The Fall of the House of Usher is a chilling and suspenseful tale that pushes the envelope when it comes to blood and gore. An incredible ensemble cast.
Mike Flanagan has done it again. The Fall of the House of Usher is intense, terrifying, and filled with blood and gore. Viewers will have no idea what is real and what isn’t, which is something the Ushers struggle with as well throughout the series.
The Fall of the House of Usher begins with all of Roderick Usher’s children dead. The journey that we go on throughout details the how and the why of it all.
There are eight chilling episodes, each one clocking in at just around sixty minutes — except for the final episode, which is nearly eighty minutes long. Each episode focuses heavily on one of the Usher children, while the final one wraps everything up in a neat little bow after exposing the truth.
Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The Fall of the House of Usher would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in both unions.
For those who are fans of Mike Flanagan, it should come as no surprise that he was the right person to pull this Edgar Allan Poe adaptation off. While the bones of the short story are there, he brings in unexpected twists and turns that make it something so much more.
Flanagan is an expert at horror. He knows how to leave the audience teetering on the edge of their seat for the perfect amount of time, before pushing them off with a jump scare or major reveal.
While Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club are fantastic, The Fall of the House of Usher has more of the feel of The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. It is more focused on ghost stories and the potential influence of the supernatural. You never quite know what is going on until Mike chooses to have it revealed to you.
We all know that Mike Flanagan does not shy away from blood and gore in his series, and this time is no different. The deaths of the Usher children are all grotesque in their own way. We can’t get into details but just know they are continuously one upping each other — and this is not a bad thing. There might even be some moments where you are forced to watch through your fingers, which is worth it of course.
A series like this will only work if the right cast is chosen, and luckily Flanagan has once again put together a stellar cast. Those who are fans of his previous series will see many actors returning to fill new roles, but there are also some newcomers to the bunch. While everyone brings exactly what they need to in order to make the puzzle pieces fit, Mark Hamill should be applauded a little bit louder.
He plays Arthur Pym, a fixer of sorts. You know the type. If you are rich and powerful, and you make a mistake that needs cleaning up, he is the guy you call. This is a role unlike any other we have seen him play before — and he does so effortlessly. He is terrifying, blunt, and loyal to the Usher family. He is the perfect icing on the cake.
As for the story itself, it is very Edgar Allan Poe and should come as no surprise to anyone that this is adapted from his work. However, at the same time, it is updated for the current times. There is a lot of focus on the opioid crisis, as Roderick Usher is the head of a pharmaceutical company. This is a real issue that many struggle with today, so it is nice to see some light shed on it. Even if it is in a terrifying and suspenseful way.
That is only one aspect of the series, however. It mostly dives into the deaths and personal lives of the children. Essentially, Roderick Usher is telling C. Auguste Dupin about his rise to the top. How he got there, and the dark family secrets that his fortune was built on. We are there to witness how it all plays out. The jumps back and forth in time are done seamlessly, so well that you are never left confused as to when you are, not even for a moment.
The Fall of the House of Usher is intense from start to finish. You might think you know where things are headed, but trust us, you won’t completely solve it until the end. There is a whole lot to love about this series, especially if you are into horror, blood, and gore. The deaths are insane, the lore is chilling, and Mike Flanagan once again proves he knows what he is doing.
With an incredible ensemble cast, terrifying visuals and jump scares, and an ending that will have everyone’s jaw on the floor, The Fall of the House of Usher is a must watch thriller series. All eight episodes start streaming on Netflix October 12th and trust us when we tell you, you don’t want to be left out of this conversation.
Rating: 5 out of 5
NEXT: Midnight Mass Review: Unafraid to Tackle Religious Faith & Doubt
About The Fall of the House of Usher
From Mike Flanagan, the creator of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, a wicked horror series based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.
The Fall of the House of Usher comes to Netflix on October 12th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.