The Watcher

The Watcher cast · Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale play Nora and Dean Brannock · Mia Farrow and Terry Kinney play Pearl and Jasper Winslow · Jennifer Coolidge ...

Where have I seen Luke David Blumm before? [subscribe now](http://radiotimes.com/magazine-subscription?utm_term=evergreen-article) and get the next 12 issues for only £1. [Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month](https://www.netflix.com/gb/). Where have I seen Isabel Gravitt before? Who are Mitch and Mo? Where have I seen Terry Kinney before? Where have I seen Mia Farrow before? Pearl is described as "kooky" and Jasper sneaks into the Brannock's home and hides in their dumbwaiter. Where have I seen Bobby Cannavale before? Where have I seen Naomi Watts before? Who are Nora and Dean Brannock? Is the mystery figure one of their eccentric neighbours?

Plus, there's a truly amazing cast to get excited about too, including Jennifer Coolidge, Bobby Cannavale, Naomi Watts, Mia Farrow and Margo Martindale. As for ...

One viewer wrote, "Watching The Watcher as if I'm not home alone most nights and already constantly feel like someone's watching me." Plus, viewers are even reporting feeling fully scared to be home alone after watching - which is a pretty good review for a thriller, we reckon. It seems like viewers agree, with fans taking to Twitter to shout out just how chilling the show is.

The Watcher is Netflix's latest thriller series about a real-life stalker in New Jersey. Was the case ever solved in real life?

The DNA from one of the envelopes came from a woman. [The Watcher](https://netflixlife.com/2022/09/09/the-watcher-release-date-updates-cast-synopsis/) will no doubt be one of the scariest releases on Netflix this month just in time for Halloween. There was one suspect the family believed could be their stalker, who they heard about at a barbeque. But when the family brought this suspicion to a detective, they were informed that Michael had already been brought in for questioning and denied any involvement. Did the police or the family ever solve the case? What makes this story all the more terrifying is that unfortunately, “The Watcher” was never caught.

THE WATCHER on Netflix is a new horror, drama, and mystery series based on a true story. You'll want to check this out. Full Series Review >

Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan are the creators of the Netflix series The Watcher. Inspired by the true story of the infamous “Watcher” house in New Jersey. Ominous letters from someone calling themself “The Watcher” are just the beginning as the neighborhood’s sinister secrets come spilling out. The pilot episode of this latest Netflix series was directed by Ryan Murphy himself. Both due to very specific information and barely (if at all) hidden threats and physical things happenings inside and around the house. All from someone calling themselves “The Watcher”. Here they meet Karen (Jennifer Coolidge), who is both the realtor and an old acquaintance of Nora’s. The cast is absolutely brilliant and chock-full of actors that you’ll know from other amazing series (and movies). They do, however, enjoy sitting in front of their own house, in lawn chairs, just sipping lemonade and staring at the new neighbors. They purchase their dream home in the idyllic suburb of Westfield, New Jersey. Continue reading our The Watcher series review below. Read our full The Watcher series review here!

The horror series premieres Thursday, with Naomi Watts and Union City's Bobby Cannavale starring.

A year later, the couple was finally able [ to sell their one-time dream home](https://www.nj.com/union/2019/08/the-westfield-watcher-house-finally-sells-at-a-400k-loss.html) to a family from town that didn’t seem to mind the house’s history — or perhaps couldn’t miss out on such a deal. (He wrote that selling the rights to Netflix did not even cover their losses, but did give the family a modicum of control, as opposed to As Wiedeman reported in New York Magazine, it was more wrathful and threatening than any of the previous mailings, suggesting harm would come to them in the form of an accident, a fire, a mysterious illness or maybe the death of a pet. The Broadduses still live in Westfield and have had to deal not only with the national spotlight, but also their fellow residents speculating that they may have created the hoax themselves. I think they made a lot of sacrifices to buy what they deemed to be their dream home,” Chambliss reflected. But a DNA sample, surreptitiously grabbed from her water bottle at work, was not a match, the now-retired detective said Tuesday in an interview. “Do you know the history of the house? They suspected the writer might be one of their closest neighbors, said Wiedeman, who interviewed the couple. “And so that either means that there’s someone who lives very nearby, or was spending a lot of time hanging around.” These letters were addressed to the Broadduses, though the name was misspelled. I asked the [prior owners] to bring me young blood,” the letter said, according to the lawsuit. Some words from the actual letters do appear in the series — including the infamous “young blood” lines.

