Key Highlights
- The best new show on TV is a horror-comedy called “Widow’s Bay” on Apple TV.
- New episodes with Hamish Linklater and Betty Gilpin prove its quality.
- The show offers a distinctive point of view that dominates your attention.
- It handles history with the same light touch it has for horror, referencing other classic films.
The Best New Show on TV: “Widow’s Bay”
You might think this is new, but…
“Widow’s Bay” isn’t just a show; it’s a miracle. Rebecca Onion wrote about the best new addition to Apple TV and I couldn’t agree more.
Flashback to 1702
On this week’s episode, Sarah (Betty Gilpin) is on a ship headed to an island called Widow’s Bay. She’s been granted a reprieve from spinsterhood because widower Richard Warren, the island’s founder and Lord Protector, needs a new wife.
A Creepy Wagon Driver
The first person Sarah interacts with is a wagon driver who picks her up at the pier. He praises Warren for making trees bloom and winters milder. When Sarah jokes about controlling weather, he replies quoting Warren himself: “No. But a cold breeze cuts half as quick when you’ve got a warm home and a strong coat.” The man’s positivity immediately gives you the creeps.
He drives past a sick villager in a cabin marked with an “X.” A woman sees Sarah staring and closes the door—another sign of impending doom.
The Show’s Unique Approach
“Widow’s Bay” is unlike anything else on streaming TV. It offers a distinctive point of view that’s so confident, it dominates your attention. You cannot second-screen with phone or laptop while watching. The show has slapstick set pieces, on-point cultural references, props that each nail an in-universe joke, and dialogue showcasing excellent comic timing.
Turning Point for the Show
This week’s twin episodes are a turning point for “Widow’s Bay.” We get “Our History,” a Sarah Warren flashback episode directed by horror genre stalwart Ti West. In it, Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) and Wyck (Stephen Root) believe they’ve solved the island’s curse after digging up Richard Warren. This sets up an intriguing plot development.
Widow’s Bay treats history with a light touch, like the horror elements.
The character of Richard Warren is played by Hamish Linklater, who brings a grim and funny presence to his role. He yells, “I’m gonna make you eat my dick!” in a basso profundo voice during a scuffle with Wyck.
Dark Origins and Modern Desires
The backstory evokes New England and Virginia’s early years, where colonists struggled and made dark deals. In one dark tale from Jamestown, a husband murdered his wife and turned cannibal. The stress of the starving time disrupted everything, including domestic tranquility.
This theme ties into the show’s exploration of modern desires versus historical legacies.
Tom Loftis wants to bring tourism money and 5G to the island, while Richard Warren seeks economic security through a curse. The show leaves open the possibility that Loftis is signing a different kind of deal with the devil—just like summer traffic in a bucolic tourist town in New England.
Anyone who’s ever tried to brave summer traffic knows the one. Get the best of culture, and don’t miss out on “Widow’s Bay.”