But beyond this, the performances are also solid across the board. One particularly remarkable thing is perhaps how much the characters from the older timeline resemble their versions from newer one. The performances are also one of the major strong points of the show. He also uses the location to great effect when it comes ramping up the tension at various points.
On a purely visceral level, the show provides some very scary moments and though jump-scares have become a part and parcel of the genre at this point, it’s impressive how effectively Flanagan uses the house – very much a character of its own – to create an uneasy sense of atmosphere. He largely succeeds in doing this, because he is able to find a singular tone in both stories that blends them together as one. Mike Flanagan, whose resume includes small-budget horror hits such as Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil and Oculus, does a commendable job as show creator and director of all 10 episodes, and much of his time is spent in balancing out the introspective character study with the scares. This story structure which combines multiple timelines is the driving force behind The Haunting of Hill House’s narrative, a show in which themes of grief, trauma and the past influencing the future loom large, just as much as the titular house of horrors.
Whereas the ‘now’ part, which is set years into the future, focuses on the family, particularly the five children still struggling to grapple with the events they experienced in their childhood, which have gone on to play a significant part in shaping their lives. The ‘then’ part, which is set in the past, focuses on the story of the Crains moving into and subsequently living in the haunted Hill House. Loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s well-lauded 1959 novel of the same name, The Haunting of Hill House chronicles the life of a family, the Crains, spread over two distinct time periods which the show refers to as ‘then’ and ‘now’. And now, Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House becomes the latest to join this small list. However, more recently, shows such as The Mist, The Terror and Castle Rock have changed that. If it lacks the emotional depth of Hill House, it's still well worth watching.Over the years the horror genre has failed to establish itself on the small-screen, and with the exception of American Horror Story, there simply have not been any other quality horror shows. Yet, the visual imagery-the physical appearances of who haunt the manor, in their various incarnations-is genuinely bone-chilling, and will haunt you long after watching. But unlike Hill House, which was based on a single narrative, Bly Manor weaves together numerous narratives in a way that can feel confusing and overwhelming. The child actors get almost universal acclaim both Benjamin Ainsworth and Amelie Smith, who play Miles and Flora, are unnerving but also believable.
#House on haunted hill show series#
Described by many reviewers as uneven but nevertheless unsettling, early watchers of the series have noted that it's more of a love story than a ghost story-that isn't a spoiler, exactly a character in the series says so specifically-and, as Vulture notes, is driven by the emotion of guilt rather than grief. Plenty of reviews are comparing Bly Manor to its predecessor Hill House and noting that this season is measurably less scary than the last-but doubles down on the psychological and symbolic meaning that made Hill House so watchable. Newcomers Amelia Eve and Catherine Parker will also join the cast. They'll be accompanied by Rahul Kohli from the CW's Supergirl who will play the resident chef Owen. T'Nia Miller from HBO's Years and Years will play the housekeeper of Bly Manor. As for Miles and Flora: The new kids on the block (literally) are Benjamin Ainsworth and Amelie Smith, who will play the two orphans. Pedretti, according to an interview Flanagan did with The Wrap, will play the governess-one "who takes care of two very unusual children," he said. Victoria Pedretti is also returning to the series (as a blonde this time!). Returning favorites include Henry Thomas, who played young Hugh Crain, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, who took on the role of Luke Crain, and fan-favorite Kate Siegel, who is known for her iconic one-liners in the part of Theodora Crain.
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