Published June 3, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ET

Is sitting down for a delicious chicken parm dinner, savoring a slice of coconut cream pie, and listening to Enya while cleaning out your closet in peace too much to ask for in this life? For Patricia in Widow’s Bay Episode 8, the answer is a resounding yes.

After Episode 7 of Katie Dippold’s acclaimed Apple TV horror comedy saw Tom (Matthew Rhys) and Wyck (Stephen Root) seemingly put an end the island’s curse, Patricia set out to relax and recover from the trio’s recent horrors, including her Sunset Cocktails party gone wrong. Instead of the peaceful night at home she planned, however, Episode 8, “Your Baggage,” forced our girl to confront her old baggage head-on in terrifying slasher fashion.

The Halloween-inspired installment, written by Emma Ketchum and directed by Andrew DeYoung, saw the return of the Boogeyman, the same killer who terrorized and nearly took Patricia out in her teens. Though she spent the years since fearing, and thus, mentally bracing for his return, when she realized she was home alone with the masked monster and a battery-drained taser, all she could do was run for her life and scream.

“Before every take, I just remember Andrew DeYoung, the brilliant director, going, ‘FERAL, KATE!’ And I’d just be like ‘AHHHHH!’ and start running,” O’Flynn told Decider over Zoom after breaking down “Beach Reads,” her other standout episode. “There was such a conversation what was going to be on my feet for running, because I was concerned. I really didn’t want to roll over my ankle. But it didn’t feel right that she’s organized enough to put shoes on before she goes out. So [costume designer Alex Bovaird] found these slipper socks, which I have never seen before in my life. And I practiced in a couple of versions of those, and put elastic around so they wouldn’t fall off. They were actually good as gold.”

In honor of Patricia besting the Boogeyman again, O’Flynn chatted with Decider about Widow’s Bay Episode 8, Patricia overcoming her need for the mean girls’ approval, and more.

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DECIDER: Episode 8 is such a hilarious, yet terrifying horror homage. What did it mean to you to get to star in your own mini Halloween-inspired horror movie? And how did you get in the headspace to tackle this particular episode? 

KATE O’FLYNN: It was amazing. I didn’t watch any films particularly to prep for that. But when I was flying out to film from the UK, I’d be like, ‘I suppose I should get into the horror mood.’ And on the plane I’d just be watching these like, oh, really [scary movies] like Bring Her Back. It’s an amazing horror movie. It’s absolutely terrifying — even on a tiny screen. So I was kind of getting into the mood just generally. But for Episode 8 I did just have to do a lot of running and screaming. So it was tiring, but technically not that difficult. I just remember Andrew DeYoung, who was the brilliant director of that, before every take he’d go, “FERAL, KATE!” And then I’d just be like “AHHHHH!” and start running. The Boogeyman had to do a lot more of the difficult stuff.

Tell me about filming those sequences with the Boogeyman. Even though you’re acting, does some genuine sense of fear crop up in that environment when you’re literally being chased like that?

Oh yeah. The Boogeyman was actually an amazing stunt man, and he was so lovely. But he had to keep his distance. I remember saying, “This guy’s terrifying. What’s up with him?!” But he was so fantastic and really, really sweet. And Andy’s direction was just like, “Action!” And then scream and run. And then “FERAL!” All I remember was just a night of continually running and screaming. 

I’m obsessed with Patricia’s wardrobe all season. In Episode 4 she had that fancy party dress, and her Girls Night fit, which has a little scarf and brooch. Then Episode 8 found the perfect “running from the Boogeyman” fit in that extra large bed shirt, the bike shorts, and I couldn’t get over those little slipper boots. What was it like collaborating with costume designer Alex Bovaird on these looks? 

Alex is a genius, and she just kept coming up with these absolute gems. The brooches, the practical shoes, the kilts, a scarf that sort of looks like a cravat in one of the portraits in the town hall. She just kept coming up with amazing things. And there was such a conversation what was going to be on my feet for running, because I was really concerned. I really didn’t want to roll over my ankle. But it didn’t feel right that she’s organized enough to put shoes on before she goes out. So she found these slipper socks, which I have never seen before in my life. And I practiced in a couple of versions of those, and put elastic around so they wouldn’t fall off. They were actually good as gold. It was an amazing outfit. 

