Commentary: ‘Widow’s Bay’ Thrives On The Close Link Between Horror And Comedy
by Frank Martin
Horror and comedy might seem like opposing genres. One is about eliciting terror, while the other is meant to encourage laughter and feelings of joy. Nonetheless, they are more aligned than audiences may think. Black comedy is immensely popular for good reason. Similar to the way pain and pleasure share a thin border, it’s very easy for horror and comedy to blend into one another. Taking horror to an extreme can often lead to humorous results, considering how horrific moments are heavily contrived and awkward. Widow’s Bay knows this well and leans into the concept with great success.
The series takes place on an island said to be plagued by a curse. Mayor Loftis (Matthew Rhys) tries to increase tourism on the island as a series of strange occurrences take place. People are supposedly vanishing in a fog, there’s a haunted woman hunting at night in addition to witchcraft, masked killers, and more. This curse dates back to the island’s founding during colonial times, when the widespread belief that anybody born on the island could never leave originated. Since the Mayor’s son, Evan (Kingston Rumi Southwick), was born there — unlike the Mayor himself — he does everything in his power to protect him, which causes a rift in their relationship.
The show’s strength comes from its subtle way to blend the horror and comedy without overtly leaning in one direction or the other. A great example of black comedy is Shaun of the Dead. The film obviously has very comedic moments that its slapstick stars thrive in. Since it’s about zombies, the horror is evident, and since they toy with these zombies relentlessly, it’s also very funny. Widow’s Bay does no such thing. It doesn’t seek to make things funny in a comedic manner. It merely highlights the moments of tension by bringing some form of levity to the situation either with a deadpan line of dialogue or a natural moment of prolonged suspense. Its humor can be awkward and uncomfortable, just like horror. Viewers looking for an experience that leans in one direction or another may be disappointed that it straddles the line, but for those who like subtlety in their blending of genres, Widow’s Bay does it very well.
Widow’s Bay is now streaming on AppleTV.