20 Best TV Episodes Of 2018

9. The Bent-Neck Lady - The Haunting Of Hill House

Hill House Car
Netflix

The Haunting Of Hill House's first few episodes were, by design, quite slow. It took its time to establish each of the Crain children in turn, but it didn't quite have the necessary spark. It needed something to light the fuse and propel it towards the endgame.

That's what episode 5, The Bent-Neck Lady delivered, in utterly chilling fashion.

The story this time revolved around Nell, the youngest of the Crain children and the one who remains the most haunted by the events that occurred in Hill House. And this episode shows us, in shocking, heart-wrenching fashion, exactly why that is.

The Bent-Neck Lady is the episode that makes the most of its dual timelines, pushing forward Nell's story in the present by highlighting the literal ghosts of her past, with stunning performances from both Victoria Pedretti and Violet McGraw that expertly complement each other. By bending time and everything we thought we knew about the story, this instalment isn't just one of Hill House's scariest, but also its saddest.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.