With October in full swing, its officially Halloween season. As such, plenty of folks out there are looking for a scare, and watching new TV and film content as a result. Netflix delivered for the holiday with the highly anticipated limited series The Haunting of Bly Manor, which is Mike Flanagan's follow-up to Hill House. The season was released in its entirety last weekend, and the reactions by the fandom are fantastic.
Just like The Haunting of Hill House before it, The Haunting of Bly Manor tells a decidedly spooky story, while also being rooted in grounded characters and real-life issues. What results is a thrilling and emotional experience, one that inspired viewers to take to social media in response. One fan joked about the show's framing device, which features Carla Gugino telling a scary story that ends up being the events of the season.
Same, though. Carla Gugino previously collaborated with Mike Flanagan in The Haunting of Hill House and the movie Gerald's Game, so fans were eager to see her appear in Bly Manor. While she didn't get a ton of screen time, her narration helps move each episode forward, and reminds us that we're following a story within a story.
Just like its predecessor, The Haunting of Bly Manor is a character-driven story, which also featured a handful of unexpected scares. And while it's the tension of the property that will inspire Netflix subscribers to keep binge watching, the nine-episode season also has its fair share of tear-inducing moments. Plenty of Twitter responses have focused on this, often through using popular memes. Check it out below.
Scarlett Johansson might not have a role in The Haunting of Bly manor, but that hasn't stopped her from making this unlikely crossover. Both ScarJo and her Marriage Story co-star Adam Driver have been memed countless times since their Oscar nominated movie arrived on Netflix, and it doesn't look like that'll be slowing down anytime soon.
The Haunting of Bly Manor features a mix of new and returning faces, with the cast making up the staff of the titular haunted house. One of the standouts is Rahul Kohli as Owen Sharma, the chef of the mouse. Netflix subscribers were immediately taken with Kohli, specifically his awesome mustache rocked throughout the course of the series.
As previously mentioned, The Haunting of Bly Manor is a show that's about much more than ghosts and scares. Each member of the leading cast is dealing with their own internal demons, with grief and survivor's guilt being one of the main themes. This makes the show an emotional viewing experience, with some fans using memes of Bly Manor's footage itself to help share their feelings. Check it out below.
In addition to being a show that will have you both jumping and reaching for the tissues, The Haunting of Bly Manor features a group of intriguing and well-rounded female characters. This is another point of praise for the Netflix limited series, which is currently trending as the #1 show on the streaming service. The twittersphere reacted as expected, including the use of popular Little Women memes.
Of course, there are sure to be plenty of comparisons made between The Haunting of Bly Manor and its predecessor The Haunting of Hill House. Because while they both share Mike Flanagan's taste as a filmmaker, the stories are quite different. Online some fans compared and contrasted the two seasons' cinematography. Check it out below.
This shouldn't be the end to comparisons between the two season of the Haunting anthology series. Still, the timing of The Haunting of Bly Manor arriving just in time for Halloween should inspire a ton of Netflix subscribers to tune in. And with Netflix also offering lighter fare with projects like Hubie Halloween, there's something for everyone this Halloween season.
The Haunting of Bly Manor is currently streaming in its entirety on Netflix. Be sure to check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
