Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Elegant ghost story with romance, language, smoking, scares.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
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Where to Watch
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The Haunting of Bly Manor
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
Based on 26 kid reviews
Kids say this show presents a blend of horror and heartfelt storytelling, often focusing more on emotional themes rather than sheer fright, making it suitable for older teens and young adults rather than younger children. While some reviewers appreciate the romance and character development, others note the presence of strong language and mature themes, advising mature viewers to gauge its appropriateness for younger audiences.
- emotional depth
- teen suitability
- strong language
- romance focus
- not overly scary
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Created by The Haunting of Hill House's Mike Flanagan, THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR is based on Henry James' 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw. When Dani (Victoria Pedretti) accepts a live-in nanny job from the stern and snobbish Henry Wingrave (Henry Thomas), he warns her that her charges Flora (Amelia Bea Smith) and Miles (Benjamin Ainsworth) are exceptional, but ... challenging. And that their latest governess, Miss Jessel (Tahirah Sharif), died by suicide somewhere on the grounds of the vast and commanding Bly Manor, leaving the children in the hands of live-in housekeeper Mrs. Grose (T'Nia Miller). But what Dani is not prepared for is how the house and its inhabitants begin to break down her defenses, leaving her vulnerable to the otherworldly attacks she soon starts to suffer. Or is it all in her mind? As strange figures pop up unexpectedly and disappear just as quickly, Dani wonders whether Bly Manor is having an effect on her—or if she's having an effect on it.
Is It Any Good?
Smart, spooky, and based on a literary classic that's been giving readers the willies since 1898, this (literally) haunting series is a worthy follow-up. The Haunting of Bly Manor also hews closer to its source material than Flanagan's The Haunting of Hill House did, which turns out to be a very good thing. Of course, since Henry James first serialized The Turn of the Screw in 1898, the "creepy kids" trope has been done to death; horror fans sigh these days when they see a young child in a movie because they know they'll be subjected to innumerable "it's scary because a little kid said it" lines, eerie childlike laughter, and so on. But Bly's Flora and Miles don't feel like children trying to act scary; with their stiff backs, regular-kid looks, and overly formal English-accented way of speaking, they seem like characters out of time, something from Dickens or Frances Hodgson Burnett: Children who have seen too much for their age. They're truly sinister, and though it's hard to tell if they're directing some of the evil of their home or just molding themselves to their surroundings, viewers will soon learn to wince a little when they show up with serious expressions, because it probably means something deeply creepy is about to occur.
With her wide eyes and young voice, Dani is our avatar, walking into Bly totally unprepared. But just as the unnamed governess in James' original had darkness in her past, Dani is running from something. Does it have something to do with the reason she fled to England and refuses to go home to America, and why she keeps the mirrors in her room covered? Would a woman without her past be able to see the mysterious figures that appear and disappear on Bly's grounds, and would they linger to try to make sense of what's happening? Dani thinks she's protecting Miles and Flora; the children know there's not much they can do to shield Dani even if they wanted to, and it's not clear they do. Fans of gory and sensational horror movies may find Bly's revelations to be doled out at too slow a pace, but The Haunting of Bly Manor is a spine-tingling delight to viewers who appreciate a ghost story that casts an elegant spell.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way The Haunting of Bly Manor is creepy but not excessively gory. How does it manage to be so frightening without being too graphic? What methods do the filmmakers use to set the tone?
Why are movies about ghosts and haunted houses enduringly popular? Why do some people sometimes like being scared? Do you?
Have you seen any of the other adaptations of Henry James' The Turn of the Screw, such as 1961's The Innocents or 1972's The Nightcomers? Would it surprise you to learn that there are many other TV shows, films, books, and even an opera inspired by this same source material? Why do you think that is? What universal feelings does it elicit? Has the material aged well with time?
Grief is a common theme in ghost stories, and The Haunting of Bly Manor is no exception. How do the different characters process grief from the traumas in their pasts? What does this show say about grief, and what does it seem to suggest about the right way to process it?
How do the different relationships compare to each other? How do the power dynamics between Peter and Rebecca compare to those between Dani and Jamie?
TV Details
- Premiere date : October 9, 2020
- Cast : Henry Thomas , Victoria Pedretti , Andrew Neil Mackenzie
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Fantasy
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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