If you know me at all, even a little, you know I am a huge fan of Mike Flanagan’s work. I consider The Haunting of Hill House to be one of the most supreme pieces of modern horror television I have ever seen, and I’ve rewatched the entire series multiple times (my go-to episode is Episode 5 – seriously, what an INCREDIBLE twist, and it leaves me gasping even now). I’m still flabbergasted by how good it is.
Flanagan also blew me away with Midnight Mass — a horror miniseries so sublimely written that just the words, the conversations, the monologues are like beautiful poetry able to bring forth the deepest emotions. And we haven’t even talked about how he took the Ouija films and made them GOOD or how amazing and inventive Hush is!
Anyway, sorry I got distracted – we’re here to talk about Flanagan’s latest masterpiece, second ONLY to Hill House in my eyes – The Fall of the House of Usher.
The Fall of the House of Usher (2023) Has a Great Ensemble Cast…
Using Edgar Allan Poe’s stories and even poems as a template, Mike Flanagan effortlessly weaves elements from “Masque of the Red Death,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Raven,” among numerous others, to deliver an addicting, gothic, lurid drama about patriarch and CEO Roderick Usher, his powerful, brilliant sister Madeline, and his greedy, narcissistic children.
Firstly, Flanagan assembles his Avengers of acting, and this stable of staples is a who’s who of immense talent. Flanagan’s wife, Kate Siegel, shines as Camille, one of Roderick Usher’s “bastard” children, and mainstays Rahul Kohli (Napoleon), Samantha Sloyan (Tamerlane), and Henry Thomas (Frederick) breathe life into these literary identities, and never were words written years ago so vivid and colorful.
The acting is incredible, and performances by Ruth Codd (Juno), Willa Fitzgerald (young Madeline), T’Nia Miller (Victorine), Sauriyan Sapkota (Prospero), and Kyliegh Curran (Lenore) are huge highlights. And I can’t NOT mention the great Mark Hamill, so beautifully cast as the Ushers’ shifty, secretive lawyer Arthur Pym. He’s just absolute perfection in this series.
…But Carla Gugino Is the BEST!
The most excited I got while watching this series occurred every time the iconic Carla Gugino was onscreen. I have long been a fan of Gugino – Lord knows I took my kids to see every iteration of Spy Kids that came out! Since then of course, she’s appeared in numerous movies and series, including Gerald’s Game and of course, The Haunting of Hill House. She’s absolutely amazing, and I love how she totally transforms into each character she inhabits so seamlessly.
This character is special, and Carla Gugino herself referenced this in interviews leading up to the release of The Fall of the House of Usher (2023). She plays Verna, a mysterious ‘presence’ that has been with the Usher family since Roderick and Madeline were young and starry-eyed, planning their future career moves. Verna is seen as a different person to each member of the Usher family, and she’s always around when something bad is about to go down.
The Joy Is the Journey Not the Destination (And That’s Perfect)
From the get-go, you know that the Ushers are doomed, and you know they all wind up dead. But how did it happen? What led to the downfall of the Usher family? The show fluctuates back and forth between timelines: one timeline where Madeline and Roderick are young; and the present day, as the Ushers battle legal problems and their much-foretold untimely demises.
The bad luck doesn’t end for the rich, powerful family, and like The Haunting of Hill House, this show offers up an episode devoted to each main character. Though all of these episodes are spectacular, my favorite is probably Episode Two, “The Masque of the Red Death.” The imagery, the music, the story, it’s absolutely gorgeous and stunning to watch.
Of course, I binged all eight episodes in two days and a rewatch is in my very near future, but just off the cuff, this series is incredible, and though nothing in the world is better than The Haunting of Hill House to me, this is a very close second (though it may be tied with Midnight Mass… it’s hard to rank these because they’re all SO good!).
I know many of us horror fans tend to have inflated expectations where our favorite directors or actors are concerned, and those expectations aren’t always met. However, I feel like getting excited about anything Mike Flanagan is involved with is a safe bet, because this series not only met my expectations but exceeded them. Once again, Flanagan hits it out of the park with another series that feels like a decadent, delicious treat for the senses.
I also love how this show is a parallel to today’s problems, including but not limited to the pharmaceutical industry, wealth, addiction, capitalism, and other issues. There are some bold statements tucked into this horror miniseries, and I love Mike Flanagan even more for that.
I Direct YOU to Go Watch This Horror Miniseries Directed by Mike Flanagan!
If you’re a Mike Flanagan fan (a FANagan?) and you haven’t watched The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), what in the name of Annabel Lee are you waiting for? If you haven’t seen any Flanagan shows yet, this is a solid start right here! Get swept up in the magic of Flanagan’s imagination! You’ll be totally transported, and you’ll love every single second.
Bonus points for casting Malcolm Goodwin here (he plays a young C. Auguste Dupin) – he’s great! If you watched iZombie, you’ll likely agree!
This is the last series Mike Flanagan is scheduled to do under his Netflix contract, but you’ll see him again! He signed a multi-year deal with Amazon, so he’ll pop up on Prime in no time, and I can’t wait to see what this brilliant genius does next! (And what role the glamorous Carla Gugino will land!).
Become a Patron!Images purchased via MovieStillsDB and used for review purposes.