Patricia’s first run-in with the Boogeyman was such a formative experience — one that isolated her from Kris and the girls she went to high school with. Back in Episode 4, it seemed like Patricia was craving their acceptance and validation, but when the Boogeyman returns, she’s just so over them. 

Yeah, at the end of Episode 8, there’s a moment when people are looking where she has kind of saved. You know, she’s been a gasser and it’s kind of meaningless to her. She’s got beyond it. So actually, if she did get the approval that she want, I don’t think it would make her feel any better. But when you meet her, she’s stuck in that wanting people to think she’s, you know, of of value like that. She’s a good person. You know, those kind of like, black and white terms. Yeah. And think she finally moves past those black and white labels and it just doesn’t matter anymore with Kris.

I laughed so hard when Patricia takes the time to tase Kris after reaching 4% battery and says, “She’s the worst. She’s the fuckin’ worst.” How cathartic was that moment for her? 

I think that was the moment that she’s like, “You know what? Screw you. I’m done!” She’s done it. She’s burnt her bridges. You can’t come back from that. She’s tasered someone. She doesn’t care anymore. And she sees the bigger picture. She’s managed to shed that need for this validation from these bunch of women who are really mean. 

She leaves their book club, sees an officer get killed, and books it to the gas station to carry out this grand plan. I had so much anxiety during that scene. What was it like watching that come together and having Patricia finally get that heroic “final girl” moment after everything she’s been through? 

I loved it. I loved it. It felt important in that moment — having seen her flapping around and getting it wrong and saying, “I’m going to do this. Don’t worry about it. I got it,” that in the moment when it really matters, it felt really good that she’s got her — for lack of a better word — shit together. And she can just deliver. It felt great.

Music is such an essential character in the show and I lost it when Enya’s “Caribbean Blue“ returns and Patricia’s holding the gun on him until they cremate him. And she’s just like “Okay.“

When I saw that episode and saw her version of self-care and chill, which is listening to Enya, I just found it so funny. It was the perfect music. The music in this is incredible. And then having the montage of her with the guns was so great. [Laughs]

It’s always such an intimate experience when a show — especially one that starts off showing characters like Patricia at work — finally lets viewers go inside their homes. Was there anything on set in Patricia’s room that stood out to you or gave you a better understanding of who she was? 

Yeah. Her drawers are a mess. [Laughs] What I loved, the set dressing and the production design were next level on this. We felt like everyone just totally bought in to the world and got it. Like you open a drawer, it was loads of hair ties and baubles. And you know, Patricia always has her hair down and it was perfect, because she’s the person that’s like, “I’m going to try a new look tomorrow.” She’ll have done so many different hairstyles on herself in that bedroom. And then the next morning wakes up and goes, “You know what, I’ll do it another day.” But she collects loads of hair accessories and she never uses them.

Boogeyman aside, creator Katie Dippold told me she thinks Patricia’s biggest fear isn’t that she’s going to die, but that she’s going to die and no one’s going to give a shit it happened. What do you think her biggest fear is in life? 

I think her biggest fear in life would be that she will always be alone. She’s alone at the start, but she’s always trying to connect. And I think her biggest fear would be that she never achieves that. I think Patricia is not someone to be pitied. I think there’s undiscovered depths to her. She’s surprising… There’s a twinkle in Patricia, she’s just got to figure it out. 

Widow’s Bay is your first U.S. production, and between your standout performance and the serious love for the show there’s already a big push for Emmys consideration. What does that mean to you?

I am so thrilled the show has gotten that response, because I just love it so much. It would have been my favorite show as an audience member, and to get to be in it is surreal. It is a dream to me to be in an Emmy conversation. It’s just wild. It’s fantastic. I don’t have any words, really. It was my first job in the U.S. It kind of came out of nowhere, and I sort of can’t believe it. I’m just so thrilled it happened that way. I just feel like people are really getting on board with this and get it. I hope they keep their seatbelts on for the roller coaster ride that’s coming, because it’s going to go in all different directions.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Stay tuned for more Widow’s Bay coverage from Decider.