Netflix
- Netflix's upcoming horror series, "The Haunting of Hill House," has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic score.
- The series is being called "the first great horror TV show" and "perfect Halloween bingeing."
- The 10-episode first season drops on Netflix October 12.
Netflix's upcoming horror series, "The Haunting of Hill House," doesn't drop on the streaming service until October 12, but it's already getting amazing buzz from critics who have seen it.
Netflix describes the series, which is based on the 1950s novel of the same name, as "flashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it." Fans shouldn't expect a direct adaptation of the novel, though, as critics note that the series is more of a reimagining.
The 10-episode first season is directed by Mike Flanagan, who is known for horror films like "Hush," "Before I Wake," "Ouija: Origin of Evil," and Netflix's "Gerald's Game." It stars Carla Gugino, who reunites with Flanagan and Netflix after starring in "Gerald's Game" last year.
The series currently has a 100% critic score on review-aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Though it's early and that's based on just seven reviews, it's a promising start.
GQ called "The Haunting of Hill House" the "first great horror TV show," even better than the likes of "Black Mirror" or "American Horror Story." "It's not for the faint of heart, and it's f------ fantastic," Tom Philip wrote.
Forbes' Merrill Barr said the show is "out to scare and on that front, it succeeds from the get-go and makes for perfect Halloween bingeing along with everyone's various slasher movie marathons."
The one small but common criticism seems to be that the show builds itself up slowly. Daniel D'Addario wrote for Variety that the show "doesn't immediately make a case for itself" but that it's "an effective scare-fest that is at its best when the tale does more than jolt the viewer."
Based on first reactions, "The Haunting of Hill House" is sure to keep viewers up at night.
Watch the chilling trailer below: