The Haunting of Hill House (TV series) explained

The Haunting of Hill House (TV series) should not be confused with The Haunting of Hell House.

Creator:	Mike Flanagan
Director:	Mike Flanagan
Composer:	The Newton Brothers
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Num Episodes:	10
Producer:	Dan Kaplow
Cinematography:	Michael Fimognari
Runtime:	42–71 minutes
Network:	Netflix
Related:	The Haunting of Bly Manor

The Haunting of Hill House is an American supernatural horror drama television miniseries created and directed by Mike Flanagan, produced by Amblin Television and Paramount Television, for Netflix, and serves as the first entry in The Haunting anthology series. It is loosely based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Shirley Jackson. The plot alternates between two timelines, following five adult siblings whose paranormal experiences at Hill House continue to haunt them in the present day, and flashbacks depicting events leading up to the eventful night in 1992 when the family fled from the mansion. The ensemble cast features Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, and Victoria Pedretti as the siblings in adulthood, with Carla Gugino and Henry Thomas as parents Olivia and Hugh Crain, and Timothy Hutton appearing as an older version of Hugh.

The series premiered on Netflix on October 12, 2018. The Haunting of Hill House received critical acclaim, particularly for its acting, directing, and production values. A follow-up series by Flanagan titled The Haunting of Bly Manor, with most of the same crew and some of the same cast but a different story and characters, was released on October 9, 2020.

Synopsis

In the summer of 1992, Hugh and Olivia Crain and their five children—Steven, Shirley, Theodora (Theo), Luke, and Eleanor (Nell)—move into Hill House to renovate the mansion in order to sell it and build their own house, designed by Olivia. However, due to unexpected repairs, they have to stay longer, and they begin to experience increasing paranormal phenomena, resulting in a tragic loss and the family fleeing from the house. Twenty-six years later, the Crain siblings and their estranged father reunite after another tragedy strikes them, and they are forced to confront how their time in Hill House has affected each of them.

Cast and characters

Main

• Michiel Huisman and Paxton Singleton as Steven Crain,^{[1] [2]} the eldest son of the family. He became a famous author after writing about his family's experiences at Hill House, despite his siblings' disapproval.
• Carla Gugino as Olivia Crain,^[3] the matriarch of the family, who designs houses. She, along with her youngest daughter Nell, is among the most affected by the paranormal activity in the house.
• Timothy Hutton and Henry Thomas as Hugh Crain,^{[4] [5]} the patriarch of the family, who flips houses. He becomes estranged from his children after the events at Hill House.
• Elizabeth Reaser and Lulu Wilson as Shirley Crain Harris,^{[4] [6]} the eldest daughter of the family. She owns a mortuary with her husband Kevin. They have a son and a daughter.
• Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Julian Hilliard as Luke Crain,^{[2] [7]} older twin of Nell and one of the two youngest members of the family. He struggles with heroin addiction as an adult to push out his memories of Hill House.
• Kate Siegel and Mckenna Grace as Theodora "Theo" Crain,^{[4] [8]} the middle child of the five, and a child psychologist. "Sensitive" like her mother, she wears gloves to prevent touching other people and experiencing psychic knowledge about them.
• Victoria Pedretti and Violet McGraw as Eleanor "Nell" Crain Vance,^{[6] [8]} Luke's younger twin and one of the two youngest members of the family. She has never fully recovered from the haunting she experienced while living in Hill House.

Recurring

• Annabeth Gish as Clara Dudley. She and her husband are the caretakers of the house and help the Crains in their efforts to renovate the mansion.
• Robert Longstreet as Horace Dudley, married to Clara Dudley. They both live close to the mansion while they act as caretakers for the property.
• Anthony Ruivivar as Kevin Harris, Shirley's husband.
• Samantha Sloyan as Leigh Crain, Steven's wife.
• Levy Tran as Trish Park, Theo's lover.
• James Lafferty as Ryan Quale, an apparition from Shirley's memory.
• James Flanagan as Funeral Director
• Jordane Christie as Arthur Vance, Nell's sleep technologist and later husband.
• Elizabeth Becka as Aunt Janet, sister of Olivia Crain.
• Logan Medina as Jayden Harris, son of Shirley and Kevin.
• May Badr as Allie Harris, daughter of Shirley and Kevin.
• Anna Enger as Joey, a recovering addict that Luke tries to help.
• Fedor Steer as William Hill, former owner of Hill House who went insane and bricked himself behind a wall. His ghost returns as the Tall Man / Bowler Hat Man who haunts Luke.
• Olive Elise Abercrombie as Abigail Dudley, the daughter of Clara and Horace, and young Luke's friend from the woods.
• Catherine Parker as Poppy Hill, one of the ghosts inhabiting Hill House, wife of William Hill and considered insane when alive.
• Mimi Gould as Hazel Hill, one of the ghosts inhabiting Hill House

