Widow's Bay - The Summer the Fog returned

Widow's Bay

English - Comedy, Thriller
10 Episodes ~35 mins
Apple TV

This is a rarity. It is the first time I am writing a review about a TV series/season which has not yet completed its run - 5 episodes remain. I am making an exception because Widow’s Bay has been THAT GOOD!

Widow’s Bay is a small town on the Atlantic ocean which mostly keeps to itself. It is early summer, and Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), the mayor of the town, is at the forefront of a major campaign to bring in summer tourists.

He hosts a writer from the NYT, who spends a few days in town, which has it's share of stories involving mystery and ruin. One night, a major fog descends, encouraging old timers to claim that the island is "awake" and they should shut it down to tourists. Meanwhile, the NYT article clicks, which is great for Tom.

But he has his share of troubles. A bumbling staff who do not really know what to do, a son who does not really listen to him. But he is really aggravated by retired fisherman, Wyk (Stephen Root), who senses trouble and is urging Tom to shut down the island. 

Tom does everything he can to convince the islanders that he does not believe in the tales, including spending a night in “The Captain’s Suite” at a supposedly haunted inn. While he encounters strange events,  he remains steadfast in his decision.  The tourists start trickling in, while “things” begin to happen.

The show blends comedy, drama, and thrills in equal measure, without relying heavily on jump scares, most of which feel very “The Shining” esque.

Matthew Rhys is an actor who rose to fame with the thrilling series The Americans in 2013. Years later, Perry Mason followed. At the end of 2025,  he gave a commendable “Hannibal Lecter”-esque performance in the Netflix series The Beast in Me. 

A terrific actor with solid range, all of which is on display here as the desperate mayor trying to turn the town into the next "Martha’s Vineyard”. His acting in the episode at the Inn alone is worth an Emmy nomination for him. I am now a fan and will follow his career.

Whatever ends up becoming of the remaining episodes, it would need to be an absolute Game of Thrones-series-ending-level disaster for this to end up becoming unwatchable. 

I will update this review once the series ends,  but you might as well start watching!