Haunted Hotel Season 2 (2026) Review: 👻
There’s No Place Like Home… Especially When It’s Haunted!
Let’s start by showing y’all the trailers shall we?
Yes somehow during seasons, Abaddon has become a reveiw
Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Undervale Hotel, where the guests are dead, the staff is questionable, the building is probably violating every safety regulation imaginable, and somehow, despite all of that, this place is still more welcoming than half the establishments I’ve visited in real life. Yes, we’re back for another season of Netflix’s Haunted Hotel, and considering how much I absolutely loved the first season, you can probably imagine how excited I was to return to this wonderfully ridiculous supernatural establishment. I gave Season 1 a 10/10, and after finishing these eight new episodes, I’m happy to report that the show hasn’t lost what made it so entertaining in the first place.
Now, before we get into the review itself, let’s talk a little about the series and its return. Haunted Hotel was created by Matt Roller, whose previous writing credits include Rick and Morty, Community, and Archer. Dan Harmon, Chris McKenna, and Steve Levy also serve as executive producers, with Erica Hayes as supervising director and Titmouse handling the animation. Netflix renewed the series shortly after its first season premiered, and Season 2 officially arrived on October 9, 2026, consisting of eight episodes rather than the first season’s ten.
And I have to admit, learning that this show shares creative talent with Rick and Morty genuinely surprised me. Why? Because I have never been particularly fond of that show’s overwhelming reliance on nihilism, constant arguing, and increasingly predictable attempts at shock humor. Look, I understand that Rick and Morty has its fans, and I’m not going to pretend it has never produced anything clever, but personally, there’s only so many times I can watch another alien civilization whose entire culture revolves around some bizarre sexual innuendo before I start wondering whether the writers know any other jokes. Eventually, the shock value wears off, and what once seemed outrageous becomes predictable.
But here’s the interesting thing. Haunted Hotel demonstrates that adult animation doesn’t have to rely on that particular approach to be entertaining. It can be dark, violent, disturbing, inappropriate, and completely ridiculous while still allowing its characters to genuinely care about one another. And that is something I appreciate enormously.
As for the promotional material, Netflix’s trailers and previews continued emphasizing the show’s combination of supernatural horror, family dysfunction, and absurd comedy. The marketing didn’t need to convince me that some enormous, complicated storyline was coming. I already knew what I wanted: more ridiculous ghosts, more paranormal disasters, more interactions between the Freeling family, and, most importantly, more Abaddon.
And thankfully, that’s exactly what we got.
Non-Spoiler Plot Overview
Season 2 continues following Katherine Freeling, a single mother attempting to operate the Undervale Hotel, a supernatural establishment populated by ghosts, demons, and all manner of creatures that would probably cause an ordinary hotel inspector to resign on the spot. Helping her manage this absolute nightmare are her two children, Ben and Esther, her deceased brother Nathan, and Abaddon, an ancient demon trapped inside the body of a young boy.
And if you’re expecting the second season to suddenly transform into some gigantic serialized mystery with every episode building toward an elaborate revelation, well, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Much like Season 1, this is predominantly an episodic comedy. Each installment introduces its own supernatural predicament, allows the characters to get themselves into increasingly ridiculous situations, and generally resolves that particular adventure before moving on to the next one. There are some ongoing developments and character relationships that carry across the season, but the show isn’t particularly interested in making every episode another chapter in one enormous storyline.
One episode involves a mysterious supernatural substance spreading throughout the hotel. Another deals with a witch causing problems. We get ghosts temporarily leaving the building, dangerous experiments with magic, supernatural hunters, and a mysterious concierge whose assistance might be considerably more trouble than it’s worth.
It’s a wonderfully ridiculous assortment of ideas, and I appreciate that the writers understand the appeal of their own premise.
The Undervale is a haunted hotel. You can introduce practically any supernatural creature, curse, or bizarre paranormal situation imaginable, and the audience will probably accept it because that’s the kind of world these characters inhabit.
