RIOTUS

Created by Katie Dippold, Widow’s Bay is surprisingly funny in parts and spine-tinglingly scary in others. The new Apple TV series knows how to balance its comedy with its horror, and, more often than not, it succeeds. Even with its characters, Widow’s Bay gives voice to those who believe in the island’s myths and those — like Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) — who wear their skepticism like it’s a personal armor. The horror-comedy misses the mark in some areas, especially with its supporting characters, but it’s an overall solid series that gives us just enough to keep coming back for more.

Tom Loftis has a lot of disdain for Widow’s Bay. He may be the mayor, but he shows disregard for the island’s residents, treating them with flippancy that underscores his disrespect for them deep down. From the start, the audience wonders why he’s even the mayor of a cursed town when he doesn’t buy into any of the superstitions himself. What Tom is trying to do is put Widow’s Bay on the map; as a travel writer tells him, the island could be the “next Martha’s Vineyard.” As the series unfolds, Tom not only becomes more of a believer in the curse that plagues the island (just in time for a fresh wave of tourists to experience it, too!), but also begins to build relationships with the very people he’s been waving off for years. 

In terms of plot, it’s fairly standard, but what Widow’s Bay has going for it are its genuine thrills and humor. It never takes itself too seriously, but it’s just as quick to freak the hell out of you with some well-timed jumpscares. Horror can be hit or miss, but Widow’s Bay brings in a rush of fear that doesn’t last long enough to be considered overkill. The comedy is well-placed throughout, though there could have been more of it. When it’s absurd, it’s fantastic, and when it’s awkward, it’s even better. 

There’s a particularly funny scene between Tom and Patricia (Kate O’Flynn) as they sit in a meeting together. Tom is telling everyone that he gave a tourist a ride and Patricia scoffs because he’s never offered anyone else a ride. As soon as she starts poking holes in his excuses and finds out the reason he gave the tourist a ride is that she’s a beautiful woman, the uncomfortable silence, embarrassing reactions from Tom, and glares from Patricia are hilarious. This scene’s type of comedy should have been prevalent throughout the show, but there were multiple instances when the humor wasn’t given enough room to land. And yet, Widow’s Bay remains one of the more entertaining horror comedies I’ve seen in a while. 

The suspense is very middle-of-the-road, however, as are the supporting characters, who are often portrayed as caricatures rather than fully realized people. Tom’s interactions with them are typically brief. We come to know some of them a bit more, but the series doesn’t invest much of its time or focus on them, save for Patricia, who we get to know a lot better and who proves to be one of the most intriguing characters on the show. To that end, O’Flynn’s performance is excellent, as she exudes a sense of disheveled sharpness and silent fuming mixed with desperation and loneliness. Rhys is also very good, marrying his character’s skepticism with a thawing hesitation and fear as the curse comes more fully to light. His acerbic dismissiveness is also an entertaining highlight. Tom is in over his head and Rhys plays the mayor’s loss of control exceptionally well. 

Widow’s Bay has a lot going for it: a great cast, an occasionally chilling story, and a sense of humor that is enough to keep the show from getting way too dark. Its highs are high and its lows don’t detract from a clearly well-made show. While its supporting characters could have more quickly come into their own to further flesh out the series, the comedy-horror keeps its audience engaged enough to see it through to the end, even as it weathers its story fluctuations.