There are moments in The Haunting of Hill House that are downright terrifying, particularly if watched at home, alone, in a darkened house. It's a real reminder of how underserved TV audiences are when it comes to true, high-caliber original horror. Shows like Castle Rock flirt with scares, and American Horror Story succeeds in upping the weirdness ante every season. But Flanagan's show is genuinely haunting in a way television rarely accesses.
The Haunting of Hill House ultimately comes together in a way that's both scary and unexpectedly moving. In the end, it offers its own fresh twist on ghosts and haunted houses, while leaving plenty of room for future installments.
If Flanagan was setting out to reimagine what a haunted house story could be — whether in tone, medium, or emotional context — then The Haunting of Hill House is unquestionably a success. It's not a perfect journey, and there are plenty of bumps along the way. But it's a series that will stick in people's minds — not because of the familiar things it does, but for all the things it dares to do differently.
