The Watcher

2022 - 10 - 13

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Image courtesy of "The Tab"

Here's the chilling true story behind The Watcher, Ryan Murphy's ... (The Tab)

The Watcher has a very chilling true story behind it, here's everything we know about the creepy story in Ryan Murphy's new Netflix show.

Derek and Maria then hired their own private detectives, from this they found The Watcher was an older person and had possibly been inspired by Keanu Reeves’ film, The Watcher. The house was eventually sold in 2019, $400,000 less than the original price they bought it for. Derek and Maria contacted the previous owners of the property via email who said they had not experienced anything like that in the 23 years they had lived there so Derek threw the letter out. It’s pretty creepy and what makes it more interesting is the fact The Watcher is based on a true story – here’s everything you need to know about it. Do you know the history of the house? We’re approaching Halloween so obviously a bunch of scary shows have been dropped on Netflix, the most recent is Ryan Murphy’s The Watcher.

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Image courtesy of "Stylist Magazine"

Naomi Watts on the power of true crime and her twisted new Netflix ... (Stylist Magazine)

Naomi Watts discusses her love of true crime, the joy in working with Jennifer Coolidge and why viewers will be hooked by her twisted new Netflix thriller ...

Based on Laurence Leamer’s bestselling book of the same name, the story explores how Truman Capote betrayed a number of his closest female confidantes when he used their lives as fodder for a novel, and features an all-star cast including Chloë Sevigny as CZ Guest, Diane Lane as Nancy “Slim” Keith and Calista Flockhart as Lee Radziwill. Watts is equally complimentary about the “high calibre actors” in the wider cast. “I think the cast is extraordinary,” Watts says. “She and I play old friends who haven’t seen each other in a long time, and our lives have taken very different turns, and then we’re suddenly back in the same in the same room in the same town,” Watts explains. “You can imagine the joy when I heard that she became a cast member,” smiles Watts. “And it’s great for Nora – she’s moved to a place where she’s not surrounded by the friend group that she had in the city, so she welcomes the connection.” Working alongside Coolidge, who recently scooped her first Emmy for her role as kooky socialite Tanya McQuoid in The White Lotus, was a “wonderful” experience for Watts. First published in The Cut in 2018, The Haunting Of A Dream House follows real-life spouses Maria and Derek Broaddus who in 2014 moved into their dream home in the New Jersey suburb of Westfield, only to be stalked to a sinister degree by an anonymous ‘watcher’. I’m always drawn to mystery and fear and thrills and even horror sometimes, so it felt like a good combination of things.” “Definitely Ryan being on the end of that call that first time was a good reason to say yes,” she says. Here, its lead star Naomi Watts chats to Stylist’s entertainment editor Christobel Hastings about her love of true crime, the joy of working with Jennifer Coolidge and why viewers will be hooked by her new series. After reading it, she “got very caught up in it”, and got on the phone with Murphy to seal the deal. [Naomi Watts](https://www.stylist.co.uk/tag/naomi-watts), who is continuing her long-running streak of scaring audiences nearly 20 years after finding breakout stardom in 2002 classic The Ring.

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Image courtesy of "Radio Times"

Meet the cast of The Watcher on Netflix (Radio Times)

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?

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Image courtesy of "Daily Express"

The Watcher cast: Who is in the Netflix series? (Daily Express)

The Watcher has just arrived on Netflix and the series is based on a twisted series of real events involving the Broaddus family. Express.co.uk has all you ...

Express.co.uk has all you need to know about who is in the cast. The star is also known for her theatre roles and is recognised for her performance in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Yet their dream soon turns into a nightmare after they are taunted by an anonymous stalker. [Netflix](/latest/netflix) and the series follows the Brannock family as they move into their dream home. Naomi Watts plays Nora and she is a 54-year-old British actress known for her roles in The Impossible, The Ring and Divergent. The Watcher cast: Who is in the Netflix series?

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Image courtesy of "The Sun"

What happened to the house in The Watcher?... (The Sun)

THE Watcher is the terrifying new series on Netflix, telling the true story of a family tormented by a mystery stalker at their new home.Derek and Mar.