Netflix just dropped a new true-crime show, 'The Watcher.' The creepy stalker's identity never been discovered, and people have different theories on who it ...

They suggest that "The Watcher" actually had issues with the previous owners (who later admitted they received a letter before the home was sold) and were hoping the former owners would be sued by the Broadduses or forced to take back the property. [tweeted](https://twitter.com/deebroadd/status/1162752308213665792?s=20&t=ofszSOFRVjPmTinF79jjDg)that he’s “still waiting for my apology” after a theory floated around suggesting the family actually wrote the letters themselves. According to the NYMag story, the creeper met the following criteria: But, to date, authorities have not been able to figure out who, exactly, is responsible for the letters. The Broadduses later sold the home at a loss in 2019, according to [Patch](https://patch.com/new-jersey/westfield/infamous-westfield-watcher-house-has-new-owners). [NJ.com](https://www.nj.com/union/2015/06/westfield_neighbors_react_to_the_watcher.html). Do you know the history of the house? I feel like this would have come up prior some time if 'the Watcher's' story was real, that his grandfather, his father watched the house," neighbor Andrew Smith told The PI also said that the neighbors didn’t “seem normal,” CNN said. [Naomi Watts](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a32869185/naomi-watts-quarantine-interview/) and Bobby Cannavale, is (terrifyingly) based on the [real-life story ](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/g28068183/best-true-crime-documentaries/)of Derek and Maria Broaddus, a couple who bought a $1.3 million house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey in 2014. In total, they received three letters from someone who seemed to be watching their house, knew what was going on inside, and had knowledge about their family and kids. Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard?

This is what the family, Derek and Maria Broaddus, who inspired the Netflix series The Watcher are up to now.

They also suggested the adaptation involve a scene where the house burns to the ground. As maintenance continued on the house, a further two letters were sent to the family. Before they moved into the property they began work on the house and this is when they received their first letter from The Watcher. The police began an investigation and brought in one of their neighbours for questioning but he was let go and cleared as a suspect. The letter also identified the Broaddus' three children and said they had "noticed them". And do they still live in the house?

"The Watcher" streams on Netflix for the Halloween season coming in November and has Ryan Murphy as the creator with the caption reading "This is my idea of ...

The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). [Maria](/topic/maria)contacted the previous owner, who denied experiencing anything like this. The longest-serving monarch, UK Queen Elizabeth II, breathed her last in Balmoral Castle on September 8, aged 96. The person who wrote the letter informed me that he was responsible for watching over the house at 657 Boulevard. The story goes on to show that the family finally ends up selling the house within two years of occupying it due to being flooded by letters from the Watcher. It is expected that

The shingle-style house with Dutch Colonial features has six bedrooms and four bathrooms, spanning 3,869 square feet. When Derek and Maria Broaddus bought the ...

Just days later, Tamron Hall covers the news on the [Today show](https://www.today.com/video/homeowners-sue-over-threatening-letters-from-the-watcher-469303875669). The prosecutor's office decides to follow up on a lead from the previous investigation—female DNA had been found on one of the envelopes—asking neighbors on Boulevard to voluntarily submit DNA samples for comparison. [responds](https://www.thecut.com/article/the-haunting-of-657-boulevard-in-westfield-new-jersey.html) to the Broadusses, telling them that they received one letter days before closing the sale but threw it away. The author taunts Derek and Maria about their rejected proposal, and suggests they intend to carry out physical harm against their family. [The Watcher](https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/real-estate/a28680321/657-boulevard-westfield-new-jersey-watcher-house-sold/) has officially hit the streaming service. More than 100 Westfield residents attend the meeting to voice their concerns over the plan. The Woodses attorney, Richard Kaplow, says his clients were not legally required to disclose the note they received prior to closing the sale of 657 Boulevard. February 21, 2015: Less than a year after buying the home, the Broadduses decide to sell 657 Boulevard. For example, the envelope was addressed “M/M Braddus,” and the sentences had double spaces between them. When Derek and Maria Broaddus bought the home in June 2014 for nearly $1.4 million, their excitement quickly turned to dread as they began receiving threatening letters from “The Watcher.” The anonymous harasser claimed that the home had been a point of obsession for their family for decades, and that since their father's passing, they had been put in charge of watching over it. According to their son, Bill Shaffer, the couple paid about $23,000 for the home. June 5, 2014: The Broadusses receive their first letter from The Watcher, which is dated June 4, 2014.

