Review of “The Haunting of Bly Manor”

Happy Spooky Season! There are lots of new shows out this October, but we wanted to give you the inside scoop of a show that gave us chills, heartaches and tears all in the span of a few episodes. The Haunting of Bly Manor is a show that is perfect to watch for Halloween as a safe way to celebrate inside this year. However, this show also has elements in it for people who are not usually a big fan of scary movies. While Ishani and I both loved the show, we have different opinions on some of the elements within it. If you want to know more about this show, please read on! 

Warning: There may be some spoilers!

Compared to The Haunting of Hill House

Lindsey: In 2018, The Haunting of Hill House was the original season that played on familial bonds, betrayal and large creepy houses. While I am a big fan of both seasons, I believe that The Haunting of Bly Manor was less frightening. While the reflections in the mirror and the lady in the lake are hypnotic and uncomfortable, I did not find them scary. In The Haunting of Hill House, I still have a vivid image of the terrifying Tall Man as well as the Lady with the crooked neck. If you are choosing between the two shows to watch this Halloween, The Haunting of Hill House is far scarier than The Haunting of Bly Manor. That being said, both shows contain complex elements that will pique your interests. 

Ishani: The Haunting of Hill House is by far the most terrifying one season horror show that Netflix put out! Not to mention the amazing production in terms of the set and location— I mean nothing screams scary like an old mansion in the middle of nowhere. The emphasis on family dynamics and the way siblings talk to each other was portrayed really accurately in my opinion. Whereas the production quality of The Haunting of Bly Manor was the same in the sense that there was still a spooky mansion with old ghosts, I think the special effects definitely improved where the faces of the ghosts were fading as time passed which I thought was cool. But if I were to rate both the shows on a scale of casual thriller watch to holding my blankets over my eyes, The Haunting of Hill House would fare higher!

Actors and Actresses Within the Show

Lindsey: Okay…I KNOW I’m going to get heat for this, but I am just not a fan of Victoria Pedretti, who plays Danielle (the au pair) in the show. While she has beautiful moments performing an innocent, kind-hearted woman, I felt that Victoria often fell flat in her performance of this character. I felt many facial expressions were forced and unnecessary. Victoria performed either perfectly or horrendously and in acting, there is no room for hot and cold performances. That being said, I think the child actors in this show were some of the best actors I have ever seen. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth (Miles Wingrave) and Amelia Bea Smith (Flora Wingrave) were absolutely haunting. Furthermore, T’Nia Miller (Hannah the care-taker ) and Amelia Neve (Jamie the gardener) had performances that are sure to haunt watchers for months on end. Jamie’s powerful acting within her personal love story caused me to have an ache for a lost lover I’ve never had. T’Nia Miller delivered a performance of Hannah that showed you the inner emotions of a character that was incredibly complex. Within Hannah’s eyes and movement, watchers are sure to know every single emotion that Hannah felt. Overall, the acting was phenomenal.

Ishani: I think I agree with Lindsey on this one, Victoria Pedretti’s performance was up and down with the way she had pretty much the same five expressions throughout the show. I think that Kate Siegel (Viola Willoughby, the elder sister of the two ghosts) did an amazing job when she was acting as the more stern and headstrong sister. Her expressions of anger as she was the ghost seeing her younger sister get with her husband against her wishes were amazing!  T’Nia Miller (Hannah, the caretaker) through her memory-hopping scenes was also something to observe. She conveyed her confusion with accuracy and even got her emotions for Rahul Kohli (Owen Sharma the cook) through very accurately! You could see her longing for them to continue and pursue their obvious romantic connection.

Love Amongst the Characters

Lindsey: When it comes to love stories, there were many different paths to follow. There was the love story between Hannah and Owen, Dani and Jamie, Henry and Cara, and many other characters. However, the two that I found to be most powerful were the ones between Flora and Miles, and Dani and Jamie. 

When originally thinking of a love story, Flora and Miles may not come to mind. However, the love that Flora had for her brother is ultimately what saved him from being captured by Viola and being stuck in the house forever. Flora and Miles often protected each other from the events that occurred in the house. Previously, Miles had saved Flora from being alone in the house, sacrificing his life and reputation at boarding school. In the end, Flora’s scream and desire to stay at Bly Manor saved her brother from death. The brother and sister connection that they share is forever and is ultimately a demonstration of a developed love story. 

The relationship between Dani and Jamie intrigues viewers from the beginning. Dani had not fully been in love with her fiance, which is part of the reason why she feels so guilty after the car accident that ultimately ended his life. When coming to Bly Manor, Dani finally accepts the love that she has for women and envelopes herself within the embrace of a tough, charismatic, gardener named Jamie. Ultimately, their love for each other is eternal and demonstrates the kind of love that can haunt one forever. When Dani ultimately leaves to protect her lover, Jamie is never the same. While she did not physically die, Jamie is not alive after she loses Dani. Even if you are not into scary movies, the elements of love within this film will be sure to capture your attention. 

Ishani: I think the love story that really affected me was that of Peter Quint and Rebecca. Your typical toxic boy love story where you overlook the red flags in your significant other only because you feel like this is what’s best for you. I think it’s always easier to look at why relationships won’t work out from the outside versus when you are actually in this situation. It’s harder to understand what’s going on. 

Obviously, the love between Dani and Jamie is what I want to talk more about. Anyone who has watched this show will tell you how palpable their chemistry was! I loved how they spoke about sexuality and its variations without actually giving anyone labels. I think their personalities mesh really well together; one is soft with her words and the other is blunt and direct. The way it ends makes me really happy because Dani sacrifices herself just so the ghost that possesses her doesn’t get to Jamie. I think that’s the biggest act of love in this situation and it’s really heartbreaking to see that Jamie waits up for her every night after hoping Dani’s ghost will one day come and visit her. 

Overall, we highly recommend this show! Watch it this October with your boyfriend, girlfriend, roommates, or family members. It has aspects that will appeal to everyone. Happy Halloween and stay safe!   

• horror
• Netflix