5 TV Shows Like Widow's Bay You Need To Watch

You might've missed the ferry already, but the biggest show to come out of Apple TV lately has been the brilliant horror comedy series "Widow's Bay." Somewhere between a Stephen King novel and a "Parks and Recreation" episode (fitting, given that it's created by the sitcom's writer and co-producer, Katie Dippold) sits this brilliant series that's done well with critics across the board for its first season.

Now, though, with the Season 1 finale released and a lengthy wait for our return trip back to the freaky island, you're going to need something else to fill the void, and we've thankfully got plenty of alternatives for you to get stuck into. Should you want some more frights than funnies this time around, or at least little laughs here and there as the horror unfolds, then worry not.

Light your torches, check your cellphone signal and join us as we brave five shows that all check the boxes that "Widow's Bay" managed to fill in its short time on screens this year. Just don't come crying to us when you find yourself hiding behind your couch at whatever might be on display. After making it out of Widow's Bay, you really should be used to creepy and kooky junk by now.

Just like the island of "Widow's Bay," Stephen King's town of Derry, Maine, has a horrific history that goes all the way back to its founding. But that's what you get when a fear-feasting monster from another world terrorizes the land. An HBO Max prequel to Andy Muschietti's "IT" movies, "IT: Welcome to Derry" is set 27 years before the events of the first film, and follows another band of kids who bravely battle Pennywise in all his monstrous forms.

Naturally, there's an extra load of dread stitched into this show compared with "Widow's Bay," because rather than a mayor, his assistant, and a Quint-like believer in the town's malevolence, the majority of the heroes in "Welcome to Derry" haven't long since grown into their adult teeth. Seeing adults scared is one thing, but watching kids try to file down their own eyeballs because of whatever illusion Pennywise has conjured for them is something else entirely.

That's not to say the adult cast in this show isn't getting scared out of their minds too. Besides Leroy (Jovan Adepo) and Charlotte Hanlon (Taylour Paige) uncovering the dark secrets of the new town they've moved to, there's also a standout performance from Chris Chalk as the future chef of the Overlook Hotel, Dick Hallorann. Also, let's not forget that Bill Skarsgård reprises his role as Pennywise after eight years, and doesn't miss a clown-shoe-sized step returning to the town's most feared resident. It won't be the last we see of him. With plans for season 2 to be set 27 years before this one, Derry's timeline of terror is far from over, so why not get things started if you haven't already?

The most family-friendly entry on this list, cult classic NBC series "Eerie, Indiana" isn't without its absolutely spine-chilling moments. Spanning only a single season, the show followed Marshall Teller (Omri Katz), a teenager who moves to the titular town, which is plagued by strange, supernatural incidents that he chronicles each episode.

From uncovering a secret plot by dogs to take over the planet to twin brothers who've stayed fresh by sleeping in giant Tupperware, "Eerie, Indiana" is an often hilarious and occasionally unsettling watch. It's a combination that shouldn't come as a surprise, given the creative dynamic behind the scenes.

"Eerie, Indiana" was produced by esteemed dark comedy director Joe Dante, which explains why the series, short-lived as it was, ran off the same kind of energy as movies like "Gremlins" or "The 'Burbs." Just as both those films saw a town turned upside down by incredibly odd goings on, so too does "Eerie, Indiana," with a normal kid in a town that's anything but. In fact, something tells us that if Teller ever grew up and remained in paranormal phenomena, you can bet Widow's Bay would be a spot he'd frequently end up visiting. After you've got solid evidence that Elvis is alive and well, a Sea Hag would be a piece of cake to deal with.

After you've made your way off the shores of "Widow's Bay," Crockett Island of Netflix's "Midnight Mass" is a great place to head next, if you're prepared for fewer laughs and a lot more scares. The 2021 Netflix miniseries from Mike Flanagan followed Riley Flynn (Zach Gilford), who returns to the island after serving a prison sentence for killing someone while drunk driving. At the same time, the island's church is blessed with a new priest by the name of Father Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater), who begins performing real miracles bred from a sinister origin.

Just like Flanagans's "The Haunting of Hill House" and "The Haunting of Bly Manor," "Midnight Mass" has a somber but special kind of heart beating beneath the blood-soaked horror of its story, with an incredibly eclectic but equally amazing cast caught up in it all. Flanagan's regulars like Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Annabeth Gish, and Samantha Sloyan are just some of the standout contributors to a tale about life, death, and faith in the belief that there's something more to both.

The only problem is that Flanagan brilliantly handles this topic through gruesome and grisly means which "Widow's Bay " hasn't quite ventured near. Nevertheless, if by some miracle you've not managed to spend time with "Midnight Mass" and are familiar with the likes of "Salem's Lot," we advise you redeem yourself immediately.

Another of Apple TV's finest and a firm favorite for sci-fi fans, after two seasons and a third one on the way, Ben Stiller's "Severance" comes with the same kind of comedy, only this time mixed in with a very unnerving office space. For the uninitiated, the story goes like this: Britt Lower's Helly R. wakes in a conference room with no knowledge of how she got there.

Thanks to a video recording of herself, she learns that she's been enlisted in the Severance program, where a different version of herself works during the day, unaware of the outside world. Leading the department that she's desperately trying to get out of is Mark Scout (Adam Scott), who, after being a longtime employee of the mysterious Lumon Industries, begins asking questions that go well beyond company policy.

After two seasons, "Severance" has done an impeccable job of fortifying a fascinating world with brain-busting rules and cast members who are putting in twice the effort playing duplicates of themselves. While not containing quite as many supernatural elements as "Widow's Bay" (just yet), there's enough wonderful weirdness to keep you invested. Also, we should be grateful to "Severance" for giving us great performances from Christopher Walken, Tramell Tillman, and Scott, who puts in a shift as a tortured hero whose work-life balance is only getting worse. Believe the hype and watch the first two seasons before the third season arrives. Also, give it an hour or so before you start asking yourself whether the idea of getting yourself an Inny isn't such a bad idea, after all.

In the event that you're desperately in need of more Matthew Rhys following his hilarious and equally human performance in "Widow's Bay," then prep yourself for a massive tonal shift, courtesy of his award-winning turn in "The Americans." Debuting on FX in 2013, "The Americans" was created by Joe Weisberg and features Rhys as a KGB agent who's infiltrated the U.S., with another spy posing as his wife. Now nestled into their Washington home for over a decade, the show follows Philip Jennings, aka Mischa (Rhys), and Elizabeth Jennings, aka Nadezhda (Keri Russell), as they navigate family life while continuing to operate as Soviet espionage agents.

Spanning six seasons, "The Americans" provides a very different kind of character for Rhys as opposed to the frantic and failing mayor of Widow's Bay. Philip is a man struggling with his clandestine way of life, which is made all the more difficult by a wife who's initially dedicated to serving her homeland.

The chemistry between the two is off the charts, which is understandable given that the leads are a (now married) couple in real life, but it's made all the more compelling thanks to the show's incredible writing. Tension levels are high and rarely fade throughout the entire run of "The Americans." It explains, then, why the show is widely considered one of the greatest ever made. Give it a look, and you'll quickly see why Rhys and his on and off-camera partner are a huge contributing factor to that.