This New Matthew Rhys Series Is One of the Best Shows of the Month (and You Haven't Heard of It—Yet)

1 part spooky, 2 parts funny

widows bay appletv review
Courtesy of Apple TV

There have been a lot of buzzy shows this month, from Love on the Spectrum season four to the Michelle Pfeiffer-led Margo's Got Money Troubles. But one series—which is definitely worth the watch—has flown under my radar until now. I'm talking about the new Apple TV horror-comedy show Widow's Bay, starring Matthew Rhys (The Americans, The Beast in Me).

A bumbling mayor (Rhys) is trying to mount a comeback for the small town of Widow's Bay. The only problem? The town has a spooky, supernatural past that is also trying to mount a comeback. The mayor would prefer that the locals leave their superstitions dead and buried, but a series of scary occurrences may slowly be convincing him that those town legends could be based in reality.

Widow's Bay is a fabulous show that should absolutely be on your "what to watch" list. And don't worry if you're not a huge horror fan. The sharp series leans much more in the comedy direction than the horror one.

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Courtesy of Apple TV

Rhys is superb as the lead character (he appears in nearly every scene) in a role much different than his past ones. Fans of The Beast in Me in particular will be happy to see him show a very different side here.

The cast surrounding Rhys is really great as well. They deliver the quippy, clever dialogue at a rapid pace, making for a fun and entertaining watch. There are plenty of laughs from these silly "small-town" archetypes, leaving Rhys as the straight man to their less-subtle characters.

The whole show feels like a Stephen King adaptation, with a mysterious fog, a secret-filled hotel, etc. The sleepy town is stuck in the past (not even cell phones work in Widow's Bay), adding to the overall spooky vibes. And while there are a few jump scares, the horror of it all feels much more ominous than overt thankfully. (I'm someone who found IT: Welcome to Derry a little too scary for my taste.)

Spooky or not, Widow's Bay is worth the visit. In a month where I've watched a lot of new TV, Widow's Bay stands out from the rest (in fact, it's one of the few where I immediately dove into the next episode). The show's first three episodes hit Apple TV on Wednesday, April 29, with additional episodes dropping every Wednesday until June 17.

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