Is The Watcher based on a true story? Explained

The Watcher, which premiered on Netflix on October 13, 2022, left an indelible impact on viewers with its eerie narrative and sincere performances. Based on a true story, the mystery thriller series centers on the events that transpire when a mysterious stalker sends threatening letters to a couple (Nora and Dean Brannock) after they move into 657 Boulevard, their "dream home."

According to Netflix, its official synopsis of the title reads:

Ominous letters. Strange neighbors. Sinister threats. A family moves into their suburban dream home, only to discover they've inherited a nightmare.

Naomi Watts, who stars in the series, spoke to Entertainment Weekly in an interview published on January 30 about season 2. While the streaming platform renewed the show for a new installment, the actress mentioned she had not heard anything more.

"I know they said yes to the next series, but I haven't heard anything more," she said.

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Is The Watcher based on real events?

The series is based on a true story, which was the focus of an article titled The Haunting of a Dream House. It was published in the 2018 New York Magazine and written by Reeves Wiedeman. However, the Netflix show fictionalizes some aspects of the story.

The lives of the fictional Brannocks in the title are based on those of Derek and Maria Broaddus, the real-life couple who received ominous letters after buying their new home. While the first letter they received welcomed them to the area, the following letters were hostile and made the couple fear for their children.

As per Tudum, the house in the show reportedly shares the same address as the real-life house, which is located at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey. However, unlike The Brannocks, the Broadduses had three children and not two.

Additionally, according to Architectural Digest, the couple didn’t officially move into 657 Boulevard as they felt unsafe when the stalker referred to their kids as "the young blood" in the letters.

The Watcher features several intriguing subplots and one of them revolves around John Gaff, a violent individual who kills his entire family in the house. Gaff's character is loosely based on John List, a convicted killer. List fatally shot his wife, mother, and children on November 9, 1971.

He then cleaned the crime scene and put their bodies in sleeping bags, as per People. Later, List confessed to the crime and said it was necessary to save their souls. The Watcher mirrors these events.

However, it is important to note that in real life, List lived in New York and never had any interaction with the Broadduses.

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The Watcher: Meet the cast

The horror series stars Naomi Watts in the lead role as Nora and Bobby Cannavale takes on the role of Dean. Naomi is best known for her Oscar-nominated performance in The Impossible. She has also appeared in films such as King Kong, 21 Grams, Eldgar, Birdman, and The Wolf Hour. Beyond her work in movies, she is known for her roles in series including Brides of Christ, Home and Away, Twin Peaks, and Gypsy.

Meanwhile, Bobby rose to fame with his portrayal of Roberto Caffey in Third Watch. He has also appeared in shows such as Will & Grace, Nurse Jackie, and Homecoming. His film credits include Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Ezra, and Old Dads.

Jennifer Coolidge also stars in the title as Karen. She is known for her critically acclaimed performances in For Your Consideration, Glee, and White Lotus. Additionally, she has appeared in films such as Like a Boss and Promising Young Woman The cast also includes Margo Martindale as Mo, Richard Kind as Mitch, Terry Kinny as Jasper, and Christopher McDonald as Rourke.

The show is the brainchild of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brenan, best known for their work on Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. They also serve as executive producers on the series with Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Bryan Unkeless, Eric Newman, Paris Barclay, Naomi Watts, and others.

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Is The Watcher worth the watch?

The series received mixed reviews from critics. It holds an approval rating of 54% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 35 reviews. The Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads:

"This suburban nightmare sometimes achieves the campy fright of creator Ryan Murphy's best horror fare, but it sprawls in too many ludicrous directions to satisfy."

The Watcher holds a rating of 54 on Metacritic based on eight critic reviews, which indicates an 'average' response. Additionally, it has a score of 6.5 on IMDb based on 77,759 votes.

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All seven episodes of The Watcher are currently available to stream on Netflix.