Where is the house in The Watcher? The house in The Watcher is at the now-famous address of 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey. In 2018 it was ranked the 99th highest-income place in the US and 18th in New Jersey. The Broaddus' house in New Jersey was the subject of a What happened to the house in The Watcher? [tried to sell the house](https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/3526808/how-to-make-moving-house-less-stressful/).

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Image courtesy of "Newsweek"

Did the Watcher Ever Get Caught? The Real Story Behind Netflix ... (Newsweek)

In the Netflix series, Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts bring the story to life as characters Dean and Nora Brannock, and as each episode progresses, the mystery ...

There was also the suspect known as the "The Gamer." In 2019, the Broaddus family sold 657 Boulevard for a $400,000 loss, according to the Union County Clerk's Office. Maybe the mysterious death of a pet. The boyfriend agreed to be questioned by police but never turned up for the two scheduled interviews. Her boyfriend lived on the same road as the Broaddus family. Have they found what is in the walls yet? In fact, there have never been any arrests made in the case. When Michael Langford was questioned, he denied knowing anything about the letters. Maybe a fire. According to neighbors, Langford lived at home with his mother Peggy, and his siblings, who were all in their 60s. He was brought in for questioning again but there was not enough evidence to name him as the Watcher. The dumpster is a nice touch.

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Image courtesy of "Tyla"

Terrifying new series The Watcher based on shocking true story just ... (Tyla)

A terrifying new TV series has just dropped on Netflix and, not only does it come from the creator of American Horror Story, but it's based on a chilling ...

So far I think there are three that I have counted'” then the threatening: “Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? As if that weren't enough, there's Karen (Jennifer Coolidge), the real estate agent and an old acquaintance of Nora’s, who makes the Brannock family feel like they don’t really belong. One letter had read: "My grandfather watched the house in the 1920s and my father watched in the 1960s. [American Horror Story](https://www.tyla.com/american-horror-story) and [Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story](https://www.tyla.com/tv-and-film/monster-jeffrey-dahmer-story-evan-peters-fangirling-20220922) - tells the story of married couple Dean (Bobby Cannavale) and Nora Brannock (Naomi Watts), who have just invested in their dream home for their family in the idyllic suburb of Westfield, New Jersey.

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Image courtesy of "The Sun"

Is The Watcher on Netflix based on a true story?... (The Sun)

NEW Netflix series The Watcher is based on the true story of Derek and Maria Broaddus and their creepy experience moving home.The couple bought their.

It is now my time." The Watcher is a Yes, The Watcher is based on a true story. Is The Watcher based on a true story? Is The Watcher on Netflix based on a true story? NEW Netflix series The Watcher is based on the true story of Derek and Maria Broaddus and their creepy experience moving home.

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Image courtesy of "cosmopolitan.com"

The Watcher viewers are all saying the same thing about new Netflix ... (cosmopolitan.com)

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.

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Image courtesy of "Netflix Life"

Was the true story behind The Watcher on Netflix ever solved? (Netflix Life)

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.

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The creepy letters in The Watcher are real – here's what they each ... (The Tab)

The real life letters The Watcher sent to the Broaddus family at 657 Boulevard. The true story of house that inspired new Netflix horror thriller series.

“It has been years and years since the young blood ruled the hallways of the house. “All of the windows and doors in 657 Boulevard allow me to watch you and track you as you move through the house,” they said. Maybe you even spoke to me, one of the so-called neighbours who has no idea who The Watcher could be. They said: “The house is crying from all of the pain it is going through. Greed is what brought the past three families to 657 Boulevard and now it has brought you to me.” “To the vile and spiteful Derek and his wench of a wife Maria,” another letter read, before calling them “idiots” for not knowing who The Watcher was. I am The Watcher and have been in control of 657 Boulevard for the better part of two decades now.” Here are what the real letters from The Watcher to the Broaddus family said. “Do you need to fill the house with the young blood I requested? Do you know the history of the house? The family continued to receive letters from The Watcher. So, were the letters from The Watcher real?

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Image courtesy of "Heaven of Horror"

The Watcher (2022) – Review | Netflix Series | Heaven of Horror (Heaven of Horror)

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!

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Image courtesy of "nj.com"

The real story behind 'The Watcher' Netflix series, yet another creepy ... (nj.com)

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.

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Image courtesy of "cosmopolitan.com"

Netflix's The Watcher: Where are the real family from the show now? (cosmopolitan.com)

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?

