Apple TV has confirmed that the horror-comedy Widow’s Bay will be back for another season ahead of its June 17 finale. The series premiered on April 29 to a glowing critical reception, earning praise for balancing folk horror and humor.
Widow’s Bay follows Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), the mayor of a fictional New England island eager to turn his little community into a major tourist attraction. Unfortunately for him, it seems that his town is afflicted by a centuries-old curse. While Loftis believes these rumors are baseless superstitions, he and the rest of the town begin to experience strange occurrences that shake his beliefs.
The series was created by Katie Dippold, who was a writer on Parks and Recreation and screenwriter for the 2013 film The Heat. As part of the renewal, Apple TV announced a multiyear overall deal with Dippold. “Season two is about how everything is great on the island and there’s nothing to worry about,” showrunner and executive producer Dippold said in a press release.
Hiro Murai, who is best known for his work on Atlanta, Station Eleven, and music videos such as Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” directed five episodes of Widow’s Bay and serves as executive producer. The cast is rounded out by Kate O’Flynn (My Lady Jane), Kevin Carroll (The Leftovers, Paid in Full), Dale Dickey (My Name Is Earl, Justified), and Stephen Root (Office Space, King of the Hill).
“From the moment audiences arrived in Widow’s Bay, they’ve been hooked on every eerie mystery, unexpected laughs, and cursed secret that Katie, Hiro, Matthew, and the entire team have created,” said Matt Cherniss, head of programming, Apple TV. “It’s become one of those shows everyone’s talking about, and we’re thrilled to see audiences continue to embrace it. We can’t wait to return for another season.”
The show’s success has marked yet another weirdo hit for Apple TV, which has assembled quite a lineup: Over the last few years, the streamer has released acclaimed shows like Pluribus, Severance, Ted Lasso, Slow Horses, The Studio, Shrinking, and many more. Of course, it isn’t free of clunkers or tragic cancellations (it’s particularly criminal that Pachinko was silently shelved), but the service has assembled an eclectic lineup over the years. In the immediate future, the arresting sci-fi mystery series Silo will be back for its third season this July, and Ted Lasso will try to make a comeback this August.
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The star and showrunner of Widow’s Bay unpack their influences in an interview with Polygon