Matthew Rhys's New Apple TV Series "Widow's Bay" Just Hit a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes: But Is It Worth Watching?

Short answer: yes. Here is the longer one.

What it is: Widow's Bay is a 10-episode comedy horror series on Apple TV about Mayor Tom Loftis - a widower solo-parenting his teenage son on a fictional island off the New England coast, determined to turn it into a tourist destination. The only problem: nearly everyone on the island believes it is genuinely cursed. Emmy winner Matthew Rhys plays Loftis with the kind of dry, exhausted decency that makes you root for him immediately.

What critics are saying: On Rotten Tomatoes the series holds a 97% approval rating across 73 reviews, with an average score of 8.5 out of 10. The critics consensus reads: "Katie Dippold successfully continues to invest in eccentricity with this outlandish horror-comedy that stokes the genre's well-worn tropes to winning effect, bringing scares, laughs, and a game cast." The Guardian gave it five out of five stars. Other critics described it as "Mare of Easttown meets Schitt's Creek" and "Schitt's Creek meets Stephen King."

What kind of show it actually is: Think The White Lotus energy - a beautiful destination that becomes a pressure cooker of denial, buried rot, and people trying to profit from a place they do not fully understand - except instead of a luxury resort, it is a foggy New England town where the mayor wants to turn the rumor of a local curse into tourism gold. The horror is real. The comedy is genuinely funny. Rhys plays the deadpan straight man - the one normal person reacting to all the surrounding chaos - so dryly that he earns some of the biggest laughs in the show.

One honest caution: Like many Apple TV shows, it takes a few episodes to fully find its footing. But critics say the patience pays off: "Widow's Bay becomes a haunting, deeply rewarding, and oddly charming series if you stick with it."

Where it stands right now: Two new episodes dropped May 27 and are being called a turning point for the season. The finale airs June 17 - which means three episodes remain and there is still time to catch up before it ends.

Who it is for: Fans of Ted Lasso, Severance, or anything that blends genuine heart with sharp writing. If you have ever enjoyed a show that earns its emotional moments through well-placed humor and patient storytelling, this one is for you.

A story about a man trying to hold a fractured community together and break a curse that has followed them for generations - there is more truth in that premise than first appears.