. With Tom as our audience surrogate, we navigate the local mythology beside him. Is there something in the fog that turns unwary citizens to revenants? Is the local inn really haunted? Are sea hags even real? Poor Tom is subjected to trial after trial while his fellow townspeople smirk and watch with crossed arms, waiting for him to make a mistake.
The comedy elements are needed, because the legends are nothing to laugh at. The town and island setting feel lived-in and real, like you could walk into the Salty Whale and be served by terrible waitress Kathy or jump onto a fishing boat with doomed Shep Clark. You can almost smell the salty sea air, taste the local bar’s lager, and feel the chill of the Atlantic Ocean. Because the setting appears realistic, so does the terror. While we root for Tom, we also want him to close the island, because we know where this is going.
With the classic use of dramatic irony, show creator Katie Dippold and director Hiro Murai know exactly what they’re doing. The audience has watched enough horror films to know this island is a Bad Place and is waiting for the true ugly underbelly to be exposed. We’re given hints and little clues strewn in the episodes, including a chained-up church bell that’s somehow ringing and a lone chair in a basement that faces an ominous door.
Dippold, co-producer and writer on Parks and Recreation, is no stranger to sitcoms with wacky characters. While Parks often showed them to a ridiculous extreme, the characters in Widow’s Bay defy caricaturisation. Though funny, there’s the underlying sense of inborn dread, making the characters larger than extremes. This is where Murai steps in. Working on shows like The Bear, Atlanta, and Barry, Murai knows how to blend comedy with drama and give characters weight with few lines or minor interactions. This pairing has made Widow’s Bay a joy to watch, their strengths buoying the project and weaknesses yet to be seen. While there are ten episodes, which might seem short for a series, genre shows tend to lag in the middle. Hopefully, Widow’s Bay and its residents will buck this trend.
For those who enjoy Stephen King, uncanny shows like Picket Fences, or comedy-horror like Santa Clarita Diet, and films that blend genres like Cabin in the Woods, this show is tailor-made for you. Come on, hop on the ferry, which is perhaps running on time, and set sail for the coast’s newest hot spot! I’m sure the sea hags won’t mind.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can watch the teaser trailer here.
Summer Hanford
Julia Kitvaria Sarene
Christopher Keene