Only toward the latter portion of the season, particularly its final episode, does the story become more interested in exploring the hotel’s history and delivering significant revelations about its characters.
And honestly? I’m perfectly fine with that structure.
I don’t need Haunted Hotel to reinvent television. Sometimes I just want to watch an ancient demon throw a temper tantrum while everyone else tries to survive another completely absurd day.
Character Rundown
Abaddon
Let’s get the most obvious part of this review out of the way.
Abaddon is still my favorite character in the entire show.
I’m sorry, but every single time this little demon appears on screen, I’m having an absolutely fantastic time.
Voiced by Jimmi Simpson, Abaddon is an ancient demonic entity who once served as the gatekeeper of the fifth ring of Hell, only to find himself trapped inside the body of a young boy from the 1700s. On paper, that sounds like the setup for some terrifying supernatural antagonist. In practice, he’s an egotistical, dramatic, incredibly childish little menace who can go from discussing his immense demonic authority to throwing a tantrum over something completely insignificant.
And I absolutely love him.
What makes Abaddon so entertaining isn’t simply the concept of an ancient demon behaving like a spoiled child. It’s Simpson’s performance. He delivers practically everything with such confidence and self-importance that even the most ridiculous statements sound like proclamations from some all-powerful ruler of the underworld. Abaddon genuinely seems to believe that everyone should recognize his importance, regardless of whether he’s discussing supernatural power or complaining about what he’s having for dinner.
But what makes him even better is that the writers haven’t forgotten the character development he experienced during the first season.
Remember, during Season 1’s finale, Abaddon ultimately chose his adopted family over reclaiming his demonic powers. That’s an enormous decision for someone who initially seemed interested in little beyond his own authority and reputation. And Season 2 continues developing that relationship without completely changing his personality.
He’s still selfish. He’s still obnoxious. He’s still capable of becoming an absolute nightmare over the smallest inconvenience. But every once in a while, the writers allow that ridiculous personality to disappear just long enough to remind us that he genuinely cares about the people around him.
One episode in particular does a wonderful job exploring this softer side, and I’ll discuss it in considerably more detail during the spoiler section.
But suffice it to say, watching this supposedly terrifying ancient demon behave like an ordinary little boy can be surprisingly adorable.
And then, just when you start thinking he’s finally becoming a well-behaved child, he opens his mouth and reminds everyone exactly who they’re dealing with.
HAHAHAHA!
I swear, this kid.
Abaddon is easily one of my favorite characters in modern adult animation, and after two seasons, I have absolutely no intention of changing that opinion.
Esther
Coming in second place is Esther, voiced by Natalie Palamides, and much like Abaddon, she’s another character who practically guarantees I’m going to enjoy whatever scene she’s involved in.
What I love about Esther is how completely comfortable she is with the supernatural. Most ordinary people would probably have a nervous breakdown if they discovered their home was filled with ghosts, demons, murderous spirits, and horrifying creatures lurking around every corner. Esther, meanwhile, seems to regard the entire situation as an enormous opportunity to explore her interests.
She’s fascinated by dark magic, completely unbothered by things that would terrify most people, and occasionally approaches potentially life-threatening supernatural situations with the enthusiasm of someone discovering a new hobby.
And that attitude is hilarious.
But my favorite aspect of Esther is probably her relationship with Abaddon.
These two are essentially supernatural siblings. They argue, compete, irritate one another, and sometimes behave as though being forced to share the same building is the greatest injustice imaginable. Yet underneath all that bickering, there’s genuine affection.
And I appreciate that the writers don’t constantly feel the need to explain it.
Sometimes the smallest interactions tell us everything we need to know about how these characters feel about one another.
Esther also receives her own supernatural adventures throughout the season, including a particularly dangerous situation involving astral projection. I like that the writers allow her fascination with the occult to be both entertaining and occasionally reckless. She’s intelligent and remarkably fearless, but she’s still a child who doesn’t necessarily understand every consequence of the magic she’s experimenting with.
