Widow’s Bay, the delightfully eccentric new comedic horror series from Apple TV, is easily one of the best new series of the year. There’s a reason everyone from Guillero del Toro and Ben Stiller to Damon Lindelolf (Lost) is raving about the show. It’s an eminently binge-able, addictive series that pays tribute to all the classic horror tropes while reinventing them in surprising ways. Think Stephen King meets Parks and Recreation, with a dash of Twin Peaks—except Widow’s Bay is very much its own refreshingly original beast.
(Some spoilers below but no major reveals.)
Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) is a widower and mayor of Widow’s Bay, a quirky little seaside town that has a colorfully bizarre history marked by periodic tragedies. Tom is eager to elevate the town into a trendy summer tourist destination. But the arrival of New York Times travel writer Arthur Lloyd (Bashir Salahuddin), who has the clout to make Tom’s aspirations for Widow’s Bay come true, coincides with the onset of a mysterious fog. Local resident Wyck (Stephen Root) warns Tom that the fog is an omen that the island is “waking up,” meaning more supernatural occurrences are bound to happen.
Initially skeptical, Tom becomes increasingly paranoid after a sailor who got lost in the fog essentially goes mad, with his eyes turning white just before dying. But by then Arthur has published a glowing account of his time in Widow’s Bay and tourists start flocking to the island for the summer season. Tom gamely tries to put a positive spin on things. He stays in the local haunted hotel alone overnight to prove it’s safe (it isn’t), and runs afoul of the legendary Sea Hag during the traditional mayor’s inaugural swim to open the beach.
But Tom still refuses to close everything down, despite Wyck’s warnings. Tom’s assistant, Patricia (Kate O’Flynn), has her own disturbing supernatural experience when she tries to host a “sunset cocktails” event to boost her social status in the town. It doesn’t go well and the mayhem is next level. That’s all I’m going to say, because the fun lies in the finding out.
Meanwhile, Tom’s rebellious teenaged son, Evan (Kingston Rumi Southwick), has fallen in with a delinquent crowd out of sheer boredom, resentful that he’s never been allowed to leave the island. That’s because local legend holds that anyone born in Widow’s Bay cannot leave. The supernatural energy keeps escalating with each subsequent episode, eventually delving into the island’s early history and the town’s founding by one Richard Warren (Hamish Linklater). That history still has repercussions for Widow’s Bay in the present.
A “dangerous excitement”
Series creator Katie Dippold is best known (until now) as one of the writers on Parks and Recreation, and Widow’s Bay actually started out as a spec script for that earlier series. “That version was much jokier,” she told Deadline Hollywood earlier this month. “It was more comedic and I think it gave a good idea of my sense of humor.” But she described that script as feeling more like a spoof, “and as a horror fan, I just wanna be immersed into the island,” she said. “I wanna feel like I could go explore this island and find all the little nooks and crannies and terrifying little spots. That’s my dream, but I’m strange.”
Clearly millions of viewers share Dippold’s strangeness. By the time the Patricia-centric fourth episode (“Beach Reads”) aired, viewership numbers had tripled since the launch, and those numbers have kept growing as positive word of mouth rapidly spread.
The most impressive aspect of the series is its mastery of tone: a perfect balance between quirky humor and spine-tingling horror that is incredibly difficult to consistently maintain. “I used to get into all sorts of antics when I was young, me and my friends going to check out the abandoned house and then running off,” said Dippold of the tone she wanted for the show. “It was almost kind of a dangerous excitement. And I just love that feeling because you’re so scared, but you’re laughing so hard, and I just wanted to get that feeling on television.”
It also helps that Dippold has populated her fictional town with such well-drawn, unique characters; even one-off side characters, like Todd the Shaman (Chris Fleming) feel fleshed out and fully realized. That’s thanks to the show’s terrific cast, of course, but the actors are given a lot to work with in the smart, snappy scripts. And the series’ structure is very well plotted: it’s part monster of the week, part longer narrative arc. The show is warm and funny in the margins, and genuinely scary when the supernatural antics ramp up. There’s not a single false note across all ten episodes.
All episodes of the first season of Widow’s Bay are now streaming on Apple TV. A second season is already in the works so we’ll be getting even more comically horrific adventures. Dippold wants the show to come back as soon as possible—and so do we. She jokingly told Deadline that S2 will be “about how everything is great on the island and there’s nothing to worry about.” Don’t you believe it.

