The Haunting of Hill House

let's just get that out of the way first. but this show transcends genre in a way that few shows ever really manage. not much of a ghost story than an exploration of deeply rooted family trauma, grief, and the ghosts we carry with us. one of the VERY few shows i've willingly rewatched. love that it's so deeply committed to the family aspect. yeah, there are genuinely terrifying moments, but the real horror remains much deeper: the horror of not being believed. of watching your family fall apart. of grief that never ends. of becoming the parent you resented. the ghosts are quite literally manifestations of trauma that refuses to stay buried. most horror loses its impact on a second viewing once you know the scares. but hill house somehow gets richer: you notice the hidden ghosts in the background. you understand the weight of certain conversations. you see how carefully every piece was laid from the beginning. the emotional devastation somehow hits even harder when you know what's coming. the show uses horror as a vehicle to explore how families deal with (or fail to deal with, if we're being real) tragedy, and that's why it works even for someone like me who isn't typically drawn to the genre.