A Family Faces Ghosts, Demons, and Monsters in “Haunted Hotel”
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Netflix has aggressively invested in animated shows for adults, bringing viewers notable original content like Big Mouth, BoJack Horseman, and Disenchantment. Expanding on their collection, the streaming platform presents Haunted Hotel, a new series penned by Rick and Morty writer Matt Roller. This project offers a spooky twist on the classic sitcom formula, blending it with familiar genre elements, reminiscent of the Adult Swim favorite.
Set to premiere on September 19th, the trailer for the ten-episode show gives a sneak peek into the hilariously haunted Undervale Hotel, managed by the Freeling family. After his passing, Nathan (Will Forte) bequeaths the hotel to his estranged sister, Katherine (Eliza Coupe). Even as a ghost, Nathan is determined to be involved in the hotel’s operation. Katherine, recently divorced, seeks a fresh start with her children, Ben (Skyler Gisondo) and Esther (Natalie Palamides). Adding to the chaos, they find themselves looking after Abaddon (Jimmi Simpson), a demon from the 18th century trapped in a child’s form.
Similar to Rick and Morty, Haunted Hotel combines commonplace family sitcom scenarios such as school assignments, parties, and the dating scene with far-out occurrences involving demonic possession, slasher villains, and monstrous tentacles. Netflix’s Tudum site reveals that Roller’s pitch was a hot commodity, eventually landing at Netflix after a fierce bidding war. The streaming company is banking on this horror parody to build a dedicated following and garner the critical recognition that has sustained Rick and Morty for eight seasons.