A lot of the reviewers here seem to think the finale episode was either perfect or absolutely horrible. I for one think the finale was certainly subpar in comparison to the rest of the series but it wasn't completely abysmal.
The series brilliantly built up the tension and created an eerie atmosphere. Hill House virtually became an own character - a sinister one, stalking the Crain family, so naturally I expected a great climax. But there was no real confrontation, only Hill House killing Hugh, mentally torturing the siblings...and then letting them go. Generally I liked the explanation about the room with the red door but at the end it didn't matter because this revelation didn't have any consequences or impact, it was just information. Generally, there was a lack of consequences. After all the house has done to the Crane family there should have at least been some sort of active fight against it, instead of running away and then letting it in peace, only so that the Dudley's can see their daughter. At the end they tried to frame Hill House as not evil by Mrs. Dudley choosing to die there in order to be with her child but after a whole series of seeing the horrible influence and terrible damage Hill House created this doesn't work.
I know the writers wanted to end the show with a happy note, and I respect that decision and the message they wanted to get across. But there is a difference between a happy ending and and a downright utopian ending. After all they have gone through, after the loss of both Nell and their father it just isn't realistic that all of their lives are that happy and fulfilled. There were plenty of possibilities to have a happy ending without exaggerating it. Some nuance would have benefited the ending.
The series brilliantly built up the tension and created an eerie atmosphere. Hill House virtually became an own character - a sinister one, stalking the Crain family, so naturally I expected a great climax. But there was no real confrontation, only Hill House killing Hugh, mentally torturing the siblings...and then letting them go. Generally I liked the explanation about the room with the red door but at the end it didn't matter because this revelation didn't have any consequences or impact, it was just information. Generally, there was a lack of consequences. After all the house has done to the Crane family there should have at least been some sort of active fight against it, instead of running away and then letting it in peace, only so that the Dudley's can see their daughter. At the end they tried to frame Hill House as not evil by Mrs. Dudley choosing to die there in order to be with her child but after a whole series of seeing the horrible influence and terrible damage Hill House created this doesn't work.
I know the writers wanted to end the show with a happy note, and I respect that decision and the message they wanted to get across. But there is a difference between a happy ending and and a downright utopian ending. After all they have gone through, after the loss of both Nell and their father it just isn't realistic that all of their lives are that happy and fulfilled. There were plenty of possibilities to have a happy ending without exaggerating it. Some nuance would have benefited the ending.