Apple TV+ horror-comedy ‘Widow’s Bay‘ took a bold swing with its sixth episode, sending the show back to 1702 with a completely new cast and a chilling origin tale. Here’s how the creative team made it happen.
The latest episode of Widow’s Bay did something most TV shows would never try. Episode 6, titled “Our History,” dropped the main cast entirely and jumped back more than 300 years to tell the cursed town’s origin story. The risk paid off, giving viewers one of the most talked-about episodes of the season.
The episode follows Betty Gilpin as Sarah Westcott, a woman who arrives on the island in 1702 to marry the town’s founder, Richard Warren, played by Hamish Linklater. What she finds is a settlement falling apart, a husband hiding dark secrets, and a curse that would trap the island for centuries to come.
How the Flashback Episode Was Born
Katie Dippold, the show’s creator, revealed that the idea for a full colonial flashback grew naturally from the writers’ room conversations. The team spent a lot of time building the island’s backstory before they ever thought about putting it on screen.
“We talked about the island’s founder and what it would have been like in the early days and the timeline of the island and the different mayors from different eras.” – Katie Dippold to TheWrap
The more the writers discussed the early settlement days, the more they wanted to actually show it. Dippold explained that they decided to do a “straightforward, dry colonial period piece that leans a little bit into the horror.” The challenge was making it still feel like Widow’s Bay even though the main cast was nowhere to be seen.
Ti West, known for horror films like “X” and “Pearl,” directed Episode 6. Sam Donovan, who worked on “Severance,” directed Episode 7. The two episodes were released together on May 27, 2026 as a double feature on Apple TV+.
A Bold Move That Shocked the Cast
Even the actors were surprised by the show’s willingness to pause the main story for a full history lesson. Hamish Linklater, who plays the immortal founder Richard Warren, praised the show’s confidence.
“The show is so bold to just drop this flashback to colonial times in the middle of the season. Right in the middle, we’re going to have an episode where none of our stars are there and these two randos show up and take over the narrative. That’s baller.” – Hamish Linklater to Polygon
Linklater’s character appears in both Episode 6 and Episode 7, but the versions are very different. In the flashback, he plays a living, terrifying colonial leader. In Episode 7, after being buried alive for 300 years, he transforms into a gaunt, pathetic figure who is both heartbreaking and funny.
Dippold praised Linklater’s range, noting that in Episode 6 he’s “really scary,” while in Episode 7 he becomes “kind of heartbreaking, but really funny.”
Betty Gilpin Brings Sarah Warren to Life
Betty Gilpin’s performance as Sarah Warren became the emotional anchor of Episode 6. Sarah arrives on the island expecting marriage but finds a nightmare instead. She discovers her new husband has made a deal with a dark entity, using psychedelic mushrooms to communicate with whatever cursed the land.
The episode ends with Sarah escaping on a rowboat with Richard’s children, while the townspeople bury Richard alive. His coffin becomes his prison for the next three centuries.
Fans on social media praised Gilpin’s ability to balance horror and comedy. One viewer on MetaFilter wrote that the episode “was tonally completely different than the other episodes” and “reminded me of The VVitch or something.”
Production Details That Made the Episode Work
The flashback was filmed after the rest of the season, which created some unique challenges. Linklater revealed that he shot his two episodes in reverse order, playing the undead version of Richard Warren first before returning to play the living colonial version.
Key scenes were filmed on location at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers, Massachusetts, giving the episode an authentic colonial feel.
For Matthew Rhys, who plays Mayor Tom Loftis in the present-day storyline, stepping aside for an entire episode was part of the show’s larger plan. Episode 7 brings him back, as his character digs up Richard Warren’s grave and discovers the founder is still alive.
The episode’s black-and-white cinematography and slow-burn horror style drew comparisons to films like “The Witch.” Critics noted that Widow’s Bay Episode 6 works as a standalone horror short while still feeding important information back into the main story.
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What the Origin Story Reveals
Episode 6 finally explains why Widow’s Bay is cursed. Richard Warren made a covenant with an entity on the island to save his settlement. The deal required regular sacrifices and made Warren immortal. The curse can only be broken if the last surviving member of his bloodline dies beyond the island’s boundary.
This revelation changes everything for the present-day characters. They now know exactly what they’re fighting and how to end it. But as Episode 7 shows, getting Richard Warren to cooperate after 300 years of being buried alive is not easy.
Dippold told TheWrap that giving the island “a real sense of history” was always the goal. Episode 6 achieved that by showing viewers exactly how the nightmare began, not just telling them about it.
Widow’s Bay continues with new episodes every Wednesday on Apple TV+. Episode 8 arrives on June 3, 2026, and will bring the story back to the present day, armed with the knowledge from Richard Warren’s dark past.
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