Netflix’s 8-Part Horror Masterpiece With 100% RT Is As Perfect As Mike Flanagan’s Hill House

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Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House is considered one of Netflix’s best horror series ever, but another limited series from the same period is equally impressive. The late 2010s and early 2020s were a fantastic time for horror on Netflix, with Flanagan creating several excellent shows. Around the same time, Netflix released an eight-episode horror series that still maintains a perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite the popularity and critical acclaim of Mike Flanagan’s horror series on Netflix, one show often gets overlooked: Marianne. This French-language series, created and directed by Samuel Bodin with writing contributions from Quoc Dang Tran, is set in the French countryside and remains a hidden gem for many horror fans.

The series follows a writer who goes back to her hometown seeking inspiration, but she quickly discovers something sinister is at play – a terrifying force from her nightmares has come to life. While the premise of Marianne might seem straightforward, it delivers genuinely scary and unsettling moments that will stay with you long after you finish watching.

Like Mike Flanagan’s Hill House, Marianne Is One Of Netflix’s Best Horror Shows

Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House brilliantly uses its scares to represent the pain of grief and the struggles within a family. By the end of the series, it’s clear that even the most frightening moments have a deeply human side. Netflix’s Marianne, while different in its approach, also manages to be successful.

Unlike some horror shows that build suspense slowly, Marianne immediately dives into a dark and unsettling story. Mireille Herbstmeyer’s performance as Madame Daugeron makes it even scarier – she’s so believable that every scene she’s in feels truly terrifying.

What really makes the show stand out is its portrayal of the main witch – she’s truly frightening and doesn’t feel at all human. We see hints of her history, including the witch trials, but her wickedness is complete and makes it difficult to feel sorry for her. Beyond the scares, the show is also well-built, with a consistent set of magical rules that it follows throughout the series.

Unlike the sympathetic main characters in Mike Flanagan’s series, Emma (Victoire Du Bois) is a much more complex and cynical figure. She’s willing to cross moral lines, making her an anti-hero. The show also builds tension through long, drawn-out sequences, creating truly unsettling and effective scares.

Because Marianne feels like a very different kind of folk horror, it’s not really a fair comparison to the work of Mike Flanagan. That said, when it comes to overall quality, it’s definitely one of the best horror series Netflix has, right up there with Flanagan’s shows.

Marianne Did Not Deserve To Be Canceled After 1 Season

The first season of Marianne ends on a major cliffhanger, clearly setting up the story to continue for at least another season. The show also suggested a larger network of villains, hinting that new antagonists could be introduced later on. It felt like the show’s deeper mythology was just beginning to be explored in season one.

Despite positive reviews, including praise from Stephen King who compared it to shows like Stranger Things and his own novels, Marianne was unfortunately canceled after only one season.

If you love a good scare – like many of us do – then check out MARIANNE on Netflix. It’s creepy, but with moments of humor that remind me a bit of STRANGER THINGS. And honestly, it also feels very much inspired by the style of Stephen King.

Even though horror master Stephen King loved it, the Netflix series Marianne was quickly canceled, joining many other great genre shows that didn’t get a chance to shine. It seems unlikely it will ever return, but horror fans can still watch its first season. That single season tells a full, unsettling story, much like Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House.

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2026-05-30 03:18