Is The Haunting of Bly Manor woke?
TV Show · 2020
The Haunting of Bly Manor has a wokeness score of 7/10, which we rate as Strongly Ideological. Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key points
- Central lesbian romance portrayed without homophobia or tragedy tied to sexuality.
- Diverse casting with emphasis on interracial and LGBTQ relationships as intentional representation.
- Story reframed as a queer love story avoiding period-accurate bigotry for modern sensibilities.
Wokeness analysis
The Haunting of Bly Manor centers a prominent lesbian romance between Dani and Jamie as its emotional core, set in the 1980s without any homophobia or societal obstacles to make the relationship feel organic and unpunished by external forces. The show features significant racial diversity in casting, including Black, Indian, and mixed-heritage actors in key roles like housekeeper Hannah Grose and chef Owen, with one actress highlighting the interracial pairing of two women of color as intentional and rare. It explicitly avoids traditional period-specific bigotry, presenting a color-blind and sexuality-blind utopia that prioritizes modern inclusivity over historical realism. Critics and cast members praise the 'refreshing' LGBTQ representation and frame the narrative as a love story rather than pure horror, with themes of grief, sacrifice, and found family intertwined with queer identity. While the plot draws from Henry James adaptations, the additions of queer romance, diverse casting, and absence of prejudice serve progressive messaging, making the story feel shaped to showcase these elements prominently rather than letting them emerge naturally from the gothic tale.
Plot
The Haunting of Bly Manor follows young American au pair Dani Clayton as she takes a position caring for orphaned siblings Miles and Flora at the haunted English estate of Bly Manor in the late 1980s. As supernatural events unfold involving trapped ghosts and the Lady in the Lake, Dani forms a deep romantic connection with the estate's gardener Jamie. The nine-episode miniseries blends gothic horror with a central love story, exploring themes of grief, possession, and sacrifice, culminating in a bittersweet resolution narrated at a modern wedding.
Analyzed by AI on September 6, 2026