He has stuffed his version of it with fine actors and stretched it across seven pacey episodes in a limited series that has all of his hallmarks without the ...

[Bobby Cannavale](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0134072/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t2)) and Nora ( [Naomi Watts](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0915208/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t1)), and kids Ellie ( [Isabel Gravitt](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5825519/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t13)) and Carter ( [Luke David Blumm](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9897928/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t3)). He really seems to get Murphy’s signature blend of horror and dark humor, but he also has a thinly-veiled air of menace about him, as with his overprotectiveness around Ellie’s fashion choices and the way he spirals into spiteful tirades against the neighbors. Often, the piano music tinkling through old intercoms, neighborhood weirdos hiding in dumbwaiters, and rumors of blood sacrifice cults feel more like the work of 657 Boulevard is surrounded by eccentrics, and they all quickly become suspects — siblings Pearl ( [Mia Farrow](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001201/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t10)) and Jasper ( [Terry Kinney](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0455767/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t4)) Winslow on one side, husband and wife Mitch ( [Richard Kind](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0454236/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)) and Mo ( [Margo Martindale](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0553269/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6)) on the other. [The Watcher](https://readysteadycut.com/2022/10/06/the-watcher-release-date/) is a similar bit of work; a dramatization of a true story that took place in New Jersey, in which a suburban family was terrorized by letters from an anonymous stalker calling themselves “The Watcher” and implying that their children would imminently be used as blood sacrifices. The result is an eminently binge-able true-crime story that is actually enhanced by being plucked from reality and doesn’t present any awkward moral problems given the lack of actual victims in the story itself. Karen ( [Jennifer Coolidge](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177639/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t9)), the real estate agent who sold the Brannocks the house in the first place, is an old friend of Nora’s who keeps pushing her to sell up at a loss, and the young security specialist, Dakota ( [Henry Hunter Hall](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0355645/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t14)), offers overpriced home security and a very attentive eye on 16-year-old Ellie. It’ll be mega-popular, make no mistake about that, and unlike Monster, I’d say it probably deserves the attention. The family at the story’s heart, the Broadduses, were obviously victimized, but that isn’t quite the same thing as the litany of murdered young men whose families had to watch Murphy and Netflix profit from their misery. Mileage may vary, but the essential weirdness — which would, ironically, be too farfetched to be believed if we didn’t know it actually happened — gives The Watcher the appearance of pure fiction. Given the immediately enticing mystery and the lack of any clear conclusion, there’s no wonder that Murphy was interested in the story. His latest bit of business was [Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story](https://readysteadycut.com/2022/09/21/dahmer-monster-the-jeffrey-dahmer-story-review-lurid-and-uncomfortable/), a lurid and uncomfortable retelling of Jeffrey Dahmer’s crimes, imprisonment, and death, with long-time Murphy collaborator [Evan Peters](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1404239/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0) in the title role.

With a cast that boasts Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, Mia Farrow and woman of the moment Jennifer Coolidge, the story opens with the Brannock family moving into ...

As Derek Broaddus told a reporter from The Cut, the troubling situation had sunk deep into his bones and the family just had to live with it: “It’s like cancer. And now even more people will be pouring over the story and potential suspects with the Netflix adaptation of the events. The Broaddus family went to the police and the search for the perpetrator began, focusing on the neighbours, who may have had a vantage point. All the investigations stalled, as The Cut noted: “The letters could be read closely for possible clues, or dismissed as the nonsensical ramblings of a sociopath.” A priest was even called in to bless the house. The letters continued, and so did the suspicions of everyone around them, but even DNA testing of the letters couldn’t identify the culprit. Do you know the history of the house?

