Ryan Murphy’s next series The Watcher is dropping on Netflix very soon, but what makes it different is the harrowing true story that inspired it.
Following on the heels of his latest rue crime-inspired hit Dahmer, the new limited series centres on a wealthy family who become the targets of a mysterious stalker who calls themselves “the Watcher”.
Ryan Murphy’s The Watcher
The Watcher, which drops on the streaming site on October 14, follows the story of the Brannock family as they move into what was supposed to be their suburban dream home, it quickly becomes a living hell.
Dean (Bobby Cannavale) and Nora Brannock (Naomi Watts) just purchased their dream home in the idyllic suburb of Westfield, New Jersey, but after putting all of their savings into closing the deal they soon realize the neighbourhood is less than welcoming.
There’s a kooky older woman named Pearl (Mia Farrow) and her brother Jasper (Terry Kinney), who sneaks into the Brannock’s house and hides in their dumbwaiter. There’s Karen (Jennifer Coolidge), the realtor and an old acquaintance of Nora’s, who makes them feel like they don’t really belong, and nosy neighbours Mitch (Richard Kind) and Mo (Margo Martindale), who don’t seem to understand property lines.
Their icy welcome quickly turns into a full-blown living hell when ominous letters from someone calling themself “The Watcher”.
Netflix’s The Watcher True Story
Although it may sound like something plucked straight out of fiction The Watcher is inspired by the events detailed in a New York Magazine/The Cut article by Reeves Wiedeman, first published in 2018.
In real life, a couple called Derek and Maria Broaddus bought 657 Boulevard, a sprawling house in the idyllic New Jersey suburb of Westfield, in 2014 hoping it could become their forever dream home.
But when they started renovating the $1.3 million property they received a strange letter simply addressed to “The New Owner” and signed by “The Watcher”.
The Cut shared one of the letters the couple received and “The Watcher” asked why they were there and promised, ominously, to find out.
“The Watcher” wrote: ‘657 Boulevard has been the subject of my family for decades now and as it approaches its 110th birthday, I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming.
‘My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. It is now my time. Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Why are you here? I will find out.’
Following this the Broaddus’ discovered the previous owners of the home, the Woods, had received a similar letter before they moved out but weren’t ever bothered in the 23 years they were there.
Eventually, the couple sold the home in 2019, but even with FBI and police help they never discovered who “The Watcher” actually was.