Netflix’s most notable release this week was The Fall of the House of Usher, another in a long line of horror series helmed by filmmaker Mike Flanagan. Previously known for his writing, directing, and editing work on the movies Oculus, Hush, Ouija: Origin of Evil, and Gerald’s Game, Flanagan has now become the pinnacle of horror television for Netflix, with House of Usher being his fifth series to date. And it’s absolutely worth checking out.
The Fall of the House of Usher Plot
Aging pharmaceutical company CEO Roderick Usher lets the darkness of his past resurface when he realizes his life spent building a modern empire has led to the demise of his six adult children. Told in a scattered narrative to the man investigating Usher, the man haunted by a lifetime of ghosts unravels the terrifying truth behind his wealth and privilege.
Flanagan’s Horror Auteur Blending With Crowd-Pleasing Sensibilities
Though Flanagan started his Netflix miniseries career by modernizing Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, fans of the prolific creator will instantly notice that the signature Flanagan style has reached its most current and relevant in The Fall of the House of Usher. Despite being based on the Edgar Allan Poe story by the same name, House of Usher is reminiscent of Succession in its interactions between a multi-billion-dollar company owner and his several spoiled children, who have used nepotism to create personalized evils. Luckily, the supernatural thread of his shows remains constantly present, with the supposed accidents causing character deaths tethered by a recurring evil presence from Roderick’s past.
Another Incredible Cast
Flanagan is known not only as a brilliant horror writer, adaptor, and director but also as a filmmaker who fosters a positive environment for making movies and television. With an astounding 23 actors returning to work with Flanagan on The Fall of the House of Usher, this is one of his best ensembles ever. In central roles, Bruce Greenwood and Carla Gugino make startling impressions as the haunted and the haunter of this Poe-inspired tale; additionally, Henry Thomas, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, T’Nia Miller, and Flanagan’s wife and frequent filmmaking partner Kate Siegel all make the most of their screentime.
‘The Fall of the House of Usher’
As a group, the returning cast members work effectively to heighten the energy in a show with almost no moments of gentleness or politeness. Through the intensity of their high-profile, ultra-rich lifestyles, there is no sense of reprieve from beginning to end. Rounding out the cast is a consistently sinister Mark Hamill, whose grizzled look and villainous vocal abilities after years as the animated version of The Joker earn him a deserving place alongside an equally menacing Mary McDonnell as new additions to the Flanagan actor camp.
Modern and Eternal Evils Combine in House of Usher
Though the perpetrators of the opioid epidemic may be the hottest topic he has covered in his character-driven horror stories, Flanagan and his collaborative teleplay writers successfully weave in the common elements of Poe’s gothic masterpieces in this updated take. Using inspiration from numerous Poe stories (highlighted by the episode titles), the universal appeal of Poe’s corrupted humanity, guilt, and darkness in us all becomes all its own in The Fall of the House of Usher. For Flanagan fans and newcomers to horror alike, the miniseries is another stellar example of the filmmaker’s dramatic and tonal mastery of his craft.
The Fall of the House of Usher is streaming now on Netflix.