Episodes

Production

Development

On April 10, 2017, Netflix announced that it had ordered a 10-episode adaptation of the classic horror novel The Haunting of Hill House, with Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy as executive producers, and Amblin Television and Paramount Television as co-production companies. It is the first scripted series to be made for Netflix by Amblin.^[9]

Production on the series began in October 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia, with location filming in the city and its environs.^[10] Bisham Manor, former name of the property located in LaGrange, served as the exterior of "Hill House".^{[11] [12]} The house's interior settings were filmed at EUE/Screen Gem Studios in Atlanta.

Music

The soundtrack was composed by The Newton Brothers. On October 31, 2018, Waxwork Records released the soundtrack on a double LP.^{[13] [14]}

Track listing

Reception

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Haunting of Hill House has a 93% rating based on 103 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Haunting of Hill House is an effective ghost story whose steadily mounting anticipation is just as satisfying as its chilling payoff."^[15] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 79 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[16]

Corrine Corrodus of The Telegraph graded the series with a 5/5 rating, calling it "the most complex and complete horror series of its time."^[17] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gave unanimous praise to the Netflix adaptation, describing it as "essential viewing", and stated that "[the show] contains some of the most unforgettable horror imagery in film or television in years."^[18] David Griffin of IGN gave the series a rating of 9.5 out of 10, calling it "a superb and terrifying family drama",^[19] and Paul Tassi of Forbes described it as "absolutely fantastic" and stated that "it may actually be Netflix's best original show ever."^[20]

Horror author Stephen King, who holds considerable admiration for Jackson's novel, tweeted about the series, "I don't usually care for this kind of revisionism, but this is great. Close to a work of genius, really. I think Shirley Jackson would approve, but who knows for sure."^[21]

In January 2020, filmmaker Quentin Tarantino said, "My favorite Netflix series, with no competition, is The Haunting of Hill House."^[22]

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
2019	Writers Guild of America Awards	New Series	Meredith Averill, Charise Castro Smith, Mike Flanagan, Jeff Howard, Rebecca Leigh Klingel, Scott Kosar, Liz Phang		^[23]
	Art Directors Guild Awards	One-Hour Period or Fantasy Single-Camera Television Series	Patricio M. Farrell		^[24]
	Fangoria Chainsaw Awards	Best Series	Mike Flanagan		^[25]
	Bram Stoker Award	Superior Achievement in a Screenplay	Meredith Averill for "The Bent-Neck Lady"		^[26]
	Saturn Awards	Best Streaming Horror & Thriller Series	The Haunting of Hill House		^[27]
		Best Actor in a Streaming Presentation	Henry Thomas
		Best Actress in a Streaming Presentation	Carla Gugino
		Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Presentation	Michiel Huisman
			Timothy Hutton
		Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Presentation	Victoria Pedretti

Home media

In August 2019, it was announced that The Haunting of Hill House would be released on Blu-ray and DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment on October 15, 2019. The release includes extended director's cuts of three episodes ("Steven Sees a Ghost", "The Bent-Neck Lady" and "Silence Lay Steadily"), all of which also have audio commentaries from Flanagan, and an additional audio commentary for "Two Storms".^[28]

Follow-up series

See main article: The Haunting of Bly Manor. In October 2018, Flanagan said that a possible second season would not continue the story of the Crain family, specifying, "it's done."^[29] On February 21, 2019, Netflix renewed the series for a second season as an anthology series, titled The Haunting of Bly Manor, and based on The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.^[30] It was released on October 9, 2020.^{[31] [32] [33]} The second season features the return of several Hill House actors portraying new characters, including Victoria Pedretti,^[34] Oliver Jackson-Cohen,^[35] Henry Thomas,^[36] Kate Siegel, Katie Parker and Carla Gugino.^[37]

