Guillermo Del Toro has joined the chorus of critics praising the new Apple TV+ horror comedy series Widow's Bay. The Oscar-winning director of The Shape of Water gave a glowing review to the 10-episode show, which stars Matthew Rhys as a small-town New England mayor desperate to boost tourism on his struggling island that locals believe is cursed. The cast also includes Dale Dickey, Kevin Carroll, Stephen Root, Kate O'Flynn, and Kingston Rumi Southwick.
Del Toro's Enthusiastic Endorsement
Writing on X, Del Toro said: 'If I may- in my estimation- #WidowsBay may very well be the best streaming series in a long time… and hands down one of the most mesmerizing acts of narrative prestidigitation in Horror.' The term 'prestidigitation' refers to close-up magic or sleight of hand. Del Toro later retweeted another user who praised the show, writing: 'This show is so perfect. I love the comedy horror balance and the characters are fascinating. I'm on the flashback episode and it's like stumbling upon a great horror movie! There's so many SECRETS I can't wait to find out what's going on with this island.'
Critical Acclaim and Rotten Tomatoes Score
Del Toro is not alone in his admiration for Widow's Bay, which earned a coveted 100 percent score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes shortly after its debut. Reviewers have highlighted Rhys's 'top-notch physical comedy' as a major strength, while also noting the show's difficulty to categorize within a specific genre, instead labelling it 'singular.'
RadioTimes' Louise Griffin, in a four-star review, acknowledged that 'comedy-horror might be a genre that's tricky to get right,' but applauded Widow's Bay as a 'neat, off-beat offering' that 'gets that balance just right.' She praised the show's 'twists, reveals and outright surreal moments,' adding: 'In a sea of TV series competing to be the most cinematic production on the small screen, it's refreshing to see Apple TV invest in a small-town comedy that scales things right back.'
Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter commended Rhys for 'anchoring' the 'intriguingly creepy, oddly cozy, unevenly effective horror-comedy.' She noted: 'At its best, Widow's Bay highlights the blurry line between comedy and horror. But if Widow's Bay excels at setting a tone of pervasive oddness... it's less reliable at converting that tension into catharsis.'
Streaming Details
The first seven episodes of Widow's Bay are streaming now on Apple TV+, with new episodes released every Wednesday through June 17.
