'White Lotus' meets Stephen King: Apple TV's 'Widow's Bay' is the best show of the year

Dr. Drew joins Will Cain to diagnose the "mass psychosis" behind America’s growing extremism. Plus, Will is tested on his Gen-Z influencer knowledge and takes a call from a Democratic Socialist-leaning member of the Willitia. Picture "White Lotus" with a horror backdrop, tangled in a mystery. That’s the best way to describe Apple TV’s new series, "Widow’s Bay." Though Rotten Tomatoes is hardly the final arbiter of quality streaming, the show’s 96% score is justified. The characters are eccentric, devious and mysterious. Together, it all works. Starring Matthew Rhys and Stephen Root, the series centers on an ambitious mayor, Tom Loftis (Rhys), who tries to capitalize on a surge of tourists visiting the fictional island. His goal is to turn it into the next Martha’s Vineyard. ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW! There’s one problem. Residents of the northeastern town insist the land is cursed. Stephen Root, Kate O'Flynn and Matthew Rhys attend Apple's "Widow's Bay" New York premiere at Regal Union Square on April 22, 2026, in New York City. (Dominik Bindl/WireImage) Still, the mayor refuses to bow to superstition. But, without getting into spoi