Instant Hit: Apple TV’s Widows Bay Debuts With a Perfect 100 on Rotten Tomatoes

written by Craig Ellison

April 27, 2026 7:45 am

Instant Hit: Apple TV’s Widows Bay Debuts With a Perfect 100 on Rotten Tomatoes — Image credit: Legion-Media

Thrilling and darkly funny, the new series storms out of the gate to rave reviews from critics.

Let me put it this way: If you think Stephen King is the only one who knows how to make remote New England seem terrifying, guess again. 'Widow's Bay,' a new series coming out of Apple TV, leans hard into that 'creepy coastal town with secrets' vibe King fans love, but it's not actually his this time. And you know what? Early reviews are saying it really delivers.

The Setting: Small Island. Weird Happenings. Weak WiFi.

Here's the deal: The show is set on an island just off the New England coast – think lots of mist, unreliable power, and basically no cell reception. (Yes, this will definitely cause problems for the characters. No, the townspeople don’t seem to mind.) The plot kicks off with the mayor, played by Matthew Rhys, trying desperately to turn this isolated place into some kind of hot vacation spot. Naturally, there’s a catch: the island is dealing with a supernatural curse, which pretty much gives everyone a good reason to want tourists to stay away. Not that the mayor’s listening.

The Cast (In Case You’re a 'Who’s In It?' Type):

Matthew Rhys: The mayor with a dream, or maybe just a death wish.
Stephen Root: Because what’s a weird horror show without at least one character actor you recognize instantly?
Kate O'Flynn: Adding to the quirky local ensemble.

Creepy Fun and High Praise – For Now

‘Widow’s Bay’ has started screening for critics, and the first reactions are very positive – as in, 100% on Rotten Tomatoes right out of the gate. Sure, it’s only about a dozen reviews so far, but hitting that score on a horror series is almost as rare as finding a full phone signal in Widow’s Bay itself. Will that perfect rating hold? Probably not, but hey, enjoy the moment.

Critics are already pointing out the obvious Stephen King feel. Angel Shaw at Screen Rant gave it a glowing 9 out of 10 and summed it up nicely:

'Creator Katie Dippold presents Widow’s Bay almost like a Stephen King-style collection of chilling New England ghost stories. Just about every horror trope is accounted for, and they are masterfully woven together through the eyes of several of Widow’s Bay’s most quirky residents.'

Mashable's Belen Edwards liked how the show doesn’t just stick to typical haunted house shtick, writing that what starts as 'haunt-of-the-week' turns into digging up the island's nastiest, best-kept secrets. If you want your horror with some small town strangeness (and a side of escalating weirdness), it sounds like this one's got you covered.

Apple TV: Still the Place for Genre Weirdness?

Since launching in 2019, Apple TV has sort of built a reputation for weirdly good genre TV that nobody talks enough about. Sure, they’ve got hits like 'Ted Lasso' and 'Severance,' but their roster also includes creepy stuff like 'Servant,' 'Lisey’s Story,' and 'Shining Girls.' With 'Widow’s Bay' getting this kind of early buzz—plus more high-profile genre projects on the way—the 'underrated streaming service' take is starting to look (dare I say) out of date.