Review: Widow's Bay, "Our History" | Season 1, Episode 6

Horror-comedies tend to focus more on the latter half of the equation. It’s easier to make people laugh than it is to scare them, at least over a long period of time; and even shows and movies that start off terrifying tend to soften as time goes by and the jokes become more regular. This isn’t a criticism–as a long-time Supernatural fan, I’d be a liar if I claimed I didn’t have a soft spot in my heart for goofy spooky stories. But at the same time, part of me always pines for something that can retain its edge. 

So far at least, Widow’s Bay has kept itself sharp and this week’s first episode “Our History” is remarkably effective at maintaining the show’s sense of humor while still being incredibly, at times almost unbearably, tense. A forty minute flashback to the town’s distant past, “History” may upset some viewers for offering up a digression which only flirts with relevance in its final minutes (although the second episode being immediately available likely helps). For me, though, the episode is thrilling, intoxicating proof of the ambition behind the series, and its honestly remarkable flexibility in tone.