Although The Haunting Of Hill House and The Haunting Of Bly Manor are part of an anthology series, they do share some things in common. Some of the more obvious commonalities would be that they are both within the horror genre and share most of the same actors.
And then there are the references. Subtle links between seasons placed within lines, techniques, and character experiences, that create a unique connection for fans of both of the seasons but don’t leave fans of the second season feeling neglected.
Confetti
In The Haunting Of Hill House, Nell was drawn to the siren call of Hill House and died there, but even though she was a spirit of the house, she refused to leave her siblings to the same fate. So she saved them, and in the end, she gave a speech. “I loved you completely. And you loved me the same. That’s all. The rest is confetti.” In The Haunting Of Bly Manor, Hannah Grose alludes to referencing Nell on two occasions. She says that moments are meant to be like… and never completes the end while sitting by the fire with Owen. The second instance is when she tells Henry to tell Owen she loves him and that the rest is… only for her to disappear.
The Forever House
In the Haunting Of Hill House, the Crain family never truly had a home. They were always going from one house to another, fixing them and selling them, and moving on. But after Hill House, the plan was to build their forever house. In Bly Manor, Peter Quints uses the term ‘forever house’ to trick and comfort Miles and Flora. A home where they will be tucked away with their parents, safe and sound.
A Familiar Camera Angle
One of the most shocking revelations of The Haunting Of Hill House was the story behind The Bent-Neck Lady. A hanging Nell fell through time and haunted her younger selves. She had been doomed to become the very thing that chased her, the very thing that frightened her to death. In one of the time jumping visits, Nell hung from the ceiling horizontally facing her sleeping younger self. This camera angle is also used in Bly Manor when Henry is lying on a couch and comes face to face with his alter ego.
The Strangest Of Dreams
Both Olivia Crain and Hannah Grose mentioned that they were having the strangest of dreams. Both were women greatly affected by their surroundings. Olivia Crain experienced traumatic episodes and felt herself slip away more and more each day. When she stood beside her fallen body she saw Hugh and said she was having the strangest of dreams, a line she said often.
Hannah Grose was passing through time as moments came and went, telling Owen during his interview that she was having the strangest of dreams. This line was also said by Peter Quint in the form of Miles.
You’re Expected
Apparently saying hello isn’t the common way to greet someone in The Haunting anthology series. Instead, one must tell the guest “you’re expected.” When Dani arrives at Bly Manor she is greeted by Flora who tells her she is expected. This is mirrored in Hill House when Nell, the same actress as Dani, arrives at Hill House years after her childhood only for her mother’s ghost to tell her “you’re expected.”
I Can Fix It
Things don’t always work out. But trying is the next best thing. To be determined and to try and rectify mistakes by putting in the effort. But unfortunately for Charlotte in Bly Manor, saying “I can fix it” and going on a trip with her husband led to their deaths.
This line is also one of Hugh Crain’s mottos in Hill House, which extended from the house to his family troubles. He muttered the line over and over again as he cradled his dead wife in his arms.
A Familiar Promise
Olivia Crain wants to keep her children safe. She wants to free them, wake them up from their nightmares. She tells Hugh “nothing bad will ever touch them ever again.” This same phrase is used but changed slightly in Bly Manor. Peter Quint is trying to convince Miles and Flora to give their permission to himself and Rebecca. He tells Miles “nothing sad will ever touch you, ever again.”
Untethered
In Hill House, Hugh Crain and Olivia’s relationship was compared to that of a kite and line. “She was a creature of the clouds and I was a creature of the earth. And she’d say that without me she’d become untethered and she would float away.” In Bly Manor, Owen sits with Hannah at the bonfire and reflects on his mother’s death. “I’m untethered now, whether I like it or not.”
The Red Room
One small link between Hill House and Bly Manor is their decor; in particular, the detail of a lion face. The Red Room in The Haunting Of Hill House had a lion head handle. A very similar lion head can be seen on the front door of Bly Manor.
Another link connected to The Red Room is the obsession over its key. Peter Quint tells Miles in The Haunting Of Bly Manor that it’s all about finding the right key.
Deadly Dreams
The Haunting Of Hill House showed flashbacks of a slowly unraveling Olivia Crain. She was confused and lost. She felt herself slipping away. She saw the colors fade. One night she woke up in bed to find herself holding a screwdriver to her husband’s throat. The Haunting Of Bly Manor had a similar sequence. Dani accepted the presence of The Lady In The Lake, tucking the corrosive gravity well away, and all had been silent until Viola slowly crept toward the surface. One morning Dani awoke only to find herself about to strangle Jamie.
