The Haunting (TV anthology)

Production

The first season of this anthology, The Haunting of Hill House, takes loose inspiration from Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel of the same name. Its story jumps between two time periods: the present, where five grown siblings are still haunted by their supernatural experiences at Hill House, and flashbacks that show what led up to the night in 1992 when the family fled the mansion. The adult siblings are played by Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, and Victoria Pedretti, while Carla Gugino and Henry Thomas portray parents Olivia and Hugh Crain, with Timothy Hutton appearing as an older Hugh.

Netflix gave the green light for this 10-episode adaptation on April 10, 2017, with Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy serving as executive producers and Amblin Television and Paramount Television co-producing. It marked Amblin’s first scripted series for Netflix. Filming started in October 2017 around Atlanta, Georgia, using Bisham Manor in LaGrange for the exterior of Hill House and EUE/Screen Gem Studios in Atlanta for interior scenes. On February 21, 2019, Netflix ordered a second installment, The Haunting of Bly Manor, which draws on Henry James’s 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw.

Although it follows the first season, Bly Manor tells a separate story with no direct connection to Hill House. Returning cast members include Victoria Pedretti, Henry Thomas, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Kate Siegel, joined by T’Nia Miller, Catherine Parker, Rahul Kohli, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Amelie Smith, and Amelia Eve. The nine-episode season also incorporates several other works by James, some of which had never been adapted before, and was released on October 9, 2020.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Haunting of Hill House holds a 93% rating based on 97 reviews, with an average rating of 8.46/10. The critical consensus states that the series is an effective ghost story whose mounting anticipation is as satisfying as its chilling payoff. On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 from 18 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.

The Haunting of Bly Manor received an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 94 reviews, with an average rating of 7.26/10. The critics consensus notes that while it may not be as scary as its predecessor, it offers plenty of spooky tricks and a strong sense of heart. On Metacritic, Bly Manor scored 63 out of 100 based on 18 critical reviews, indicating generally positive reviews.