How Much of ‘The Watcher’ on Netflix Is Actually True? A Quick Rundown

Netflix again added to its true crime catalog with The Watcher featuring Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale as Nora and Dean Brannock. It’s not near as dark and disturbing as the chart-topping DAHMER — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, but it has an eerie feel. The Watcher begins innocently enough — a middle-aged couple moves into a wealthy neighborhood in Westfield, New Jersey, with their two children. However, the neighbors are a little obsessed with their new home, and before the family moves in, they receive threatening letters. The Watcher is based on a true story, but how accurate is it?

A few basics of ‘The Watcher’ on Netflix are entirely true

When The Watcher on Netflix opens, the Brannock family attends an open house at 657 Boulevard in Westfield, New Jersey. Jennifer Coolidge’s character, Karen Calhoun, tells the prospective buyers there are already several other offers. The sprawling home boasts six bedrooms, a lake view, and a gorgeous pool. (There’s no pool or lake at real-life 657 Boulevard).

It is true that the former owners, The Woodses received multiple offers above their asking price. The house sat on a wide, tree-lined street and was over 100 years old at the time of purchase. Also, the new family began receiving strange, threatening letters from “the watcher” shortly after the home sale. The letters are very close to the original ones the family received, including, “You need to fill the house with young blood.” However, that’s where the true story ends, and the Netflix dramatization begins.

‘The Watcher’ changes many details from the original story

In real life, the Brannock family has three children, not two, and they received the letters before they moved into the home at 657 Boulevard. Netflix also changed the names of the family at their request. In The Watcher, the eldest daughter received and read the first letter from the anonymous stalker. However, in real life, the family didn’t tell their children anything about the creepy notes until they had to explain why they weren’t moving into their new dream home. According to The Cut, the real-life family never moved into 657 Boulevard.

Small details from the original article were worked into the story. A neighbor taught piano lessons, so in The Watcher, Brannock’s daughter plays piano. One letter referenced their daughter drawing on an art easel, but in the Netflix drama, it mentions her piano practicing. 

The story about Jasper Winslow (Terry Kinney) is also embellished significantly. In real life, one neighbor sometimes “spooked newcomers” by walking through the backyard or peeking in windows. He also liked to bring in the newspaper. However, there was no mention of the neighbor climbing into the dumbwaiter. 

The real family made only two requests about the Netflix true-crime drama

When the real-life Brannock family sold the rights to their story to Netflix for The Watcher, they had only two requests. They did not want their names used, and they wanted the TV family to look nothing like their real family. That’s likely why Netflix chose to give them two kids instead of three. They even told The Cut that they did not intend to watch the show; the trailer was enough. So, it’s no surprise that the producers changed and added various new plotlines to the original story. 

No, the boy’s ferret did not die in real life since the family never lived at 657 Boulevard. They also didn’t move into a motel and receive strange phone calls. But, the family did begin privately investigating the strange letters. As of the premiere of the Netflix drama, the police never caught The Watcher of 657 Boulevard.

All seven episodes of The Watcher are available for streaming on Netflix.