The 'Rick and Morty' Team's New Netflix Horror-Comedy Is Definitely Worth Checking Into

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 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?

While the show features a simple setup of a single mom raising her two rambunctious kids in a haunted hotel inherited from her late brother, 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, all 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.

Meanwhile, 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, all 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. Though 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.

But aside from its main characters, one of the things 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 western, 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.

And that’s 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 the likes of a mothman showdown, a room that creepily watches you (yes, you read that right), a Ghost Hunters parody, and a body-snatching creature that looks deceptively cute, each scare lands with both bite and heart.

More than anything, 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 it 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 throwing a family through the wringer of horror with cults, possessions, cursed relics, and seeing what genuine truths shake out in the process.

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

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

Meanwhile, Coupe gives Katherine the kind of weary resilience that levels out the chaos to be the show’s emotional anchor. She’s funny, yes, but it’s the edge in her voice when Katherine is fed up or the softer tones when she admits regret that really speak to who her character is. Even when she is juggling disasters or hesitating to date again (cue Randall Park in a funny guest spot), Coupe 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 the series. Gisondo’s delivery makes Ben endearingly awkward with halting pauses, nervous rises in pitch, and bursts of misplaced confidence that capture 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.

Meanwhile, Palamides leans into Esther’s mischief with a sharp, almost gleeful beat that turns every scheme into a mix of menace and 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 a way that makes her an outrageously funny child. Of course, Simpson is a real riot. He turns something as trivial as trying (and failing) to eat yogurt into a full-blown tantrum that feels like an end-of-the-world situation or spits insults while riding a tricycle through the hotel like he’s auditioning for The Shining. Even when he’s squaring off with enemies, his frustrated delivery is something between scary and ridiculous. It’s this that makes him one of the most unforgettable characters.

And then there are the guest stars, spread out like Easter eggs across the season. Park, as Katherine’s blind date, brings a lively energy to her world, while Kumail Nanjiani is a highlight and clearly having a blast as a cult leader whose cheeriness makes his scenes all the more ridiculous. Audiences can also expect to hear from Angourie Rice, Riki Lindhome, Bobby Moynihan, Drew Tarver, Jim Rash, and Diedrich Bader, each adding another layer of surprise to the show’s already stacked ensemble.

‘Haunted Hotel’ Is More Than Just Another Animated Comedy

Yes, there are some issues with the series, like how it kind of drops viewers into the middle of this family’s life without much setup. But that lived-in quality works in its favor, letting us in on the chaos these characters are used to. It feels messy in the right way, like checking into a hotel where everything’s already in motion, and you’re catching up. Having binged the entire show twice now (once for review and once purely for fun), it’s a show that stands up even on its second watch, being even funnier and more charming because you start to catch the little throwaway gags and heartfelt beats tucked in between the scares.

With Titmouse’s animation studio creating a nice balance between grotesque and goofy for its monsters that are genuinely creepy and absurdly funny, Haunted Hotel is the kind of series that sneaks up on you. With the hotel being its own character too, with visual touches that make every hallway and room worth watching closely, it’s a series you’ll start watching for the laughs (and get plenty), but then realize you’re also invested in this family, their grief, and their attempts to hold each other together despite the chaos. As a horror-comedy that cares about its characters, it’s bigger, funnier, and braver than its comparisons for all the risks it takes. Netflix’s latest is more than just another animated comedy on its platform, though. It’s a show worth checking into, but just be warned — once you enter, checking out might not be so easy.

Haunted Hotel is now streaming on Netflix.