“The Haunting of Hill House”: A Netflix Show That is More Than a Horror Story

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Olivia Aragon, Staff Reporter

“The Haunting of Hill House” hit Netflix on October 12, bringing all the horror and mystery that people have been waiting for. This 10 episode series, which is a loose adaptation of the 1953 book by Shirley Jackson, includes a combination of horror and mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

“The Haunting of Hill House” is a series about the Crain family, their traumatic experiences living at Hill House, and the lasting effects it has had on them many years later. Hugh and Olivia Crain move into Hill House with their five young kids. They soon begin to notice weird things happening in the house, and it becomes clear they are not the only ones staying there. After the family escapes it seems that they have brought their demons with them, and it is unclear whether they will ever be rid of them.

As you continue to watch, you begin to uncover the truth of the house and the spirits who dwell there, and discover what exactly happened to the Crain family. This show kept me thinking and made me reflect and try to solve all the things that were going on.

One unique aspect of “The Haunting of Hill House” is that it jumps from past to present, with each episode dedicated to exploring one character’s experiences and perspectives, both as a child at Hill House, and many years later in current times. This allows you to understand the characters and their point of view on what happened to them at Hill House, so that by the end of the series you are able to piece everything together. I personally found the characters to be relatable, and enjoyed seeing the family dynamic and how the characters change.

Steven, the oldest child, seems to experience the least amount of terror at Hill House in comparison to his siblings. As an adult he makes it clear that he does not believe the stories they have told him, and instead blames their seemingly crazy claims on mental illness. However, even though Steven doesn’t believe his siblings, he still uses their stories to write a book about Hill House, which causes conflict between him and his family.

Shirley is the second child in the family, whose experiences at Hill House have left her traumatized. This causes her to repress her emotions more than any other character, but she also has a caring nature that comes through (maybe a little too much) in the running of her funeral home.

Theo, the third child, seems to be the most mentally tough character when it comes to dealing with the horrors of the house. However, her experiences have led her to build walls to protect herself, making her come off as a cold person. She is unique because she possesses a type of psychic power, and is also often the character who will say what everyone else is thinking and has some funny one-liners.

Nell and Luke are twins who were only six years old when they lived at Hill House, yet experienced the most torment from it. The demons that haunted them at Hill House still seem to follow them wherever they go as adults. They are forced to live with the horrors and psychological damage of what happened to them and sometimes their own family won’t even believe them. As adults they both suffer mentally and find it hard to deal with the horrors that they underwent, and are left to lean on each other for support.

If you are looking for a series to sit down and binge watch for a weekend this might be the perfect show for you. “The Haunting of Hill House” is a really well done and put together series, especially if you are into horror movies. It is filled with suspense, mystery, and many jump scares. Get ready for a roller coaster ride of emotion while watching “The Haunting of Hill House.”