See also

• Other adaptations of The Haunting of Hill House

Further reading

• Web site: Bernstein. Arielle. How The Haunting of Hill House conveys the horror of family . The Guardian. October 26, 2018.
• Web site: Berriman. Ian. The Haunting of Hill House showrunner on turning the classic ghost story into a Netflix Original. GamesRadar+. October 13, 2018.
• Web site: Bloom . Mike. 'The Haunting of Hill House' Creator Addresses the Show's Biggest Terrors and Twists. The Hollywood Reporter. October 15, 2018.
• Web site: Coates. Tyler. If You Liked the Netflix Show, You Should Really Read The Haunting of Hill House. Esquire. October 25, 2018.
• Web site: Dominick. Nora. This "The Haunting Of Hill House" Detail Possibly Explains What The Crain Siblings Signify . BuzzFeed. October 23, 2018.
• Web site: Foreman. Alison. In praise of Theo, the badass lesbian hero of 'Haunting of Hill House'. Mashable. October 17, 2018.
• Web site: Green. Holly. How Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House Betrays Shirley Jackson. Paste. October 18, 2018.
• Web site: Mellor. Louisa. The Haunting Of Hill House: Comparing the TV Show and Book. Den of Geek. October 15, 2018.
• Web site: Romain. Lindsey . 12 Hidden References to the Book in The Haunting of Hill House. Nerdist. October 15, 2018.
• Web site: Roschke. Ryan. How The Haunting of Hill House Pulled Off That Incredible Funeral Home Episode. PopSugar. October 26, 2018.
• Web site: Rowney. Jo-Anne. True story behind The Haunting of Hill House - Netflix's horror series was inspired by real-life unexplained mystery. The Mirror. October 22, 2018.
• Web site: Velazquez. Alex . 'The Haunting of Hill House' Has a Major Lesbian Character With Intimacy Issues. Into. October 19, 2018.
• Wetmore, Kevin. The Streaming of Hill House: Essays on the Haunting Netflix Adaption.

External links

• • • The Haunting of Hill House at Amblin Television
• The Haunting of Hill House at Paramount Television

