Stephen King has given his seal of approval to a breakout streaming series that just secured a second season. The master of horror, whose bibliography includes Carrie, The Shining, and IT, praised the show in a social media post. He also spotlighted another Apple TV+ thriller and its lead actress.
Stephen King loves Widow’s Bay and Tatiana Maslany in it
King took to X to share his verdict on Widow’s Bay, the horror-comedy that has become a word-of-mouth sensation for Apple TV+. He called the series “good,” but reserved his highest praise for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, a crime thriller he described as feeling “like Hitchcock came back to do it one more time.” In the same post, he singled out Tatiana Maslany’s performance, writing, “The play of emotions on her face is pretty incredible. She goes from comic to terror in an instant.”
Widow’s Bay follows Mayor Tom Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys, as he attempts to transform a remote New England island into a thriving tourist destination. The community lacks reliable Wi-Fi and mobile service, and its deeply superstitious residents believe their home is cursed.
Loftis pushes ahead anyway, dismissive of the old warnings, and tourists finally arrive. Then the legends stop feeling like folklore. Drawing inspiration from King’s own spooky classics and suspense thrillers like Jaws, the series weaves original lore into a distinct blend of horror and comedy.
Now, Widow’s Bay has been renewed for Season 2. After all, the show’s critical reception has been remarkable. It holds a 97% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a 93% audience score.
Widow’s Bay features an ensemble cast that includes Stephen Root, Kate O’Flynn, Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, and Toby Huss, with Katie Dippold serving as creator. The finale is currently streaming on Apple TV+ and is said to be set up for part 2. David J. Rosen created Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.