Honestly, I could probably watch an entire episode consisting exclusively of Esther and Abaddon causing problems around the hotel.
Those two are just that entertaining together.
Katherine Freeling
Now we come to Katherine, voiced by Eliza Coupe, and here’s where I have a criticism that has become increasingly noticeable after two seasons.
Katherine is okay.
That’s really the best way I can describe her.
I don’t dislike her. I don’t think she’s badly acted. And I certainly don’t think the show would function particularly well without her.
But compared to the rest of the main cast, I find her considerably less interesting.
The problem is that Katherine often feels less like a distinctive comedic personality and more like an audience avatar. She’s essentially the character who’s there to react to all the supernatural insanity in the way an ordinary person probably would.
A ghost does something ridiculous? Katherine reacts like a normal person. Abaddon throws another tantrum? Katherine reacts like an exhausted mother. Some terrifying creature appears in the hotel? Katherine understandably wants to know what the hell is going on.
And yes, that serves a purpose.
Every comedy featuring an ensemble of completely ridiculous personalities benefits from having someone relatively grounded to contrast with them.
But here’s my issue.
Being relatable isn’t automatically the same thing as being interesting.
After two seasons, I still find myself wondering what really distinguishes Katherine beyond being a stressed-out mother trying to manage a haunted hotel.
Now, to be fair, she does have worthwhile moments. Her relationship with Nathan has emotional significance, her responsibilities as a parent are important, and I particularly enjoy seeing her gradually accept Abaddon as another member of the family.
In fact, some of my favorite Katherine moments involve her interactions with Abaddon.
But even then, I often find myself more interested in what those scenes reveal about him than what they reveal about her.
And I think that illustrates my criticism.
She’s an important part of the ensemble, and I understand why the writers need someone to serve as the relatively normal person surrounded by supernatural lunatics. I just wish she had a little more personality outside of constantly reacting to everyone else’s insanity.
Again, she’s fine.
I just don’t find her nearly as entertaining as the characters around her.
Nathan
Nathan, voiced by Will Forte, continues to be one of the show’s more interesting characters, particularly because there’s considerably more sadness underneath his comedic personality than you might initially expect.
On the surface, he’s an awkward ghost who remains attached to the hotel he once owned, constantly interacting with its supernatural residents and occasionally getting involved in completely ridiculous situations.
But Season 1 established that his death involved far more tragedy than the original explanation suggested, and Season 2 spends additional time exploring his loneliness, relationships, and emotional struggles.
His adventures include attending a ghost support group, experiencing life beyond the hotel’s boundaries, and developing a connection with another ghost named Bridget, voiced by Zooey Deschanel.
I like that the writers allow Nathan to experience genuine happiness and disappointment despite already being dead.
There’s something amusing about watching a ghost get excited over ordinary activities that living people wouldn’t think twice about. But there’s also something surprisingly melancholy about it.
Nathan can’t simply return to the life he once had.
He’s stuck existing within the limitations of his supernatural condition, trying to find whatever companionship and happiness he can.
And Season 2’s finale explores his history in considerably more detail.
Now, while I appreciate that emotional material, I do have some problems with how the writers chose to present it.
But we’ll get to that later.
Ben
Ben, voiced by Skyler Gisondo, continues trying to navigate life as a relatively ordinary teenager living in an extraordinarily abnormal environment.
His relationship with Annabelle, a ghost voiced by Riki Lindhome, provides some of the season’s romantic complications.
Because apparently dating isn’t difficult enough without having to consider whether your girlfriend is technically alive.
I appreciate that Ben has his own problems and relationships rather than existing exclusively to react to his family’s supernatural adventures. His interactions with Abaddon are also entertaining, particularly because the two characters approach practically everything from completely different perspectives.
