Screaming Meemies is the ninth episode of The Haunting of Hill House.
Synopsis[]
As the hauntings in Hill House reach a frightening peak, we learn what truly caused the Crain family to flee from their home.
Plot Summary[]
Revolving around the days prior to the death of Olivia Crain, flashbacks show her gradual mental decline. Olivia begins losing her sense of time and place shortly after the storm that damages Hill House. She begins wandering into rooms that — to anyone else's knowledge — do not exist in the house, including the "reading room". It is in the reading room where Olivia has a vision of Luke Crain and Eleanor Crain as adults in the morgue; this triggers a state of paranoia and Olivia begins having visions of Poppy Hill.
Olivia's first meeting with Poppy is brief, and the two talk about the various uses for the reading room in the past and about Poppy's child. After their conversation — in which Poppy is able to convince Olivia she is dreaming, despite this being incorrect — Poppy tells her to "wake up", and she finds herself holding a screwdriver to Hugh's throat. Afterwards, Hugh convinces her that it be best for her to leave Hill House earlier than expected.
Despite this, Olivia feels lonely at the motel she rents and returns home later that night when Hugh is sleeping. Firmly believing that her children are in danger if she doesn't protect them, Olivia makes the decision to poison Luke and Nell. Olivia mixes rat poison with a pot of tea and invites Luke, Nell and Luke's friend Abigail to the Red Room, which is now mysteriously unlocked. Once inside, Olivia convinces the three that everything will be alright, and Abigail drinks the tea.
Abigail collapses moments after drinking the tea. Simultaneously, Shirley has awoken their father making him aware that Olivia has returned to Hill House. He manages to get to the Red Room before his two children drink the tea and, after a fight with Olivia (resulting in the fractured ankle and head trauma on her autopsy), Hugh is able to get the children out of the house and into the car. He returns for Steven moments later, but finds that he must evade Olivia, now aided in her delirium by the numerous spirits that have died on the property.
Olivia is unable to stop Hugh from taking the children and watches as she is left behind at Hill House. Firmly believing once again that she is dreaming — thanks to Poppy's help — Olivia believes she will wake up if she leaps from the second floor of Hill House. Moments later, unaided, Olivia Crain jumps from the top of the stairs and dies instantly upon hitting the floor of Hill House.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Carla Gugino as Olivia Crain
- Lulu Wilson as Young Shirley Crain
- Mckenna Grace as Young Theodora Crain
- Paxton Singleton as Young Steve Crain
- Julian Hilliard as Young Luke Crain
- Violet McGraw as Young Nell Crain
- Henry Thomas as Young as Hugh Crain
Guest Starring[]
- Annabeth Gish as Mrs. Dudley
- Catherine Parker as Poppy Hill
- Olive Elise Abercrombie as Abigail
- Polly Craig as Older Poppy
- Mimi Gould as Older Hazel
- Fedor Steer as William Hill.
Trivia[]
- This episode takes place exclusively in the "then"; more specifically, the two days prior to the Crain children leaving Hill House and the death of Olivia Crain
- It is revealed that Abigail, Luke's so-called imaginary friend, is actually real.
- A screaming meemie was the name given to hysteria and panic attacks during and after the first world war. So named after the sound German artillery would make - a loud whistling (hence the screaming, or phonetic 'meem') which could strike panic into soldiers.
References[]
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| Episodes of The Haunting of Hill House |
|---|
| "Steven Sees a Ghost" • "Open Casket" • "Touch" • "The Twin Thing" • "The Bent-Neck Lady" • "Two Storms" • "Eulogy" • "Witness Marks" • "Screaming Meemies" • "Silence Lay Steadily" |