Notes and References

1. Web site: Goldberg. Lesley. 'Game of Thrones' Favorite to Star in 'Haunting of Hill House' Series for Netflix (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. June 13, 2017. November 13, 2017. September 7, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180907032250/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/game-thrones-favorite-star-haunting-hill-house-series-netflix-1012738. live.
2. Web site: N'Duka. Amanda. 'The Haunting Of Hill House': Netflix Sets Paxton Singleton & Julian Hilliard As Series Regulars. Deadline Hollywood. October 17, 2017. November 13, 2017. November 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211109095813/https://deadline.com/2017/10/the-haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-paxton-singleton-julian-hilliard-1202188169/. live.
3. Web site: Andreeva. Nellie. Carla Gugino To Star In 'The Haunting Of Hill House' Netflix TV Series Adaptation. Deadline Hollywood. July 18, 2017. November 13, 2017. November 3, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181103071911/https://deadline.com/2017/07/carla-gugino-cast-the-haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-tv-series-1202130554/. live.
4. Web site: Petski. Denise. Henry Thomas, Elizabeth Reaser & Kate Siegel Cast In 'The Haunting Of Hill House' Netflix TV Series Adaptation. Deadline Hollywood. August 14, 2017. November 13, 2017. September 7, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180907110145/https://deadline.com/2017/08/henry-thomas-elizabeth-reaser-kate-siegel-cast-the-haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-tv-series-adaptation-1202148738/. live.
5. Web site: Andreeva. Nellie. Timothy Hutton To Star In 'The Haunting Of Hill House' Netflix TV Series Adaptation. Deadline Hollywood. August 23, 2017. November 13, 2017. January 15, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190115214957/https://deadline.com/2017/08/timothy-hutton-cast-the-haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-tv-series-1202154645/. live.
6. Web site: N'Duka. Amanda. 'The Haunting Of Hill House': Lulu Wilson & Victoria Pedretti Cast In Netflix Series Re-Imagining. Deadline Hollywood. September 14, 2017. November 13, 2017. July 10, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180710195024/https://deadline.com/2017/09/the-haunting-of-hill-house-lulu-wilson-victoria-pedretti-netflix-series-adaptation-1202170033/. live.
7. Web site: Petski. Denise. 'The Haunting Of Hill House': Oliver Jackson-Cohen Cast In Netflix TV Series Adaptation. Deadline Hollywood. August 24, 2017. November 13, 2017. September 7, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180907032229/https://deadline.com/2017/08/the-haunting-of-hill-house-oliver-jackson-cohen-cast-netflix-tv-series-adaptation-1202155567/. live.
8. Web site: N'Duka. Amanda. 'The Haunting Of Hill House': Mckenna Grace & Violet McGraw Join Netflix Series. Deadline Hollywood. September 25, 2017. November 13, 2017. November 9, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211109104345/https://deadline.com/2017/09/the-haunting-of-hill-house-mckenna-grace-violet-mcgraw-netflix-series-1202176337/. live.
9. Web site: Andreeva. Nellie. Netflix Orders TV Series Adaptation Of 'The Haunting of Hill House' Book From Mike Flanagan, Amblin TV & Paramount TV. Deadline Hollywood. April 10, 2017. November 13, 2017. April 11, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170411030920/https://deadline.com/2017/04/the-haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-mike-flanagan-amblin-paramount-tv-1202061555/. live.
10. Web site: Hensley. Ellie. Netflix's 'The Haunting of Hill House' adaptation to film in Georgia. Atlanta Business Chronicle. August 24, 2017. November 5, 2018. September 7, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180907221523/https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/08/24/netflixs-the-haunting-of-hill-house-adaptation-to.html. live.
11. Web site: Kazek. Kelly. See the Georgia mansion featured in creepy Netflix hit 'Haunting of Hill House'. It's a Southern Thing. October 15, 2018. November 5, 2018. November 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181105100212/https://www.southernthing.com/see-the-georgia-mansion-featured-in-creepy-netflix-hit-haunting-of-hill-house-2612577799.html. live.
12. Web site: Sweeten. Julia. Inside the Real Manor from "The Haunting of Hill House". Hooked on Houses. October 29, 2018. November 5, 2018. October 31, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181031133011/https://hookedonhouses.net/2018/10/29/haunting-of-hill-house-bisham-manor/. live.
13. Web site: Stream Three Tracks From Waxwork Records' 'The Haunting Of Hill House' Vinyl Release . Forbes . Leak . Brian . October 31, 2018 . August 14, 2020 . October 31, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181031151006/https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianleak/2018/10/31/stream-three-tracks-from-waxwork-records-the-haunting-of-hill-house-vinyl-release/#5965a3b4395f . live .
14. Web site: Soundtrack Album for Netflix's 'The Haunting of Hill House' to Be Released. Film Music Reporter. October 11, 2018. January 10, 2022. en-US. January 10, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220110233428/http://filmmusicreporter.com/2018/10/11/soundtrack-album-for-netflixs-the-haunting-of-hill-house-to-be-released/. live.
15. Web site: The Haunting of Hill House: Season 1 . . 2018 . May 24, 2021 . May 23, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190523143507/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_haunting_of_hill_house/s01/ . live .
16. Web site: The Haunting of Hill House: Season 1 . . 2018 . October 13, 2018 . July 1, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190701000430/https://www.metacritic.com/tv/the-haunting-of-hill-house/season-1 . live .
17. News: The Haunting of Hill House review: by far the most complex and complete horror series of its time . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/0/haunting-hill-house-review-far-complex-complete-horror-series/ . January 12, 2022 . subscription . live . Corrodus . Corrine . October 12, 2018 . The Telegraph. October 13, 2018.
18. Web site: Netflix's Terrifying, Moving The Haunting of Hill House is Essential Viewing . Tallerico . Brian . . October 11, 2018 . October 13, 2018 . January 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190127111041/https://www.rogerebert.com/demanders/netflixs-terrifying-moving-the-haunting-of-hill-house-is-essential-viewing . live .
