Widow's Bay's incredible cast promised that it would not disappoint. Surprisingly, even though many viewers already had high expectations of the series, it has seemingly surpassed all expectations. After four episodes, Apple TV's Widow's Bay has also seemingly shattered a Rotten Tomatoes record, which proves it deserves more attention.
Widow’s Bay Is Officially The Highest Rated Horror Show On Apple TV
Apple TV only offers a limited number of shows in the horror genre. When it comes to original horror TV shows, the streaming service only seems to have three series: Servant, Lisey's Story, and Widow's Bay. Lisey's Story, which adapted a Stephen King book of the same name, struggled to leave its mark and earned underwhelming reviews from critics.
Servant, on the other hand, still holds an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 90% and lasted for four seasons. By earning a near-perfect critics' score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, Widow's Bay has officially beaten Servant and even surpassed several other highly acclaimed shows on the streaming service.
While only time will tell whether Widow's Bay will get renewed for more seasons, its early critical success spells promise for its future. In more ways than one, Servant marked Apple TV's foray into the horror genre. Since then, though, the streaming service has struggled to grow its horror catalog and solidify its place in the genre.
Widow's Bay's critical success marks Apple TV's return to form in horror, allowing it to be known for just its prestige sci-fi dramas and award-winning comedies. If Widow's Bay proves to be a commercial hit, it could prompt Apple TV to invest in more horror shows and further grow its library in the genre.
Widow's Bay Is The Best Horror Series In Years
Horror on the small-screen seemingly peaked with Mike Flanagan's creations on Netflix. While a few horror shows, like From and Archive 81, have proven to be promising additions to the genre, none have seemed as culturally defining or consistently impactful as Flanagan's best works.
Shows like The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass not only terrified audiences with their jump scares and relatable themes but also defied many conventions of the genre to bring something new to the table. After all these years, Widow's Bay seems to be treading the same path by delivering a perfect balance of both horror and comedy.
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Apple TV Horror Show
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Rotten Tomatoes Critics' Score
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Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
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Widow's Bay (after 1 season)
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97%
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92%
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Servant (after 4 seasons)
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90%
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79%
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Lisey's Story (after 1 season)
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53%
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48%
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The original Apple TV show masters the art of making one laugh and feel terrified at the same time in some of its best sequences. In its recent episode, Widow's Bay even delivered 35 minutes of pure folk horror that seemed even better than major Hollywood productions.
If Apple TV's Widow's Bay continues to perform well throughout its run, it will likely get the chance to return with another season. Hopefully, Widow's Bay will mark the inception of a new era for Apple TV where the streaming service will start investing heavily in the horror genre as well.