On the previous Widow’s Bay, we received an inkling that the Sunset Cocktails event experienced some troubles. “Beach Reads” shows the disturbing occurrences that actually went down.
The episode is a nice change of pace moving from the mayor’s exploits to diving deeper into Patricia, his assistant. Kate O’Flynn paints a sympathetic figure. Her character is committed to her job, but is still haunted by her past. Not so much her run in with a notorious figure from when she was in high school, but more by her actual former high school classmates. Even in adulthood, Patricia is hounded by the mean girls especially since it is such a small community.
Widow’s Bay taps into the anxiety of throwing a perfect party to help fuel the horror aspects of the episode. The obsession and meticulous planning in itself creates a high strung atmosphere. Yet there are also little breadcrumbs scattered about that foreshadow darker happenings and that there is something off. Glimpses in the background make you question the validity of what everyone is actually experiencing. It’s enough to channel an uneasiness without being too obvious. Combine that with a moody score that helps reflect Patricia’s mental state, and everything works together to generate great tension.
A mysterious self help book is the center of it all, and its use is an interesting approach for the haunt of the week. What better trojan horse into a susceptible mind than a means to empower oneself. The book starts off with believable exercises for inner improvement, but gradually becomes more eerie and comedic with how prescient the passages are. The writing gives an inanimate object so much character while also portraying how much of a threat it is. The grasp it has on people is disturbing, and that feeling is elevated once the facade is removed and reality sets in. Plus, as a supernatural tome, it even burns up pretty cool with all the blistering.
For a show that has so far demonstrated clever writing, it is somewhat disappointing to see how little interplay “Beach Reads” and “The Inaugural Swim” have between them. We witness what happens in moments referenced previously via calls along with the added details and context. But it could have been more enjoyable if an event, preferably inane, in one episode impacted what happened in the other. It’s a missed opportunity and a minor complaint.
“Beach Reads” channels the anxiety and tension behind hosting a successful event into an effective vehicle for the horror elements of the story.
New episodes of Widow’s Bay release Wednesdays on Apple TV+.
