Forty miles off the coast of New England, there’s an island whose quaint seaside village is overseen by Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), who has big dreams. He’s convinced his town could be a thriving tourist destination—but there’s just one problem: most of the locals believe their home is cursed. As we see in this first teaser for Apple TV‘s new horror comedy Widow’s Bay, it certainly looks like there’s some truth to all that grim history and superstitious lore.
“Was there cannibalism?” a visitor who’s also been told “bad things happen here” asks Mayor Tom, who brushes it off. But from the glimpses we get, it’s clear that what Tom calls the town’s “checkered past” has very much continued to affect the present, with various people screaming, freaky creatures, very dark voids, and a sinister-looking beach bonfire all present and accounted for.
Here’s the official synopsis: “In Widow’s Bay something lurks beneath the surface. Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) is desperate to revive his struggling community. There’s no wifi, spotty cellular reception, and he must contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed. He wants these people to respect him. They don’t. They think he is soft and cowardly. And he is. But Loftis is determined to build a better future for his teenage son and turn the island into a tourist destination. Miraculously, he succeeds: tourists are finally coming. Unfortunately, the locals were right. After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true start happening again.”
Along with Rhys, who also executive produces, the cast includes Kate O’Flynn, Stephen Root, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, K Callan, and Jeff Hiller. Widow’s Bay was created by Katie Dippold (Parks and Recreation, Ghostbusters: Answer the Call) and features several episodes directed by executive producer Hiro Murai (Atlanta, Station Eleven).
Given Apple TV’s track record of success with sci-fi shows, we’re excited to see the streamer move more into the horror realm with this new series. Widow’s Bay premieres April 29 on Apple TV. It will have a weekly rollout—with two episodes arriving May 27—through June 17.
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