The Fall of the House of Usheris Netflix’s newest horror series, and determining how scary the show is depends a lot on the opinion of each individual viewer. The show follows Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), an excessively wealthy and powerful pharmaceutical CEO whose heirs mysteriously die one by one within the span of a couple of weeks. While each death is strange and untimely, they are all ultimately explained away by the occurrence of simple freak accidents. However, as the audience learns more about Roderick and his equally powerful sister, Madeline (Mary McDonnell), it’s clear the deaths are part of something bigger.
While the show offers plenty of scares throughout each of its eight episodes, the series truly excels in its poetic storytelling, which ultimately eclipses how scary the show might be perceived, especially when it arrives at its conclusion. It’s not a show that leaves viewers with a sense of the heebie-jeebies but rather with a sense of contemplation. As such, viewers who feel uneasy about whether such a show is too scary for them should take comfort in knowingThe Fall of the House of Ushercares more about its storytelling than its scare factor. That being said, the series doesn’t shy away from using frightful tactics to convey its point. The series comfortably fits within the horror genre while delivering plenty of jump scares and gore withoutbeing supernaturally spooky.
Effective Jump Scares
WhatThe Fall of the House of Usheruses most effectively to unnerve its viewers is the jump scare. The most frightening aspect of the series is its ability to lull viewers into a sense of security before utilizing such a tactic. The series acts more likean elegant poemthan a tactless horror show, which allows its viewers to seemingly forget something spooky is lurking just around the corner until it’s too late.
Although the scares dissipate almost as quickly as they arrive, they never fully cease. As such, viewers who are rattled when they’re unable to predict when something will abruptly emerge from the shadows won’t find the Netflix series enjoyable. That being said, even though the show possesses a multitude ofexceedingly effective jump scares, the fear they generate as a result doesn’t linger, at least until the next one unexpectedly materializes.
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Not Supernaturally Spooky
While the series fits well within the horror genre, it doesn’t possess the same kind of supernatural elements seen in such shows asThe Haunting of Hill HouseorThe Haunting of Bly Manor, both of which were created by Mike Flanagan who is responsible forThe Fall of the House of Usher.Flanagan’s current endeavorisn’t a series about spooky hauntings; instead, it’s a show about the consequences of our actions and what that means when family is unknowingly involved in those repercussions.
Because of this, the show isn’t as scary as its predecessors. While there are unsettling ghostly images within the series, they mainly appear during the slew of jump scares scattered throughout each episode. The Usher family and their nefarious pharmaceutical dealings, as well as their selfish daily lives, are what lies at the core of this particular story. They are the instigators of their own undoing, not any sort of ghost.
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Surprisingly Gory
One main element the showleans into is its gore factor. From acid-burned bodies to medieval-style pendulum blades, the series succeeds with its gruesomeness. That isn’t to sayThe Fall of the House of Usheris consumed with gore. In fact, the show is not egregiously gruesome at all, but it also doesn’t shy away from displaying every death in horrific detail for its audience. There is absolutely no mystery or imagination required to fully understand how each Usher child ultimately meets their demise. A gory death is detailed in every single episode, which means it’s not a show for squeamish viewers.
However, goredoesn’t necessarily mean scary. Although there is a lot of blood and violent deaths within the series, the predictability of who eventually dies and how it’ll happen slightly relieves the sense of fear that comes with not knowing what will be around the next corner. The mystery inThe Fall of the House of Ushercomes from the desire to know why the deaths are happening, not how or who will die next.
While the series will most definitely give viewers quite the scare while watching, it’s not a show that lingers once it’s over. It’s not suspensefully scary as much as it’s poetically tragic. The Usher family will fall, as the title states, but how and why they do isn’t necessarily spooky or creepy. Instead, it’s inevitably heartbreaking.
All episodes ofThe Fall of the House of Usherare now available to stream on Netflix.
