The Haunting of Hill House presents the life of the Crain family, in both the past and the present. From when they were all kids, being haunted by their worst nightmares, to grown adults still dealing with their past, the Crain’s must find a way to end all this horror before it ends them. The adult characters are living through their own problems (marriage, rehab, jobs, etc) when the character Nell (played by Victoria Pedretti and Violet McGraw) revisits Hill House, and brings their childhood nightmares back to life.

This series accomplished horror on a completely original scale. The majority of jump scares were unexpected and terrifying, the story diverting in new directions every episode, and questions remaining unanswered up until the last few moments of the show. Stephen King praised The Haunting of Hill House, tweeting “I usually don’t care for this type of revisionism, but this is great. Close to a work of genius, really.” The horror aspect was not only accomplished with loud and sudden music, but with frightening and (sometimes) sad imagery.

The casting for each character was fantastic. Similarities between each kid and adult could be seen physically, as well as how they interacted with each other. Grudges from their childhood carried over into their adulthood, which complicated their personal life and relationships.

Having directed Hush (2016) and Gerald’s Game (2017), Mike Flanagan has already been appreciated for his great horror pieces in the past. His first horror TV series has been a hit among audiences and a second season has not been confirmed, but has been requested by fans. Cast members have also stated in interviews that they would definitely return for another season, and would love to work with Flanagan again.

Michiel Huisman (who played the older Steven) confirmed the show holds a handful of Easter eggs for everyone to discover. From ghosts in the background, to certain statues moving around; you may need to rewatch the season to catch them all.

The Haunting of Hill House: 9.5/10