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Image courtesy of "Women's Health"

Who Is Netflix's 'The Watcher' In Real Life? All The Theories, From ... (Women's Health)

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?

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Image courtesy of "NationalWorld"

The Watcher: Netflix release date of drama series, trailer, cast with ... (NationalWorld)

Netflix true crime horror drama series The Watcher starring Naomi Watts follows a family who are terrorised in their new home by a mysterious stalker.

Police investigated but failed to catch the stalker, and the family sold the property at a massive loss - roughly $400,000 less than they bought it for. As the investigation continues, new secrets come to light, and the family learn more about their cursed property. The Watcher sends the family a series of threatening letters, which spook them, prompting them to hire a private investigator to unmask The Watcher.

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Image courtesy of "HouseBeautiful.com"

A Detailed Timeline of What Happened at The Watcher House (HouseBeautiful.com)

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.

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Image courtesy of "esquire.com"

The Dark and Mysterious True Story of 'The Watcher' (esquire.com)

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?

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Image courtesy of "Evening Standard"

The true story that inspired Netflix series The Watcher (Evening Standard)

The Watcher tells the terrifying tale of a family who move into their dream home, only to be threatened by letters from a mysterious stalker.

The Broaddus family even hired a private investigator but they never discovered who was behind the creepy letters. Do you know the history of the house? “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.

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Image courtesy of "Vulture"

The Watcher Series-Premiere Recap: New Kids on the Block (Vulture)

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.

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Image courtesy of "iNews"

Is The Watcher a true story? What happened to the Broaddus family ... (iNews)

Naomi Watts as Maria Brannock; Bobby Cannavale as Derek Brannock; Mia Farrow as Pearl; Luke David Blumm as Carter Brannock; Jennifer Coolidge as Karen Calhoun ...

They added: “Do you know the history of the house? Do you know what lies within the walls of 657 Boulevard? Bring me your young blood.” While the identity of “The Watcher” was not revealed in the letters, the author mocked the family by suggesting they could be a neighbour or a passer-by. The author of the letter wrote that the house had “been the subject of my family for decades” and that he “been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming.” Here is what we know of the Broaddus family and what happened to them.

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Image courtesy of "Ready Steady Cut"

The Watcher season 1, episode 1 recap - "Welcome, Friends" (Ready Steady Cut)

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.

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Image courtesy of "Vanity Fair"

The 'Watcher' Reporter on Netflix's New Series and the Case's ... (Vanity Fair)

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.

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The Watcher movie review & film summary (2022) | Roger Ebert (Roger Ebert)

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.

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Image courtesy of "Vulture"

The Watcher Recap: A Shot in the Dark (Vulture)

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)!

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Image courtesy of "Ready Steady Cut"

The Watcher season 1, episode 2 recap - "Blood Sacrifice" (Ready Steady Cut)

The Watcher season 1, episode 2 recap - "Blood Sacrifice". This article contains spoilers for the Netflix series.

Andrew and his wife moved out with Caleb, to a one-bed in the city. That night, Mitch shoots Mo and then himself; apparently, she had cancer and he couldn’t face the prospect of living without her. In the meantime, Dean moves Nora and the kids into a motel while he remains in the house. The final straw was when Caleb cut himself, and Andrew found Margot sucking the blood from his finger, apparently having emerged in the house through a secret passage that Andrew himself could never find. The difference, though, is that Andrew and his wife allowed Mitch and Mo to babysit their son, Caleb, and while there, he repeated seeing the old folks of the neighborhood amassed in a circle, wearing red robes, and drinking blood from a baby whose throat they had cut. Aside from listing the house as being for sale to try and scare up a lead that way, the only reasonable solution is to hire someone to look into the matter.

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Image courtesy of "nj.com"

'The Watcher' ending explained: How to interpret the Netflix show's ... (nj.com)

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?

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Image courtesy of "Vulture"

The Cast of The Watcher on What They'd Do If They Were Being ... (Vulture)

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.

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Image courtesy of "PopBuzz"

The true story behind The Watcher on Netflix is terrifying (PopBuzz)

Dean and Nora Brannock are based on a real-life couple named Derek and Maria Broaddus. Who was the Watcher though? Listen to this article.

