If you are completely exhausted by formulaic jump-scares and have been dying to sink your teeth into a high-concept nightmare that balances pure dread with brilliant, eccentric wit, Apple TV’s hidden gem has just received the ultimate stamp of approval from the absolute gods of modern genre storytelling. Originally flying under the mainstream radar, this critically acclaimed 9-episode horror phenomenon is skyrocketing into the spotlight after Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro hailed it as “mesmerizing” and gaming icon Hideo Kojima confessed he was so utterly transfixed he binged the entire season in a single sitting. Set in a deeply unsettling, isolated coastal town, the narrative masterfully channeled the legendary spirit of Stephen King, dropping a quirky, deeply vulnerable ensemble of characters into a waking nightmare that pays homage to everything from Jaws to Twin Peaks.

Kate O’Flynn’s Patricia drinking from a mug in Widow’s Bay

Guillermo del Toro could not help but sing praises for Apple TV‘s new highly-acclaimed horror series. Following his recommendation, Hideo Kojima, too, has now watched the show and echoed similarly positive sentiments. With two creative horror powerhouses raving about it, Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay is starting to become the best horror show in a very long time.

Like many new Apple TV shows, Widow’s Bay has remained fairly obscure. While the show has earned almost unanimous acclaim from viewers and critics, it is yet to garner more mainstream attention. Fortunately, Guillermo del Toro recently ended up watching the series. The director was so impressed by it that he not only called it “mesmerizing” (via X), but also touted it as “the best streaming series in a long time.

His high praise for the original Apple TV show seemingly encouraged Hideo Kojima to check it out. Like Guillermo del Toro, Kojima, too, could not help but shower it with praise and compare it with some of the best works in the horror genre. After Guillermo del Toro, Kojima’s review seems to highlight how Widow’s Bay might be the best thing that has happened to horror in a long time.

Guillermo del Toro & Hideo Kojima Have Raved About How Incredible Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay Is

Tom and Wyck looking shocked at the inn in Widow's BayImage via Everett Collection

Hideo Kojima wrote a long review for Widow’s Bay (via X), highlighting how the show is so good that he could not stop after he started watching it. As a result, before he knew it, he had already binged all nine available episodes of the show. He specifically highlighted how fans of Stephen King would love the show and even compared it with shows and movies like Jaws and Twin Peaks.

He ended his review by saying that it has been a long time since a show pulled him in the way Widow’s Bay does while expressing his anticipation for its upcoming finale. Instead of merely giving the series a stamp of approval, both Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro have gone out of their way to passionately champion it. This goes to show how incredible the Apple TV series truly is.

When two of modern genre storytelling’s most influential creative minds are this enthusiastic about a show, their endorsements are very clear testaments of its overall quality. Even viewers who have been following the series have widely agreed that Widow’s Bay perfectly nails its blend of horror and comedy. It is further elevated by its eccentric set of characters who are brilliantly played by its cast members.

Since the show is easily one of the best additions to horror television, it is hard not to hope that, after Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, Stephen King, too, will end up watching it.

Why Stephen King Needs To Watch Widow’s Bay After Guillermo del Toro & Hideo Kojima

Patricia looking concerned in Widow's BayImage courtesy of Apple TV

Similar to Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, Stephen King, too, often catches up with some of the most obscure TV shows and shares his two cents about them through his Twitter handle. Surprisingly, even though King is usually the first to review horror shows, he has seemingly not yet watched Widow’s Bay. Even if he has, the King of Horror has not reviewed it yet.

Interestingly, Widow’s Bay seems to draw a lot of inspiration from Stephen King’s books. Its showrunner, Katie Dippold, even confirmed this in a recent interview (via Boston Global). In its earlier chapters, Widow’s Bay also featured an evil clown, who seemed reminiscent of Pennywise from IT. The series also hinted at the existence of a deadly fog, reminding viewers of Stephen King’s The Mist.

With so many intriguing references to Stephen King’s horror stories in Widow’s Bay, it is hard not to be curious about what the King of Horror would think about the series. After Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, it seems likely that Stephen King, too, will love the Apple TV show and probably even acknowledge how it falls in the same brand as his own horror storytelling. Hopefully, he, too, will review it soon.