“Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.” A dramatic opening to a dramatic series, fueled by despair, twenty-first-century tragedy, and of course traditional psychological horror. The series aired on Netflix in 2018 and did not disappoint. Based on a book written in 1959 by Shirley Jackson, the series received a high rotten tomatoes score of 93%. The series follows a family of seven house flippers who move into an ancient estate, only to be haunted by ghosts and mental illness. Though the book does not share many similarities to the Netflix series, it does share common themes, though perhaps a little more mature.

The series flips between when the characters were children, and when they are grown up. The kids deal with different issues, ranging from mundane life concerns to serious addictions and mental illness. These issues are of course only magnified when combined with a spectacular haunting. One thing that really sets this show apart is the depth of each character. Due to the detail and care paid to each character in the show, by the end, you find yourself rooting for your favorite, or yelling at the screen for a character to just make the right choice. Kim Caputo comments on the show saying that “I’ve watched the entire series three times, and I see something new, gain new insight on characters and feel like I’m understanding more of the story, in particular, The House, each time.”