While Ben isn’t necessarily one of my personal favorites, I think he serves his purpose within the ensemble.
Supporting Characters
One thing I particularly appreciate about Haunted Hotel is that even the supporting ghosts can become memorable without requiring enormous amounts of screen time.
And that brings me to one of my favorite recurring characters.
STABBY PAUL!
HAHAHAHA!
I absolutely love this guy.
Voiced by Duncan Trussell, Stabby Paul is a murderous ghost who enjoys running around with a knife and attempting to stab people.
There’s just one small problem.
HE’S A GHOST!
He can’t actually stab anyone!
And yet he continues behaving as though he’s some terrifying serial killer.
Even his name is hilarious.
Stabby Paul.
Not some elaborate supernatural title. Not the Butcher of the Undervale. Not the Phantom of a Thousand Knives.
Nope.
Stabby Paul.
Wonderful.
He’s exactly the kind of supporting character that demonstrates how much personality the writers have given the hotel itself. Not every supernatural resident needs an elaborate backstory or some major emotional character arc. Sometimes one ridiculous concept is enough to make a character memorable.
Season 2 also introduces Shayna, a mysterious woman who’s been secretly living within the hotel, along with various supernatural visitors who create their own problems for the family.
These characters help keep the Undervale feeling unpredictable, and I appreciate that the writers continue expanding its supernatural community.
Pacing / Episode Flow
One of the biggest things I want to emphasize about Season 2 is that it really isn’t particularly complicated from a storytelling perspective.
And I don’t mean that as an insult.
Much like Season 1, most of these episodes are essentially individual supernatural adventures. The writers introduce a bizarre concept, explore its comedic possibilities, allow the characters to get themselves into trouble, and eventually move on to the next ridiculous situation.
There’s no need to manufacture some enormous narrative connection between every installment.
The first episode introduces a mysterious substance spreading throughout the hotel and a woman who’s apparently been living there without anyone noticing. Another installment explores Ben’s relationship problems. We get a witch causing chaos, ghosts temporarily leaving the hotel, Esther experimenting with dangerous magic, a supernatural hunter arriving with ominous warnings, and a concierge whose assistance becomes increasingly questionable.
And honestly?
That’s enough.
I don’t need to spend five paragraphs explaining every single episode when their appeal largely comes from the comedy and character interactions.
What matters is that the writers continue finding entertaining situations for the cast.
The season consists of eight episodes rather than ten, and I do think that makes it a relatively quick watch. However, I wouldn’t necessarily say that the shorter episode count damages the experience. The show understands its format, and most installments are perfectly comfortable being self-contained comedies rather than desperately trying to contribute to some gigantic overarching narrative.
Only toward the conclusion, particularly during the final episode, does the season shift its attention toward larger revelations about the hotel’s history and Nathan’s past.
And that’s where I think the writers stumble somewhat.
I won’t spoil anything here, but while I appreciate the emotional significance of the finale, I found its structure considerably less satisfying than the first season’s conclusion.
It’s not enough to ruin the experience, but it’s definitely something I want to discuss.
Pros
First and foremost, the characters remain the biggest reason I enjoy this series. Abaddon and Esther are absolutely fantastic, and their interactions alone are enough to keep me entertained. Jimmi Simpson’s performance as Abaddon is especially wonderful, because he manages to make even the most ridiculous dialogue sound like something his character genuinely believes deserves everyone’s undivided attention.
I also appreciate the show’s ability to balance absurd comedy with genuine emotional substance. The characters can behave terribly, argue, and make ridiculous decisions without the series forgetting that they actually care about one another. The developing relationship between Katherine and Abaddon is a particularly good example of that.
The supernatural setting also provides practically unlimited opportunities for creative storytelling. Ghosts, demons, witches, curses, monsters, and other paranormal phenomena can appear without requiring some elaborate explanation, allowing the writers to explore a wide variety of comedic situations.