Are we supposed to hate the Brannocks so we won't mind when they are tormented by their stalker? A recap of 'Welcome, Friends,' episode 1 of the Ryan Murphy ...

Naturally, Dean throws him out, and the best part of all of this is Pearl just being like, “Was he in the dumbwaiter? I can’t imagine the Westfield PD is going to be thrilled with this depiction of patronizing Detective Rourke Chamberland (Christopher McDonald) assuring the Brannocks that this is “maybe the safest town in America” (does anyone actually think that?) where the only crime worth noting is “a couple of disappearances.” He says it’s a prank. I absolutely lost it at Dean’s “How fast do you think a suicidal ferret would have to run into a wall to get enough momentum to crush his own fuckin’ skull?” Personally, I would be on the first train back to the city if someone broke into my house and murdered my pet. This is when we meet Sprinkles, and I write in my notes, “He will be the first to die.” Nora gushes over the air quality, and again I say there is no way an artist would be this over the moon about leaving Manhattan to move to New Jersey! Dean wants his kids to “have a yard to play in.” Dean, your daughter is in high school; she is not going to “play in the yard.” But sure! Karen tells us about how her ex sucked, and I’m not sure how relevant that is to the plot, but I would watch Jennifer Coolidge do pretty much anything, so I’m not mad about it. Dad is furious about this because he’s having a Don’t Worry Darling fantasy in which he moves his family to the suburbs so he can live in the past where teenage girls are not allowed to wear makeup for it will make them harlots and she must stay a child forever. Dean decides to just take out all their savings and burn through their 401(k)’s or whatever you have to do when you are spending too much money on a house and boom: The house is theirs. We also have children: Carter, a boy who was gifted a ferret named Sprinkles to ease the transition to the new home, and Ellie, a 15-year-old whose entire personality is “likes to be on her phone” and “wants to wear makeup.” Karen is Jennifer Coolidge, and when I saw her onscreen I said out loud, “Oh hell, yes.” Karen and Nora went to RISD together back when Nora was “crunchy” (read: less beige). [At the behest of that family](https://www.thecut.com/2022/10/the-watcher-657-boulevard-update.html#_ga=2.136065849.985561773.1665451855-2008340438.1629751243), the family in the series goes by a different name and resembles their real selves as little as possible. If you drink every time someone says “dumbwaiter,” you will be absolutely blitzed by the end of this episode.

The Watcher season 1, episode 1 recap - "Welcome, Friends". This article contains major spoilers for the Netflix series.

On the other side are Mo ( [Margo Martindale](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0553269/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3)) and Mitch ( [Richard Kind](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0454236/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0)), who aggressively harvest arugula on whichever side of the fence they feel like. The letter arrives on the first morning and is signed by “The Watcher”. The episode’s title, “Welcome, Friends”, is taken from it, but the letter isn’t particularly friendly; it implies the house at 657 Boulevard has an eerie past, that there’s something in the walls, that it has been watched for generations and will continue to be watched, and that “young blood” should accumulate in it. [Mia Farrow](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001201/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t10)) and Jasper ( [Terry Kinney](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0455767/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t4)) Winslow, the latter being the local eccentric who seemingly has no compunction about strolling into someone else’s home like it’s his own. [The Watcher](https://readysteadycut.com/2022/10/06/the-watcher-release-date/), even though it’s [based on a true story](https://readysteadycut.com/2022/10/13/is-the-watcher-based-on-a-true-story/), is very much a [Ryan Murphy](https://readysteadycut.com/2022/09/21/dahmer-monster-the-jeffrey-dahmer-story-review-lurid-and-uncomfortable/) production. They focus on the pool and the nearby lake and the big bedrooms and bizarrely overlook the creepy girl standing ominously in the garden, the neighborhood rumors about all the terrible things that have happened there, or the old-fashioned dumbwaiter that’ll definitely be used for a scare or a plot point down the line.

Netflix's The Watcher tells the story of the Brannock family, who move into their new home in a well-to-do neighborhood only to receive ominous letters in ...

