Apple’s New 95%-Rated Horror Show is Already a Major Hit

A new horror-comedy series set in a New England town is creeping its way up the Top 10 Most Watched chart for Apple TV, booting Monarch: Legacy of Monsters from the #3 spot to lay claim to it. It’s a brilliant mix of horror and comedy, not relying too much on either, but instead blending them for a dark, hilarious experience, making it easy to see why it’s captivating so many viewers.

Widow’s Bay stars Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, and Stephen Root, and centers on the mayor of a small New England town as he attempts to bring up tourism numbers—despite all signs pointing to the fact that the town of Widow’s Bay is actually haunted (and also has a history of cannibalism). A reporter from the New York Times arrives, and Mayor Tom Loftis will do anything he can to impress him and shine a favorable light on his superstitious town. The first season is currently sitting at a 95% critics’ rating and a 93% audience rating, with comparisons to “a Stephen King story and John Carpenter’s The Fog.“

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Critics and audiences alike are thoroughly impressed by Widow’s Bay, lauding it for marrying two genres that can feel counterintuitive at times without fully entering camp territory. It doesn’t rely on the mystery box or the subversion of audience expectations to tell its story, fully immersing the horror in the characters themselves, deeply rooting it in their anxieties. And while it never becomes full-on terrifying, it builds enough dread that you’re captivated throughout. “There’s always more to the story. Whereas the mystery holds our interest via narrative, it’s the characters and performances that stand out as our reason to keep coming back,” says critic Jared Mobarak.

And casual viewers are also singing Widow’s Bay‘s praises, with one saying, “Brilliant show with a delicious mix of comedy and horror. It really takes you away to this eerie, fun world that strangely feels like a perfect escape. The characters are so genuinely flawed and hilarious.” Overall, it seems that the series is filling a long-empty niche, bringing back dark comedy in a way that’s been lacking over the last few years, and telling a character-driven story that genuinely pushes the narrative forward. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also hilarious and relatable, with a wickedly talented cast who very obviously love the story they’re telling.

What are your thoughts on Widow’s Bay? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to keep the conversation going over at the ComicBook forum.