Happen to be missing the feeling of a cold, spooky autumn night? Well, great news, the new original Netflix series “The Haunting of Hill House” can recreate those feelings in the timespan of 10 hour-ish-long episodes. This new series is loosely “based on” (but doesn’t really relate at all) to the book by Shirley Jackson published way back in 1959.
Plot overview (NO Spoilers :) )
The show revolves around unconventional family dynamics and a mysterious, haunted house. Switching from past to present from each of the five sibling’s perspectives, the plot is slowly revealed. Most of the scenes you see are from one night from their past which ended up changing every character’s life. Each new episode features a different sibling’s take on how the night went, adding new details that you wouldn’t know otherwise and then touching on how it has affected them in their current life. As the plot thickens, the family is finally forced to face the haunting elements of their childhood home, whether they like it or not.
My opinion
This show doesn’t contain your typical Netflix horror plot, but rather something much more sinister. But don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of jump-inducing pop-ups and spooky scenes woven within the storyline. I have to give it to Netflix on this one – they ALMOST nailed it. During episodes one through nine, I was 100% captivated. It’s one of those shows that you have to skip social obligations to find out what happens next (sorry again Jordan). But, the last episode was somewhat predictable. I mean if you’ve picked up on any of the foreshadowings, then you’ll probably be able to guess the ending scenes. I was so impressed with the unpredictableness of the episodes up until the finale, which was somewhat disappointing. But ALAS! The spooky cinematography, well-thought-out plot, and developed characters still made this show worth watching.
Advice for watching
If you don’t typically enjoy being spooked alone, invite a friend to watch with (don’t say I didn’t warn you). Also, know that to keep up with the plot and all the happenings, you really have to pay attention. Therefore, it’s not the best “background noise” show to watch while working on your essay due that night at 11:59 pm. Grab your coziest blanket, a bowl of freshly popped corn, and hold on tight because ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a TREAT.