Dearest Diply readers and fans of The Watcher , allow me to welcome you to this discussion on Netflix’s new most-popular streaming series. How did you end up here? Did showrunner Ryan Murphy call to you from his force within?
The Watcher has been the subject of discussion across the internet for many days now. I have been put in charge of examing what many are calling “the worst TV ending ever.” So welcome friends, let the party begin. Who am I, you ask?
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Netflix’s chilling new mini-series, ‘The Watcher’, tells the story of the Brannock family and their would-be dream home.
The Brannocks are a New York City family, looking to escape the trappings of the Big Apple for a more relaxed and safer living situation in the New Jersey suburbs.
After stumbling upon a gorgeous old Victorian home on 657 Blvd in Westfield, the Brannocks feel that they’ve finally found what they’ve been looking for.
However, almost immediately upon moving in, the Brannocks’ dream home reveals a sinister history and when a series of anonymous letters begin arriving at the house, it quickly becomes their worst nightmare.
“Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard, allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood,” the first letter begins.
“How did you end up here? Did 657 Boulevard call to you from its force within ?” Each letter is more ominous and threatening than the last, and all are written by a person calling themself The Watcher.
Unfortunately for Dean and Nora Brannock, there’s no shortage of suspects as to who might be sending the menacing letters.
Could it be the odd elderly couple next door or perhaps the pestering head of the Westfield Preservation Society and her brother? Maybe it’s the young opportunistic security guard, the police detective, the realtor — or none of them at all?
What makes ‘The Watcher’ even more terrifying is that the series is based on a true story.
In real life, the Broaddus family moved into 657 Boulevard in Westfield, NJ, and began receiving threatening letters from “The Watcher” shortly after beginning renovations on the house.
The letters that are read aloud in the Netflix series are also a near verbatim account of what was sent to the Broaddus family.
“Will the young blood play in the basement? Or are they too afraid to go down there alone? I would be very afraid if I were them,” The Watcher warned. “It is far away from the rest of the house. If you were upstairs you would never hear them scream .”
In total, the Broaddus family received three letters from The Watcher and wound up selling the house before ever fully moving in.
To this day, The Watcher has never been caught and a new family lives at 657 Boulevard. As of yet, they have not received any threatening letters from anyone claiming to be The Watcher.
Now, for those of you who’ve yet to finish ‘The Watcher’ on Netflix, be forewarned that major spoilers lie ahead.
In the seventh and final episode of The Watcher , Theodora Birch (the Brannock family’s private detective) confesses to Dean that she used to live in their house and that she was the one sending the letters.
When Theodora finally succumbs to liver cancer, Dean and Nora attend her funeral and speak with her daughter, Nina.
While there, Nina informs the Brannocks that Theodora made up a story about her being The Watcher in order to help give the Brannocks, especially Dean, a sense of closure and end his obsession.
Back at 657 Boulevard, the audience watches as Karen Calhoun, the Brannocks’ former real estate agent, moves into the house.
Nina shows up unexpectedly, accuses Karen of being The Watcher all along, and informs her that now she will be the one watching her.
That night, Karen receives an anonymous phone call to the house’s landline.
Visibly shaken, she then discovers that someone has left her bathtub running, spilling water all over the floor. She calls the police, but Detective Chamberlain refuses to help her after she spurned his romantic advances.
That night, Karen hears the dinging of the dumbwaiter and discovers a letter addressed to her placed beneath a silver cloche.
Karen bounds down the stairs terrified to discover her dog Baron dead on the floor. Out of nowhere, a trap door in the stairs rises and reveals a hooded figure draped in black. She runs from the house screaming, never to be seen again.
A new family moves into the house at 657 Boulevard, and the camera pans from neighbor to neighbor, revealing that they are all watching.
The one new addition to the group is Dean Brannock himself. The new homeowner introduces himself to Dean, who responds by telling him that his name is “John” and that he lives up the road.
When the new owner asks if he’ll be seeing John (aka Dean) around, he responds “Definitely.”
Dean gets in his car and drives away, only to be followed closely behind by his wife, Nora. The camera zooms out, the scene fades to black, and the credits begin to roll.
Not surprisingly, the lack of resolution has fans up in arms.
“if[sic] you’re thinking of watching “the watcher”[sic] on Netflix[sic]… DON’T. the[sic] most underwhelming pointless series i[sic] have ever seen. 7 hours of my life i[sic] will never get back,” @freya_anderson tweeted.
But being that The Watcher was never caught in real life, why would we expect anything less?
Audiences crave resolution, not knowing is what drives us mad. But resolution doesn’t always come for us in the real world and leaving something unsolved, frustrating as it may be, always leaves room for us to revisit at a later time.
Plus, it conveniently leaves the door wide open for Season 2, although Netflix hasn’t confirmed that it is in the works — yet.
So until that time comes, if it ever does, try to free The Watcher from your mind. Relax and attempt to find some solace in one of life’s great mysteries. If nothing else, remember that you never know who may be watching you at this very moment, waiting for their perfect moment to welcome you to the neighborhood.
