'Genius' Netflix horror series fans can't believe they weren't told 'it was this good'

Netflix fans are still discovering for the first time a 'genius' horror series they can't believe they weren't told 'it was this good'.

Despite being available to stream for the last two years since its release in 2023, some users are only just stumbling across limited series The Fall of the House of Usher. Coming from the mind of Mike Flanagan, who is also the creator of The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass, the series is described a wicked horror series based on the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

According to the synopsis, ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.

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Each episode takes the name of one of Poe's classic poems. It boasts an impressive 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and also marked the final project by Flanagan for Netflix.

The filmmaker has also helmed a number of Stephen King adaptations including Gerald's Game, Doctor Sleep and the upcoming Life of Chuck. He is also set to make a miniseries based on the author's debut novel Carrie.

Netflix subscribers are still discovering his previous work on the platform however. A post on the Netflix subreddit shared just this week claimed: "Just finished The Fall of the House of Usher. WHY did no one warn me it was this good?!"

They continue: "I went in thinking it would be another slow gothic horror, but damn, Mike Flanagan really cooked with this one. The visuals, the pacing, the way each episode was named after a Poe story… genius.

"And can we talk about Carla Gugino? She was terrifying and mesmerizing all at once. I haven’t binged something this fast in a while. Anyone else get Haunting of Hill House vibes but darker and more vicious? Curious if I should go for Midnight Mass next."

Many responses agreed with the original poster that the series is one of Mike Flanagan's best, closely followed by Midnight Mass. They also confessed to having binge watched Fall of House of Usher multiple times.

There are several online reviews that back this up. One person sharing their thoughts posted: "Utter perfection! I'm a huge Edgar Allen Poe fan since I was a kid and I LOVED how this short story was drawn out to a full series with each of the elements bringing out others of Poe's works and weaving their own individual narratives into the broader story. Every element is fantastic."

Another suggested that it can be enjoyed by those who aren't always keen on traditional horror. They said: "Usually I don’t like horror shows or movies, but this one has become one of my favourites. Maybe that’s because it’s not fully a horror — it’s that, but also drama, and sci-fi. A great blend is offered, and it builds up very nicely with time jumps done perfectly along the way. 

"No confusion, just suspense. Mike Flanagan really pays tribute to Edgar Allan Poe in this series in the most epic of ways. Carla Gugino delivers an acting masterclass as Verna, aka the Raven, delivering poetic justice!"

Someone else offered theirverditct sayin This series did not disappoint. It grabbed me right from the start and did not let go. The twists and turns were spot on. The actors were ALL perfectly cast. Whether they were bad people, venomous people, kind people, selfish people they were all perfectly cast. The pacing was just perfect. I can't fault the series in any way

The Fall of the House of Usher is streaming on Netflix.