Editor’s note: This story contains topics of death, substance abuse and spoilers of the show. 

Horror shows don’t have to be filled with jump-scares or gory scenes to be scary. 

While there are still plenty of head-turning moments in this thrilling Netflix horror series, its ghosts and ghouls hold a deeper meaning.

“The Haunting of Hill House,” loosely based on the 1959 Shirley Jackson novel of the same name, was released in 2018 and follows two timelines of one family. 

In the present day, five adult siblings grapple with the death of their youngest sister, Nell, and battle buried feelings and traumas from their past. The show also flashes back to their ghost-filled childhood home, Hill House, which is at the center of their past wounds that continue to haunt them into adulthood.

In 1992, Hugh and Olivia Crain and their five children – Steven, Shirley, Theodora (Theo), Luke and Eleanor (Nell) – move into Hill House to renovate and sell it. When the family is forced to stay longer due to renovations, they start experiencing paranormal activity that rocks them to their core. Olivia is especially tormented by ghosts and spirits, and she tragically dies in the house, leaving the rest of the family to pick up the pieces.

Mike Flanagan is the creator and director of this terrifying tale, and he’s no stranger to telling compelling ghost stories. Along with several movies he wrote and directed, he has more spooky works on Netflix, including “The Haunting of Bly Manor” and “Midnight Mass.”

I’ve watched several of Flanagan’s series and movies, but “Hill House” tops them all.

There are several aspects which make this show so eerily powerful, but the one that stands out most is the hidden meanings and messages behind the series.

For instance, an article from BuzzFeed pointed out that each of the Crain children represent the five stages of grief.

Steven (played by Michiel Huisman and Paxton Singleton,) the oldest son who grows up to be a famous author, represents denial. Throughout the show, he constantly refuses to accept what happened at Hill House and the ghosts that lurked among its halls.

Next, there’s Shirley (played by Elizabeth Reaser and Lulu Wilson,) the oldest daughter who grows up to own a mortuary. She represents anger because she’s always angry at her family, and you can see the invisible walls that she’s built up to protect herself.

A similar defense mechanism can be seen in Theo (played flawlessly by Kate Siegel and Mckenna Grace), the middle child who ends up being a child psychologist. Representing bargaining, the character always bargains for a better outcome. Constantly wearing gloves, Theo has a unique “power of touch” where she can feel other people’s emotions by touching them.

Luke (played by Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Julian Hilliard) represents depression, as he battles a heroin addiction as an adult and struggles to come to terms with Nell’s death and memories of Hill House. He and Nell are twins, and their special connection to one another is especially powerful throughout the show.

Finally, there’s Nell (beautifully played by Victoria Pedretti and Violet McGraw.) She represents acceptance, as she accepts her fate upon death and wishes to be reunited with her mother. One tear-jerking moment is when she appears as a ghost and tells her siblings, “I loved you completely. And you loved me the same. That’s all. The rest is confetti.”

At its core, the series tells a story of love, loss and acceptance, and viewers will walk away with many different interpretations of the show.

The way the show captures the horrors of living, loving and dying is eerily brilliant. The storyline, acting, cinematography and soundtrack are all exceptional, and you’ll find yourself binge-watching the next episode. 

With Flanagan’s eerily brilliant way of telling haunting and moving stories, “The Haunting of Hill House” will make you scream, sob and give you the perfect Halloween delight.

Aden Graves is an opinion writer. Contact him at [email protected].