Between Big Mouth, BoJack Horseman, and most recently, Long Story Short, adult animated comedies have quietly become one of Netflix’s best bets. After the surprise success of its latter series winning the hearts of audiences and earning an early Season 2 renewal, the streamer has no doubt leaned into shows not afraid to be both absurd and oddly emotional. Thankfully, that’s exactly what their latest catalog addition, Haunted Hotel, delivers as one of the newest offerings on the block.

Created by Rick and Morty<em> </em>veteran Matt Roller, and executive produced by Dan Harmon, the series takes a concept that sounds like a throwaway gag — a single mom runs a hotel that’s full of ghosts, including her estranged brother — and spins it into something sharp, hilarious, and, when you least expect it, genuinely moving. It’s a horror-comedy rooted in the ridiculous while still sneaking in some real, gut-wrenching emotion, and surprisingly lands with a kind of confidence that proves Netflix has found another animated gem.

What Is ‘Haunted’ Hotel’ About?

The show features a simple setup of a single mom raising her two rambunctious kids in a haunted hotel inherited from her late brother, but it’s anything but ordinary in execution. Picking up from what feels like the middle of their fresh start at the hotel known as the Undervale, Katherine (Eliza Coupe) is working hard to keep things afloat while juggling the fact that their hotel is crawling with the undead. Her brother Nathan (Will Forte), now one of the ghosts tethered to the property with his matter-of-fact attitude, floats between being an exasperating nuisance and an unexpected source of comfort. Though he’s still getting used to being dead, he manages to help run the business while working on ways to bond with his family, particularly his niece and nephew, as he overcomes metaphorical demons in his closet.

Katherine’s children, Ben (Skyler Gisondo) and Esther (Natalie Palamides), are on their own adventures in the house, which includes her teenage son dating a 1920s spirit while her young daughter tries to manipulate the ghosts for her own benefit. But one of the best characters roaming the grounds is Abbadon (Jimmi Simpson), the literal gatekeeper of hell, cursed to inhabit the body of a little Victorian boy. His biggest frustration is that no one takes him seriously, seeing as how he’s an all-mighty demonic spirit trapped in a pale child’s puny frame; that tension becomes both a running joke and a surprisingly layered part of his character.

Apart from its main characters, one thing that makes Haunted Hotel such an absolute blast is the sheer variety of ghosts roaming the property. They’re never just background gags or window dressing for the setting but rather distinct personalities who feel like permanent residents. From a cowboy specter straight out of a Sam Elliott westerner to oddballs like Stabby Pete (yes, he’s exactly what he sounds like), and the kind of ghost who seems to be perpetually on fire — these characters don’t just fill out the Undervale; they’re part of what makes it feel lived-in, unpredictable, and endlessly funny.

‘Haunted Hotel’ Is 100% Not a ‘Ghosts’ Ripoff

While there has been some discourse on social media that the show is a “ripoff” of the CBS series Ghosts, which is also a remake of the BBC series, Haunted Hotel is far from any of that. Sure, both shows feature humans living alongside spirits in a lavish mansion, but that’s where the comparison ends. Whereas Ghosts thrives on the coziness and interpersonal quirks of its Woodstone spirits, Haunted Hotel is a comedy built on horror and how it clashes with family life. Except for Nathan, the ghosts here are less the focus and more the triggers as they set the stage for chaos.

This is why the show works so well because the payoff always comes in how Katherine, Nathan, Ben, and Esther respond. Whether they’re scared or trying to navigate grief, these moments of tenderness let the series feel more like a conversation about what scares us most than a parody rooted in cynicism. From mothman showdowns to rooms that creepily watch you (yes, you read that right), a <em>Ghost Hunters</em> parody and body-snatching creatures that look deceptively cute — each scare lands with both bite and heart.

The wildly inventive writing by Roller and his team (Avital Ash, Carrie Rosen, and Sam Nulman) shows affection for the material it’s riffing on. It never just parodies horror in its 20-minute episodes with callbacks to classic monster tropes or paranoia thrillers but honors it. Like Community did with genre TV thanks to Harmon’s genius, Haunted Hotel finds ways to both mock and embrace its inspirations. This isn’t about chronicling ghostly lives or relationships but rather about throwing a family through the wringer of horror with cults, possessions, cursed relics while seeing what genuine truths shake out during this process.

‘Haunted Hotel’s Voice Cast Brings the Show to Life

The balance between two seemingly opposite tones: outrageous rapid-fire comedy and genuine emotional weight surprised me most about Haunted Hotel. It never gives off the vibe like it’s trying too hard. Though this can be attributed to its writing, it is also rooted in a very magnetic cast that makes this work — like Forte who is easily the standout here. Whether his character wrestles with being a ghost or brushes up against big secrets carrying more weight than he’s willing to admit, Forte plays those moments with just enough gravity in his voice to ground Nathan. Despite being an animated series too, he makes his character funny, flawed, and achingly human all at once with just a dip in his vocals.

Coupé gives Katherine a kind of weary resilience that levels out chaos to be the show’s emotional anchor. She’s funny indeed but it’s her edge when Katherine is fed up or softer tones when she admits regret that really speak to who her character is. Even when she juggles disasters or hesitates to date again (cue Randall Park) in a funny guest spot,Coupé keeps her voice balanced between sharp wit and quiet vulnerability.

The children — played by Gisondo and Palamides — bring another dimension of innocence and hilarity to this series. Gisondo’s delivery makes Ben endearingly awkward with halting pauses, nervous rises in pitch and bursts of misplaced confidence capturing relatable teen energy. However, it’s his showcase episode,“Seven Deadly Bens,” which provides eyebrow-raising layers that are undoubtedly hilarious, all while set to an iconic ‘90s classic by Enigma.

This mischievousness leans into Esther’s character through Palamides with sharp beats turning every scheme into menace mixed with charm especially when she ropes in her one school friend for backup. Stealing every scene she’s in,Palamides delivers Esther’s wildest choices (like raising the dead) in an outrageously funny way.

The guest stars spread out like Easter eggs across this season add another layer of surprise to this already stacked ensemble. Park brings lively energy as Katherine’s blind date whileKumail Nanjiani, clearly having fun as a cult leader whose cheeriness makes his scenes all more ridiculous.

‘Haunted Hotel’ Is More Than Just Another Animated Comedy

This series does have some issues such as how it drops viewers into this family’s life without much setup. However, this lived-in quality works in its favor letting us in on chaos these characters are used to. It feels messy in just the right way like checking into a hotel where everything’s already in motion while you’re catching up. Having binged this entire show twice now (once for review and once purely for fun),I can say it stands up even on its second watch being even funnier and more charming because you start catching little throwaway gags tucked between scares.

The animation studio Titmouse creates nice balance between grotesque and goofy for its monsters which are genuinely creepy yet absurdly funny.This series sneaks up on you.

The hotel itself becomes another character with visual touches making every hallway worth watching closely. You start watching for laughs (and get plenty) but then realize you’re also invested in this family their grief and attempts to hold each other together despite chaos. As a horror-comedy that cares about its characters,This show is bigger funnier braver than its comparisons for all risks it takes.

The Haunted Hotel&nbspis now streaming on Netflix.