10 of the scariest moments in The Haunting of Hill House

Nell Confronts Steven

The final scene of the first episode offers us another scary moment when we see Nell in Steven’s apartment. This is after he comes face to face with Luke having broken into his place to steal things for money. Steven starts lecturing his youngest sister, yet she never says a word to him in return. Instead, she stands there looking lost and confused.

And when the phone rings and their father is on the other line, the truth clicks, and we immediately realize Nell isn’t really there. Instead, this is her ghost come to haunt Steven, even though he doesn’t get it at first. Having him turn around only to find Nell directly behind him is more than enough to make us jump in our seats.

Then watching her face contort as she screams and her eyes turn translucent, while her mouth seems to go black like a deep and endless pit? That’s more than enough to freak us the rest of the way out.

So of course we’re not surprised by just how shaken Steven seems by the encounter. We as an audience totally feel his pain there, even as he finally gets the experience he’s long been denied – the chance to see a ghost. Sadly his first ghost encounter is with his younger sister, and for that we’re truly saddened (but still freaked out).