The animation deserves praise as well. Titmouse continues giving the series an entertaining visual identity, with imaginative creature designs, disturbing supernatural imagery, and plenty of opportunities for physical comedy. I appreciate that the show doesn’t completely abandon its horror identity just because it’s primarily a comedy.
And finally, I love that Haunted Hotel understands something I wish more adult animated series would recognize.
Being an adult doesn’t mean everything has to be miserable.
Look, I’m not opposed to dark humor, profanity, violence, or inappropriate jokes. Clearly, considering one of my favorite characters is a murderous ghost whose entire personality revolves around stabbing people, I’m not demanding some completely innocent family cartoon.
But there’s a difference between using dark comedy creatively and treating relentless cynicism as a substitute for good writing.
And that’s where Haunted Hotel succeeds.
It’s one of three adult animated comedies I particularly enjoy, alongside Bob’s Burgers and Smiling Friends. And although these shows have very different styles of humor, they share something important.
They allow their characters to genuinely care about one another.
In Bob’s Burgers, the Belcher family can argue, embarrass themselves, and make terrible decisions, but underneath all of that, there’s genuine love.
In Smiling Friends, the characters inhabit an absurd and occasionally horrifying world, yet the central premise revolves around trying to make people happy.
And in Haunted Hotel, a family living alongside ghosts and demons gradually develops relationships that are surprisingly wholesome.
That doesn’t mean everyone gets along perfectly. Far from it. But the show doesn’t treat affection as something embarrassing that needs to be immediately undermined by another cynical punchline.
Sometimes it simply allows a heartfelt moment to exist.
And I appreciate that enormously.
Cons
My first criticism concerns Katherine.
As I’ve already explained, I don’t dislike her, but after two seasons, I still find her comparatively underdeveloped as a comedic personality. She’s the sensible adult surrounded by supernatural insanity, and while that makes her relatable, I wish the writers would give her more distinctive characteristics outside of constantly reacting to everyone else’s behavior.
My second criticism concerns the season finale.
Without revealing anything just yet, the episode attempts to balance a present-day supernatural threat with extensive flashbacks exploring Nathan’s past.
And while I appreciate the emotional material, I don’t think the two storylines complement each other particularly well.
In fact, I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated because the flashbacks kept interrupting a present-day storyline that I wanted to see developed further.
I’ll explain exactly what I mean in the spoiler section.
Those are really my two substantial criticisms.
And considering how much I enjoyed everything else, I don’t think either one is enough to significantly damage my overall opinion.
Final Thoughts
After two seasons, I can confidently say that Haunted Hotel has become one of my favorite examples of modern adult animation.
It’s funny, imaginative, occasionally disturbing, and filled with characters I genuinely enjoy spending time with.
And that’s really what it comes down to.
I don’t need this series to reinvent television. I don’t need every episode to deliver some profound philosophical message. And I certainly don’t need the writers to constantly remind me how miserable, cynical, or meaningless everything supposedly is.
Sometimes all I want is a good comedy with memorable characters, entertaining adventures, and enough genuine emotion to make me care about what happens to them.
And Haunted Hotel delivers exactly that.
Abaddon remains my favorite character, Esther is a close second, and the supporting ghosts continue making the Undervale one of the most entertaining fictional hotels I’ve encountered.
Do I wish Katherine had a little more personality? Absolutely.
Do I think the finale could have handled its competing storylines more effectively? Definitely.
But neither criticism comes close to outweighing how much I enjoyed these eight episodes.
What I particularly appreciate is that the writers haven’t forgotten the importance of family.
Underneath all the demonic rituals, supernatural disasters, murderous ghosts, and ridiculous arguments, there’s a story about people finding somewhere they belong.
And sometimes, that family includes an ancient demon who throws a tantrum because he can’t have every single cookie.
Honestly, what more could I ask for?
I sincerely hope Netflix continues this series, because there’s still an enormous amount of potential in its premise. There are countless supernatural creatures, ridiculous situations, and unexplored corners of the Undervale waiting to be discovered.