Veteran rocker Rod Stewart stumbled on a Utah stage mid-concert this weekend, finally steadying himself with the help of some deep gasps from an oxygen tank, according to photos and video of the scene shared by TMZ.
Stewart began performing at the Utah First Credit Union Amphitheater in West Valley City on Friday night when his actions slowed, and he suddenly appeared to be in distress, holding himself up on equipment until backstage attendants came to his aid with an oxygen tank. He appeared to improve after several deep gulps of oxygen and eventually continued with his concert—while seated. He drew laughs from the audience when he informed his fans that he had “dang near fainted.”
“The First Cut Is the Deepest” singer-songwriter, however, has postponed and canceled a number of shows due to health issues, including an acute upper respiratory infection, People magazine reported.
Earlier this month, the octogenarian rocker announced that a few of his performances at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas would be rescheduled because his doctor had “ordered a bit more rest” as he recovered from the flu. Days later, Stewart canceled four shows and postponed two more in Nevada and California (though he did manage to attend a World Cup soccer game during that time).
“So sorry, my friends. I’m devastated and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to my fans,” he wrote on Instagram. “I’ll be back on stage and we’ll see you soon – Sir Rod💔.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to Stewart’s representatives for more information.
But Stewart has also been in top form at appearances, though he is reportedly preparing to retire at some point during his ongoing “One Last Time Tour” (which began back in 2024).
He sang in Phoenix and delivered what Deadline called a “vivacious” performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles earlier this month. He declared to his 17,500 fans at the Bowl: “This is my last time here, so let’s have a party tonight.” It was his 14th time at the venue.
Like Brit Sir Roderick David Stewart, eight decades (or nearly) on earth hasn’t kept other popular musicians off stage, including Mick Jagger, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Paul McCartney, Cher, and Kenny Loggins.

A 51-year-old concertgoer fell to his death during rock band Goose’s concert inside Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, police said.
“At approximately 9:51 p.m. inside Madison Square Garden, officers observed a 51-year-old male unconscious and unresponsive,” the NYPD told The Post in a statement.
The fan plunged from an “elevated position” and was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Officials did not disclose the distance of the fall.
Goose — which consists of Rick Mitarotonda, Trevor Weeks, Peter Anspach, and Cotter Ellis — said it was “heartbroken” after learning of the tragedy during their gig, the second of the band’s two-night run at the iconic New York City venue.
“We are deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the tragic event that occurred at tonight’s show,” the band wrote.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to everyone affected. Thank you to the emergency personnel and venue staff who stepped in with care and support.”
Venue staff cleared at least seven rows in the area where the incident took place, according to fan photos shared on social media.
The Connecticut-based jam band performed its full 16-song setlist and ended the concert shortly before midnight, according to music database Setlist.fm.
The band hit Madison Square Garden for two nights as part of their Summer 2026 tour, spanning across 27 concerts in 19 cities in the US and Canada. Their show was also being livestreamed on Amazon Music.

WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) — When a large tent appeared next door to Taylor Swift’s Watch Hill estate this week, it didn’t take long for speculation about the superstar’s impending nuptials to ripple through the affluent New England seaside village — and the internet.
Soon, fans were swapping theories online, photographers were staking out vantage points and residents found themselves fielding questions about a wedding that never was. Or at least, a wedding that seems yet to happen.
The rumors, so far, have proved unfounded. But they offered a glimpse into life in Watch Hill, the Rhode Island beach community in the town of Westerly, close to the Connecticut border, where Swift has owned a home for more than a decade and where curiosity about the singer has become woven into everyday life.
Rumors take hold
From the nearby lighthouse, visitors craned for a better view of Swift’s mansion, a sprawling white home perched atop a rocky bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Security cameras dotted the property, and a guard called out to visitors who strayed too close.
Wedding planner Nicole Simeral, dressed in black, stood outside the small white chapel across from the massive yellow Ocean House hotel — Swift’s neighbor on the beach — waving along cars and buses that slowed and directing traffic to keep moving.
She watched visitors speculate about a wedding she said she knew wasn’t Swift’s. She’s working a different wedding every weekend in June in that spot. Still, the questions kept coming.
“Is Taylor Swift getting married here? Many, many, many have asked,” Simeral said.
