Dearest new neighbor at MovieWeb, allow me to welcome you to this article. How did you end up here? Did MovieWeb call to you with its force within? Please be advised that spoilers about The Watcher are ahead.When the Brannock family moves into their new home located at 657 Boulevard, the last thing they expected was a string of creepy letters delivered to their house all signed by a mysterious person who calls themselves “The Watcher.” Yet soon after they move in and those scary letters start arriving, their world is turned upside down by a series of disturbing events. Each new development in the case comes with more questions than answers, and the Brannock family soon finds themselves living in a nightmare.
This is of course Netflix’s new mystery/thriller seriesThe Watcher,which is looselybased on true eventsand a cold case yet to be solved.The Watchermay be not have gotten as much acclaim as other Ryan Murphy series, but its storyline is so eerie that it deserves way more attention than it’s getting. Especially, becauseThe Watcherwas just renewed for a second season. So, we haven’t seen the last of the mysterious neighborhood stalker.
Based on a Real-Life Unsolved Mystery
If you’re unfamiliar with Netflix’sThe Watcher,season one follows the Brannock family, Dean (Bobby Cannavale), Nora (the always great Naomi Watts), and children Ellie (Isabel Gravitt) and Carter (Luke David Blumm), as they move into a new house and soon receive a series of strange letters and experience several home break-ins and incidents, one which involves finding their son’s pet, a ferret, dead in the hallway.
While the drama and tension are amped up to full blast for the Netflix series, these events are looselybased on the real-life storyof the Broaddus family, who bought their dream house in June 2014 in New Jersey and began receiving threatening letters. Below are some excerpts from the first letter the actual Broaddus family received:
“Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard, allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood. How did you end up here? Did 657 Boulevard call to you with its force within?”
“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.”
“Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Better for me. Was your old house too small for the growing family? Or was it greed to bring me your children? Once I know their names I will call to them and draw them to me.”
“Who am I? There are hundreds and hundreds of cars that drive by 657 Boulevard each day. Maybe I am in one. Look at all the windows you can see from 657 Boulevard. Maybe I am in one. Welcome my friends, welcome. Let the party begin.”
“The Watcher."
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The family received at least three other letters similar to this one within a year and a half span, which spooked the family and led to them renting the house out, and eventually selling it at a much lower retail value, thus resulting in a big financial loss. To this day, The Watcher’s identity remains a mystery, and authorities still never arrested or charged someone. While the original story resulted in harassment, mental damage, and financial loss, the Netflix show takes things a step further and is much darker, depicting a more aggressive stalking and actual home invasions. Plus, it’s full of endless twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the credits roll. Basically, it plays into every fan theory ever, which will both intrigue you and also leave your head spinning.
A Bunch of Unneighborly Neighbors
Part of what makesThe Watcherso good is the fact that literally everyone is a suspect. This includes all the friends, cops, retailers, neighbors, and even the Brannocks themselves. In this show, it seems everyone has secrets to hide and everyone is out for blood. However, nothing says “welcome to the neighborhood” more than unsettling neighbors.
Related:Why The Watcher Season One Ending Got Audience Backlash
First off, we have the sibling duo of Pearl (Mia Farrow), the president of the local preservation society, and her brother Jasper Winslow (Terry Kinney). Pearl would have us believe that Jasper, while a little simple-minded, means no harm and just enjoys entering the Brannock’s house uninvited to ride the coveted dumbwaiter. However, this does not sit well with Dean, who has a few choice words for the siblings. Soon after, Pearl turns hostile to Dean due to his inability to understand her brother and his “innocent” habits. She tells Dean that she will be keeping her eyes on him. Although Pearl’s requests make sense to her, anyone with half a brain will know that Pearl and Jasper are far from normal. In fact, some might consider them to be“Unneighborly!”
Next up, is the married couple of Maureen “Big Mo” (character actress Margo Martindale) and Mitch (Richard Kind), who have no respect for personal boundaries. When Dean first meets them, they are doing what they have been doing for the past 20 years — getting in their vitamin D and harvesting arugula which just so happens to be in Dean’s yard.
After Dean politely asks them what they are doing on his side of the fence, Mo’s “friendliness” soon turns cold, and she ends their conversation by telling Dean that she will be watching him and his family. Throughout season one, Dean and his family experience a series of bizarre encounters with their neighbors who always seem to be lurking nearby.
A Killer of a Thriller
WhileThe Watcherhas been renewed for a second season, it currently remains in the underrated category, which is a shame considering it’s a very chilling thriller. While the story does havesome jump scares, it relies more on its unsettling atmosphere to deliver on the creep factor which it does big time.
In addition, it often gives you less to deliver more and to allow the audience’s imagination to run wild. For example, this thriller doesn’t contain as much violence and gore as the average stalker thriller does. But instead, it creates an environment where nothing is off limits and nothing is what it seems anymore, including the entire cast of characters. Just when you think you have it figured out, Dean, or perhaps John, throws one last curveball at the audience, thus shattering the entire narrative.
