Widow's Bay is the best new show of the year so far. After Widow's Bay wrapped up its first season in June, fans were left searching for other shows like the hit Apple TV series. If that's you, you came to the right place because I love Widow's Bay and the shows like it.
Widow's Bay premiered on Apple TV on April 29, and it quickly became one of the biggest new shows of the year. Matthew Rhys stars in Widow's Bay as Mayor Tom Loftis who is trying to turn his small haunted island community into the next Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard.
Apple TV has already renewed the series for a second season, but it's going to be a long wait until season 2 hits the streaming service. Thankfully, we have some great shows to watch while we wait.
The problem with Widow's Bay is that there aren't that many shows like it. We have tons of small-town horror shows, a lot of coastal horror shows, and even more workplace comedies. We don't have many shows combing all three.
With that said, there are some great shows that have elements of Widow's Bay and other shows that feel similar. Let's get the list started with Bodkin.
Bodkin
Bodkin is the most similar of the shows on this list to Widow's Bay. It's more of a mystery, but the way the show handles the dark and ominous nature with comedic moments is what I find to be the thing that makes these shows feel similar.
Bodkin premiered on Netflix in 2024, and it tells the story of a podcaster, Gilbert (Will Forte), who travels to a small Irish village to investigate a missing persons case from two decades earlier. Gilbert finds that some people would rather these secrets stay buried.
There's only one season of Bodkin on Netflix, but it's a really quick binge-watch.
Midnight Mass
Midnight Mass is another Netflix series I highly recommend for fans of Widow's Bay. It's a horror series from Mike Flanagan, and it's one of the best Netflix original horror shows I can remember.
The series tells the story of a small island community. When a priest returns and begins performing miracles, some of the non-believers in town start to suspect something weird is happening.
Midnight Mass has an incredible cast with Hamish Linklater, Zach Gilford, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan, Carla Gugino, Igby Rigney, and more. Linklater also plays a very important role in Widow's Bay. If you know, you know!
The Chair Company
We're leaving the darkness behind with The Chair Company, a new HBO series that premiered in the fall of 2025. The series tells the story of Ron Trosper, played by Tim Robinson. When Ron's chair breaks during a work presentation, Ron tries to get in touch with the company to file a complaint, which leads him on a wild goose chase that takes over his life.
The Chair Company is coming back for season 2, so you have time to catch up on this great series.
If you like the comedic moments in Widow's Bay, you're going to like The Chair Company. Both of these shows lean into the weird, which is so refreshing in the streaming era. These shows feel like a breath of fresh air with their setups, payoffs, and subtlety.
Parks and Recreation
We're veering a little bit further away from Widow's Bay with Parks and Recreation. The hit workplace mockumentary ran for seven seasons on NBC and stars Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a government employee in Pawnee, Indiana, who is trying to make the town better every way she can.
Matthew Rhys' Tom Loftis has some Leslie Knope in him, and Widow's Bay definitely feels like Parks and Rec at times. Every character and employee of the Widow's Bay government and mayor's office has their weird quirks, just like the Parks and Rec ensemble.
Of course, Parks and Rec is more in-your-face funny as a broadcast sitcom, but there are some similarities with these two shows.
On top of that, Katie Dippold, the creator of Widow's Bay, actually was a Parks and Rec writer and producer
The Americans
Last but not least, The Americans is my final choice for fans of Widow's Bay to watch. Honestly, Widow's Bay and The Americans are nothing alike. Sure, there are some scary moments and some funny ones, too, but the reason I have to include it is because it's my favorite thing Rhys has ever made.
In the series, Rhys stars alongside Keri Russell as Philip and Elizabeth Jennings, a seemingly normal all-American couple living in the middle of the Cold War. In reality, the couple are highly trained Russian spies who are trying to discover America's secrets. That sounds scary enough, but when their neighbor and friend is a high-ranking FBI agent, things get quite terrifying.
The series ran for six seasons on FX. You can watch all six seasons on Hulu and Prime Video right now. I promise you won't regret it!
When it comes down to it, you honestly can't go wrong with any of these shows after you watch Widow's Bay. They all have something in common with the series, and they're all very good.
If you're looking for something scary, Midnight Mass is definitely the pick. If you want some laughs with the darkness, Bodkin and The Chair Company should be your go-to shows.
Parks and Rec is the pick for those who like a more straightforward workplace comedy. And, if you just like Matthew Rhys and want to watch anything he's in, well, The Americans is the show you should watch next.
Stay tuned for more news about the future of Widow's Bay on Apple TV!
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