The first season of Widow’s Bay came to a dramatic end last night (Wednesday June 17) and fans having been giving their verdict.
READ MORE: Every song on the ‘Widow’s Bay’ soundtrack
Created by Katie Dippold, the Apple TV+ show follows the mayor of an island town who is striving to bring in more tourism, while being dismissive of a supernatural curse affecting the residents.
Matthew Rhys leads the show’s cast, alongside Kate O’Flynn, Kevin Carroll, Dale Dickey, Kingston Rumi Southwick and Stephen Root.
In the season’s final episode, ‘We Hope You Enjoyed Your Time!’, Tom (Rhys) believes the last descendant of the cursed island is his elderly secretary Ruth (K Callan) and is faced with the prospect of having to murder her to lift the curse. But in a dramatic twist, Tom later learns that his son Evan Kingston Rumi Southwick actually is the last descendant.
In the season’s closing moments, Tom also hears church bells that act as a reminder the curse is still very much in effect while Evan waits in the car.
Many fans hailed the finale with one writing: “What a finale. Even though it delivered the most popular fan theory, the execution was absolutely brilliant. Silly, emotional, hopeful, and anchored by a phenomenal performance from Matthew Rhys. Widow’s Bay, thank you for everything. Until we meet again.”
Another added: “Widows bay finale went full shakespearean tragedy and it was devastatingly perfect.”
A third compared the finale with Gus Fring’s end in Breaking Bad adding: “Literally how the second half of the #WidowsBay finale felt. Whether you saw the twist coming or not, the acting and reveal were so peak that I was verging on cardiac arrest for most of it.”
What a finale.
Even though it delivered the most popular fan theory, the execution was absolutely brilliant. Silly, emotional, hopeful, and anchored by a phenomenal performance from Matthew Rhys.
Widow’s Bay, thank you for everything. Until we meet again. #WidowsBay pic.twitter.com/JneVZGppQo
— Krísh (@FlicksandChill) June 17, 2026
widows bay finale went full shakespearean tragedy and it was devastatingly perfect #widowsbay pic.twitter.com/ec9UN4VA3Y
— Cris (@lionesspike) June 17, 2026
literally how the second half of the #WidowsBay finale felt. Whether you saw the twist coming or not, the acting and reveal were so peak that I was verging on cardiac arrest for most of it pic.twitter.com/1MNOmd7uU6
— Sarah (@Lightenerrthang) June 17, 2026
#WidowsBay achieved what few shows do: an ending so well set up by the narrative that most of the audience predicted it, but one so skilfully written and delivered that those predictions didn’t reduce our shock and horror one iota as it unfolded. Deeply, deeply satisfying. pic.twitter.com/rzycpFkaxn
— Sarah (@Lightenerrthang) June 17, 2026
Others though were disappointed that a recent fan theory for the finale proved correct.
“Still thinking about Widow’s Bay and how everyone predicted where it would go with evan and they double down instead of adding a plot twist that makes no sense for shock factor,” one wrote.
still thinking about widow’s bay and how everyone predicted where it would go with evan and they double down instead of adding a plot twist that makes no sense for shock factor pic.twitter.com/vd7SI73Doa
— salma (@buildcasltes) June 17, 2026
Another on Reddit added: “I think the issue for me (and I really liked the whole series) is that the ball hasn’t really been moved forward. We’re basically back where we were at the start, except this time there’s not really a potential solution and we largely know how the ‘horror’ works, which makes it less impactful.”
Another fan agreed, adding: “I wanted more humour along with answers. And the answers we got seemed pretty obvious. I’m left feeling unsatisfied which is not a good way to leave your audience for a year.”
Apple renewed Widow’s Bay for a second season on June 11, 2026, a week prior to the season one finale.
Speaking about the second season, creator Katie Dippold said: “Season two is about how everything is great on the island and there’s nothing to worry about.”
The post Fans hail ‘Widow’s Bay’ season one finale but some aren’t happy with the final twist appeared first on NME.
