^{Credit: Haunted Hotel (Netflix)}

Haunted Hotel was among the best animated shows that people seemed to sleep on in 2025. Thankfully, Matt Roller’s series scared up enough viewers to secure a second season. The first season’s fast-paced humor was cut from the same cloth as Rick and Morty, which Roller previously worked on. The Freeling family doesn’t have a portal gun, though, confiding most of the stories to the Undervale Hotel. That’s not a bad thing, as the hotel is practically a world of its own, with each door providing a gateway to paranormal activity and adventure. Think Ghosts, except gorier and with the advantage of being animated.  

While the first season was wickedly funny and horrifically imaginative, it also developed a strong emotional core as the episodes progressed. This continues in Season 2, not only fleshing out the bonds between the Freelings, but giving us more reason to care about the ghosts as well. While the other occupants of the hotel all had memorable designs, they could feel underdeveloped compared to the family. Although some side characters are still one-note, Season 2 sees more background players move to the foreground. In the season premiere, the Freelings learn that one of the residents isn’t a ghost at all. Natalie Morales voices Shayna, who’s alive and has been crashing with the family the whole time. This only makes me want to rewatch Season 1 more to see how many times Shayna popped up before. 

Shayna adds another fun dynamic to an ensemble that doesn’t have a weak link, although I’d probably rank Skyler Gisondo’s Ben at the bottom if I had to choose. My favorite, meanwhile, is still Jimmi Simpson’s Abaddon, who’s a bit like Stewie Griffin if he were older and more demonic. In the vein of Stewie and Brian, Abaddon’s sinister nature doesn’t prevent him from having a meaningful relationship with the supernatural savvy Esther (Natalie Palamides). There’s even a surprisingly sweet episode that sees Katherine (Eliza Coupe) take care of a sickly Abaddon, whom she’s pretty much adopted as her own by this point. As opposed to most of the Griffins, you get the sense that the Freelings actually like each other, giving the show an unexpected depth. 

Of course, there’s still plenty of room for macabre misadventures involving witches, purple ooze, multi-limbed monsters, and a ghosthunter named Dante Crowe. The latter wouldn’t feel out of place on another Netflix show, Devil May Cry. Yet, the humor and horror remain balanced with heart, which creeps up on you. It hit hard last year when the truth came out about how Nathan died. While there’s still some vagueness surrounding Nathan’s death, it’s clear that he was overcome with loneliness, despite putting up a chipper appearance. Season 2 sees Nathan find love on a night that allows ghosts to leave the hotel grounds. As such, the relationship can’t last, but their bittersweet parting may be the show’s most poignant and beautifully animated sequence thus far. 

The season finale also provides further insight into Nathan’s relationship with Katherine before his life ended. In many respects, Nathan is closer with his family in death than he ever was in life. Already having two children and a soon-to-be ex-husband on her plate, Katherine failed to see the warning signs that amounted to her brother’s life. A combination of grief, guilt, and having nowhere else to go might be why Katherine initially stuck around. By the end of Season 2, though, she’s happy to be there with her family, the occasional apocalypse aside. 

It remains to be seen if Netflix will renew Haunted Hotel for a third season. If not, Season 2’s finale manages to leave everyone on a satisfying note with something of a full-circle moment. I sincerely hope that this isn’t the end, however. Haunted Hotel deserves to become a Halloween tradition, treating Netflix subscribers for at least a few more seasons. Come to think of it, the show hasn’t had a full-blown Halloween special yet. What would a Thanksgiving or Christmas special look like, for that matter? It feels like we’re just getting started, Haunted Hotel. So don’t be a ghost. 

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!