She said there had been “a lot of chitter chatter” as people tried to connect sightings of people who know Swift in local shops to impending nuptials. But she doubted Watch Hill would be practical for a wedding of that scale because of its limited luxury lodging.
The Watch Hill rumors also dovetailed with separate online speculation that Swift and her fiance, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, were planning a celebration at Madison Square Garden, though no details about the pair’s wedding have been released, despite multiple requests for comment to Swift’s spokesperson.
The tent itself, Simeral said, was hardly unusual. “Next weekend, there’ll be another tent just like this.”
For two summers, Westerly Police Department community service officer Nick Quaratella has stood at the entrance to a public path leading to the beach beside Swift’s estate, answering questions from beachgoers and keeping traffic moving.
“They come to the beach, but then they also ask if she’s here or not,” Quaratella said.
He said he can’t help but joke around with some fans.
“I’ll say, ‘Oh, did you hear that she moved?’” he said. “And they’ll say, ‘No.’ And I say, ‘Yeah, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson moved in.’ And they’ll go, ‘Oh, really?’ and then they’ll walk away.”
“That’s pretty funny,” he concluded.
Over the years, he’s seen plenty of unusual reactions. His coworker once spotted a fan on their knees, bowing toward the entrance gate near the property. Visitors have shouted “I love you, Taylor!” from the roadside. One woman convinced her granddaughter he was Swift’s security guard and posed for a photo with him.
Quaratella has fielded a few questions about the supposed wedding, but not as many as he expected.
“At this point, it’s part of my job,” he said. “It makes me smile. It makes me laugh. I have no problem with it. It makes the day go by.”
Living with Taylor Swift
Down near a strip of beach boutiques, lifelong resident Lauren Nigrelli said the frenzy surrounding the star has eased since Swift first moved into the neighborhood in 2013. Back then, Nigrelli recalled, fans would drive around in circles by her shop playing Swift’s songs.
“Things have definitely calmed down since then,” she said.
Today, Swift’s presence remains a fixture among local businesses in what she described as a “quaint New England coastal community.” Nigrelli, a Realtor who owns the boutiques Tide and Tide Kids, said she began selling apparel emblazoned with “Holiday House,” the nickname associated with Swift’s mansion, after children began coming into the store asking for it. On Saturday, she was also selling a Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce wedding sticker book.
“I think every shop has something related to her,” Nigrelli said.
On the beach below the mansion, Audrey and John Curtis, a married couple from Connecticut who have been vacationing in Westerly for years, settled into beach chairs and debated the wedding rumors.
“We were just looking up at her house,” Audrey Curtis said, pointing toward the mansion. “She’s not getting married here now, though.”
Curtis said she had heard various theories, including speculation that a wedding might be held at Ocean House. But as she thought through the logistics, she became skeptical.
“Then I was thinking about, ‘How would everybody get here?’” she said. “In New York, you’ve got JFK, you’ve got LaGuardia, and she’s got two penthouses in New York that she combined, so I figured they could obviously have more people there.”
Her husband wasn’t so sure.
“They could lie and say it’s happening there, but it’s happening here,” John Curtis said. “When important people do things, they don’t want people to know.”

Every day, TVLine’s What to Watch column spotlights new and returning English-language shows (and select movies) premiering or airing fresh episodes across broadcast, cable and streaming — organized by release time and alphabetically within each slot.
What follows is a look at the week ahead — a roundup of premieres and finales designed to help you plan your viewing for the next seven days.
If you’d like a recommended watchlist delivered to your inbox each morning, you can sign up for TVLine’s free What to Watch newsletter here.
