--- title: "The Haunting of Hill House: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-haunting-of-hill-house/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/the-haunting-of-hill-house" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Haunting of Hill House (2018): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 12 reviews: 11 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like it, and the praise gathers in one place: the decision to treat the haunting as a story about family trauma rather than a run of frights. The reviews repeatedly find that the Crain siblings’ adult lives are where the dread sits, that the scares are patient and land harder for it, and that the cast holds two timelines together. Flanagan’s direction, his long takes in particular, is singled out, as is Carla Gugino. The reservations are about length. Several reviews find ten episodes more than the story needs, with too much exposition; Vulture, the one mixed notice, calls the pace plodding and the episodes overlong, while allowing that the ghost story lingers. IndieWire agrees on the bloat but still comes down in favour. The spread is narrow, from warm to warmer: The Telegraph at the top calls it revolutionary, and most of the rest settle for calling it good, serious horror. ## The Telegraph Rating 5/5. 12 October 2018. The critic hails it as by far the most complex and complete horror series of its time, revolutionary in shifting focus to the lasting psychological trauma on the Crain family. Singles out the slow-build terror, rich character vignettes, and strong performances across timelines. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/on-demand/0/haunting-hill-house-review-far-complex-complete-horror-series/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 2018. Netflix's 10-episode adaptation delivers sustained scares alongside rich character work exploring family trauma. It stands out for its layered narrative structure across multiple timelines and effective mix of jump scares with deeper emotional resonance. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/haunting-hill-house-review-1149714/) ## The AV Club — Katie Rife Rating B+. 11 October 2018. The show stands out as the most moving depiction of generational trauma in 2018 horror, blending effective scares with deep emotional weight. Its execution layers family dynamics beneath the horror in compelling ways despite some predictable elements. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/sorry-hereditary-but-the-haunting-of-hill-house-is-th-1829659438) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Rating B. 12 October 2018. The series works best when it moves beyond standard haunted house tropes to deliver an emotionally resonant story about family trauma. It shows Netflix-style ambition with strong performances and creative flourishes but can feel bloated and exposition-heavy. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-review-season-1-1202010900/) ## Empire — Boyd Hilton Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2018. The series is an ambitious, slow-burn horror update that prioritizes atmosphere and character over jump scares. It excels in building a creepy Gothic mood and making viewers care about the troubled Crane siblings across timelines. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/haunting-hill-house-review/) ## Variety — Daniel D'Addario Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2018. The series succeeds as a modern horror story that emphasizes overcoming trauma and family discord over pure frights. It is singled out for its insightful post-haunting focus on the siblings' adult lives and memories as the true source of dread. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/tv/reviews/haunting-of-hill-house-review-netflix-1202953629/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 11 October 2018. The series delivers strong scares and unsettling imagery once it builds momentum but suffers from a plodding pace and overly long episodes. It succeeds as a ghost story that lingers in the mind despite its flaws. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/the-haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-review.html) ## The Ringer — Miles Surrey Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2018. The critic calls it Netflix’s first truly great horror series, a successful fusion of family drama and scares that works like a haunted version of This Is Us. They single out the insidious, living haunted house and Flanagan’s technical direction, especially long takes, for praise. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2018/10/15/tv/haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-horror-series) ## Collider — Adam Chitwood Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 16 October 2018. The series is a deeper, more emotionally devastating family drama than expected, more in the vein of Six Feet Under than pure horror. Flanagan excels at character work and emotional payoffs while delivering scares. [Read the review](https://collider.com/haunting-of-hill-house-review-netflix/) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2018. It blends supernatural horror with psychological family drama in an emotionally powerful way, remaining true to the spirit of the source material. The focus on grief, trauma, and strong performances, especially Carla Gugino, stands out. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/561218/the-haunting-of-hill-house-review-a-terrifying-blend-of-supernatural-horror-and-psychological-drama/) ## Den of Geek Rating 4/5. 12 October 2018. The series blends supernatural horror with emotional family drama in the style of This Is Us, delivering genuine scares alongside explorations of trauma and addiction. Viewers seeking ghosts will find more depth in the haunted lives of the characters. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-haunting-of-hill-house-review-spoiler-free/) ## Digital Spy — Josh Winning Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 2018. Flanagan's adaptation forges a fresh family-driven narrative that balances scares and emotion with reverence for the source while adding new elements. It is at times gripping and moody but not always fully successful in its mix of horror and heart. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a866893/haunting-of-hill-house-netflix-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/the-haunting-of-hill-house.md