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Apple TV’s Latest Hit Has the Feel of ‘Parks and Rec’ and the Horror of a Stephen King Novel

By Rachel Leishman May 18th, 2026, 5:25 pm
three men standing in a hall

Apple TV constantly has new shows for fans to enjoy. And their latest hit is one that comedy fans are going to love.

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Katie Dippold (who you may know from The Babadook meme) brought to life the sleepy town of “Widow’s Bay,” an island in New England that is resistant to change. Sound familiar? Well, it probably reminds you a bit of Parks and Recreation, which Dippold was a writer on. And Widow’s Bay was part of her sample to get the job on Parks.

All of that makes Widow’s Bay a quirky kind of comedy that uses its horror elements to its advantage. The very Stephen King-esque series has Tom (Matthew Rhys) fighting with the residents of Widow’s Bay to allow tourism to flourish there. The issue is that there are many “legends” on the island that people believe in. Meaning when a fog threatens to come into town the same day as the New York Times, the residents want to close up shop and hide.

What makes this series something incredibly fun to watch is seeing how funny this cast can be with some pretty dark moments. Patricia (Kate O’Flynn) literally forces people in town to drink blood in a witch ritual she wasn’t aware she was partaking in.

But even as Tom and his team try to bring money to Widow’s Bay, it is the hilarious Stephen Root as Wyck that brings the horror back to the forefront.

God, I missed these kinds of comedies

three people standing
(Apple TV)

Now when you think about The Office and Parks and Recreation, they are staples of the comedy genre. At the time, that wasn’t the case. No one was sure how The Office would do in America and a lot of Parks and Recreation‘s time on the air was fighting off the idea that it was just the same as The Office. They’re very different shows! But now, we label them as the best of the best.

In 2026, when I say my favorite show of all time is Parks and Recreation, there isn’t judgement. Which is fun for me but it also makes me a little sad that we don’t really have comedies like that anymore with the exception of Abbott Elementary. Well and now Widow’s Bay.

Part of why Parks and now Abbott work is because they’re showing mixing genre with style. The mockumentary style with a comedy series is now a staple but it wasn’t always that way. So bringing a horror comedy series to life like Widow’s Bay just feels like a step in that same beautifully unique direction.

It helps that there are legends like Jeff Hiller, Connor Ratliff, Neil Casey, and more on the show as well. And look, if you love horror, this is kind of a no-brainer. And same deal if you’re a comedy fan. There is something for everyone and it feels like the kind of comedy show that people will rewatch over and over again. Or at least I will.

(featured image: Apple TV)

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Rachel Leishman - Editor in Chief

Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is the Editor in Chief of the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.