There are two types of people: those who love Mike Flanagan‘s work, and those who haven’t discovered it yet. Though known for horror, Flanagan’s movies and TV shows are more than just scary – they’re deeply emotional and often surprising. He’s a skilled filmmaker who’s told stories about children facing hardship, writers trapped with a dangerous stalker, and the creepy side of things like Ouija boards (proving our childhood fears were justified!). But he’s probably best known for the fantastic horror series he created for Netflix between 2018 and 2023.
Mike Flanagan’s horror series on Netflix consistently deliver compelling stories, whether they focus on teenagers facing serious illnesses or families enduring long-term hardship. While all are good, some stand out more than others – perhaps due to memorable characters, a truly frightening atmosphere, or, as with our top pick, a combination of exceptional craftsmanship, emotional depth, and thrilling suspense that stays with you long after the credits roll.
5
‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ (2023)
Netflix
Mike Flanagan’s final Netflix series, The Fall of the House of Usher, hasn’t resonated with audiences as much as his previous work. Many viewers who watched it weren’t particularly impressed with how it adapted Edgar Allan Poe’s stories. While it’s not unusual for horror series to lack truly likable characters, it’s more noticeable here because Flanagan usually excels at creating compelling ones. Overall, it’s likely that most fans don’t rank this as one of their favorite shows from Flanagan.
While you might not feel sorry for Roderick Usher, the CEO of Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, or his children, who meet tragic ends, they aren’t the most memorable characters in this story. At its heart, The Fall of the House of Usher explores themes of power, dysfunctional families, and coming to terms with mortality. Rahul Kohli delivers a standout performance as Leo, battling addiction, but overall, the show doesn’t linger in your mind or frighten you quite like other works by the creator, Mike Flanagan.
4
‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ (2020)
Netflix
Mike Flanagan’s horror series often feature ghosts, and The Haunting of Bly Manor is a classic gothic ghost story. Based on Henry James’s novella The Turn of the Screw, the show follows Dani Clayton (Victoria Pedretti), a nanny who cares for two children, Flora (Alice Comer) and Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), at a haunted estate in England. While it’s more engaging than The Fall of the House of Usher, it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as some of Flanagan’s other work.
Flanagan successfully created a spooky atmosphere, gave Dani a compelling haunted past like his other characters, and included his signature jump scares. However, despite a respectable 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The Haunting of Bly Manor hasn’t resonated as strongly as Flanagan’s other Netflix series, and seems to have been overshadowed by them.
3
‘The Midnight Club’ (2022)
Netflix
Is The Midnight Club really that bad? While it didn’t become a huge hit, that’s not the worst thing in the world. The Netflix horror series, released in 2022, centers around teenagers facing terminal illnesses who spend their nights telling each other spooky stories. It shows Mike Flanagan’s ability to create compelling stories for all ages, which is promising for his upcoming TV adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie, expected on Prime Video in 2026.
Viewers who enjoy Flanagan’s other horror series might find The Midnight Club less frightening. Some may not be interested in its young adult characters, and others might feel it doesn’t quite compare to his better-known shows, which we’ll discuss shortly. These are all valid opinions.
The show doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations about death, which might sound depressing. But surprisingly, watching characters like the strong Anya (Ruth Codd) and kind nurse Mark (Zach Gilford) discuss a topic many avoid actually leaves you feeling optimistic. Despite facing their own fears, these characters actively choose to focus on the positive. While it’s entertaining to watch slashers like the Scream movies or classics like Halloween, The Midnight Club offers a genuinely enjoyable experience, even though it centers around characters who are terminally ill.
2
‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)
Mike Flanagan’s work often explores similar ideas, and you can see the themes of his popular series The Haunting of Hill House reflected in his 2010s thriller Oculus, which is one reason his career is so engaging. Hill House became a huge hit when it arrived on Netflix in 2018, and the trauma experienced by the five Crain siblings is incredibly powerful. Flanagan manages to balance the horror with genuine emotional depth. Compared to the Crains, the characters in his other shows, like The Midnight Club, haven’t resonated with audiences quite as strongly, and their stories don’t feel as impactful within the horror genre.
Viewers often praise Victoria Pedretti’s performance as Nell Crain, the innovative episode “Two Storms,” and the shocking twist in “The Bent-Neck Lady.” While it’s hard to find fault with The Fall of the House of Usher, even with its strengths, another series by Flanagan is arguably even more impressive.
1
‘Midnight Mass’ (2021)
Netflix
Let’s be real: is this new horror series from Mike Flanagan actually better than ‘The Haunting of Hill House,’ the one with the iconic Bent-Neck Lady, plenty of scares, interesting ghosts, and thoughtful exploration of trauma? The answer is yes. And ‘Midnight Mass,’ featuring a fantastic performance from Hamish Linklater who plays both Monsignor Pruitt and Father Paul Hill, is his best work yet.
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While Mike Flanagan’s fans love shows like The Fall of the House of Usher, The Haunting of Bly Manor, and The Midnight Club, The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass remain the most discussed. This is largely because those earlier shows feature more memorable and intriguing characters, like Father Paul, and deliver a more impactful central mystery. Midnight Mass, in particular, tackles difficult subjects like alcoholism with a depth that isn’t always present in other horror series, especially as the residents of Crockett Island uncover the truth about Father Paul.
The discussion about whether Hill House or Midnight Mass is better will probably continue for a long time, and that’s great! It means more people are enjoying Mike Flanagan’s shows. But if you’re looking for a truly unpredictable story, this is it.
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2026-03-06 04:19