Written by Ella Herrera
Through the course of this crucial autumn season, I have witnessed a shift, one that shows we all need a few more laughs and smiles. While the horror run of 2026 has been a generational one, from the virality of Curry Baker’s Obsession to Mike Flanagan’s rendition of Carrie, it is evident that so many of us have grown cynical, and look to lighthearted media in order to ground us. With this, I present to you Haunted Hotel, the ghostly younger sibling to the infamously crude and nihilistic Rick and Morty.
Shortly into the binge of this short, animated series, one becomes engrossed in a goofy story line filled with important and lovable characters. Haunted Hotel does an incredible job combining fright and fun, focusing on a small family that moves into an old hotel filled with ghosts. The ensemble of characters creates a perfect harmony of personalities, including the smart and self-assured younger sister Esther, the dawdling older brother Ben, their fed up and passionate mother Katherine, and the pair which existed before the three of them even moved in, Nathan and Abbadon—Katherine’s ghost brother and a demon in the body of a small boy.
Haunted Hotel expertly walks the line between adult and family friendly, providing just the right amount of obscenity that makes teens feel like they are breaking the rules, and simultaneously helps adults get a taste of childhood. This in-between space has been severely lacking in recent years, banishing tweens and teens to the depths of TikTok and Youtube. While I’m honestly inspired by the way our youth form DIY communities of their own, it shouldn't be the standard; these spaces should already exist for them, and I think shows like this one are so important for this exact reason.
“‘Children’s’ shows and movies have a longstanding reputation of meaning more than they seem, breadcrumbing morals and compassion into the minds of little ones via subliminal messages and the depiction of different perspectives.”
Take Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, for example. On paper, the shows themes are; genocide, war, and romance–not something you would immediately think was for children. And yet the show is rated TV-Y7, made for eight year olds.
Haunted Hotel works in a similar way, where heavy themes of mental health, family problems, and existentialism are presented so softly and with care; a parent wouldn’t look twice. However, by the end of the show, anyone with a heart would have cried a few times, had a few crises, and gasped in shock at the twist. While I won't spoil it here, the twist does the perfect job of summing up exactly what I mean. Underneath a neat, sweet wrapper is darkness, sadness, and anguish of the true meaning of the series.
So, if you are looking for a lighthearted but emotional story, filled with tons of spirited characters, that fits perfectly into the autumn season, give Haunted Hotel a try!
