re: The Haunting of Hill House-Netflix

Finished last night. Easily the best thing I've watched this year, I felt like I did when watching Breaking Bad in that I wanted to know what happened next but I so didn't want it to end.

The usage of time hopping to tell a story, which West World disguised so well and relied upon to tell the first season's story, was really expounded upon here. The seamless transitions from doors opening, walking through thresholds, or cameras taking on a first person perspective to jump from period to period were masterfully executed.

My family recently went dealt with the suicide of one of my older brothers, and the scene in the funeral home that bounced from different perspectives dealing with denial, anger, guilt, accusations, and remorse really punched me in the gut. Credit to the writers who obviously have experienced some catastrophic loss in their own lives.

I interpreted Hugh's death as having occurred after he helped Steve get Luke out of the house. If you remember, Luke was draped between them like you'd see a football player exit the field with assistance. Thus, Hugh had to still be alive at that point.

He bargained to kill himself in order for Olivia to open the door and save the children, then he offed himself with the heart pills after he helped Steve understand the extent, the magnitude of what the house really was. And he was definitely at the top of the stairs, he didn't jump and he wasn't pushed.

I was surprised to find out that Abigail was real, and that whole scene was just brutal to watch. I suspected the Dudleys would play an important role to the outcome when Mrs. Dudley confided her loss to Olivia, and when Mr. Dudley warned Hugh about what the house did to people. When Abigail began choking I put it together. And then the scene at the end when Mr. Dudley raced through the woods to make sure she died in the house to be with her children...that got me.

The only child actor that didn't set well with me was Shirley, though the girl really did nail older Shirley's constant bitch face. I thought young Luke and Theo were fantastic.

Creepiest ghost, for me, was the fricking floating tall guy (William Hill). When he was first revealed I may have shite my pants.

Incredible series.