Even Stephen King Calls Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher a 10/10 Masterpiece

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I’ve noticed Netflix really leaning into horror lately, and I’m loving it! They started with Stranger Things, which definitely had spooky vibes but was mostly sci-fi, and then they really expanded. They brought us awesome K-Dramas like All Of Us Are Dead and Parasyte: The Grey, and they’ve been working with director Mike Flanagan on a bunch of really gripping miniseries. It’s cool to see them taking such a risk and really delivering some fantastic horror content.

Mike Flanagan is known for reimagining classic stories rather than creating entirely original ones, always paying tribute to the source material and honoring its core ideas. His 2023 adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s work was a major success, even earning praise from horror master Stephen King.

Mike Flanagan Took Liberties With Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher

The story focuses on the Usher siblings, Roderick and Madeline, each portrayed by four different performers. It depicts their questionable climb to power, the dishonesty at the heart of their enterprise, and the tragic deaths of Roderick’s children. Throughout it all, a mysterious woman named Verna appears to be connected to the Usher family’s downfall. Interestingly, “Verna” is an anagram.

The series’ title is a nod to Edgar Allan Poe’s famous 1839 story, “The Fall of the House of Usher.” However, despite the shared title, the series and the story are quite different. It’s a dark and twisted reimagining of Poe’s work, transformed into a miniseries.

The show features eight episodes, each named after a different story by Edgar Allan Poe. These episodes are titled “A Midnight Dreary,” “The Masque of the Red Death,” “Murder in the Rue Morgue,” “The Black Cat,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “Goldbug,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Raven.”

The story unfolds across three different time periods, but the main focus is on an older Roderick recounting the downfall of his family to a friend – who narrates the story based on what he witnesses, but is portrayed as a lawyer in the television adaptation.

The original story doesn’t mention any children, and the family’s decline is hinted at through a possible curse, rather than direct supernatural events. The show, however, gives him six children, all flawed and named after stories by Edgar Allan Poe. Their fate is directly caused by a supernatural entity named Verna, who makes a bargain with the Usher siblings for their wealth. This deal comes with a terrible price – their children will die before they do – a consequence the siblings knowingly disregard.

Stephen King Gives High Praise to Mike Flanagan

Despite originally being released in 2023, The Fall of the House of Usher saw a resurgence in popularity in 2025 thanks to a surprising endorsement from Stephen King. On August 4th, 2025, King praised the show on X, calling it “scary, involving, with witty writing that drives the plot.” He even suggested that Mike Flanagan could be considered the Quentin Tarantino of horror.

This is a significant compliment, especially considering it comes from Stephen King himself. However, it’s worth remembering that Mike Flanagan has previously directed several film adaptations of King’s novels.

Even if you don’t love Tarantino’s films, comparing Mike Flanagan to him is a huge praise. But the most important part of Stephen King’s comment actually focuses on the quality of the writing, which makes sense considering he’s a massively successful horror author himself.

Flanagan skillfully adapted classic stories by a renowned horror author, staying faithful to the originals while also adding his own inventive and impressive touches – enough to earn praise from a master of the genre.

While The Fall of the House of Usher isn’t quite like Mike Flanagan’s adaptation, they do share some common ground. Flanagan is known for simple, direct writing that captures a sense of authentic American life and characters. Poe’s original story, however, is much more elaborate and intricate, typical of poetry and his style.

Okay, so this show takes place in Washington D.C. and centers around a super wealthy family, but let me tell you, they are far from typical. What really grabs me about the creators, Mike Flanagan and Trevor King, is how much they focus on characters – really fleshed-out people who say things that stick with you. They also love blending horror and the supernatural, but it’s not just about scares. They use those elements to really hold up a mirror to our world, to point out what’s messed up and make you think.

When The Fall of the House of Usher first came out, it was highly praised, especially for its editing, characters, and performances by Mark Hamill and Carla Gugino. The recent compliment from Stephen King, almost two years later, proves how enduring and impactful this adaptation of Poe’s work by Mike Flanagan truly is.

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2026-06-02 14:39