All of the windows and doors in 657 Boulevard allow me to watch you and track you as you move through the house. Greed is what brought the past three families to 657 Boulevard and now it has brought you to me. It has been years and years since the young blood ruled the hallways of the house. Will they sleep in the attic? It is far away from the rest of the house. Only some excerpts have been published, but the writer insisted that there was something literally in the walls of 657 Boulevard and often spoke about the house, like it was sentient. They were unable to get the permits and their relationship with the local council and neighbors soured even further. The letter claimed that the writer had been tasked with watching 657 specifically and that they were the third generation of their family to do so. This was just the beginning of a horrifying experience for the Broadduses. The Broadduses bought the house in Westfield, New Jersey in 2014 for $1,355,657. This is the real story about Watcher House. The missives are from someone calling themselves “The Watcher,” who claims to be watching the Brannock's house specifically.

Reeves Wiedeman tells VF about reporting the story on which Netflix's “The Watcher” is based, the primary theories, and his hopes for unmasking the culprit.

But yeah…I think one thing that made the story so intriguing to people is it does feel like it should be able to be solved. And then trying to talk to people in the town. But they still owned the house and were trying to figure out how to get rid of it and move on from that. It was just letters showing up in the mail. Westfield, like any town, is a place where people like to gossip about the biggest story in town. As a reporter, how obsessed did you get with the story? She had this idea after the story had initially had its viral moment in 2015, after the lawsuit that the Broadduses had filed had been made public. Initially what we were doing was trying to figure out how people felt about living next door to this house, or living in the same town. And they were still trying to figure this out. In anticipation of the true-crime adaptation, VF spoke to Wiedeman about his experience reporting the story, whether The Watcher targeted him, and his hopes for the case finally being solved. I’m just kind of watching it all happen, so to speak, to use that word. [“The Watcher,”](https://www.thecut.com/article/the-haunting-of-657-boulevard-in-westfield-new-jersey.html) which detailed their saga and the ensuing investigation into The Watcher’s identity.

The neighbors (played by, among others, Mia Farrow, Richard Kind, and Margo Martindale) take an instant dislike to the Brannocks, making each of them initial ...

By the time we reach a coda demonstrating the trauma and dislocation both Dean and Nora feel, it’s almost hard to know how to take it: Their world is one of so little gravity that it’s hard to understand, based on the oddity and randomness we’ve seen up until the show’s ending, why these characters in an unrelatable, ultimately unremarkable fiction didn’t just bounce back. To wit: The couple at its center, as written, are somewhat vain and careless in their pursuit of a home beyond their reach. In Murphy’s typical way, there are plot twists — deaths and revivals, with the specter of the supernatural seeming to wax and wane. The grandness of the Murphy method collides with the truly interesting elements of the Watcher story. Here, the people the Brannocks meet often open from a position of outré hostility, ironing out much of the magazine story’s insight about the ways in which suburban rage veils itself in politeness. “Halston’s” gilded retelling of recent-ish celebrity culture recalled “Feud,” with the adversaries, perhaps, being the designer and his own ego.

The series is based on the real-life story of Derek and Maria Broaddus, who bought a $1.3 million house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey in 2014. New ...

The woman says that the dumbwaiter is a national treasure, among other things. Dean’s son later finds the dumbwaiter and mistakenly thinks it’s an elevator, only to be shown by Dean how it actually works. Dumbwaiters are more common in restaurants and older private homes. One thing that’s come up in the series is a dumbwaiter. New York Magazine later wrote a story about their experience, and it was recently updated and republished in [The Cut](https://www.thecut.com/article/the-haunting-of-657-boulevard-in-westfield-new-jersey.html). [real-life story ](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a41574730/the-watcher-netflix-theories/)of Derek and Maria Broaddus, who bought a $1.3 million house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey in 2014.

They're not interested in character, mood, or anything really but a metronomic revealing of twists because they think that momentum is the only thing that ...

