Widow's Bay - 2 Thumbs Up! (And It's Been a While for That Rating)

* Edited - correction

So we have a 7-day free trial of Apple TV and wanted to catch up on some shows, and then started watching a new one.

It's called Widow's Bay, with Matthew Rhys - and it is brilliant!

There are a few kinks to work out, being a new show -  but it has some truly original elements within in it, which may, in fact, shoot it into superstardom?

Provided a few kinks are worked out, like I said.

For example, it's a bit predictable at times - at least for me, a student of movies as a once-aspiring screenwriter for many years.

In fact, if I can figure out what's gonna happen within the first 10 minutes, I lose interest.

However, there are just enough twists to keep this intriguing, mostly the slow-burn history of the island's inhabitants and spooky history. 

However, that's another kink that needs to be worked out - as much I like slow-burn mysteries and backstories on each character, it's almost a little too slow, asking us to assume the pasts of the characters without enough information yet. 

What is it about?

First know that it's actually listed officially as a comedy, but it's more along the lines of a newer genre, horror comedy.

So the basic premise is, the mayor of a Northeastern Island (Matthew Rhys) is trying to turn his town into the next Martha's Vineyard beach-vacation town, but there is just one problem with that - either the town is genuinely cursed or the quirky townspeople simply believes it is, based on old superstition - or both.

The island has genuinely seen more than its share of tragedy, as well as super creepy people being drawn there (including 2 serial killers) - but that could be explained away by the town's isolation, geographic location on a rocky coast with turbulent waters, many incidents happening by self-fulfilling prophecy.

-OR-

The town truly is cursed.

-OR- 

Both are true.

Regardless, mishaps abound, preventing this island from becoming the next Martha's Vineyard at every turn, whether brought on by paranoid superstitious belief or genuine bad ju-ju, that's for you to decide (and again, it may be a combination of both.)

Yes, it starts on the premise of a story we've heard before - a cursed coastal town where the residents can't (or won't) leave - but with new twists and more humor.

Imagine if the British comedy Doc Martin (Best Medicine in  the American version), David Lynch's Twin Peaks, and anything NE coastal spooky by Stephen King all had a baby -  PLUS made its own mark on the world - and you've got Widow's Bay.

Katie Dippold is the show's creator, but the magic here, at least in the first 3 episodes, is the Director, Hiro Murai.

(Hiro Murai is an up-and-coming director, with only a couple of streaming movies and shows under his belt, who may actually be best known as music-video director, directing Childish Gambino's critically-acclaimed "This is America" video.) 

It's a fine line between copying former director's work and paying homage to your influences - bit Murai nails it!

Not sure how to convey how exactly he nails it, without also giving a spoiler alert, but I'll try?

(Correction: The scene I'm talking about was actually Episode 4 instead of 3, which was directed by Sam Donovan, who managed to keep the tone, ambience, and give us a master class in directing scene that rivals Murai's.)

So the scene in which Patricia is trying to give a party, which we all realize is too good to be true, and yet can't explain - gives us little split-second, blink-and-you'll-miss-it hints about what's really going on in the room (hint: watch moment on the dance floor, and even if you miss that, watch the mirrors) -  and yet we still aren't fully prepared with the truth of what is really going on at that "party."

Absolutely masterful scene!

Also, the lighting, the ambience, the quirky camera angles and dialog (done before, but kept consistent), the quality of acting - excellent. 

Genuine jump scares in here you don't expect, too, so be prepared for THAT.

Murai only directed the first 3, though, Donovan did the 4th and did a great job, so we'll see if it holds. IMO, it's a bit early for the director switch-up, both for the series and for an up-and-coming director - in terms of others being able to capture his style yet - but he still executive produces it and gets to put his stamp of approval on everything, so we shall see.

Overall, 2 thumbs up on this one (and it's been a while).

Hope they don't cancel it before it's found it's footing/audience (which has become a huge problem in recent years with both network and streaming shows, but particularly streaming!)

Thus, give it a try?

You might surprised - either in a good way, a spooky way, or both? 

_________________

PS - I have recently read a few articles about why people with anxiety disorders or even PTSD often like watching horror movies, which seems contradictory.

In fact, I've heard people say "If you really have PTSD, wouldn't you avoid horror movies?"

So the oversimplified answer is - "It depends on the personal triggers - if the premise hits too close to personal trauma, yes - but if the premise is absurd and unreal, then no, it's a good distraction from your own anxiety"

For example, I personally don't like gory "slasher" types of horror movies, unless they're particularly clever or absurd.

I prefer supernatural spooky stuff instead.

However, I've noticed other people with PTSD are the same (although some do avoid sad or scary altogether).

However, research supports the reason why many with anxiety disorders or PTSD actually love scary movies.

The oversimplified answers - which are own personal answers - are these, supported by research:

1) It's an innate, unconscious or semi-conscious effort to "retrain" the brain's neuroplasticity to deal with fear or a safer, more controlled environment, and thus "desensitize" the brain to not overreact to normal life stressors."

2) Similarly, they provide enough stimulation to distract from personal anxiety. People with high anxiety have a hard time distracting themselves for long unless that activity provides enough stimulation to fully distract from worry.

For me, as much as I love movies, sometimes regular movies don't provide enough stimulation enough to distract me for long unless they are thought-provoking or thrilling, so I have to watch them in increments.

Thus, my go-tos are reading, hiking, strategy-style/time-management video games, supernatural movies.

Also, as much as exercise is a serotonin-boost, unfortunately it's not the best distractor for the mind, because exercise isn't the best mind distractor unless you're you're watching something stimulating/distracting while you're exercising!

(Hiking works because nature can be its own form of distraction/stimulation.)