Created and directed by Mike Flanagan, this 10-episode Netflix series is loosely based on the 1959 Shirley Jackson novel. It features an ensemble cast – most of which would go on to work with Flanagan in his other horror series‘.
It’s a straight up haunted house type story. We follow the Crain family in multiple timelines. In the past, Hugh (Henry Thomas) and Olivia (Carla Gugino) move into the spooky Hill House with their horde of five young children.
Hugh and Olivia have plans of fixing and flipping Hill House that never come to fruition because – spoiler alert – ghosts! The story jumps from past to present as the now adult Crain siblings are still dealing with their respective childhood traumas due to – you already know – ghosts!
Excellent Cast
The cast – both young and old – deliver all the scares and tension to make a compelling tale. Eldest son Steven (Michiel Huisman) is a writer who has made a name telling ghost stories. Shirley (Elizabeth Reaser) runs a funeral home, channeling her direct childhood experiences in the haunted house to perform her work. Theo (Kate Siegel) is the middle child who has some paranormal powers of her own. Luke and Nell (Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Victoria Pedretti) are twins, and the youngest members of the Crain clan. Hottie Annabeth Gish plays a creepy caretaker. The child actors playing the young counterparts to the adults all look perfectly cast.
Drug addiction, mental illness, and coping with grief are some of the heavier themes touched upon. Yes it’s a horror story, but there are much deeper layers at play that make it a compelling watch.
Each episode in “The Haunting of Hill House” sets its focus on one specific character. We get their story from childhood nightmares to adults with baggage in a fully fleshed out manner. Stories overlap. Character interactions are seen from multiple perspectives. If you like that stuff, like me, you’ll love this.
The series effectively uses tension and jump scares to make you squirm in your seat as you watch. The ghosts are great – not cheesy. Effects are believable. I jumped multiple times. And had a recurrent chill down my spine. There are multiple background ghosts in every scene that the keen eyed observer will have fun spotting.
“The Haunting of Hill House” is a fun binge to toss into your October viewing rotation. Its well-paced and compelling in both its scares and story. There’s replay value for sure.
“The Haunting of Hill House” is available on Netflix.
