Review: 'The Haunting Of Bly Manor' Foregoes Scares for Supernatural Drama

It's very important going into Netflix's second season of their "The Haunting" series knowing that there's a bit of a genre shift. Sure, the series is about a haunting and, yes, there are ghosts and things, but where "The Haunting of Hill House" was a terrifying horror series with surprising dramatic elements that enriched the story, "The Haunting of Bly Manor" is a supernatural drama with some horror elements.

I can't stress that enough as many fans of the first season found the series by Mike Flanagan petrifying and creepy, this new season really, really focuses on the drama. There are a few minor jump scares here and there, and some ghastly imagery, but scary it is not. At all. Once you accept this fact, it will be easier to dive into the story and immerse yourself in the characters.

Based on Henry James' classic "The Turn of the Screw," "Bly House" begins in 2007 when an older woman (Carla Gugino) attending a wedding settles down by a fire with a group of wedding attendees to tell them a ghost story.

We then flash back about twenty years to the story of American au pair Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti), who accepts the job of live-in nanny for two young children, Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Flora (Amelie Bea Smith). Their benefactor is their estranged Uncle Henry (Henry Thomas), who spends his days and nights in his office, usually drunk.

Once at the palatial estate, Dani is introduced to the housekeeper Hannah (T'Nia Miller), chef and driver Owen (Rahul Kohli), and gardener Jamie (Amelia Eve). Most greet her warmly, and all seems fairly benign. Except... the children are a bit odd on occasion, and there's a stranger popping up on the property that only Dani is witness to. Or is she?

This review will not include spoilers of any kind, but suffice to say – and I know I'm repeating myself – if you go in expecting to be terrified you will be disappointed, and might even turn it off. For the first five episodes I was having a hard time getting into the series, but a lot of that was based on my expectations. Rather than thinking this will be another "Hill House," think of this as a supernatural "Downton Abbey."

One of the great surprises is that an LGBTQ subplot arises, and ends up being one of the more emotional aspects to the story. There are few romances at play here, and, despite the horrific plot turns, this is, in fact, a love story.

While I felt like "Hill House" was a masterpiece in storytelling, "Bly Manor" doesn't live up to that season. Some of the twists can be felt episodes before their reveal, and the steady pace might be off-putting to viewers wanting a scare-fest.

Ultimately, I did fall for the season, but it took a while.

One of the drawbacks of this season in an unusual performance by Pedretti, last seen as the dead sister in "Hill House." I was never sure if it was the way she was directed or her character choices, but she doesn't miss any chance to overact. She's either at a 2 or a 12, and rarely in between, to the point where a few points it was hard not to chuckle. (Her stressed out walk is something to be seen.) Other times, I was moved by her, so it's hard to review her performance because I wasn't sure if she was told to dial it up or if it was her decision.

The other actor (and I hate to get on kids' cases) is little Smith as Flora. This had to have been a director's note, but her intonation of 80% of her dialogue is odd and off-putting. She has a phrase the character likes to repeat, and while it makes sense as the story goes on, she says it so often you'd be under the table if it were part of a drinking game.

The rest of the cast is terrific. From Kohli as the kind chef to Miller (last seen in the wonderful "Years and Years") as the absolutely lovely housekeeper Hannah, the supporting actors and characters are wonderful. Oliver Jackson-Cohen shows up as an ex-driver with a secret, Tahirah Sharif is affecting as another au pair, and Kate Siegel carries a powerful episode toward the end of the season. (Also the best written and directed of the nine episodes. I smell Emmy.)

As usual, the entire show looks terrific, with spectacular production design by Patricio M. Farrell, an affecting score by The Newton Brothers, and direction by Ciaran Foy, Flanagan, and others.

Ultimately, the second season of the anthology series is touching and weirdly sweet in a heart-wrenching and devastatingly sad way, but it needs to be put in the perspective. It's not going to keep you hiding under your blankets. But it might touch your heart.

I still think "Hill House" was the best season so far, but Flanagan and his writers and directors have still crafted a special installment that only makes you anxious for more hauntings to come.

"The Haunting of Bly Manor" is now streaming at Netflix.