The Haunting of Bly Manor slammed for ‘not living up to Hill House’ as critics brand it ‘predictable and underwhelming’

IT'S set to drop on Netflix on Friday as the second instalment of the streaming site's hugely popular Haunting series.

But critics that have managed to get their hands on a preview of the new show have been far from kind.

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Created by Mike Flanagan, who also devised predecessor The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor is a new horror story set in 1980s England.

Following an au pair’s tragic death, Henry Wingrave hires a young American nanny to care for his orphaned niece and nephew who reside at Bly Manor - but all is not as it seems.

Unfortunately for Netflix, however, reviewers have largely not been left hooked on the mystery.

Writing for Vanity Fair, Richard Lawson called it an "erratic, melodramatic follow-up" to Hill House.

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He added that the series "plods along" through its nine episodes, and it lacks a "truly evocative pull" towards what the plot.

Josh Wilding at comicbookmovie.com said that while he found it "a satisfying viewing experience," it "won't leave you cowering behind your couch".

He added that the series felt "directionless" and that "nothing feels overly original."

Writing for Hello!, Emily Griffiths complained about some "awful English accents" that appeared in the show

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She added that the ending felt "unsatisfying."

 A more mixed review came from Lewis Knight at the Mirror.

He praised some of the acting, but nevertheless said that there was an "uneven structure," with some episodes much better than others.

Finally, Daniel D'Addario offered a scathing assessment of the show for Variety.

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He called it "A wan convoluted follow up," adding that it is "rarely really scary" and "it gets confounded in its own story. "

Such has been the anticipation for the series that viewers will still likely flock to their television when the series creeps onto Netflix on Friday.

Time will tell whether they agree with the critics.