October TV Is Owned by Mike Flanagan

The spectacle of Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher is undeniable. It’s lush and richly produced, a reinterpretation of Poe’s works that may not offer much that’s different in regards to the plotlines of the integrated stories, but nevertheless offers an incredibly satisfying viewing experience. But Usher isn’t the only spooky show that Flanagan’s made, and not even the only one he’s made for Netflix.

And, honestly, if you’re one of the estimated millions of people who took Usher for a spin over the past two weeks, maybe you’re looking for more Flanagan. I wouldn’t blame you. Let’s chat horror.

First, Midnight Mass. You might have missed this when it first came out, as it was a strange kind of slow build, but it’s oh so worth it. When it premiered, it was literally the only thing I talked about for weeks. With a condensed island setting, tension drawn from a predator in the dark, and a brilliant spin on the vampire legend, the show sent me careening over the edge. If you have to choose one Flanagan show to get you through the season, I think Midnight Mass is my personal favorite.

Then, of course, we have the two series that took Flanagan from being simply a writer of good horror to an unmissable auteur: The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. The Hauntings are ghost stories infused with family tension and fear of place, turning things that should be cozy and comforting into arenas for mind, body, and soul. Hill House was adapted from a Shirley Jackson novel, and if Flanagan’s reimagining was good enough for Stephen King and Quentin Tarantino, it’ll probably be good enough to send you to bed with your lights on.

Bly Manor’s source is a little more obscured; it’s largely an adaption of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, but includes dramatic nods to some of James’ other works. It’s another series that keeps twisting expectations, providing gut-churning reveals as family drama after family drama adds to the horror of their ghostly home.

Additionally, two of Stephen King’s works have been adapted by Flanagan as well! Gerald’s Game—a tense, erotic horror-thriller along the lines of Basic Instinct—was released in 2017, and you should definitely read what’s on the tin of this one. It’s deeply fucked up, but it is incredibly good, and available on Netflix.

Flanagan was also given a tough task when he was tapped to screenwrite and direct Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. Probably hampered by some of the expectations that come from following up a Kubrick film and arguably one of Stephen King’s masterpieces, Doctor Sleep is nevertheless a solid, introspective horror film. It just takes a while to get there. It’s streaming on Hulu.

And, look, if you’ve got some kids around and you don’t want to go full Flanagan, there’s The Midnight Club (another Netflix release). It’s geared toward young adults and the horror is still extremely tense, but the vibes are a little more silly. It’s not my favorite Flanagan, but it says something important about legacy, youth, and what we can bring with us when we can’t be responsible for other people’s emotions.

So, Flanafam, what horror story are you letting into your house this month?

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