Given that the creator of “Haunted Hotel,” Matt Roller, wrote for “Rick and Morty,” it’s no surprise that the two animated series share similar comedic DNA. But while “Rick and Morty” plunges its characters into zany sci-fi scenarios, “Haunted Hotel” — the first season of which debuts Friday on Netflix — leans into supernatural horror.
The central setup is sitcom-worthy: Kathy Freeling (voiced by Eliza Coupe), a recently divorced mom of two, moves her family to a dilapidated hotel and helps her estranged brother, Nathan (Will Forte), manage it. The twist? The hotel, named the Undervale, is haunted, and Nathan is a ghost. Oh, and the family has also adopted Abaddon (Jimmi Simpson), an eons-old demon trapped in the body of an 18th-century boy with a hankering for Beach Boys tunes and cereal. (“This vessel requires Froot Loops.”) It’s domestic dramedy by way of “The Shining.”
The first episode strains a bit under the demands of world building and can feel overstuffed. A short primer: Ghosts can’t interact with objects, but they don’t fall through the floor. The spirits of people who die in the hotel are forever tethered to the property grounds — until they aren’t. And while ghosts can’t harm humans, the hotel’s demon inhabitants absolutely can.
But the pace picks up in subsequent episodes, driven by the characters’ mostly relatable struggles, paranormal backdrop notwithstanding. Kathy’s son, Ben (Skyler Gisondo), an awkward 13-year-old, is bullied at school and wishes he could show off his ghost girlfriend, Annabelle, an ethereal ’20s-era flapper. Esther (Natalie Palamides), his younger sister, misses their dad and conjures a zombie substitute with a magic amulet. And Kathy just wants to enjoy a first date without running afoul of a Jason Voorhees wannabe.
The hotel itself is a fun cornucopia of haunted house conventions — including a bleeding mirror, flesh-covered hallways and a forbidden wing housing a mysterious evil. And for a hotel on the brink of financial ruin (human guests are understandably rare), the budget to repair ghoul-related damages is surprisingly ample.
“Haunted Hotel” is freaky but heartwarming, grounding its fantastical stories in real-world issues and relationships. The sibling dynamic between Kathy and Nathan, in particular, will be familiar to anyone who yearns for a second chance with a loved one lost.
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