After an au pair’s tragic death, Henry Wingrave hires a young American nanny to care for his orphaned niece and nephew who reside at Bly Manor with the estate’s chef Owen, groundskeeper Jamie and housekeeper, Mrs. Grose. But all is not as it seems at the manor, and centuries of dark secrets of love and loss are waiting to be unearthed in this chilling gothic romance. At Bly Manor, dead doesn’t mean gone.
Mike Flanagan, along with his writers, and production crew have the Midas touch when it comes to the Netflix Horror series. “The Haunting of Hill House” and his recent “Midnight Mass” did not reinvent the genre, but both have been some of the most thoughtful horror outings in recent memory.
Featuring complex characters and a moody atmosphere, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” is a fresh take on the Gothic Horror ‘The Turn of the Screw’ by Henry James. In James’ classic novella, a governess arrives at an old estate to care for two children while becoming convinced that its grounds are supernatural. The series begins at a wedding in Northern California where the guests convene around a fireplace. In striking grey hair with a British cadence, The Storyteller (Carla Gugino) narrates her tale of Bly Manor.
Set in 1987, the tale centers on Dani (Victoria Pedretti), a young woman that has just moved to London for work. After she arrives at Henry’s (Henry Thomas) office, Dani is offered a position as a nanny for his niece and nephew Flora and Miles (Amelie Bea Smith and Benjamin Evans Ainsworth) at Bly Manor. In between conversations, whenever Dani sees a reflection, a large man with round glasses and glowing lenses looms behind her. Although she has seen this spectacled apparition before, it does not make his appearance any less frightening. Upon accepting the nanny position, Dani is picked up by Owen (Rahul Kohli), the chef and comedic relief for the Manor.
Bly Manor is intimidatingly stately with sprawling gardens and Gothic architecture. Cinematography by Maxine Alexander and James Kniest captures the right angles, elevating the tension, and frame some beautiful shots. As Dani explores the rustic estate, she discovers bizarre handmade figurines stashed in odd places. More of these figurines are placed around Flora’s dollhouse which is an exact replica of the Manor. Hannah (T’Nia Miller), the property’s caretaker, keeps losing track of time and the series creatively plays with its important events and timelines.
Although there are typical haunted house elements here and there, “The Haunting of Bly Manor” remains engaging throughout. And just like “Midnight Mass,” this series has an emotional depth and payoff that is missing in a majority of productions.
Now available to stream on Netflix, and on Blu-ray, and DVD