[The Shining](/reviews/great-movie-the-shining-1980)” or “ [The Amityville Horror](/reviews/the-amityville-horror-1979)” (as it should be really) in that it’s primarily about the unraveling of a patriarch more than an actual, tangible threat. (Just a warning that almost none of this actually happened.) I generally have no problem with creators taking a true story and using it to build something artistically interesting, but “The Watcher” just keeps expanding and expanding, adding new rooms to this TV story in a way that'a haphazard and often unnecessary. The true story of “The Watcher” is a haunting one because of the primal fears it taps into. “The Watcher” is the kind of thing that would have been a network TV Movie of the Week in the ‘70s or ‘80s, which means it’s a Netflix original series now. Lines like “Do you know what lives in the walls of 657 Boulevard” and “Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested” naturally sent the Broadduses into a full-blown panic. The writer of the letters was clearly very familiar with the home and the lives of the Broadduses, including personal details that made it clear he or she was watching the house.

An interview with 'The Watcher' cast members Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, Mia Farrow, Jennifer Coolidge, Margo Martindale, and Noma Dumezweni about 657 ...

“I would be out the moment that letter came. Oh, I would not have stayed there for a second.” “Just the curiosity about what is the workings of that killer’s mind?” I want to know somebody else is more afraid than I am.” Other people may be more afraid than the actors in The Watcher, but perhaps no one is as prepared to deal with the possibility of being stalked by some anonymous weirdo. In a [recent update](https://www.thecut.com/2022/10/the-watcher-657-boulevard-update.html#_ga=2.268606836.481760117.1665450095-849310626.1619458888) to the original article, Wiedeman reported that the house was eventually sold (at a loss) to a younger couple and that The Watcher’s identity has still not been determined. I would [be] very afraid if I were them.” The letters sparked controversy in the Westfield community and spooked the couple so much that they never moved in. The series is replete with eccentric neighbors (Margo Martindale plays Mo, who immediately finds a reason to dislike the new family on the block; Mia Farrow’s Pearl is a local historian who seems to know a great deal about 657 Boulevard), jump-scare encounters involving dumbwaiters, at least one social-climbing real-estate agent (that’s Karen, the character played by Coolidge), and plenty of reasons to give Dean and Nora Brannock (Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts) severe buyer’s remorse. I would have them, actually, across the street at the neighbor’s house, coming off their trees, so it would give a point of view of my house. “Will the young blood play in the basement?” the mystery writer asked in one letter. I would have cameras everywhere. The first room I’m having built in here is a safe room.’ I would be jacked with cameras.

“When I was growing up,” actor Richard Kind told Vulture, “there was a kid, Vinny; he used to take mice and rats and tie them to little army soldiers and throw ...

When asked to elaborate, Martindale said strictly, “No, because that would probably bring bad feelings to that girl.” Also at the premiere was Sandra Bernhard, who stars in the upcoming season of Murphy’s There were a lot of occurrences like this in this sleepy little town.” Kinney went on to even describe one instance he used for his own role in The Watcher, saying, “I kind of pulled from this guy who used to walk by our house for my character because he was a very benign person. “Maybe when I was in school at the University of Michigan; there was somebody on my dorm floor,” she said. For Terry Kinney, he says he grew up in a town that had more than one horrific thing happen: “I went to a Catholic grade school with a guy, and I was reading the newspaper one day and I saw, ‘Awful Murders in Lincoln, Illinois,’ and it was the kid I went to grade school with. He was always eccentric; he was a guy that memorized part of the Encyclopedia Britannica. And for some of the cast, a freaky next-door neighbor isn’t anything new.

In the series, streaming now, Dean and Nora Brannock (played by Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts) move to an idyllic New Jersey neighborhood where they assume ...

