Netflix’s latest smash hit show The Watcher has made the home it is based on become a ‘dark tourism’ hot spot.
Created by Glee’s Ryan Murphy, the drama drew inspiration from the chilling events surrounding a house in New Jersey, which saw its owners ousted after receiving a slew of terrifying letters from a stalker.
The identity of the stalker, known as The Watcher, has remained a mystery since the correspondence started several years ago.
The seven-parter stars Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts as a married couple who move into their dream home, while The White Lotus actor Jennifer Coolidge plays their realtor.
Since the series landed, and soared straight to the top of the global streamer’s charts in the UK, the real six-bed Dutch colonial home has been attracting fans of The Watcher.
As a result of the renewed fascination, New Jersey police have cordoned off 657 Boulevard with ‘no trespassing’ signs, according to CBS News.
The report also says that officers are ‘periodically’ stopping by the home, which is worth over $1million (£887,000) to turn away people who have watched the show.
The Watcher’s ending, however, has been slammed by some fans who have called it ‘the worst ending’ on screen.
In it, Dean and Nora seem to have solved the mystery when it turns out the private detective they had hired is actually The Watcher.
But it is revealed that the private detective (who had claimed she just wanted the house removed from occupants so she could have it) lied and only wanted to give the family some closure before she died from a terminal illness.
‘The ending of the watcher might be hands down the worst ending to any piece of cinema I’ve ever had to see. All the directions they could’ve went and THAT is how they end it? Utterly horrible,’ one person slammed.
Another fumed: ‘If you’re going to start The Watcher on Netflix, don’t. Officially the worst ending I’ve ever seen.’
The Watcher is available to stream on Netflix