Mike Flanagan returns with yet another terrifying and engrossing tale which arguably does not reach the apogee attained by the first series, but it is still quite a compelling watch.
Patrick Cremona of Radio Times agrees with me on this that “The Haunting of Bly Manor” is not quite the same as the Hill House series but it has shown glimpses of its former series and is unlikely to disappoint its audience (both old and new).
Mike Flanagan had blown everyone’s minds with his “The Haunting of Hill House” series. The 2018 series, a modern adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 gothic horror redefined television horror by using simple tricks like silence, suspense, secrets, and most importantly background ghosts. However, what had captured the hearts of the people was the series’ sentimental appeal, and that is what is lacking “The Haunting of Bly Manor.” Though many readers argue that I am harsh with this opinion, it is what it is. The second series though being quite moving and enthralling lacks in logical consistency, misty-eyed reactions, and clap-worthy chronological brilliance of the former.
However, when we get the comparisons out of the way, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” is quite an outstanding series. When looked at objectively, i.e., without any bias towards its former series, it could easily be one of the best horror series in television history. In fact, those who haven’t seen “The Haunting of Hill House” will like the second season even more than the audience who have returned to see Mike Flanagan’s work of art. The director has used his tried and tested motif of using ghosts as a figurative way of displaying trauma and loneliness, and entertaining silent jump scares that revolve around the director’s gifted ability to hide ghosts in the background.
The second season does lie behind in jump scares and possess almost as many as the first one if not more. However, the series carried on with the former’s legacy of relying more on its secrets than on its ghosts. The whole story spanning over nine episodes relays itself in the backdrop of a traumatic and dark atmosphere that is consistent in every episode.
The bone-chilling moments can be seen in almost every episode, but scenes in the latter half of the series, especially in its penultimate episode can make viewers jump from their seats. You might see several ghosts roaming around in the Manor which sporadically may catch your attention but please try to ignore them because they might well be the intentionally plotted distractions to get your mind away from the expositions that are happening over the dialogues. The reason why I am saying this is because the non-linear narrative has again been repeated in this series and the maze-like plot can sometimes be too complex for our liking, but if you can pay enough attention, it’s not a Memento-Esque story. Rest assured that you will not remain clueless at the end of episode 9.
I will not write any spoilers here, but I will leave you to remind you of the fact that the story is based on a novel written by Henry James in 1898 and is at times regarded as the “most evil story you will ever read.” Victoria Pedretti’s character Dani Clayton is the central figure throughout the story which is suspicious of an evil presence at the Bly Manor where she is caretaking two children, a ten-year-old boy Miles and an eight-year-old girl Flora.
A lot of actors from the former series have returned for the anthological sequel. Catch all the suspense on Netflix on October the 9th, 2020.
Devin Smith is a creative person who has been writing blogs and articles about cybersecurity and utility software programs. He writes about the latest updates regarding office.com/setup and how it can improve the work experience of users. His articles have been published in many popular e-magazines, blogs, and websites.
Source:-https://office6.uk.net/review-of-the-haunting-of-bly-manor/
