If anyone knows about crafting chills and thrills in a story, it's the King of Horror himself, Stephen King. And this week, the prolific author behind such terrifying classics as "Carrie," The Shining," "Cujo," "Misery" and more gave his own professional props to another popular horror title: the Netflix miniseries "The Fall of the House of Usher."
On Aug. 24, the legendary scribe took to X to wax poetic about the Mike Flanagan-created horror drama, posting: "I missed [the series] when it bowed due to hip surgery, but this is a case of delayed gratification. Scary, involving, with writing that's witty and moves the plot. There's a case to be made for Mike Flanagan being the Quentin Tarantino of horror."
That is high praise from a legend who clearly knows what he's talking about, so why not take Mr. King's advice and check out the spine-chilling miniseries if you, too, missed it when it first debuted back in 2023? (For the record, we here at Tom's Guide dubbed it one of the best shows of that year.]
While you wait for horror juggernauts like "Wednesday" season 2 part 2 and "Stranger Things" season 5 to make their return on the streaming service, a weekend-long binge of the equally hair-raising "The Fall of the House of Usher" is just what the doctor — or rather, the King — ordered.
What is 'The Fall of the House of Usher' about?
Think Edgar Allen Poe meets "Succession": "The Fall of the House of Usher" uses a time-hopping structure to chronicle the rise and fall of the powerful and greed-plagued Usher family, led by Roderick Usher (played by Bruce Greenwood in the present and Zach Gilford in the past), the corrupt CEO of the family business, Fortunato Pharmaceuticals.
When his six adult children are brutally and mysteriously killed, Roderick — as well as his twin sister and Fortunato COO Madeline Usher (portrayed by Mary McDonnell in the 2023 timeline and Willa Fitzgerald in the 1979 timeline) — are forced to face the dark consequences of their actions, namely, a deadly pact made decades earlier with a mysterious woman named Verna (Carla Gugino).
Why you should stream 'The Fall of the House of Usher' on Netflix
Though "The Fall of the House of Usher" wasn't a streaming behemoth in the way "Stranger Things" or "Wednesday" are, it certainly was a success with critics, as it has a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The pulse-pounding miniseries has all of the jump scares, unraveling mysteries and gory moments that horror diehards crave ("It’s wickedly entertaining to watch each of Roderick’s entitled brats meet macabre ends," wrote critic Richard Lawson over at Vanity Fair), but all of that fantastical freakiness is balanced by real-deal familial tension and character drama. "By the end of 'House of Usher,' we feel we have made our way through something dense and rich. This is not flimsy, forgettable TV," Lawson added.
That's why a long weekend makes for the perfect watch for the show's engrossingly jam-packed eight episodes, giving you enough breathing room to make your way through those shifting timelines and expansive ensemble, while swiftly moving things along with gnarly death scenes, gloomy humor and gothic deliciousness.
Watch "The Fall of the House of Usher" on Netflix now
More from Tom's Guide
- Netflix is losing a dark psychological thriller series packed with unexpected twists — and it’s 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
- Stephen King's 'The Institute' makes a compelling dark thriller series with enough mystery to keep you hooked
- 'It's scary at moments': Creators say 'Wednesday' season 2 will bring real stakes and fear
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