The Watcher is still yet to be caught. And The Watcher won." Despite ongoing investigations, the Watcher was never caught. Who was the Watcher in real life? However, no one would buy the house due to Derek and Maria being open about the letters and why they were selling it. The Watcher isn't fiction though.

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Image courtesy of "cosmopolitan.com"

The Watcher season 2: Expected release date, cast, plot and more (cosmopolitan.com)

To recap, The Watcher focuses on the Brannock family, who move into a new dream house only to be disturbed by ominous letters from an anonymous stalker.

The real-life Broaddus family (who inspired the Brannocks) sold the house in 2019, five years after they originally bought it, and a new family moved in. As it stands, the real Watcher has never been caught. Still, despite multiple investigations by the police and private detectives, The Watcher has never been identified. The last we see of Karen in the series finale, she's running away from 657 Boulevard screaming after encountering The Watcher. Based on a [true story](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a41555628/the-watcher-true-story-netflix/), the show has already jumped right to the top of viewers' watchlists, with fans becoming thoroughly invested in the real events. The original story was first published in a 2018 article on

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Image courtesy of "Digital Mafia Talkies"

'The Watcher' Ending, Explained: Who Was Living In The Secret ... (Digital Mafia Talkies)

But the beautiful house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey, was nothing short of a nightmare for the family. The Netflix mini-series “The Watcher” is a ...

They believed that it was greed that made them buy the house because that was the kind of people that the house attracted. Dean believed it was Kaplan, whom he had seen in the tunnel that he found in the basement. The tunnel was a long one, and there was a bed in it. John Graff had murdered his family in 1995, and in the meeting, the man mentioned that he had started living in Whitefield in 1995. The Brannock family gave up on the investigation when they realized that they could not come up with an answer and had no evidence to back their claim. Flanagan read the letters that the Watcher had sent to the Brannock family, she confirmed that it was Roger Kaplan. He asked his students to write a letter to the house owners of the houses they admired. Nonetheless, Dakota agreed to cooperate and provided his DNA sample to compare it with the DNA found in the letter. John decided to do what the Watcher was asking of him. They wondered if the owner of the house knew the history behind the walls of the house and the reason why the basement was left unfinished. Dakota went to the police station with his mother and a lawyer. The house has been watched over since the 1920s; someone took up the responsibility of watching it in the 1960s, and now it was the writer’s turn to watch the house.

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Image courtesy of "digitalspy.com"

The Watcher's wild true story and what happened to the real-life family (digitalspy.com)

Netflix's The Watcher tells the story of the Brannock/Broaddus family, but who is the Watcher who sent the letters and what happened next?

The couple have declined offers of television interviews and documentaries, choosing instead to keep a level of privacy and move on from their experience. However a new family ended up buying it, and the Broadduses asked that a message be passed on from them: "We wish you nothing but the peace and quiet that we once dreamed of in this house," it said. In 2019, after already deciding against moving into it and renting it out, the Broaddus family decided to sell the home. Both Derek and Maria got in touch with the police at the time that the letters started appearing. "I have been put in charge of watching and waiting for its second coming," the author of the letter went on to say. But how much of the story actually is true, and how much has been amped up – Murphy-style – to get us all talking? It was while these works were happening that the letters would plague them. I am now 93 years old." Both Derek and Maria are still affected by the ordeal with The Watcher. The Langford family lived quite close by, and was previously put forward with a focus on Michael Langford. It is now my time." In 2018, New York Magazine published a story from feature writer Reeves Wiedeman entitled '

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Image courtesy of "The Tab"

This is where the real life family from Netflix's The Watcher are now (The Tab)

Derek and Maria Broaddus purchased 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey in 2014. Before they moved into the property, they began work on the house and this is ...

Since selling their house, the Broaddus family have remained in the area and moved into the new house. However in real life the family never actually moved in six months after receiving their first letter from The Watcher. Right so in the Netflix show, the family are shown to move into their new home. Over time, two more letters were sent to the house by The Watcher and as a result the Broaddus family hired a private investigator to solve the case. In the letter, The Watcher revealed they had been watching the house for the last two decades and also identified the three kids. The Watcher is inspired by the true story of the Broaddus family, whose story blew up after it was told in an article published in 2018 by The Cut.

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