And as long as Abaddon and Esther are around to cause trouble, I’ll happily keep checking back in.
Rating
10/10 — Fantastic!
Spoiler Warning
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING SECTION CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR HAUNTED HOTEL SEASON 2, INCLUDING CHARACTER DEVELOPMENTS, SUPERNATURAL REVELATIONS, AND THE SEASON FINALE. IF YOU HAVEN’T FINISHED WATCHING ALL EIGHT EPISODES, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND RETURNING AFTER YOU’VE SEEN THEM.
Spoilers
Now that we’ve entered spoiler territory, I want to start by reiterating something I mentioned earlier. Season 2 really isn’t the kind of show where every single episode requires an enormous explanation. Most of the season consists of individual comedic adventures, and I think trying to turn every installment into some elaborate narrative analysis would be doing the series a disservice.
For example, the premiere, “Ooze,” introduces Shayna, a woman who has apparently been living secretly within the hotel while trying to prevent a mysterious supernatural entity from becoming an even larger problem. I actually like the idea that something this bizarre has essentially been happening in the background while the main characters have been going about their lives. It fits the show’s world perfectly. Apparently, you can operate a hotel for an extended period of time without realizing there’s someone secretly living in the attic. Wonderful security, Katherine. Absolutely fantastic.
Then there’s “Dinner Party,” which explores Ben’s relationship with Annabelle while the rest of the household deals with its own problems. The relationship eventually falls apart, and I appreciate that the writers don’t pretend dating a ghost is somehow going to be a perfectly ordinary romantic experience. Although, considering everything else happening at this hotel, perhaps dating someone who’s already dead is actually one of the more reasonable things a person could do.
“The Witch” introduces a curse that results in Ben being hospitalized after a dangerous reaction to a meal, while the witch herself also ends up requiring medical attention. And I find that premise amusing because the show treats these supposedly terrifying supernatural beings as creatures who still have to deal with ordinary inconveniences. You can be a powerful witch capable of placing horrible curses on people, but apparently, that doesn’t exempt you from needing a doctor.
Then we arrive at “Ghost Day Out,” and this is easily one of the episodes I most want to discuss.
The premise is that the hotel’s ghosts receive a rare opportunity to leave the property. For Katherine, this should theoretically mean a little peace and quiet. Unfortunately, Abaddon is sick and remains behind.
And what follows is one of the sweetest developments in the entire series.
Without the usual supernatural chaos surrounding him, Abaddon behaves almost like an ordinary little boy. Katherine takes care of him, and eventually Abaddon asks whether she’d like to watch cartoons together.
And I’m sorry, but that is absolutely adorable.
We’re talking about an ancient demon who once guarded the fifth ring of Hell, and here he is asking someone to watch cartoons with him.
What makes the scene work is how naturally the writers handle it. There’s no enormous speech about love or belonging. There’s no need to explain why this moment is supposed to be emotional. Katherine is simply taking care of someone who needs her, and Abaddon is genuinely enjoying the attention.
They even bake cookies together, and Abaddon thoughtfully wonders whether the ghosts might want some when they return.
Now, think about that for a second.
Abaddon, of all people, is considering whether someone else might want something.
Who are you, and what have you done with the real Abaddon?
HAHAHAHA!
But the best part is that the writers don’t permanently transform him into some perfectly behaved little angel. The moment the ghosts return, his usual personality comes roaring back.
“Ugh! I want all the cookies or nothing!”
HAHAHAHA!
THERE HE IS!
There’s the little bastard we all know and love!
I genuinely think that contrast is what makes the episode so effective. We get to see another side of Abaddon without losing the personality that makes him entertaining in the first place.
And I think it also demonstrates why I enjoy his relationship with Katherine so much. She doesn’t simply tolerate him because he’s another supernatural resident of the hotel. She’s gradually becoming something resembling a mother to him.
