Mike Flanagan is behind some of the best horror movies and TV shows in recent memory. He recently killed it again with his book to screen adaptation of Carrie (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription). After binge-watching that series I decided to go back to the show that introduced me to his work on the small screen: The Haunting of Hill House. I loved the series during its original run, and it hits so much harder on the re-watch.
The Haunting of Hill House debuted in October of 2018 for those with a Netflix subscription, and I was truly obsessed from Episode 1. The show was told through two timelines, and perfectly balanced character-driven story with terrifying scares. I went into the rewatch knowing all the twists, and have loved all the easter eggs. Additionally, the story about grief is hitting differently after I lost a number of people in the years since it was released.
Hill House Has Plenty Of Hints You'll Catch On A Rewatch
The Haunting of Hill House packed some emotional twists, with the reveal of Nell as the Bent-Neck Lady being one of the darkest episodes of TV ever. The scene where she kills herself packs a serious punch, but it's also heavily hinted at throughout the first few episodes. Knowing her fate gave me a real sense of dread at the start of the season, and brought new power to the episodes leading up to that reveal.
Additionally, you can basically play a game of I Spy when rewatching Hill House. The various ghosts that haunt the titular home pop up subtly throughout the season, some of which might have gone over viewers' heads on the first watch.
Aside from its jump scares and horror, The Haunting of Hill House is also a story about a family in mourning. In the years since it was released I've lost a childhood friend, my grandmother, a cousin, plus my fiancé's aunt. While I loved watching the show the first time around, I was able to connect much more personally with the story that Mike Flanagan was telling in the Netflix series, given how much loss and grief I've had in the last few years. I knew what to expect with Hill House, but wasn't prepare for how much more emotional I'd be, particularly during the episodes surrounding Nell's funeral.
Throughout the rewatch I was once again taken by how Flanagan's horror projects are so rooted in human, emotional stories. Yes, he brings terrifying moments and jump scares into the table, but they're servicing a deeper story. It's for this reason that he's at the top of the horror genre.
The Haunting of Hill House is streaming over on Netflix, while Carrie is on Amazon as part of the 2026 TV schedule. The latter was recently renewed for Season 2, and I can't wait to see how he continues that story.
