Nodding to 'Jaws,' 'Widow's Bay' casts a shadow on an island with strange happenings
Key takeaways
- In “Widow’s Bay,” premiering Wednesday on Apple TV, Matthew Rhys plays Tom Loftis, the mayor of a town on an island 40 miles off the coast of New England.
- Though Tom has lived in Widow’s Bay since the birth of his (now teenage) son, Evan (Kingston Rumi Southwick), and spent summers there growing up, he can come across as both new to town and new to the job.
- The human-headed fly in the ointment is the island itself, which is a supernatural smorgasbord, mostly quiet but waking up just in time to meet the visitors.
Matthew Rhys, left, and Stephen Root confront supernatural happenings in Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay.” (Apple) By Robert Lloyd Television Critic Follow April 28, 2026 10:31 AM PT 5 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
In “Widow’s Bay,” premiering Wednesday on Apple TV, Matthew Rhys plays Tom Loftis, the mayor of a town on an island 40 miles off the coast of New England. At first, we don’t quite know when we are — the TV sets are cathode ray, the phones are landlines and a cigarette machine sits in the town bar. Wi-Fi and the web are mere rumors. Is it quaint? Or is it creepy?
We are, in fact, in the present day. Though Tom has lived in Widow’s Bay since the birth of his (now teenage) son, Evan (Kingston Rumi Southwick), and spent summers there growing up, he can come across as both new to town and new to the job. Apart from Rev. Bryce (Toby Huss, always glad to see you), he seems to have few friends — he knows people, obviously, but many mock him, for no clear reasons, as cowardly and soft. (He was elected mayor only because he ran unopposed.) His big idea is to make the island a tourist destination, and to that end, he has convinced a New York Times travel writer to visit; much goes wrong, but an article is written, and the tourists come.