Meanwhile, Nathan’s opportunity to leave the hotel allows him to experience ordinary activities again and meet Bridget, another ghost. I appreciate that the episode balances its silliness with the sadness of Nathan’s situation. For someone who’s been dead and confined to a particular location, even something as ordinary as standing in a grocery store can become an exciting experience. And there’s something genuinely touching about that.
Then there’s “Astral Esther,” which gives Esther an opportunity to explore her fascination with magic, only for things to become considerably more dangerous than she anticipated. I like that the writers occasionally remind us that Esther’s enthusiasm doesn’t necessarily mean she understands every consequence of what she’s doing. She’s remarkably comfortable around the supernatural, but she’s still capable of making mistakes.
“Dante Crowe” introduces a supernatural hunter and plays around with the familiar conventions of paranormal action stories. As someone who enjoys Supernatural, I can certainly appreciate a character arriving with ominous warnings and an attitude suggesting he’s spent his entire life dealing with things that ordinary people would find absolutely horrifying. The episode’s supernatural-hunter influences are fairly obvious, but I don’t consider that a problem. Sometimes it’s simply entertaining to watch a comedy play around with familiar genre conventions.
Then we have “The Concierge,” which gives Katherine what initially appears to be a solution to her never-ending workload. Unfortunately, because this is Haunted Hotel, the supposedly helpful supernatural employee eventually becomes another enormous problem. Honestly, at this point, Katherine should probably establish a rule that any magical creature offering suspiciously convenient assistance needs to undergo a background check.
The episode also features Nathan campaigning to become Ghost Mayor, with Esther helping him. Again, it’s exactly the kind of ridiculous premise that fits this series. We’re talking about a hotel populated by dead people, and apparently, even the afterlife isn’t safe from politics.
But one of my favorite smaller details comes from Abaddon acknowledging his relationship with Esther.
“Esther introduces me as her little brother, and I don’t correct her.”
I absolutely love that line.
Think about who we’re talking about here. Abaddon is an ancient demon with an enormous ego who constantly reminds everyone of his supposed importance. And yet he’s perfectly comfortable allowing this human girl to introduce him as her little brother.
He doesn’t have to do that. He could throw another tantrum about his age, authority, and demonic reputation.
Instead, he lets it happen.
And I think that says more about their relationship than some enormous emotional speech ever could.
The writers understand that sometimes the smallest details reveal the most about a character.
But now, ladies and gentlemen, we arrive at the episode I have the most complicated feelings about.
“The Visit.”
The Season 2 finale.
And before anyone misunderstands my criticism, let me establish something right away.
I don’t dislike learning about Nathan’s past.
In fact, I think exploring his history is a worthwhile idea. We already know that Nathan’s death was tragic, and understanding more about his emotional struggles, his relationship with Katherine, and his efforts to establish the hotel gives the character additional depth.
The flashbacks show Nathan renovating the Undervale and attempting to turn it into something meaningful. We see his excitement, his hopes, and eventually the loneliness that begins creeping into his life. We also learn more about his relationship with Katherine and her children, including the difficulties they were experiencing before moving into the hotel.
And yes, there’s genuine emotional value in all of that.
The tragedy of Nathan’s life becomes considerably more apparent when we see how much effort he put into creating a place where people could feel welcome, only to experience so much isolation himself.
I also appreciate the revelation that Abaddon was Nathan’s first hotel guest. That’s a genuinely interesting detail because it gives their shared history additional significance. This ridiculous little demon has been connected to the Undervale for far longer than Katherine and her children have been living there.
And I think that makes his eventual acceptance into the family even more meaningful.
But here’s my problem with the episode.
Why did the writers decide to tell this particular story while simultaneously introducing a supernatural forest invading the hotel?
Because that’s what happens in the present-day storyline.
The Black Forest begins invading the Undervale, with dangerous trees and vegetation threatening the building and its inhabitants.
