Widow’s Bay, Apple TV’s comedy horror show, was an instant hit. Set in a small New England town on an island, the series follows a mayor hellbent on improving tourism and pushing the town into the public eye, despite warnings from locals and plenty of signs that the island is cursed. Both audience members and critics have rated the show’s first season very highly, praising its sinister comedic tone, eccentricity, and more.
Now, fans are twiddling their thumbs waiting for season 2. While it is a difficult vibe to match, there are some shows and movies out there that may stave off the Widow’s Bay cravings for a little while. Comedy horror is a hard genre to pull off as it is, and not many have tried it. That said, here is our list of shows most similar to Widow’s Bay.
7 TV Shows Like Widow’s Bay TOC; Jump To:
Bodkin
This 2024 Netflix series follows a group of podcasters on a mission to investigate disappearances in a small Irish town. Like Widow’s Bay, Bodkin is show that identifies as a dark comedy and a thriller. While the traditional horror and supernatural aspects are less pronounced than in Widow’s Bay, it has the quaint town, the odd, superstitious characters, and the thrill of a mystery.
Bodkin is a short series, containing only seven episodes. The last episode left the story open-ended enough for a renewal, though Netflix has yet to confirm whether or not more episodes of the show will be made. For now, it stands as a short, binge-worthy series. You can watch Bodkin on Netflix.
What We Do in the Shadows
This comedy-horror series is a much more extensive series, with six seasons to watch. It follows four vampires on Staten Island, and is filmed in a mockumentary style, featuring individual interviews and plenty of awkward moments. As a show, What We Do in the Shadows certainly has the gory elements of Widow’s Bay down pat. Though it definitely leans more on the comedy side than Widow’s Bay, the fantasy and supernatural parts of the series are also ones that Widow’s Bay fans will appreciate.
Audience members and critics alike also rated it extremely well on Rotten Tomatoes, and we at Nerdist love it very much. What We Do in the Shadows is available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
How to Get to Heaven from Belfast
A dark comedy/mystery, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast follows three friends as they adventure across Ireland in hopes of solving a classmate’s murder. All three of the stars are Irish actresses. If you enjoyed Derry Girls, the popular Irish sitcom, Lisa McGee also wrote this one.
“We want to keep you guessing and keep you laughing,” McGee said. “I can’t wait for you to meet Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara, and go on this wild, weird adventure with them — an Irish odyssey — full of twists, turns, and arguments about eyelash extensions.”
This show follows more of a thriller plot than Widow’s Bay, but it does include mystery and crime blended perfectly with humor, much like the Apple TV outing. How to Get to Heaven from Belfast also has slight supernatural elements, but nothing overtly horror. Regardless, this series may just fill the Widow’s Bay-shaped hole in your heart for a little while. You can watch How to Get to Heaven from Belfast on Netflix.
Deadloch
A Prime Video original series, Deadloch combines the isolated setting of a small, seaside Tasmanian town with a murder mystery investigation and plenty of quirky, lovable characters. Two female detectives must collaborate with locals to solve the murder of one of the townspeople. So already, we can see the resemblance between this show and Widow’s Bay. The series also won multiple awards from the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television, confirming it matches in quality.
While the second season of Deadloch only premiered this March, Prime has still not renewed the series for a third season. You can watch Deadloch on Prime Video.
Truth Seekers
This one-season British drama is an entirely different vibe, but the show definitely keeps the aspects of comedy and supernatural horror that are present in Widow’s Bay. Truth Seekers follows paranormal investigators and their adventures ghost hunting. As they continue their work, though, they begin to uncover something much larger.
While the style is more overtly comical and kitschy, there are definitely plenty of terrifying moments, too. Truth Seekers stars Nick Frost, who was the face of Shaun of the Dead, a 2004 supernatural comedy movie—if anybody knows the genre, it’s him. The eight-episode series is on Prime Video.
Santa Clarita Diet
This comedy-horror follows a married couple living in Santa Clarita. After one is turned into a zombie, they have to learn to manage day-to-day life in a whole new, undead way. From their relationship with their daughter to their public image, the show deals with issues of morality and relationships alongside supernatural horror—reminding us of Widow’s Bay.
Starring Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant, Santa Clarita Diet has everything you love from Widow’s Bay, besides the isolated setting. Instead, you follow the only supernatural creature in a very crowded, normal area. Santa Clarita Diet ran for three seasons on Netflix and still streams there.
Obituary
Another crime thriller/comedy, Obituary follows Elvira, an obituarist who resorted to killing after learning she would be paid per article. Also an Irish series (the Irish really love this genre combo, it seems), Obituary keeps you rooting for the serial killer, at least a little bit. What this show lacks a little bit in supernatural elements that remind us of Widow’s Bay, it makes up for with great comedy and mystery. Siobhán Cullen, the lead of Bodkin, also stars in this one.
With two six-episode seasons, the show is short and sweet but provides just enough content to keep lovers of Widow’s Bay… at bay. You can watch Obituary on Hulu.
Until Season 2… We Watch Other Shows and Wait for Widow’s Bay to Return
While Apple has yet to confirm a release date for Widow’s Bay season two, we hope that these shows will keep fans satisfied with both laughs and scares until we finally get more of Mayor Loftis and co. We guess you could also indulge in a rewatch. Widow’s Bay currently streams on Apple TV.