Netflix: The Haunting of Hill House episode 9 (Screaming Meemies) recap

Courtesy of Netflix

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Olivia’s family sees her off, and Hugh tells her to call when she gets to Janet’s house. Luke asks if Abigail can sleep over,  she says OK, then leaves in a cab.

Later, we see her calling from that same motel that we know Hugh and the kids will be at, and that Nell will go to before she visits Hill House for the final time. She says she’s at Janet’s, and Hugh, distracted by the kids, doesn’t question it.

Olivia comes back to Hill House late that night and goes down to the basement to get the bottle of rat poison.

Shirley comes downstairs, and sees Olivia in the kitchen making tea. She tells Shirley that she missed everyone, so she came home early. She says Shirley and Steve grew up so fast. “Kittens need their mommies, and then they don’t.”

Olivia wakes up the twins, tea tray in hand, and sees Luke sleeping on the floor. His friend Abigail is sleeping in his bed, and he reminds Olivia that she said she could sleep over. Abigail says she doesn’t want to get in any trouble, and Olivia says she is in no trouble, they’re going to have a tea party, and Abigail is invited. The red room is open, and Olivia tells the kids, “We ARE the key.”

Shirl wakes Hugh up and tells him she saw Mom in the kitchen, and “she was being weird.”

Olivia and the kids are sitting at the table, she asks how Abigail likes her tea, and her response is, “I don’t know.” Luke says she’s not allowed to leave her house very much, and Abigail asks Olivia not to tell her Mom, because she worries about everything (uh-oh, I think I know who this little girl is now).

Hugh sees the rat poison on the kitchen counter, then checks Theo, sees the twins’ room empty, and starts to run.

Olivia pours tea, and tells the children they are beautiful, and Abigail is the first to sip her tea. Olivia tells Nell “I’m waking us all up.” Our suspicions are correct, and Abigail starts to choke and foam at the mouth, and Olivia says it’s alright, she’s just having a nightmare, she’s going to wake up. Abigail falls to the floor, and Olivia says soon there will be no more pain, she’s safe now. “Drink your tea.” (Me: “DO NOT DRINK THAT TEA!!”)

Hugh runs in and knocks the teacups off the table. When Oliva tries to stop him, he pushes her, and the back of her head hits the wall. When she comes to, she gets up and limps down the hall.

Courtesy of Netflix

Theo, Shirl and the twins are in the car, and Luke sees Abigail standing in the window, so he thinks she is ok.

Hugh is running down the hall, there are ghosts in front of him and behind him, and he goes into Steve’s room.

Olivia is looking for the kids in their empty bedrooms, gets to Steve’s closed door and turns the knob, and Poppy is suddenly there, telling her that Hugh wants to take the kids away from her. The old lady is standing in a bedroom doorway, and says that Poppy lies. Olivia asks if the old lady can help her, she needs to wake up.

We see Hugh taking flight, carrying Steve and telling him to keep his eyes closed, and Olivia limps after them, falls and gets up repeatedly. She looks out the window, sees the car pulling away.

Crazy Poppy is there again, and starts chanting, “He’s killing them, he’s driving them to a steel table, to a needle in the arm, to heartbreak…” Olivia turns to her and shouts, “Shut up!” Poppy is gone. Olivia limps to the red room, actually seeing Abigail clearly for the first time. She is distraught, and starts to cry, then sees Abigail’s ghost standing at the door. Olivia goes to the head of that rickety old spiral staircase and says, “He’s killing them.” Poppy shows up again, and tells her it’s just a screaming meemie. Olivia whispers, “I want to wake up, I want to wake up so badly.” “Then wake up.” Poppy reaches out to touch her, and Olivia goes over the edge, we hear the sickening sound of her body hitting the floor far below.

The front doors to Hill House open, sunshine spills in, and we see the Crain family on the day they first set foot in the house. They are all happy and excited, and as the kids run upstairs, Olivia tells Hugh to go with them, she will stay downstairs. “You guys go on without me.” Hugh’s heartbreaking response is, “How could we?”

So, we now only have one more episode in which to find out the fate of the remaining Crain family members. And, wait…Abigail is REAL??? I did not see that one coming.

Fan of The Haunting of Hill House? Looking forward to more from the Netflix hit? Let the other ghosts know what you think in the comment section below.