Widow's Bay

Apple TV

I have repeatedly said that Apple TV is one of the best streaming services right now, both because of its (at least somewhat lower) price (no ad tier) and its excellent batting average. Now, it’s hit another home run.

Compared to the total amount of Apple TV shows, which is far less than something like Netflix, the chance of those shows being good is very, very high. That’s now true of what is currently only the third 100% Rotten Tomatoes-scored show on the service; however, loads of others are in the high 90s, and must-watch in their own right. We’re talking about Widows Bay, the new series which launches this Wednesday on April 29. It’s got a 100% score with over a dozen reviews in so far.

The horror comedy stars Matthew Rhys, fresh off his turn on the rather good The Beast in Me murder mystery on Netflix, which performed very well on the service. Before that, he was stellar in Perry Mason and of course there’s his all-time great role as Phillip Jennings in The Americans. What’s Widow’s Bay about? Here’s the synopsis:

“A New England mayor trying to boost tourism on his island must navigate strange events suggesting it might be cursed.”

And here’s the trailer so you can get a sense of its tone:

In terms of how Widows Bay stacks up against other top shows, we have:

• Widow’s Bay – 100% critic score
• Women in Blue – 100% critic score
• Midnight Family – 100% critic score
• Pluribus – 99% critic score
• Black Bird – 98% critic score
• Pachinko – 97% critic score
• Slow Horses – 97% critic score
• Margot’s Got Money Troubles – 96% critic score
• Drops of God – 96% critic score
• Mythic Quest – 96% critic score
• Severance – 95% critic score

A few of my favorite shows on the service aren’t here, but are still excellent. Shrinking has a 93%. Foundation has an 87%. Silo has a 90%. But you get the idea. The lineup here is just fantastic.

Two episodes will launch on April 29, and then it will just run for six in total, ending on May 27. The show was created by Kate Dippold, a writer on Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and directed by Hiro Murai of Atlanta. Great pedigree from both of them, plus Rhys as the lead.

My current Apple TV consumption now that Shrinking has ended is Your Friends and Neighbors, Margot’s Got Money Troubles and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. I should probably start For All Mankind, but I have limits on what I can get to in a given week. But clearly, Widow’s Bay is going on my list 48 hours from now, and I’ll report back with a review after that.

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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.