on Google Preferred Source Google News Link copied to clipboard By Maria Loreto Published Sep 5, 2026, 11:46 PM EDT What to Watch Flanagan doesn't miss
Image: Netflix Sign in to your Polygon.com account Add Us Add on Google Preferred Source Google News Summary Generate a summary of this story Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap Gothic stories have a long shelf life. First published hundreds of years ago and tackling numerous topics, the earliest gothic books and novellas are often packed with ambiance: old and creaky manors, moody weather, hauntings, romantic twists, and longing amid the stress of a hysterical era. These are stories about women caring for scary kids, buried family secrets, and numerous takes on Frankenstein that range from faithful interpretations to action-adventures.
In recent years, Mike Flanagan has come out as a leading figure in the realm of adaptations and horror stories, adapting various Stephen King novels to great success along with several original movies and shows. His first big break came in 2018 when he started an anthology series based on classical horror works. The Haunting of Hill House , adapted from the landmark Shirley Jackson novel, was the first — and it quickly became a Netflix phenomenon. Two years later, Flanagan followed it with The Haunting of Bly Manor , a smaller and weirder story that drew inspiration from Henry James’ “The Turn of the Screw,” one of the most adapted novellas in history.
As summer ends and Halloween draws closer, there's no better way to ease into spooky season than by revisiting The Haunting of Bly Manor , either one episode at a time or in a single weekend binge.
Image: Netflix “The Turn of the Screw” follows a governess that moves into a remote manor in England to care for two orphaned children. The woman starts to see strange things in the manor, and she grows convinced that the children are being haunted by some presence. Originally published in 1898, the novella continues to intrigue filmmakers and writers. Various adaptations have changed the setting, time period, relationship of the woman to the children, and even the source of fear. Still, the same effective formula remains.
While Flanagan has delivered faithful adaptations throughout his career, with this anthology series he gave himself more freedom. Both Hill House and Bly Manor are liberal adaptations, finding Flanagan borrowing the ideas that interest him. His version of “The Turn of the Screw” follows the same outline of the story but adapted to the ‘80s. It follows an American au pair (played by Hill House’s breakout star Victoria Pedretti) newly arrived in England, who finds a job caring for two orphaned kids in Bly Manor, an old estate tended by its staff. As the episodes unfold, we explore her past, get to know the people that work on the estate, and develop an understanding of the manor itself and what caused the haunting that wreaks havoc on all of its residents.
The series kicks off with a similar framing device that’s in “The Turn of the Screw” and that’s common in Gothic stories: a gathering of people, huddled around a fire, with someone telling a scary story. It then spins some modern interpretation of the topics that the novella explores. Flanagan pays attention to the governess’ fragile state of mind and explores the romanc…