I was almost convinced that Theodora Crain would be the ultimate show stopper in The Haunting of Hill House

Back in 2018, I came across The Haunting of Hill House on Netflix, and to this day, it sits on my list of top five shows. Hill House had me hooked from the very first episode.

The thing is, I went in expecting jump scares and ghosts in every corner, but what I didn't expect was how quickly I became obsessed with the Crain siblings and the family dynamic that came along with the show.

From the start, I thought of Theodora Crain as my icon on the show and that she would steal the show. The gloves, the attitude, the wit, the bis*xual vibe? Everything about her screamed 'show stopper.'

By the time I finished The Haunting of Hill House, however, it was Nell who had completely shattered and broken me and was the one who left her imprint the most. Theo was brilliant, yes. But Nellie? She was unforgettable.

Author's Disclaimer: I survived The Haunting of Hill House with snacks, tissues, and theories. What follows is purely my personal haunted ramble.

---

With The Haunting of Hill House, Theo had the makings of a star

When The Haunting of Hill House first introduced Theo, I thought, to myself: "Yep, this is it. She's the one." To me, there was something about her cool and detached self that stood out the most amongst all the Crain siblings.

The gloves instantly made me fall in love with her - such a simple choice and yet loaded with meaning. They weren't just accessories. They were her shield, her way of keeping the world at arm's length and her way of building a wall around her. That distance made her fascinating to watch.

Theo's backstory only made her a more layered character. Her psychic sensitivity was both a gift and a curse. Every touch carried the burden of someone else's trauma, which explains why she guarded herself.

To me, that ability made her heartbreakingly human. She carried pain that wasn't hers, yet still chose to channel it into helping abused kids as a psychologist. It made her someone more complex than just the cool elder sibling.

And let's not forget her personal life. Theo's bis*xuality wasn't shoved into our faces,. It was written with warmth and in a normal fashion. Her family's acceptance was, to me, refreshing. That, with her boldness, made her feel like she was always about to dominate the screen. Every time Theo entered a scene, I knew I was about to watch something big and iconic.

---

But then came Nell, and everything changed

Okay, so here's the thing: While Theo's presence on screen in The Haunting of Hill House was nothing short of magnetic, Nell's story was the one that made me tear up the most.

The Haunting of Hill House really saved its sharpest dagger for her. From childhood, Nell was haunted by the Bent-Neck Lady, and the way it followed her through adulthood was a complete tragedy. I hoped she would find peace - that the show wouldn't dare break her, but it did.

When the truth hits with Episode 5 that Nell was the Bent-Neck Lady all along? Yes, it felt like my chest had been cracked right open. Victoria Pedretti's performance made Nell feel so delicate and raw.

Unlike Theo's walls, Nell wore her heart on her sleeve. She wanted to be believed, wanted her family to hear and see her cries, but they brushed her off until it was too late.

That sense of isolation for Nell is what hit differently. Watching her spiral from grief to helplessness was harder than seeing any ghost at Hill House. Her trauma and grief weren't tucked away in the dark corners of Hill House. They simply consumed her.

What also makes Nell so haunting is the inevitability of her fate. Every time the Bent-Neck Lady appeared, we were watching her lose herself piece by piece. And the reveal that Nell was her own Bent-Neck-Lady reframed the entire show for me. Theo may have dazzled me at first, but Nell is the one who made me truly think about the actual premise of the show.

---

Theo & Nell: The two sides of The Haunting of Hill House

The Haunting of Hill House works because it balances characters like Theo and Nell, who reflect pain in two different ways. Theo refuses to let anyone get too close, while all that Nell wants is for someone to hear and see her when she needs them the most.

Both Theo and Nell carried pieces of Hill House long after their last night at the house, and both of these characters showed us how grief and trauma latch on to us in different ways and shapes.

For me, Theo represented survival. She built walls, always had her guard up with her gloves, and found a way to use her curse to protect others. She reminded me of people who function through pain by turning it into something purposeful.

On the other hand, Nell made me realize what happens when grief goes unheard for too long. She didn't just live with ghosts but she eventually becomes one herself. To make matters worse, she becomes her own personal ghost.

Watching the two of them side by side was like watching two mirrors reflecting the same storm but in different ways. Theo guarding herself screamed just as loud as Nell's want and cries for help.

That difference is why I thought Theo might dominate the series, but in the end, it was Nell's grief and trauma that haunted me long after Hill House had ended.

---

The Haunting of Hill House gave us a family full of unforgettable characters, while Theo and Nell are the ones who stood out the most for me. Theo looked like she would be the star, and in many ways, she really was. Yet for me, it was Nell who had the cup of stars.

It was Nell's haunting that became the center of the story. Both sisters made me feel the weight of grief and love in different ways, and that's one of the big reasons which makes this show by Mike Flanagan a masterpiece.

---

Stay tuned to Soap Central for more.

Also: The Bent-Neck Lady twist from The Haunting of Hill House still hurts - And here’s why it works so brilliantly