The “Haunting of Hill House” was one of the most chilling and brilliant scary TV shows to stream on Netflix. Setting the bar high with an exceptional first season, San Luis Obispo High School students want to know about its subsequent series, “The Haunting of Bly Manor.”
Set in an ancient mansion in 1980’s Britain, “Bly Manor” sets up for the ultimate nostalgic thriller, with many of the same cast members from “Hill House” (because who wouldn’t want to see them again?) With its colorful history, the manor is populated with tens of hidden ghosts wandering the property and spooking the employees and residents.
Expressions reached out to film production president and senior Ian McKay, a known fan of “The Haunting of Hill House,” for his opinion on the second series.
“‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ has a lot going for it: it retains director Mike Flanagan’s deep, heart-wrenching style, which weaves unexpected sadness into the expected fear (a poignant combination), and of course, a brand new mystery to pour ourselves into,” said McKay.
“But ‘Bly Manor’ suffers from the unfortunate circumstance of following Hill House; the returning viewer can’t help but compare it to its predecessor. Entering the world of Bly Manor with the context of ‘Hill House’ sets a subconscious expectation, an unsaid promise which the follow-up just doesn’t completely fulfill.”
Although completely binge-worthy, “Bly Manor” just did not thrill the same way as its predecessor. McKay identified the issue:
“The problem with the series is that the frame itself is restricted, sequestered into a limited set of locations, almost never leaving the grounds. While this is likely symbolic (and predictive) of Bly’s inescapable nature after death, it also restricts the story itself.
There are definite highlights to the series that followed the brilliance that is “Hill House.” The portrayal of each protagonist was brilliant. There are ample hidden figures in the background of each scene to startle the viewer, but, as McKay put it,“This repeated attack on our psyches definitely strikes a blow, but it simply bruises; it doesn’t penetrate the skin like ‘Hill House’ does.”