Former students claimed to The Cut that he had talked in his classes about the obsession he had with a home in Westfield and had written at least 50 letters to not the owners, but the home itself. In October, New York Magazine’s [The Cut](https://www.thecut.com/2022/10/the-watcher-657-boulevard-update.html) reported that when the new owners moved in, the Broadduses gave them a note via their real estate attorney: “We wish you nothing but the peace and quiet that we once dreamed of in this house.” They also included a photo of The Watcher’s handwriting just in case any new letters arrived. [the Broadduses sold the home](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/09/nyregion/the-watcher-house-sold-new-jersey.html) for $959,000, resulting in a $400,000 loss for a house they never lived in. The new letter was more aggressive than the previous three with the writer complaining about the media attention the Broadduses had brought to “my neighborhood,” but celebrated how the locals had “saved the soul of 657 Boulevard with my orders.” The Watcher even threatened revenge on Derek and Maria, seemingly plotting their deaths: “Maybe a car accident. (The complaint was later dismissed by a judge.) “You wonder who The Watcher is? They were unable to find a buyer due to the creepy letters, which the Broadduses chose to disclose to anyone who came and looked at the property. The writer questioned whether they would let their kids, who the writer referred to as “young blood,” play in the basement. In time they will.” This time around, The Watcher referred to the Broadduses by name (misspelling their surname as “Mr. Let the party begin.” It was signed “The Watcher” in a typed cursive font. Inside was a typed note that started cordially enough, according to the 2018 [New York Magazine](https://www.thecut.com/article/the-haunting-of-657-boulevard-in-westfield-new-jersey.html) story that inspired the Netflix series: “Dearest new neighbor at 657 Boulevard, allow me to welcome you to the neighborhood.” “I will find out.” (The police reportedly searched the home and found nothing in the walls.) [Naomi Watts](https://time.com/4838709/naomi-watts-quick-talk/)) move to an idyllic New Jersey neighborhood where they assume their kids will be cocooned from the evils of the world.

Nora believes Jasper is the Watcher. Dean thinks it's Mitch and Mo. But when a previous resident mentions cultists who drink baby blood, things get much ...

Andrew explains, helpfully, that he did a little recon and the cult likes to drink the blood of children because of the FEAR that’s in their blood. In case you are interested in the alarm teen’s theories, he thinks the Watcher is Jasper but also that Jasper is harmless. The important intel from Andrew at this point is (1) they sold the house to “some LLC” and (2) “Jasper is a good guy, he always brought me my mail.” Okay, the mail is kind of a critical part of the whole situation, Andrew. Renovations continue apace at the Brannock household, which horrifies Pearl (the trees!!!) and infuriates Mo, who has it out with Dean over the jackhammer and such. you need to sell your house immediately.” Nora says she misses New York and Karen says, “Did you know that New York City is going to be underwater in like, five years?” When they check into the motel, even the receptionist is like, “Jesus, what are you DOING here?” (Paraphrasing only slightly.) Dean tries to sell the kids on the motel by telling them it has a pool… Nora and Dean — who still wear beige and white almost all the time, clinging to their fantasy, yet some grays are creeping in — have a very odd conversation. Nora and the kids are staying at a motel, ostensibly because Carter has asthma and the reno dust troubles his delicate senses (poor kid, seriously), but really because the house is a scary place full of Jaspers. She has this convoluted and unnecessary backstory about drinking and being a jazz singer and I’m not convinced you need to know any of this except it’s an opportunity for Dumezweni to chew that scenery. The funniest part of this scene is when Nora says they can’t spare $7,000 (apparently the show’s favorite quantity of cash; this is also the sticker price the alarm teen quoted for their security system) because “we need that money for the renovation.” Yes, definitely invest in the haunted house you don’t even feel safe enough to sleep in, the site where fair Sprinkles was slaughtered while you all slept. He straight-up tells the Brannocks that they should DIY this crisis because he’s not having taxpayer money (as if the Brannocks are not, you know, themselves taxpayers) allocated to solving this particular issue. Unless that dog is the Watcher, [this is not providing the necessary atmospheric detail you think](https://slate.com/culture/2010/06/pick-up-just-about-any-novel-and-you-ll-find-the-phrase-somewhere-a-dog-barked.html)!

Ryan Murphy's true-crime adaptation 'The Watcher' dropped on Netflix Thursday — read our Episode 1 recap, then grade the premiere.

The Watcher’s identity remains a mystery by the end of the hour… In the wake of The Watcher’s first letter, things at 657 Boulevard grow more concerning, and quickly. Both Carter and Ellie notice a man in one of the bedrooms, silently looking out the window to the front yard. Nora and Dean take the letter to the police station, where the detective they meet with is largely useless. (Episode 1 only skims the surface of Dean and Nora’s money troubles, but this much is clear: They can’t afford to buy this house, and they’re putting a lot on the line financially to do so.) — about the owners of a suburban New Jersey home who were stalked and threatened by an anonymous letter writer calling themselves The Watcher.

