Apple TV has unveiled a first look at its upcoming horror drama, Widow’s Bay, starring Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a quaint but seemingly cursed island town. The ten-part series, which arrives on our screens in April, follows Mayor Tom Loftis as he desperately attempts to revive the struggling community and must contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed.

man holding folder in office© Apple TV
Matthew Rhys stars in Widow’s Bay

I’m already looking forward to seeing Matthew Rhys back on my TV screen, having been completely gripped by the Welsh actor’s chilling performance as creepy property tycoon and suspected murderer, Nile Jarvis, in Netflix’s new thriller, The Beast in Me. 

A seriously versatile actor, the 51-year-old has inhabited very different characters across a range of genres, from a Soviet spy posing as a suburban American dad in The Americans to a cynical journalist in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and Mr Darcy in the period drama, Death Comes to Pemberley. Add to the list his latest role as a feeble, cowardly mayor in Apple TV’s chilling new horror drama, Widow’s Bay, which will no doubt have audiences glued as it blends “genuine horror with character-driven comedy”. Sign me up!

Matthew recently played Nile Jarvis in The Beast in Me© Chris Saunders/Netflix © 2024
Matthew recently played Nile Jarvis in The Beast in Me

Keep reading to find out more…

WATCH: Have you seen The Beast in Me?

What is Widow’s Bay about?

The series is set in a quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England, where there’s no wifi, spotty cellular reception – and “something lurks beneath the surface”.

Matthew Rhys attends the Netflix's "The Beast In Me" FYC event© Getty Images
The actor plays Mayor Tom Loftis in the series

Mayor Tom Loftis, who is desperate to revive his struggling community, must contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed. The synopsis continues: “He wants these people to respect him. They don’t. They think he is soft and cowardly. And he is. But Loftis is determined to build a better future for his teenage son and turn the island into a tourist destination.

“Miraculously, he succeeds: tourists are finally coming. Unfortunately, the locals were right.  After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true start happening again.”

Why I’ll be watching the show

While the casting of Matthew Rhys alone is enough to make me tune into Widow’s Bay, the series is created and executive produced by Katie Dippold, who was a writer and story editor on Emmy and Golden Globe winning comedy, Parks and Recreation, which also happens to be one of my favourite sitcoms of all time. It’s safe to say that Katie knows what she’s doing when it comes to comedy writing, and I’m intrigued to see how she blends her comedy writing with horror.

Who stars in Widow’s Bay

Matthew Rhy leads a star-studded ensemble cast, which includes Kate O’Flynn (Everyone Else Burns, My Lady Jane), Kingston Rumi Southwick (Presumed Innocent), Kevin Caroll (The Walking Dead) and Dale Dickey (True Blood).

Comedy legend Stephen Root, known for his roles in Office Space and Dodgeball, also stars in the show. Alongside Matthew, the casting of Stephen will be a huge draw for comedy fans.

Kate O'Flynn (pictured in Lady Jane) also stars in the show© Jonathan Prime
Kate O’Flynn (pictured in Lady Jane) also stars in the show

How to watch Widow’s Bay

The series premieres on Wednesday, April 29 with the first three episodes. The remaining seven episodes will be released every Wednesday until June 17, 2026.