Spoiler Warning
When single mother Katherine, voiced by Eliza Coupe, moves with her two kids, Ben, voiced by Skyler Gisondo, and Esther, voiced by Natalie Palamides, into their newly inherited hotel, they never would have guessed that it would be inhabited by beings from across the veil. They are haunted by the ghost of Katherine’s late brother, Nathan, voiced by Will Forte, and an immortal demon overlord named Abaddon,voiced by Jimmi Simpson, stuck in the body of a 1700s boy. Now, Katherine, Ben and Esther have to navigate the world of the undead while also trying to keep their business afloat.
On Sep. 19, Netflix released the original series “Haunted Hotel” created by Matt Roller, who is known for other series such as “Rick and Morty” and “Krapopolis.” Right off the bat, their opening sequences shock audiences and make them laugh. With the Esther-kill false alarm and the mafia ghost jump scare, this show will make viewers spit take due to the comedic writing. Audiences also become weary of any human newcomer that appears on screen. They have a 50/50 chance of having an unsavory personality or do horrible actions that put the main family at risk, but thankfully, these characters leave as fast as they appeared. Though laughs and the questionable motives of guest characters are not the only facet this show has.
“Haunted Hotel” also delves into the emotional side with the characters’ personal growth and their relationships with each other. Esther struggles to accept that her dad is nothing more than a deadbeat or Abaddon with a longing to reenter hell, accepting the idea that he actually cares for the family that has settled in the old home. Two episodes focus on the relationships Katherine has with her kids. In one, she needs to learn to trust Esther and allow her to live and make her own decisions. The other episode focuses on Ben and the way his mother directly insulting him affected his self view. However, these interactions were only briefly explored in season one. With the announcement of season two, hopefully the writers will go deeper with other plot points, like How exactly did Nathan die? or Who is Ben and Esther’s dad? and revisit some previously mentioned from the first season.
This show features great writing, memorable characters and story lines that will leave viewers on the floor in hysterics or in a lake of their own tears. The fandom has grown fast enough to greenlight season two, and at this rate, audiences may finally see a Netflix animated original air to its full extent.