The new Ryan Murphy show is based on a haunting true story.

A lot of emotions come with fear and as an audience member as well, I enjoy watching fear and danger and the thrills that play out on the screen. “There’s nothing that he does that is mundane,” said Farrow about Murphy’s storytelling skills on the red carpet. I think he has a really unique take on culture and on the zeitgeist of the moment,” said Cannavale. “The horror genre is a repetitive theme in my career and I’m very aware of it, but it’s fun to play though. Like Murphy, Watts also is drawn to the psychological-horror genre. The critically lauded creator has taken psychological stories about the darkest of human behavior and made them appeal to a mass audience. “What makes the story so scary and creepy is that anyone can relate to it. Jennifer Coolidge makes an appearance in the series as a fictional local real estate agent who sells the property to the couple. “This show is different from the other true crime stories because there is humor. “Our homes became our safe haven and we connected to our neighbors. They start receiving terrifying letters from an unknown person named only as The Watcher, who says it is their duty to watch over the house, and begins terrorizing the family. Soon after the Broaddus family settled into their home, they received threatening, anonymous letters that ranged from eerily specific details about their home to threats against their children.

Take a tour of the New Jersey home that once hosted a tormented family who received threatening letters from an unknown stalker before Netflix adapted their ...

See a real-life tour of the actual home that the series is based on in the video above, followed by Coolidge's tour of the in-series home below that. [that eventually sold the place](https://ew.com/tv/real-estate-agent-sold-the-watcher-house-reveals-client-backed-out/) for $959,000 in 2019 (above), shows just how much the Netflix production changed the aesthetic of the home. [Real estate agent who sold The Watcher house reveals client backed out over horror story: 'It was crazy'](https://ew.com/tv/real-estate-agent-who-sold-the-watcher-house-reveals-client-backed-out-over-horror-story/) [You won't sleep after seeing disturbing Watcher trailer with Naomi Watts in a stalker's hell house](https://ew.com/tv/the-watcher-trailer-naomi-watts-bobby-cannavale-new-ryan-murphy-series/) [Naomi Watts teases her return to horror in 'freaky' Ryan Murphy Watcher series](https://ew.com/tv/naomi-watts-the-watcher-ryan-murphy-interview/) [The true story behind Naomi Watts' new The Watcher series is legit nightmare fuel](https://ew.com/tv/the-watcher-naomi-watts-true-story/) [Jennifer Coolidge takes prospective buyers on a definitely-not-ominous house tour in The Watcher teaser](https://ew.com/tv/jennifer-coolidge-the-watcher-house-tour-teaser-ryan-murphy/) The actual structure's kitchen is far more modest than the one that Watts and Cannavale occupy in The Watcher, as is the living room. [Mia Farrow](https://ew.com/person/mia-farrow/)) is now streaming on Netflix. [Jennifer Coolidge](https://ew.com/tv/jennifer-coolidge-spray-tan-emergency-room-the-white-lotus/), who plays a real estate agent named Karen in the project.

Who is The Watcher of 657 Boulevard in Westfield, N.J. in the Netflix show? Here's what you need to know about the ending of the thriller and how to ...

Find [NJ.com](http://nj.com/) [ on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/NJ.com). John shot and killed his entire family and flees the area, never to be seen again. Dean suspects John to be The Watcher early on. [nj.com/tip](http://nj.com/tip) Dean and Nora began to spiral as they become obsessed with finding out who The Watcher is. Dean and Nora are left with a void of emptiness as they never find out who is truly watching them. Was it a dream? Follow him on Twitter: [@ChrisBurch856](https://twitter.com/chrisburch856). The audience is able to infer John Graff is The Watcher. “The Watcher” ending explained: Who is “The Watcher” in the Netflix series? Their marriage is in jeopardy, Dean slightly loses his mind and his job, and Nora grows angry and wants to sell the house. What is “The Watcher” on Netflix about?