By: Haeley Huggard, reporter
SAGINAW — There are many great stories that can make a person cry. Whenever I want to watch a show that brings tears to my eyes, I usually turn to some type of cheesy romance flic or some type of heartwarming/ feelgood story. The last thing I expected was to cry at the ending of a horror/drama series.
If you haven’t watched it already, then this is your warning to read no further as this article does contain spoilers!
“The Haunting of Bly Manor” is a supernatural horror and drama series that aired on “Netflix” on October 9, 2020. It is full of jump scares and tells many smaller intertwining stories shown through the perspective of each character.
The main story itself is about a young woman (Dani Clayton) who is hired to watch over Miles and Flora Wingrave in their family’s country house. Right from the start, she sees apparitions that not only affect her, but the small children (Flora and Miles) in her care. Though the Au Pair’s job is to look after the children, there are many moments where the children are the ones looking after their Au Pair, keeping her away from the lady in the lake.
The best part about this story is that it is perfect for anyone who enjoys a good jump scare. There were several times that I found my heart beating faster, waiting in suspense for the lady of the lake to take her next victim.
While waiting for the lady of the lake to claim another poor soul, the story happens to take a turn when we learn that Dani has begun to fall in love with the groundskeeper (Jamie). At first, Dani doesn’t feel she deserves to be happy, having experienced a terrible loss of her (now) ex-fiancé and yes, he does haunt her. He appears several times throughout the series before Dani finally let’s go of her guilt about his death.
Meanwhile, another love story takes place between two (once living) former house attendants Peter Quint and the children’s former Au Pair, Rebecca Jessel. These two were both victims of the Lady in the lake and want to become human again by taking over Flora and Miles’s bodies. Needless to say, they were not successful, with Dani having help from Rebecca to get the children someplace safe from both Peter and the Lady of the lake.
The story ends with us learning that the Lady of the lake was once known as Viola Willoughby. A former owner of the Bly Manor that died in the 17th century. Her spirit was tied to the dresses she treasured dearly, that she left for her daughter. She made her husband promise that the dresses would only go to her daughter and no one else.
But when her jealous sister (Perdita) opens the trunk of dresses instead of her daughter, Viola ends up killing her from beyond the grave. When her husband and daughter decide to move away, out of superstition, they take the trunk of dresses and throw them into the lake. Viola’s spirit stays in the lake, unable to pass over, she wanders the grounds looking for her daughter, and loses her memory in the process.
When Viola sees Flora, she decides to take her because she reminds Viola so much of her own daughter. However, her attempt is foiled by Dani offering to share her life (what’s left of it) with Viola.
Dani later ends up marrying Jamie and spends many wonderful years with her until having to take Viola’s place, resting at the bottom of the lake. Unlike Viola, Dani refuses to wonder the grounds of Bly Manor looking for victims of her own, but ends up leaving Jamie heartbroken and searching for her.
This story was truly captivating and complicated at times if you weren’t paying attention. But what left me in tears was the ending, when we see Jamie falling asleep waiting for Jamie in Bly Manor. Jamie ends up being our narrator telling us the story of Viola and her own partner to a young couple that decides to throw their wedding at Bly Manor.
This film surprisingly tackles a difficult topic that most of us who are in a relationship, don’t want to think about… having to go on living without our significant other there with us. It is a difficult thing for any of us to have to think about. And though it isn’t a pleasant topic this film did a beautiful job portraying heartache and including supernatural aspects.
Death is not something most care to think about but this series (should you choose to watch it) will definitely leave a lasting impression and tears in your eyes.
