I really enjoyed the first season of Haunted Hotel. It had a solid premise, great voice talent, and some genuinely fantastic episodes. So when I saw that a screener was available for Haunted Hotel Season 2, I jumped at the chance to watch it. This season carries forward many of the ideas laid out in Season 1, gives a bit more depth to the main cast, and, most importantly, gives us more Abaddon. No matter how you look at it, that is a good thing. While I don’t think Haunted Hotel shakes up the formula too much, there is enough here for fans of the show to find more horror hijinks to enjoy.
Haunted Hotel Season 2 picks up where the first season left off, with the epic finale now canon to the show’s lore, even if most of the cast does not remember it. You have to love time-travel storylines. The show has also retconned in a character named Shanna, who has apparently been living in the house for the past year even though no one seemed to notice.
It was a nice touch to show quick glimpses of Season 1 and insert Shanna into some of those major moments, even though we, as the audience, never saw her before. It establishes her as someone who understands this universe, is willing to accept the insanity, and can simply roll with the punches.
From there, Haunted Hotel Season 2 starts in earnest, with eight episodes of relatively solid material throughout. Much like Season 1, there are plenty of nods and homages to classic horror films, books and TV shows. It all works well to give the world of Haunted Hotel a sense of place and show just how close this universe always seems to be to collapsing on any given day. I was a fan of Season 1 because of the world it established, and Season 2 does a good job making that reality feel richer by fleshing out many of the rules and customs followed by the house and the ghost world.
I am also incredibly happy to see the show become much more than a horror version of Family Guy. Rather than simply calling back to other well-known properties, Haunted Hotel seems far more interested in making the audience care about its characters. It explores their troubles, joys and important moments through a horror lens instead of being content to stay on the surface. There are moments this season that dig deeper into the backstories of the main cast, and some of them are much darker than the show may initially seem.
I will not spoil anything here, but you will get a better look at Nathan’s past and state of mind, with Will Forte continuing to bring the character to life. While Nathan seems like a relatively happy person on the surface, Season 2 explores more of who he is, and there are some moments that feel genuinely sad, in a good way. The same goes for most of the cast, with each character showing enough depth to make them genuinely enjoyable to root for and watch succeed, even through all the madness.
“Haunted Hotel seems far more interested in making the audience care about its characters.”
Even with how much I loved the overall direction of the show, the two characters who still steal the spotlight are, without question, Jimmi Simpson’s Abaddon and Natalie Palamides’ Esther. These two bring some of the best moments to Season 2, much like they did in Season 1, and are given room to grow, expand who they are and lean into the nutty concepts behind their characters. A demon trapped in a young boy’s body is a fun concept, and Simpson’s performance sells it. He brings a matter-of-fact delivery to some truly batty lines, and those moments have produced some of the most genuine laughs I have had with the show.
Esther, on the other hand, is simply well written and showcases a wisdom and strength far beyond her age. Even when she falls into more typical problems for a young girl, Palamides plays those moments with enough balance to make her a joy to watch.
I am also really enjoying the horror references and concepts the show brings into this world. We have seen elder gods, ancient myths, classic 1980s horror concepts and even callbacks to some deep cuts from the horror lexicon. If you love horror, there is a lot to enjoy in the way Haunted Hotel keeps weaving these ideas into its strange and oddly engaging world. Watching this family face some truly insane situations and still somehow walk away smiling is a lot, and I am here for it.
The episodes themselves are relatively solid across the eight-episode season, with a few genuine must-watch standouts rising to the top. Episode 6, Dante Crowe, a tongue-in-cheek take on John Constantine, was a particular high point for me. But it was Episode 8, The Visit, that sold me on the idea of more seasons. It showed that Haunted Hotel could have real depth and made me stop and think about what was going on beneath the surface.
It is easy to make a show where the stakes do not matter, but Haunted Hotel manages to avoid that. Even if some of the characters cannot die, that does not mean there is no real pain behind the actions we see take place. I will not spoil it, but it is genuinely good animated TV, mature and filled with depth.
Don’t get me wrong, there are a few episodes that feel like filler, but with only eight episodes, this was a pretty tight season. Even the weaker entries had moments that felt like they moved the overall story forward. I don’t know where the show is going next, but with the final episode of Season 2 under my belt, I am excited to see where Haunted Hotel goes from here.
It is not a perfect show, but with strong writing, voice acting and an excellent overall concept, Haunted Hotel managed to keep me hooked throughout its second season. There are strong ideas, great characters and some genuinely touching moments to keep viewers invested. By leaning into its horror concept, Haunted Hotel has found a solid foundation for future seasons, and if it can maintain this level of quality, it is a show I will keep coming back to every year. As it stands, if you watched and enjoyed Season 1 of Haunted Hotel, Season 2 is a must-watch.
