Widow's Bay, the delightfully eccentric new comedic horror series from Apple TV, is easily one of the best new series of the year. There's a reason everyone from Guillermo del Toro and Ben Stiller to Damon Lindelof (Lost) is raving about the show. It's an eminently binge-able, addictive series that pays tribute to all the classic horror tropes while reinventing them in surprising ways. Think Stephen King meets Parks and Recreation, with a dash of Twin Peaks—except Widow's Bay is very much its own refreshingly original beast.

(Some spoilers below but no major reveals.)

Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) is a widower and mayor of Widow's Bay, a quirky little seaside town that has a colorfully bizarre history marked by periodic tragedies. Tom is eager to elevate the town into a trendy summer tourist destination. But the arrival of New York Times travel writer Arthur Lloyd (Bashir Salahuddin), who has the clout to make Tom's aspirations for Widow's Bay come true, coincides with the onset of a mysterious fog. Local resident Wyck (Stephen Root) warns Tom that the fog is an omen that the island is "waking up," meaning more supernatural occurrences are bound to happen.

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On Friday, news broke of the passing of actor Anthony Head at 72, best known for his portrayal of Watcher/father figure Rupert Giles on the supernatural drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Fans and former costars alike flooded social media with outpourings of appreciation for his talent and grief at his death.

Head certainly had a thriving career after Buffy: he played Uther Pendragon in the series Merlin; the Prime Minister in Little Britain; a sinister headmaster in the Doctor Who episode "School Reunion"; and of course, the wealthy, entitled Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso. But Giles remains his definitive role; there was even talk of a spinoff series, Ripper, although it was never made.

There are actually very few Giles-centric episodes, which belies the central importance of the character in the series. He definitely had some of the best, most cleverly cutting lines. But Head's true genius—and that of his character—lay in quietly filling in the gaps in every scene, working with his fellow castmates to weave a complete tapestry. Remove him, and it diminishes everything.

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My hopes were high for the new Prime Video superhero series Spider-Noir, based on all those amazing trailers. But I also had some trepidation. Could the actual series live up to the hype?

As it turns out, yes, it could. Spider-Noir is a triumph, fusing fast-paced storytelling, compelling characters, gorgeous cinematography and production design, and whip-smart dialogue into a hugely entertaining, loving homage to a magical bygone era.

(Some spoilers below, but no major reveals.)

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