LOS ANGELES — Forget about its comparison to Martha’s Vineyard, “Widow’s Bay” can now call itself the next Emmy-winning comedy series.

At Monday’s Emmys ceremony, the first-year series beat out former winners “The Bear” and “Hacks;” returning nominees “Abbott Elementary,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Only Murders in the Building” and “Shrinking;” and fellow newcomer “Margo’s Got Money Problems.”

Apple TV’s horror-comedy series about a fictional cursed island off the coast of New England and its mayor, played by Matthew Rhys, who is trying to save it from economic depression, became a word-of-mouth hit that’s inspired memes and fan cosplay. Creator and showrunner Katie Dippold began writing the series more than 10 years ago, inspired by her trips as a youth to the Jersey Shore and quaint New England seaside towns. “I just love that seaside haunted house vibe. I think I always romanticized it … that atmosphere is my dream,” she said.

The series was a late entry into the Emmy race, premiering at the end of April. Hiro Murai, who directed five of the series’ 10 episodes and is an executive producer, told The Times he thought of it as a “spooky summer show.”

“The show takes place during the summer, and so much of what makes it scary is that it doesn’t look like it should be scary. It’s all sunlight,” he said. “The atmosphere is very summery.”

The series stars Rhys as the overcompensating mayor, Tom Loftis, with a supporting cast that includes veteran actors like Stephen Root, Dale Dickey and Kate O’Flynn.

“Widow’s Bay” earned 19 nominations, including lead actor for Rhys and acting nominations for Root, Dickey and O’Flynn.

Rhys, who was also nominated for lead actor in a limited or anthology series for “The Beast in Me,” told The Times he hopes the hit series demonstrates to studios that it’s worth taking a risk and challenging its audience.

“Everyone’s more than ready for it and thirsty for it in a real way,” he said. “I really hope this does something in the Hollywood psyche, where they go, ‘Let’s put away the remakes and let’s just get after new challenging, original material.’ ”

The win gives Apple TV its second consecutive comedy series victory after “The Studio” won last year, and its fourth (“Ted Lasso” in 2021 and 2022) in the category in the last six years.

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