📺 “The Agency” Season 2 (Paramount+, 10-episode binge)
📺 9 p.m. “American Dad!” returns (Fox, two episodes)
📺 9 p.m. “House of the Dragon” Season 3 (HBO)
📺 9 p.m. “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” Season 1 Reunion, Part 1 of 2 (Bravo)
📺 9 p.m. “This Land” docuseries finale (CNN, two episodes)
📺 9 p.m. “The Way Home” series finale (Hallmark Channel)
MONDAY, JUNE 22
📺 “Harry Wild” Season 5 (Acorn TV)
📺 “You’re Killing Me” Season 1 finale (Acorn TV)
📺 8 p.m. “Sullivan’s Crossing” Season 4 finale (The CW)
📺 9 p.m. “All American: The Final Season Special” (The CW)
TUESDAY, JUNE 23
📺 “Not Suitable for Work” Season 1 finale (Hulu)
📺 8 p.m. “Love It or List It” Season 21 (HGTV)
🏀 8 p.m. NBA Draft Round 1 (ABC & ESPN)
🤣 “Ryan Hamilton: This Just Hit Me” (Netflix comedy special)
🎥 9 p.m. “The Welcome Table” (HBO documentary)
Filmmaker Josh Fox tells the story of climate refugees across six continents, celebrating the voices and experiences of people living at the forefront of the climate crisis, displaced from their homes by climate disasters.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
📺 “The American Experiment” (Netflix, five-episode binge)
The docuseries reexamines the improbable achievement that was the nation’s founding, and the radical question at the center of the American Revolution: Can a people govern themselves? Talking heads include Kamala Harris, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Al Gore, Mike Pence, and Nancy Pelosi.
📺 “Behind the Attraction” Season 3 (Disney+, two episodes)
📺 “The Legend of Vox Machina” Season 4 finale (Prime Video, three episodes)
📺 “The Other Bennet Sister” Season 1 finale (BritBox)
📺 “Wild Cherry” (Paramount+, six-episode binge)
The friendship between a self-made businesswoman (Carmen Ejogo) and her wealthy best friend (Eve Best) is put to the test when their daughters become embroiled in a scandal that shatters their community’s perfect image.
📺 “A Woman of Substance” (BritBox, two-episode premiere)
A Yorkshire maid (played by Brenda Blethyn and Jessica Reynolds) defies the limits placed upon her in a decades-spanning tale of power and revenge.
🏀 8 p.m. NBA Draft Round 2 (ESPN)
📺 9 p.m. “Next Gen NYC” Season 2 (Bravo)
🎥 “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (Disney+)
🎥 “In the Hand of Dante” (Netflix movie)
A writer (Oscar Isaac) helps a mob boss steal Dante’s handwritten “Divine Comedy” manuscript as a parallel tale follows the 14th-century poet creating his masterpiece; Gal Gadot, Gerard Butler, Jason Momoa, Martin Scorsese, John Malkovich, and Al Pacino co-star.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
📺 “Avatar: The Last Airbender” Season 2 (Netflix, seven-episode binge)
🎵 8 p.m. CMA Fest (ABC)
📺 9 p.m. “The Bear” final season (Hulu, eight-episode binge)
📺 9 p.m. “Welcome to Wrexham” Season 5 finale (FXX)
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
📺 “Camp Snoopy” Season 2 (Apple TV, 13-episode binge)
🎵 “Paul Simon: The Quiet Celebration Concert” (Disney+ & Hulu)
🏒 7 p.m. NHL Draft (ESPN)
📺 9 p.m. “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness” (HBO)
From executive producers Barack and Michelle Obama comes a seven-episode sketch comedy series led by Larry David that features a rotating lineup of notable guest stars — including several “Curb Your Enthusiasm” alumni.
🎥 “Little Brother” (Netflix movie)
Rudd (John Cena) has the perfect life — great job, loving family, and a thriving career as a real estate agent… until his little brother, Marcus (Eric Andre), crashes back into his world as a full-blown agent of chaos, stress-testing every part of Rudd’s carefully controlled existence.
🎥 “Strung” (Peacock movie)
Chloe Bailey plays a talented violinist whose prestigious new role as a music tutor for an enigmatic, elite family spirals into a psychological battle for her safety and sanity; Lynn Whitfield, Lucien Laviscount, Anna Diop, and Coco Jones co-star.
🎥 “Undertone” (HBO Max)
SATURDAY, JUNE 27
📺 8 p.m. “Wild Spring” docuseries finale (BBC America)
📺 9 p.m. “Craig Ferguson: American on Purpose” Season 1 finale (CNN)
🎥 8 p.m. “A Castle of Our Own” (Hallmark Channel movie)
An unexpected summer trip helps an overworked architect (Erica Cerra) reconnect with her daughter, rediscover joy, and find love she never saw coming; Brennan Elliott co-stars.
🎥 8 p.m. “Single Black Tenant” (Lifetime movie)
Tia Mowry stars as a woman whose luck seems to turn around after landing an affordable apartment — until she suspects she’s living with a killer trying to frame her for murder.