Zndl points out correctly that the trick is to not update the watch past watchOS 8. I would hope the watch series 7 would still ship with watchOS 8.

The most recent watch that maxes out at watchOS 8 is the series 3 but that one is pretty underpowered, so I’d have a hard time recommending it.

Looks like you’re right. For the fine print to be right, Apple Watch Series 7 would have to ship with watchOS 8. Do you think they’re still shipping like that? What a weird dilemma.

It looks like anything from Series 7 down will work with your wife’s SE with iOS 15.

The small print from the Apple Watch Series 7:

Apple Watch Series 7 requires an iPhone 6s or later with iOS 15 or later.

iPhone SE was released after the iPhone 6s and can take iOS 15 so you should be good

I’m with you on your analysis. It wasn’t mindblowingly good, but it was certainly good enough to not feel like a band past its prime trying to cash in on one last payday. I do think that Billy West (Fry)‘s voice has aged some as well, but I got used to it after a minute or two and it was fine.

I think when you’re coming back from cancelation…AGAIN, and especially after so long, it’s not like a pilot, but it requires more exposition than a regular season opener. So it was good enough on its own merit, and I’m grading it on a curve as it’s the first episode in a decade and has to do a bit more storytelling drudgery than your average show.