And I was interested!
I wanted to see where this storyline was going. I wanted the writers to explore the threat, develop the danger, and allow the characters to deal with this horrifying supernatural situation.
But instead, the episode keeps shifting its attention back toward Nathan’s flashbacks.
And after a while, I started getting frustrated.
Not because the flashbacks were terrible.
Not because I don’t care about Nathan.
But because the two storylines seemed to be competing for the episode’s attention.
Every time the present-day danger started becoming interesting, we would return to another sequence exploring Nathan’s past.
And I kept thinking, can we please focus on what’s happening at the hotel right now?
Look, I understand what the writers were trying to accomplish. The history of the Undervale is connected to the present-day events, and the episode eventually brings those elements together through the ritual involving the red lantern and blood.
There’s also a thematic connection between Nathan’s efforts to create a home and the family’s determination to protect that home in the present.
I get it.
But understanding the intention behind a storytelling decision doesn’t automatically mean I think the execution works.
Personally, I would have preferred one of two approaches.
Either dedicate an entire episode primarily to Nathan’s backstory, allowing us to explore his life, his relationship with Katherine, and the circumstances surrounding his emotional decline without constantly interrupting that material.
Or make the finale primarily about the Black Forest invading the hotel, allowing that supernatural threat to develop into a more substantial horror-comedy adventure.
Instead, the writers attempt to balance both concepts within the same relatively short episode, and I don’t think either receives quite the attention it deserves.
And this becomes particularly noticeable when comparing the finale to Season 1.
Remember how the first season ended?
We had enormous supernatural stakes, an apocalyptic catastrophe, and Abaddon repeatedly attempting to save his family before ultimately choosing them over reclaiming his demonic powers.
That was a fantastic conclusion because it brought the season’s biggest emotional development together with an appropriately ridiculous supernatural disaster.
Season 2’s finale, by comparison, feels much more interested in exploring the hotel’s emotional history.
And there’s nothing inherently wrong with that.
But when you introduce something as potentially exciting as a terrifying supernatural forest invading the building, I think it’s reasonable to expect that threat to receive more attention.
I appreciate the revelations about Nathan. I appreciate the emotional significance of his relationship with Katherine. And I particularly like learning more about the hotel’s early history.
But I still walked away feeling that the episode could have been structured considerably better.
It’s probably my biggest criticism of the entire season.
And yet, despite all of that, I still thoroughly enjoyed Season 2 as a whole.
Because when I look back at these eight episodes, the moments that stand out aren’t necessarily the gigantic supernatural threats or the complicated revelations.
They’re the smaller character interactions.
Abaddon asking Katherine to watch cartoons.
Esther and Abaddon behaving like siblings.
Nathan experiencing ordinary activities that he can no longer take for granted.
The ridiculous supporting ghosts going about their supernatural business.
And, of course, Stabby Paul continuing to act like the most dangerous person in the building despite being physically incapable of stabbing anyone.
That’s what makes this show so entertaining to me.
The writers have created a world where practically anything can happen, but they’ve also given us characters who make that world worth revisiting.
And I think that’s the most important thing.
Underneath all the demonic rituals, supernatural disasters, murderous ghosts, and ridiculous arguments, Haunted Hotel is ultimately about a family finding somewhere they belong.
And sometimes that family includes an ancient demon who throws a tantrum because he can’t have every single cookie.
Honestly, what more could I ask for?
After two seasons, I’m still having a fantastic time, and I genuinely hope Netflix continues giving Matt Roller and his team opportunities to explore this wonderfully ridiculous supernatural world.
There are still countless possibilities for new ghosts, curses, monsters, and adventures.
And as long as Abaddon and Esther are around to cause trouble, I’ll be more than happy to check back into the Undervale.
Just maybe keep Stabby Paul away from the kitchen.
Actually, never mind.
He’s a ghost.
What’s he going to do, stab me?
Final Rating: 10/10.
