Apple TV’s Hilarious New Horror Series Is A Small Town Comedy Unlike Anything On Television

It has been a while since a horror series he caught my attention, like he caught my attention. We live in an age where genre programming sounds a lot, but it’s formulaic — where an algorithm can’t beat the real thing. It’s important to say that, because I’ve found a new horror show that, in its usual emotional beauty, feels fresh, real and demands my ​​​​full attention.

I’m talking about Widow’s Bay Apple TVand if this is the first time you’ve heard of the series, the best way I can describe it is to ask, what if Parks and Recreation was created by Stephen King? If that question has stopped you in your tracks, then you’ll want to read what I have to say.

This is a show that combines the small-town sensibilities of The Andy Griffith Show with David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. It looks like the beach scenes from Jaws; as scary as the shark scenes in, well, Jaws.

A bold, bold statement: It’s the best new horror series on TV, and there’s nothing like it.

Learn More: Apple TV: 16 Best Sci-Fi Shows You Should Be Streaming Right Now

Widow’s Bay follows Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), the mayor of a struggling coastal town, who works tirelessly to make it the next Martha’s Vineyard. However, no matter how hard you try, a fishing village cannot measure up to a tourist attraction. Aside from the conflicts and problems that come with running a municipal job like this, Tom’s quest to successfully revitalize the city is overshadowed by local legends of monsters, boogeymen and other such omens stemming from a centuries-old curse.

Delving into these details would be giving away major spoilers and, since the series is still playing — new episodes hit Apple TV every Wednesday — I’d prefer not to spoil the experience. What I will say though is that Widow’s Bay should be a big part of the conversation. It’s a hit song, and the audience should wake up and take notice.

If I were to categorize Widow’s Bay, I would say it is a horror-comedy. But not in the obvious, bloody, clever way that most horror comedies behave. There is a Twin Peaks/Picket Fences quality to the show that allows the humor to jump and surprise you in unexpected places.

While the comedy isn’t exactly funny — it’s more different and weird than anything — there were a few times when I reacted uncontrollably to things playing out on screen. You can tell that there is a deep understanding of the horror genre and its lyrics from those behind the show, which leads to smart choices and moments that feel like inside baseball is winking at the audience.

Widow’s Bay is within a joke, and that’s what makes it so good.

The Apple TV series comes from creator and writer Katie Dippold, who cut her teeth on Parks and Recreation, which makes perfect sense when you immerse yourself in the show. He enlisted directors like the likes of Ti West and Hiro Murai to lend their visual sensibilities to the mix.

When it comes down to it, however, the standout features of Widow’s Bay are its cast. Matthew Rhys, who showed his manipulative side in Netflix’s The Beast in Me last year, it changes expectations and depends on the great power of the subordinate as the mayor of the city. The humor that comes from his confusion is unclear because his inner conflict is caused by deep pain and the denial that goes with it. This combination, along with his drive to make the city better, is the perfect formula to make the viewer root for him and continue this wild ride.

Stephen Root is a delight to watch as Wyck, a tough fisherman who carries the history of the island on his back. I’ve mentioned Jaws before, and several elements throughout the series pay homage to the classic film. Root’s performance is one of them as he dives into the Quint-like quirks that drive Wyck, and he’s so good here that it’s worth watching the series for him.

That said, it’s Kate O’Flynn’s Patricia who steals the show. The eccentric town hall assistant is the dynamic middle ground between Tom and Wyck, and his work in the series is a star turn. Patricia has layers beneath her haunted exterior that command the screen — whether she’s hosting a Wiccan death party, fighting for her life in the middle of the night or holding a gun in the charred ashes of a monster.

Oh, and there are monsters. Widow’s Bay has a variety of terrifying threats from ghosts to assassins, to the undead pilgrim and the deadly boogeyman I mentioned above.

Reading the sentence above can make this article sound like the show is throwing a variety of scary monsters on the screen to see what sticks. Let’s be real: there are times when it feels that way, but the series sprinkles its teaching in every episode, pointing to a deep curse that has plagued the island for centuries.

Widow’s Bay is a combination of many genre elements and references to other things, which could easily come across as formulaic, in the wrong hands. But that’s not the case. This is a show that feels familiar but stays fresh. It’s as scary as Stephen King at his best; it’s as disgusting as a ghost story in a lounge. All in all, it’s an incredibly fun ride.