‘I hate spooky TV – this Netflix horror thriller is my one exception’

For nearly my whole life, I have stayed as far away from the horror genre as possible. Things that go bump in the night? No thanks.

If I had to put my finger on why, it would probably be the time when I was five and my older sisters let me watch The Ring (think creepy drowned girl with long hair coming to kill everyone you love) – and I couldn’t sleep for about two years.

Even to this day, I shudder when my hair gets in front of my face in the mirror.

All this to say that every year when spooky season comes around, I stick to the happy-go-lucky Halloween flicks. The aptly named Halloweentown, Hocus Pocus, hey, I’ll even brave The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

But the TV shows and films that truly get into the creepy spirit with disturbing images, life-and-death stakes and more jump scares than you can count are truly my worst nightmare.

A few years ago, however, I was on the hunt for a show with a sapphic relationship at the heart of it (few and far between, it must be said) when The Haunting of Bly Manor on Netflix blipped onto my radar.

We were in the depths of a second lockdown and, now a mature adult, I decided to brave it and take the plunge. What’s the worst that could happen?

I’ll take my representation where I can get it, thank you very much.

Still, wary, I gave a read over the synopsis, which nowadays reads: ‘A bright-eyed American au pair Dani (played by Victoria Pedretti) hopes to make a difference caring for two orphans in a grand English manor. Yet the feeling of dread is undeniable.’

I’m no detective, but even I know that all the best ghost stories start with two orphaned children alone in a grand manor.

Once I started watching, sceptical and ready to run at the first sign of things taking a turn for the worse, I was completely surprised by what I discovered.

The show was good! And not actually that painful to watch.

Across the nine episodes, I love the care and attention they gave Dani’s character as we delve into the reasons that led her to this fated manor – and the curiosity she shows for this world, her job and the other people that work there.

As for the love story I had been searching for, I filled my boots and got to watch (what must be still) one of my favourite queer romances unfold on TV, imbued with tender care and heart-wrenching chemistry.

Of course, there were the scarier moments and, while I had to grit my teeth and power on through, the haunted atmosphere fuelled the plot, the urgency with which I cared for these characters, and reeled me in to see how the story would pan out.

Watching this show truly did change my lifelong perspective of this genre – and help shake some of the eye-rolling stereotypes I had projected onto it, assuming most content was just there for cheap thrills rather than actually having any substance.

The complex dynamics of love in this series, between Dani and all the various characters that populate this manor, left a powerful imprint on me, and I have rewatched the show more than once.

It even encouraged me to open my mind to other shows like its predecessor, The Haunting of Hill House (also starring the You actor). Still, nothing holds a candle to my favourite.

Five years on, I even use how much I enjoyed watching the show as encouragement to push myself out of my comfort zone and watch new horrors like Weapons, Sinners and 28 Years Later (this year alone).

So, if, like me, you are a horror hater, this is your sign to take a chance on this series, as it might just be the show you are looking for to leave you wanting more. (But do proceed with caution).

The Haunting of Bly Manor is streaming now on Netflix

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