‘The Fall of the House of Usher,’ misses the mark, in a overly progressive mess

'The Fall of the House of Usher', Netflix's latest attempt at a horror series, fails to live up to the hype. Despite being based on Edgar Allan Poe's iconic short story, the series seems to go out of its way to distort the original narrative, resulting in a disjointed and frustrating viewing experience.

One of the most glaring issues is the overly progressive portrayal of the Usher family. While diversity and representation are important in modern media, 'The Fall of the House of Usher' appears to be trying too hard to appeal to a diverse audience. The decision to make several minority characters gay seems forced and not organic to the storyline. It feels as though the creators were more concerned with ticking boxes for inclusivity than with developing well-rounded characters and a cohesive plot.

The series also suffers from uneven pacing. Some episodes, particularly those in the middle of the season, drag on without any real narrative progression. This, combined with the constant shift away from the motivations of the main characters, makes for a frustrating viewing experience.

In terms of horror, while there are moments of pure, undiluted terror, these are few and far between. The series seems to be drowning in its own ambition, unable to fully grasp the source material and translate it into a compelling television series.

In conclusion, 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is a missed opportunity. What could have been a fresh and exciting take on a classic tale instead feels like a misguided attempt at progressiveness. The result is a series that is more frustrating than frightening, and one that does a disservice to Poe's original masterpiece.