I completely cherished The Haunting of Hill Home when it was launched on Netflix final 12 months. I needed a second season however knew that wasn’t doable because the story had a really satisfying ending. However I obtained to have my cake and eat it too, as The Haunting was later introduced as an anthology sequence, with The Haunting of Bly Manor because the second season. Bly Manor was launched final week and I’ve had an opportunity to observe all of it now.
For starters, this isn’t your “typical” horror (if such a factor even existed within the first place). It’s refined horror, with what occurs within the background typically much more terrifying than what’s proper in entrance of you. It’s my favourite form of horror (nicely, virtually), because it feels extra reasonable than a whole lot of scary-for-the-sake-of-scary horror flicks.
Bly Manor can also be multifaceted horror as a result of it’s virtually a horror story within a horror story within a horror story. Inside a haunted home. There’s loads occurring right here, and you actually should pay shut consideration to every little thing occurring. In truth, as soon as I discovered lots of the key plot factors, I already needed to observe it a second time to catch the little issues I missed the primary go round.
It Begins Gradual however Hits a Excessive Notice Round Episode 4
The story begins with a rehearsal dinner for a marriage. It’s unclear who’s getting married (at the least to begin), but it surely’s apparent there’s some historical past between a few the characters within the wedding ceremony social gathering. It begins with a speech, then transitions to drinks and tales amongst folks, when one girl speaks up and says she “has a narrative” however shortly notes that’s it’s not her story.
That specific bit can’t be missed, as a result of it units the tone for Bly Manor proper out of the gate. From that time ahead, this girl is the narrator of the story, and there a moments each episode or two to remind you of it with some voiceover. Save for one storyteller-driven episode, the story tells itself.
There are solely 9 episodes within the season, and also you’ll spend the primary few attempting to get a really feel for the characters in Bly Manor. There’s Bly’s inherited proprietor, Henry Wingrave; the housekeeper, Hannah Grose; the prepare dinner, Owen; the gardener, Jamie; Henry’s niece and nephew, Miles and Flora; and the American au pair that the story revolves round, Dani Clayton. Dani is, for all intents and functions, the present’s fundamental character. Whereas these are the first characters, backstory characters like Peter Quint and Rebecca Jessel are simply as vital to the general story.
Every character is nuanced and sophisticated, so that you’ll even have to determine what’s actually occurring with every of them. It’s established early on that Dani is operating from one thing, however you’ll have to observe a number of episodes to determine what that factor is. It’s additionally clear from the beginning that one thing is awry on the manor, but it surely’s unclear what it truly is. For those who watched Hill Home, nevertheless, examine your expectations on the door—it is a completely totally different sort of haunting.
The primary handful of episodes set the precedent for the present after which take a flip round episode 4 the place you begin to get some backstory. Numerous backstories proceed via the subsequent handful of episodes—together with the anticipated backstory of The Girl of the Lake in episode eight—earlier than all of it involves a conclusion in episode 9. The weaving of present story with backstory is usually a little laborious to comply with at instances (taking a look at you, episode 5), but it surely turns into clearer as you method the finale.
It’s a Story About Horror, however It’s Additionally About Love
One of many greatest complaints I heard about Bly Manor upon launch was that it isn’t as scary as Hill Home. That’s true to some extent, particularly as you get nearer to the finale—it turns into much less of a narrative about ghosts and hauntings and extra of a narrative about folks, relationships, feelings, and even love.
However that’s a giant a part of what makes Bly Manor particular. Each character has a brokenness about them, which turns into a bond between them (even when they don’t understand it). They’re all very totally different folks with very totally different tales, however the frequent thread that binds all of them is ache. They ache due to loss in a single type or one other, however they discover consolation in one another.
And the story of ache isn’t simply true for the residing characters within the story, but in addition the lifeless ones. I’m not one to supply spoilers so I received’t go into element there, however the storytelling all through is heartfelt and real in a approach that you just don’t typically discover in most horror.
It’s Value Watching however Isn’t with out Its Personal Points
I actually loved The Haunting of Bly Manor, however as with most exhibits or films, if you consider it lengthy sufficient you’ll discover little quirks all through that don’t add up.
As you get misplaced in every episode, you’ll virtually neglect that it’s a narrative being informed at a gathering, save for the occasional voiceover from the storyteller. However there are particular components of the story that it’s a must to surprise how the storyteller knew within the first place—issues that had been seemingly solely recognized by one or two characters. There are additionally different particulars all through that don’t fairly add up, however I received’t point out these as to keep away from spoilers.
These sorts of moments create small holes within the general story being informed, however hey—nothing is ideal. I didn’t discover them jarring sufficient to interrupt the general movement of the story being informed or the sweetness held inside the haunted partitions of Bly Manor.
Nuanced or not, Bly Manor is a wonderful watch that I wholeheartedly advocate not simply to horror followers, however anybody who loves a very good story and might deal with only a slight quantity of horror.