There are some very familiar faces fans of Hill House will find in Bly Manor
Fans of Hill House may notice that there are several familiar faces that have made a comeback in the new season. Victoria Pedretti, who played Nell in Hill House, is returning in another lead role as Dani, the governess who takes the job. Joining her, fans will also recognise Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Luke Crain in Hill House), and Henry Thomas (the young version of Hugh Crain), and a few more that are rumoured to return.
And while some may find the familiar faces confusing, they will be playing completely different characters much like each season of American Horror Story. For example, Jackson-Cohen will be playing Peter Quint, a suave and manipulative man who is a polar opposite to his Hill House character Luke, a tortured young man who suffered with a drug addiction.
Bly Manor may exist in the same universe as Hill House, but not in the same location
While many fans believe that the two exist in the same fictional and Poltergeist-driven universe, the two actually take place in entirely different countries. In Hill House, we met the Crain family who move to Hill House located in an unknown area of the United States. However, according to the series synopsis, Bly Manor takes place at a house in Essex, England. And while the two may not take place in the same country, there could be more ghost-like connections than we thought.
Bly Manor will feature familiar phrases and dialogue from Hill House
No, there aren't direct links to the Hill House narrative, but there certainly are some strategically placed references that are sure to please super-fans. According to ELLE U.S., creator Mike Flanagan reveals that fans can expect subtle "little nods" to the first season, saying that most will be in the dialogue and that "you'll hear familiar phrases, but it was super important to the actors, and to Victoria [Pedretti] especially, that she wanted to be as unfamiliar as possible."
"There are neat little moments where this season and the last season touch each other, but it's way more in ideas than it is in specific narrative or character connections."
The fan-favourite hidden ghosts will be back and creepier than ever
Any fan of Hill House is sure to be familiar with the hidden ghosts that appeared in almost every take, creeping and peering around corners and from dark hallways. And it looks like the new season won't be short on the terrifying apparitions, Flanagan has also confirmed that there will be even more gut-wrenching easter eggs headed our way.
"Hill House was a very contained story. In this case, we just have so much more material, and a lot of different kinds of ghosts. There are going to be thematic echoes of season one in this, and one of [the biggest ones] is that a ghost can be a lot of different things, most of which are very human."
Much like Hill House, the corruption of innocence is a big player in Bly Manor's plot line
While Hill House certainly felt less than innocent, the bond between siblings growing up and dealing with childhood trauma explored the theme perfectly. And in Bly Manor, there looks to be a similar theme rising to the surface. In the new season, the parents of the children are no longer living which means that the siblings' dynamics are replaced with a "found family" between the governess and the children. But it seems that no matter whether your family is 'found' or biological, ghosts don't discriminate.
Bly Manor's story line will explore the concept of mental health in new ways
In season one, Hill House depicted mental health through generations of the family, but mainly through twins Nell and Luke. In Bly Manor, the stigma around mental illness follows Dani's debilitating panic attacks and how she works to take control of them. And while the ghosts may leave you frozen in fear, their realistic take on mental health is certainly a breath of fresh air.
The Haunting Of Bly Manor premieres on October 9 on Netflix.
