The following article is spoilers safe for the series, The Haunting of Hill House.
Netflix has had several original works of art. Shows like Orange is the New Black, Sense8, Dear White People, and Daredevil are just a few examples of the masterpieces that Netflix has blessed us with.
You aren’t fully indulging in the spooky season if you’re missing out on the new series The Haunting of Hill House.
Not only has the show been approved by Stephen King as “close to a work of genius”, but has delivered a score of 9.1/10 on IMDb and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. There’s no doubt that this show should be the next one on your binge list this October.
The Haunting of Hill House was created by Mike Flanagan, the director of my beloved horror-thriller Hush, as a repurposed version of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 namesake novel. The show was sculpted to suit a modern adaption of the plot, making it relatable for its viewers.
The story surrounds the Crain family, consisting of seven members, swaying between the past and present stories of each of five siblings.
Each episode unravels the mysteries of their childhoods. Throughout their stay at Hill House, they are shaken by the ghastly apparitions that continue to haunt them after their departure.
In a whirlwind of incomprehensible incidents, the father, Hugh Crain, tussles in effort to tow his five children to refuge. Their mother, Olivia Crain, is left behind with no closure as to the cause of her demise.
Since the mysterious death of Olivia Crain, which occurred during their emergency evacuation from the house, the sibling quintet have lived with trauma ever since, witnessing the effects alive and well in their adulthood.
As the title hints, there is plenty of dialogue about the metaphysical. While some of the siblings are well aware of the paranormal, others are stricken by it or refuse to acknowledge it. As each sibling faces their metaphorical demons, they also face literal ghosts of their pasts… or futures. Their inability to cope with their apparent reality brings agonizing disorder to their daily lives, whether it be from a literal apparition or their mental health.
The show covers plenty of harsh ground, involving untimely death, grief, the turbulence of drug addiction, alcoholism, and mental illness. Flanagan has a tendency to cloak the episodes in their tender pains of growing older with the horrors of the unknown.
Truthfully, there are moments when you aren’t sure if the paranormal components are more blood-curdling than the commonplace events.
When one of the siblings dies, the family is brought together, dysfunctional and in emotional shambles. While the cause of death was formally declared, there is evidence that points otherwise.
What I love about the show is that it’s not designed to scare you through jumpscares or mediocre CGI ghosts. Like any good horror-based show, it gives you chills through its psychological, alluring storyline. The show is glossed over with its mute-toned colors and interchangeably vibrant cinematography.
Each character, although distinct, have human vulnerabilities that you can’t help but empathize with. You find yourself wholly absorbed in the world of the Crain family.
My favorite part about the show is Kate Siegel, who takes the role of Theodora Crain, (to which I say “yes, please”). She is given the extraordinary ability to see more beyond the surface of a person or an object when she touches them, which leads her to wearing gloves on a day to day basis. Theo is a high-functioning alcoholic with a PhD in children psychology, representing the LGBT community as a Lesbian main character. Gazing into the life of this psychic empath will break your heart without her even lifting a finger.
Since the beginning of the show, there have been plenty heart-wrenching moments, all surprisingly due the realistic, yet devastating scenes. The mysteries are only part of the reason why you’re allured into the truth of this haunted house.
The Haunting of Hill House embodies reflection, whether its due to a literal kaleidoscope of memories or a view into someone else’s past. The combination of it’s eerie, yet aesthetic cinematography is mesmerizing, and the plot is intricately written.
If you’ve been dying for a psychological thriller that keeps you on your toes every step of the way, this household is the one for you.
Alma Tovar
Features Editor
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