3 ‘Haunting of Hill House’ Episodes That Are Perfect From Start to Finish

The Haunting of Hill House arrived on streaming in October 2018, marking the first of director Mike Flanagan’s Netflix original horror series. Over the course of 10 bone chilling episodes, the series not only masterfully blended horror and emotional family drama to capture the depth and complexity of loss and grief, but also cemented itself as one of the best horror series of all time.

Based on Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novel of the same name, Hill House centers around the five adult Crain siblings – Steven, Shirley, Theodora, Luke, and Nellie – who are forced to confront the ghosts of their past after reuniting following a family tragedy. The series is split between two timelines – 1992, when the Crain family first moved to Hill House and one fateful night that changed everything, and the present day, as the Crains continue to be haunted by the mansion they fled.

Along with Michiel Huisman, Elizabeth Reaser, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Kate Siegel, and Victoria Pedretti starring as the adult Crain siblings, Paxton Singleton, Lulu Wilson, McKenna Grace, Julian Hilliard, and Violet McGraw starred as their younger counterparts.

While Hill House is still regarded as a modern horror masterpiece and all 10 episodes were met with high critical praise, there were still a few standouts. Keep scrolling to find out the best Hill House episodes.

“Silence Lay Steadily” (Episode 10)

Marking the finale of the 10-episode season, “Silence Lay Steadily” pulls back the curtain on the mysteries of Hill House and serves as the culmination of the Crain children’s journey through grief.

As Steve, Shirley, Theo, and Luke are drawn back to Hill House for a final time, they are forced to confront their traumas and make peace with their losses in the Red Room, which is revealed to have manifested itself differently for each of them throughout that single, ill-fated summer at Hill House – a toy room for Nelle, a tree house for Luke, a dance studio for Theo, a family room for Shirley, and a game room for Steve.

Balancing the tension-based horror the series became known for and emotional character interactions, “Silence Lay Steadily” wraps up the show perfectly, offering a glimmer of hope an emotional absolution for the Crain kids.

“The Bent-Neck Lady” (Episode 5)

Marking the final episode of the series to center around one of the Crain siblings, “The Bent-Neck Lady” focuses on Nell. Telling her story in the past, as she is haunted by a mysterious figure known as the Bent-Neck Lady, and the present, as she is drawn back to Hill House, Episode 5 plays off hours of build-up, and in a moment considered to be one of the most shocking plot twists on TV, it is revealed that Nell is the Bent-Neck Lady who has haunted herself ever since that summer at Hill House.

“The Bent-Neck Lady” was the most devastating episodes of the series. Featuring strong performances by both Victoria Pedretti and Violet McGraw, the episode turned what could have been a run-of-the-mill ghost story into a tragic tale of grief, loss, and absolution.

“Two Storms” (Episode 6)

While “The Bent-Neck Lady” may be regarded as the most haunting episode of the series, “Two Storms” has been regarded as TV masterpiece ever since its release. Following the Crain family in the current timeline as they gather at Shirley’s funeral home the rainy night before Nell’s funeral amid flashbacks as a giant storm ravaged Hill House, the episode was captured in five long shots, including a 17-minute tracking shot capturing a family falling apart throughout the funeral home, which transforms into the Hill House of the past.

More than just the cinematography, “Two Storms” features some of the best performances in the show as the Crains grapple with Nell’s loss and lingering affects Hill House has had on their lives.

The Haunting of Hill House is available to stream on Netflix alongside Flanagan’s other horror titles, including the 2020 Hill House follow-up The Haunting of Bly Manor.