Surround Sound

By Olivia Bridge

A haunted house: the floors creak, ghosts lurk in the shadows, and the staff refuse to stay after dark. The Haunting of Hill House has all the classic tropes. Even the familiar plot device of an evil spirit manipulating its new occupants appears. Yet, rather than feeling predictable, every element is executed with flawless precision, making these familiar devices extremely bone-chilling. The scenes draw you in, the thrills don’t feel cheap but fully earned and jump scares are teased but almost never completed. The director, Mike Flanagan, leads you in a dance. You never know when he’ll dip you too low and drop you on your head or if he’ll catch you and spin you into an odyssey. The Haunting of Hill House is beautiful and twisted and utterly thought provoking. The key? The mundane. Once you strip away the terror and paranormal findings, the core of the show is family and the uncut truths and beauty of loving those fractured by a great tragedy.

*Mild spoilers ahead*

Mike Flanagan’s Touch 

Inspired by Shirley Jackson’s acclaimed novel of the same name, this loose adaptation sees Mike Flanagan taking the source material and making it entirely his own.

Each scene feels meticulously crafted, from the devastating Bent Neck Lady twist to the epic final sacrifice. Episode 6 Two Storms shows not only Flanagan’s strong vision but the attentive effort invested by the production in order to experiment under the guidance of the show’s creator. The series standout is the episode’s single-take-style sequence, showcasing the current timeline of a tense family reunion and the past timeline of the young family dealing with a stormy night. This decision required production to shut down the set for weeks so that the actors and crew could rehearse not only their lines but memorise the choreography of each movement, lighting, and camera angle. Led by Flanagan and his longtime creative partner and the show’s cinematographer, Michael Fimognari, the two crafted camera shots that built an unshakable sense of dread. Flanagan is also a master at creating seamless transitions, especially mirroring present and past time lines, and when he’s not crafting a single seventeen minute sequence, he creates transitions using match on action, it’s simple but effective and helps sew each scene together with precision. 

Younger and Older Selves That Convince

One of the most compelling reasons to watch The Haunting of Hill House is its outstanding casting. You may recognise seasoned actors like Carla Gugino (Gerald’s Game) and Henry Thomas (E.T), and for those of you who are GenZ  you’ll recognise Gugino as Ingrid Cortez from Spy Kids and Elizabeth Reaser as Esme from Twilight. The show catapulted Victoria Pedretti into stardom and she became a familiar face on Netflix from 2018-2020 as she starred as Love Quinn in Netflix’s YOU as well as continuing her partnership with Flanagan in the Haunting of Bly Manor, the second instalment of the Haunting Series. 

What makes the casting truly remarkable, however, is the seamless portrayal of the Crain siblings across two timelines. Amongst the younger versions of the siblings, there’s also another familiar face. You’ll probably recognise her with peroxide-blonde hair as she often plays the younger version of Hollywood’s biggest stars and is on track to become a legend herself: McKenna Grace. She disappeared into her character and worked beautifully alongside her equally talented young costars.The casting team nailed it, with social media widely praising the series for its outstanding young-and-old casting.

The child actors and their adult counterparts mirror one another with uncanny precision in mannerisms and emotional weight, but their differences are equally important, as they enhance character development and make each performance feel distinct. When we see young Luke with his big glasses and toothy smile, the transformation into present-day Luke, a recovering heroin addict with dark circles and a towering presence is utterly jarring and adds to the shock factor. 

Horror with Heart

Much of The Haunting of Hill House’s lasting power comes down to its writing. Mike Flanagan’s script weaves together timelines, perspectives, and memories with precision and heart. Each choice shows he cares for the story and source material. There are many stand out scenes in the series such as Hugh Crain’s sacrifice, the tense funeral hall family reunion, Theo breaking down on the side of the road, and little Nell’s heartbreaking ‘nobody could see me.’ The script transforms what could have been just another haunted house story into something deeply human and enhances the show’s central idea: love and loss are terrifying and perhaps those are the real ghosts that linger around us. The script proves that horror can deliver more than fear but it’s also capable of moving its audience to tears and cements a haunting impression even after the credits roll. 

The Perfect Halloween Watch                                                                               

The Haunting of Hill House is the perfect series to watch as Halloween approaches. Its toe-curling scares, combined with a deeply emotional storyline, make it more than a simple horror show. For anyone who hates horror, I’d still encourage you to give this show a chance, just keep a pillow by your side for the occasional jump scare. 

Hill House delivers a chilling atmosphere, nail-biting tension and moments of genuine dread that lingers after the screen goes black. From the creaking floors to the tragic heartbreak of the Crain family, every episode feels like a masterclass in storytelling, even the king of horror Stephen King hailed the series as ‘close to a work of genius’ making it a certified binge-watch for October.