Warning: SPOILERS for The Haunting of Bly Manor

Mike Flanagan has produced some of the best horror series on Netflix, but The Haunting of Bly Manor does one thing better than the others. Flanagan’s first Netflix hit, The Haunting of Hill House, premiered in 2018 to rave reviews from both audiences and critics, and his take on vampires in 2021’s Midnight Mass garnered critical acclaim as well.

Loosely based on Shirley Jackson’s classic novel of the same name, The Haunting of Hill House remains a must-watch series for horror fans, but its follow-up doesn’t get quite as much love. The Haunting of Bly Manor drew inspiration from classic literature as well, this time from Henry James’ gothic novella, The Turn of the Screw.

The Haunting of Hill House might be the most frightening of Mike Flanagan’s Netflix series, but The Haunting of Bly Manor has the most compelling relationships. Bly Manor beautifully incorporates romance into its horror, delivering a story that is just as heartbreaking as it is spooky. Each of Flanagan’s series has something for horror fans, but Bly Manor appeals to viewers looking for a beautiful love story as well.

The Haunting Of Bly Manor Has The Best Relationships Of Mike Flanagan’s Netflix Shows

The Haunting of Bly Manor follows Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti), an American who travels to the UK to work as an au pair for two children at Bly Manor. Dani meets the rest of the Manor’s employees, including the housekeeper, Hannah (T’Nia Miller), the cook, Owen (Rahul Kohli), and the gardener, Jamie (Amelia Eve), along with the two children, Flora (Amelie Bea Smith) and Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth).

Before long, Dani begins experiencing strange happenings in the manor, and while Bly Manor has its fair share of ghosts, it doesn’t lean into pure horror as much as The Haunting of Hill House. Instead, Bly Manor focuses on the relationships between its central characters, delivering two potential romantic pairings that are as lovely as they are ultimately heartbreaking.

Hannah and Owen spend much of the show’s earliest episodes in one another’s company, but they never confess their feelings for one another, and it’s later revealed that Hannah has been dead the entire time we’ve known her. Both of these characters are immediately endearing, and it’s impossible not to root for them, making Hannah’s demise even more tragic.

Dani and Jamie get more time together, but Dani remains haunted by the ghosts of Bly Manor and is unable to let go of her fear. While Mike Flanagan’s other Netflix series certainly have compelling characters, Bly Manor tackles romantic relationships in a more interesting way.

Dani & Jamie’s Romance Is The Greatest Part Of The Haunting Of Bly Manor

When Dani first arrives at Bly Manor, Jamie wants little to do with her, but the two slowly begin opening up to one another. Their tentative romance develops into something truly beautiful, as they form an unbreakable connection while navigating the horrors and death that surround them.

Although Dani and Jamie make it out of Bly Manor alive, Dani still fears that the spirits there will take Jamie from her even years later. This fear eventually leads Dani to return to the Manor and drown herself in the lake to protect the love of her life. Dani and Jamie’s love story feels genuine and realistic, and is beautifully portrayed by Victoria Pedretti and Amelia Eve.

The Haunting of Bly Manor opens with a framing device of a woman (Carla Gugino) telling Dani’s story at a wedding. This woman is eventually revealed to be Jamie, who still feels a connection to Dani even decades later. Just as Owen never fully moves on from his love for Hannah, Jamie cannot let Dani go.

The 87% Netflix Series Does A Great Job Of Blending Romance & Horror

The Haunting of Bly Manor may not be Flanagan’s scariest Netflix series, but it could hold the title for being his most romantic and emotionally devastating. Dani and Jamie’s love story develops slowly throughout the series, managing to be both beautiful and heartbreaking in equal measure.

Romance and horror do not often mix, but Bly Manor proves that the two genres can create something stunning when they are blended together well. The romances at the heart of Bly Manor separate it from Flanagan’s other projects on Netflix, and while this may make the narrative feel slower paced, it also makes the reveals and ultimate payoff even more devastating.

Bly Manor has plenty of stunning imagery and spooky hauntings, but the romances and relationships are what make the show memorable. Because of this, Bly Manor may hold more appeal for romance fans than pure horror fans, but the way the show beautifully blends these two seemingly contradictory genres makes it worth watching for all kinds of audiences.

Why Bly Manor Still Falls Short Of Haunting Of Hill House & Midnight Mass

Despite its beautifully devastating story, The Haunting of Bly Manor doesn’t quite live up to the highs of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass. Both of those shows deliver thrilling (albeit very different) horror stories full of genuine scares and classic horror movie tropes turned on their heads.

Hill House and Midnight Mass have their own devastating character moments, too, and both deliver incredibly compelling stories that prove difficult to live up to. Bly Manor tells a quieter story, which may not be scary enough for horror aficionados, but might have too many ghosts for romance fans.

Ultimately, Bly Manor is a harder sell than the haunted house and family drama of Hill House or the bloody small town vampire drama of Midnight Mass. These shows boast strong performances from Mike Flanagan’s familiar cast of actors, and Bly Manor is no exception there, but the story drags a bit in the middle.

Bly Manor still has some of Flanagan’s characteristically twisted moments, but its main focus is on the relationships between its characters. Compared to The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, it sometimes feels like The Haunting of Bly Manor is missing something, but it still delivers a deeply affecting gothic romance that’s well worth your time.