Even after you watch the entire first season of Apple’s Widow’s Bay, you still want to visit the island. Even with the Boogeyman running down the street and the strange encounter at the Sunset Cocktail Party and being trapped in a bunker with no answers…you still reach for a brochure since Widow’s Bay is such a scenic and aspirational place to visit. Production designer Steve Arnold has created something truly unique: a quaint destination rich with history and character…and a teensy bit of terror.
When you have a series that touts about the setting so much, you have to make sure that the production design honors the intention of the writing and the vision of the show. “The Next Martha’s Vineyard” is a moniker that the seaside escape needs to live up to, and Arnold, along with his savvy set decorator, Jennifer Engel, has to make sure that there is charm to spare. From the very first episode, Arnold’s work conjures a particular mood and vibe that creates an entirely new experience whenever the series leans on the more thrilling aspects of the season.
Every single set piece has its own character. The town hall looks stuck in the time period that it was last renovated and the white town church exterior is imposing, especially when we see it at night. The more you dive into the interior of The Salty Whale, the bay’s dark, local watering hole, the more you fall in love with it. Notice the sconces with the red lampshades look like the wheel of a ship, and I love how the entrance allows characters to make an entrance before stepping down so you can order a pint of beer. Arnold reveals how they built a floor under the bar to help with movement inside the space.
Arnold’s Emmy submission, “Lodging,” includes a large, gorgeous set piece in the Breakwater Inn, the spot where Matthew Rhys’ Mayor Tom Loftis volunteers to spend the night to dispel any superstitions from the other residents before any new visitors reach the island. While the parlor and the entrance carry so much character (I love the Bates Motel-esque keyholder at the front desk), The Captain’s Suite carries its own vibe. I love the matching, white glass lamps on the bedside tables, the slender pair of windows with its arched tops, the brass candy dish and the gold whale figure that flank the television–there are so many details to fawn over. Arnold even explains how he designed all the wallpaper inside The Breakwater Inn.
With all the spooky goings-on that transpire on this island, you are still seduced by the idea of hopping on a ferry to visit Widow’s Bay. Arnold didn’t just create charming streets or kooky locales–his ambitious work establishes an entirely new world.
Widow’s Bay is streaming now on Apple TV.