19. Web site: Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House: Season 1 Review . Griffin . David . October 12, 2018 . . October 13, 2018 . October 13, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181013133131/https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/10/12/netflixs-the-haunting-of-hill-house-season-1-review . live .
20. 'The Haunting Of Hill House' May Actually Be Netflix's Best Original Show Ever . Tassi . Paul . . October 26, 2018 . October 27, 2018 . December 21, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181221092238/https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2018/10/26/the-haunting-of-hill-house-may-actually-be-netflixs-best-original-show-ever/ . live .
21. News: Laughrey . Clarisse . Stephen King calls new Netflix horror The Haunting of Hill House 'close to a work of genius' . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/the-haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-show-to-watch-stephen-king-shirley-jackson-a8589651.html . June 18, 2022 . subscription . live . . October 17, 2018 . October 20, 2018.
22. Web site: Quentin Tarantino on Tel Aviv, missiles and learning Hebrew . . Hannah . Brown . January 19, 2020 . January 20, 2020 . January 20, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200120085256/https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Quentin-Tarantino-on-Tel-Aviv-missiles-and-learning-Hebrew-614493 . live .
23. Web site: Hipes . Patrick . WGA Awards TV Nominations: 'The Handmaid's Tale', 'Barry', 'SNL' Make List . . December 6, 2018 . December 8, 2018 . March 28, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190328192055/https://deadline.com/2018/12/writers-guild-awards-tv-nominations-2019-list-1202515496/ . live .
24. News: Kristopher . Tapley . ADG Excellence in Production Design Award . . January 7, 2019 . January 8, 2019 . February 2, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190202211838/https://variety.com/2019/film/news/art-directors-guild-awards-nominations-2019-1203100423/ . live .
25. Web site: Ben . Pearson . Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Honor 'Hereditary', 'Mandy', and 'The Haunting of Hill House' . . February 25, 2019 . February 25, 2019 . September 10, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190910044157/https://www.slashfilm.com/fangoria-chainsaw-awards-2019/ . live .
26. Web site: 2018 Bram Stoker Awards Winners & Nominees . . . May 11, 2019 . February 28, 2020 . November 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211125044148/http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/news/2018-bram-stoker-awards-winners-nominees/ . live .
27. Web site: Mancuso . Vinnie . 'Avengers: Endgame', 'Game of Thrones' Lead the 2019 Saturn Awards Nominations . Collider . July 17, 2019 . July 16, 2019 . July 16, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190716042350/http://collider.com/saturn-awards-nominations-2019/ . live .
28. Web site: Full Details: Extended Director's Cut of "The Haunting of Hill House" Comes Home in October . Bloody Disgusting . John . Squires . August 19, 2019 . August 19, 2019 . August 19, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190819204736/https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-video/3579274/full-details-extended-directors-cut-haunting-hill-house-comes-home-october/ . live .
29. Stack. Tim. The Haunting of Hill House creator Mike Flanagan on hidden clues, major scares, and a season 2. Entertainment Weekly. October 23, 2018. October 27, 2018. October 24, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181024075633/https://ew.com/tv/2018/10/23/the-haunting-of-hill-house-mike-flanagan-post-mortem/. live.
30. Web site: Otterson . Joe . 'Haunting of Hill House' Renewed as Anthology, Creators Ink Overall TV Deal at Netflix . . February 21, 2019 . February 21, 2019 . February 21, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190221220952/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/haunting-of-hill-house-renewed-netflix-1203144815/ . live .
31. Web site: Andreeva . Nellie . Petski . Denise . Title of 'The Haunting' 2nd Installment Revealed; Anthology Heads To Bly Manor . . February 21, 2019 . February 21, 2019 . February 21, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190221203524/https://deadline.com/2019/02/theme-the-haunting-2nd-installment-revealed-the-haunting-of-bly-manor-1202561824/ . live .
32. Web site: Bisset . Jennifer . Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House returns with second season in 2020 . CNET . February 21, 2019 . February 23, 2019 . February 22, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190222021033/https://www.cnet.com/news/netflixs-the-haunting-of-hill-house-returns-with-second-season-in-2020/ . live .
33. Web site: Netflix's 'The Haunting Of Bly Manor' Sets Launch Date, Offers First Teaser . Deadline Hollywood . Bruce . Haring . August 31, 2020 . August 31, 2020 . August 31, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200831172143/https://deadline.com/video/netflix-the-haunting-of-bly-manor-sets-launch-first-teaser/ . live .
34. Haunting of Hill House star returning as new character for season 2's Bly Manor setting . Entertainment Weekly . Nick . Romano . June 28, 2019 . June 28, 2019 . June 28, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190628213530/https://ew.com/tv/2019/06/28/haunting-of-hill-house-season-2-victoria-pedretti-bly-manor/ . live .
35. Web site: 'Hill House' Alum Oliver Jackson-Cohen Joins 'Haunting of Bly Manor' (Exclusive) . The Wrap . Jennifer . Maas . July 15, 2019 . July 15, 2019 . July 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190715203222/https://www.thewrap.com/haunting-of-bly-manor-oliver-jackson-cohen-star-haunting-of-hill-house-season-2-netflix/ . live .
36. Web site: 'Haunting of Hill House' Alum Henry Thomas Joins 'Haunting of Bly Manor' . The Wrap . Jennifer . Maas . August 28, 2019 . August 29, 2019 . August 29, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190829021057/https://www.thewrap.com/haunting-of-bly-manor-henry-thomas-hill-house-season-2-netflix/ . live .
37. Web site: 'Haunting of Hill House' Star Kate Siegel to Return for 'Haunting of Bly Manor' (Exclusive) . The Wrap . Jennifer . Maas . August 29, 2019 . August 29, 2019 . August 29, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190829204746/https://www.thewrap.com/haunting-of-bly-manor-kate-siegel-haunting-of-hill-house-season-2-netflix/ . live .