First off, it must be said that I absolutely love Kate Beckinsale. She’s a wonderfully charismatic actress who’s both likable and impressively kickass in her numerous action roles. Obviously that means I have high hopes for The Widow, particularly after Amazon knocked it out of the park with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Homecoming.
The Widow is the story of a British woman who travels to the Congo to investigate the possibility that her previously-deceased husband could still be alive. I won’t reveal anything more (and it’s not the like this pilot is keen to divulge its many secrets), but suffice to say it’s intriguing right off the bat. The script cleverly hops around both the present and the past, and it does so in a brisk manner that’s never too confusing. It helps that Beckinsale anchors it all; she’s an easy protagonist to root for especially in such a nerve-racking locale.
I also have to take a moment to praise the absolutely stunning musical score by Dominik Scherrer. The compositions are a thing of a beauty, beautifully blending together haunting vocals and tribal instruments. It’s the perfect example of a score elevating the material to another level.
Oh, and the cliffhanger’s a good one!
Conclusion
The Widow‘s pilot episode doesn’t reveal much, but it’s peppered with enough intrigue to keep you engrossed.