Mike Flanagan fans have no shortage of content to choose from with many more projects in development, like the upcoming DC film Clayface and the Carrie TV series he's creating for Amazon. But many of us are still quite fond of his Netflix Original series, shows like The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass.
If you're looking for something new to watch that might come close to filling the void left by those series, then this guide should help you. We're offering a recommendation for each of his shows, so just find your favorite listed below.
If you love The Haunting of Hill House, watch Six Feet Under
One of the reasons Hill House has remained such a popular and enduring show after all these years is because, at its core, Hill House is a family drama. It’s easy to see why people connected with the characters as the show was just as good at its emotional beats and exploration of sibling dynamics as it is at creating scares. There are a lot of similarities between Hill House and the HBO series Six Feet Under, which Flanagan himself admits was a significant influence on the Netflix show. Six Feet Under isn’t a horror series but it is probably the most tonally similar series out there.
Running for five seasons, Six Feet Under follows the Fisher family after the death of their family patriarch as the eldest siblings take over running the family business: a funeral home. Six Feet Under is also considered to have one of the best series finales of all time. Plus, it features an incredible cast, including Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Lauren Ambrose, Frances Conroy, and more.
If you love The Midnight Club, watch the Fear Street trilogy
Fear Street and The Midnight Club have quite a bit in common in that they’re both based on YA horror books and set in the 1990s. It helps that both of these titles are also on Netflix. The Fear Street trilogy is a nice way to pivot from The Midnight Club since it leans into a similar wave of nostalgia but the overall story and horror in Fear Street is less melancholy than the hospice setting of The Midnight Club.
A new Fear Street movie is coming out this May based on R.L. Stine’s book The Prom Queen. The nice thing about The Midnight Club is that each episode revolves around a different horror story, similar to other series like Supernatural and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, but if you're interested in something a little more upbeat and entertaining, I think the Fear Street films are a good choice.
If you love Midnight Mass, watch Salem's Lot
And no, I'm not referring to the recent Max Original film which was, unfortunately, pretty bad. Instead, I think it's worth watching both the 1979 miniseries and the 2004 one. Both series have been praised for different reasons, with many appreciating the original's faithfulness to Stephen King's novel but appreciating the performances in the 2004 episodes. I mean, you can't really go wrong with Donald Sutherland and Andre Braugher leading the cast.
There are a lot of clear similarities between Salem's Lot and Midnight Mass, with some fans affectionately dubbing the Flanagan series Salem's Lot's long-lost sequel. Both stories deal with a secluded location, a man returning home, and the arrival of a sinister presence. In Midnight Mass, Zach Gilford plays a Riley Flynn, who has just gotten out of prison and come home to Crockett Island in hopes of settling down and starting a new life. But his plans are interrupted when he finds the townsfolk enthralled by a mysterious new priest.
If you love The Haunting of Bly Manor, watch Interview with the Vampire
The Haunting of Bly Manor is a ghost tale like Hill House, but it's really focused on the tragic love story between Dani and Jamie. Flanagan loves his gothic romance and that's quite clear in Bly Manor, which some feel is one of his most touching and emotional series to date.
Interview with the Vampire is a southern gothic series based on Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles books and it also happens to be one of the best horror TV shows airing right now. Recently renewed for a third season, Interview with the Vampire follows Louis de Pointe du Lac as he recounts his life story, beginning in 20th-century New Orleans, and his complicated relationship with the vampire Lestat.
If you love The Fall of the House of Usher, watch Penny Dreadful
Flanagan's take on some of Edgar Allan Poe's most famous works resulted in a very fun and often campy series that reminded me, at times, of Penny Dreadful, another high-profile series based on 19th-century fiction.
If you enjoyed seeing some of Poe's characters and stories brought to life in House of Usher, then you'll love Penny Dreadful's take on Victor Frankenstein, Dracula, Dorian Gray, Van Helsing, and more. And Penny Dreadful is a very well-written series with phenomenal performances from its cast, including stars like Eva Green and Josh Hartnett. It's a must-watch for any horror fan.