GoKawiilWidow's Bay ended its first season on Wednesday on Apple TV, and in its finale, titled We Hope You Enjoy Your Time, the layered horror-comedy revealed a big trick up its sleeve. From the show's outset, Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) works tirelessly to rebrand his rickety coastal town into the next Martha's Vineyard. As the episodes progress, the program shows just how cursed this small fishing village is -- and why tourists really shouldn't vacation there.
Widow's Bay has been plagued by a centuries-old curse that keeps those born on the island from being able to leave, because if they try, they die. Moreover, there's a torture chair located in the bowels of Widow's Bay's storm shelter that indicates the island's history is even more disturbing than I'd ever imagined. And I say this knowing full well that there was a maniacal boogeyman, a killer clown and a Wicker Man-style death party featured throughout the season.
With the news that Widow's Bay has been renewed for a second season, it's imperative to unpack the important details from the finale. I should state that there are major spoilers ahead. If you're not caught up on Widow's Bay's Season 1 finale, tread lightly.
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The season's penultimate episode, Emergency Shelter, found a supernatural nor'easter bearing down on the island. After all his hard work to attract tourists to Widow's Bay, Loftis succeeded. Now, it seems all of that could come crashing down unless he can figure out a fix.
The curse keeps a' cursing
Hamish Linklater guest stars in Widow's Bay. Apple TV
Tom, Patricia (Katie O'Flynn) and Wyck (Stephen Root) happened upon a disturbing answer to their problems last week. It turned out there was indeed one more living descendant of Richard Warren (Hamish Linklater), the man who brought the curse to the island roughly 300 years ago: the decrepit man Tom and Wyck helped kill in episode 7.
It's Ruth (K Callan), of all people, the kind lady who worked in the mayor's office. Discovering her connection to Warren puts the trio in a bit of a pickle. Patricia is against the idea of offing her; Wyck, being Wyck, has no qualms about putting the woman out of her misery. Tom ends up taking Wyck's side and, with some knowledge about medications Ruth shouldn't mix, he heads to her home to do the deed.
I was expecting Ruth to reveal herself to be a monster, the same way Ingrid Kersh did in It: Chapter 2. Yet once Tom arrives at her home, he's met with kindness and an offering of tea and, while he waits 27 minutes for the drink to finish brewing, he sits down for an uncomfortable conversation with her.
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