Haunted Hotel is worth checking out if you enjoy animated sitcoms that turn supernatural threats into family and workplace comedy. But it is not simply a new Rick and Morty: its connection is through creator and showrunner Matt Roller, whose writing credits include that series, while the show’s premise centers on a family trying to run a haunted hotel. Netflix announced season two for October 9, 2026; that date had not yet arrived as of October 4, 2026.
What is Haunted Hotel about?
Netflix’s adult animated comedy follows Katherine, a single mother who inherits the Undervale, a hotel haunted by the ghost of her late brother, Nathan. Her children, Ben and Esther, join them, as does Abaddon, a demon voiced by Jimmi Simpson. The hotel’s supernatural population and problems grow beyond the family’s original ghostly housemate.
The setup gives the show two engines: the practical friction of a family living and working together, and the escalating absurdity of ghosts, monsters, and other threats making the hotel their business. Netflix’s episode descriptions point to exorcists, a slasher, a possible werewolf, a ghost-hunting reality show, multiple versions of Ben, soul-sucking demons, and a cult with potentially world-ending ambitions. That list suggests a broad horror-comedy playground rather than a single sustained monster story.
How close is it to Rick and Morty?
The association is real, but it is easy to overstate. Netflix credits Matt Roller as Haunted Hotel’s creator and showrunner; Netflix Tudum notes that he has written for Rick and Morty, Community, and Archer. Chris McKenna, Dan Harmon, and Steve Levy are executive producers, and Erica Hayes is supervising director. These credits establish a creative connection, not that the entire Rick and Morty team made the new show or that the two series share a voice.
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The more useful comparison is structural. Haunted Hotel takes supernatural premises and puts them to work inside a family sitcom: the family has to live with the consequences, not just encounter a new sci-fi idea and move on. If what you want is the same sharp, irreverent rhythm you associate with Rick and Morty, the credits alone cannot promise it. If you are open to horror references and oddball creatures filtered through domestic and hotel-life complications, the premise offers a distinct reason to try it.
What kind of comedy and horror does it aim for?
Netflix categorizes the series as adult animation, sitcom, TV comedy, and TV horror. The episode descriptions show how those labels meet: recognizable horror setups—slasher danger, exorcism, demons, and ghost hunters—become disruptions to the family’s life at the Undervale. The hotel also gives the stories a natural gathering place for new supernatural guests and problems.
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That combination is the show’s clearest selling point, but the premise and episode summaries are not proof that every episode balances the ingredients equally well. Viewers who want sustained scares may find the sitcom framing a mismatch; viewers who prefer a recurring family dynamic to stand behind each monster-of-the-week idea may find it appealing.
What did critics and viewers think?
Responses shown in the available ratings snapshot differ. Rotten Tomatoes displayed a 79% average Tomatometer from 14 reviews and a 90% average Popcornmeter from 100+ ratings when checked on October 4, 2026. Those figures are a dated snapshot, not a permanent score; the audience figure represents a displayed sample of 100 or more ratings, and neither percentage explains what people liked or disliked.
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One prominent negative response came from Jack Seale of The Guardian, who reviewed season one on September 19, 2025. He called it “relentlessly, endlessly OK,” arguing that the Rick and Morty association raises expectations the show does not meet and describing its family setup as conventional. That is one critic’s assessment, not a consensus verdict.
Will Forte, who voices Nathan, offered a more positive description in an interview with The Daily Beast: “It’s got a lot of fun horror elements, but it’s also really funny, and there is some pretty sweet grounded stuff too.” His comment helps describe the intended mix, but it is a performer’s view rather than independent criticism.
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- RE-PLAYABLE NARRATIVE BOARD GAME: Tile by tile, terror by terror, build their own haunted mansion and then try to escape it alive. The game is for 3-6 players and takes about 60 minutes to play
- MODULAR BOARD PIECES: The Betrayal at House on the Hill tabletop game features 50 blood-curdling scenarios. Each trip to the house promises fresh horrors and a new story is created every time you play
- HAUNTED HOUSE TRAITOR GAME: Players must work together to survive the nightmare…but beware! The house turns one player against the others in this cooperative strategy game
- MINIATURES BOARD GAME: This second edition of Betrayal at House on the Hill includes 6 pre-painted plastic explorer figures, 80 cards, 149 tokens, 44 room tiles, 2 haunt books, and more
- IMMERSIVE NARRATIVE: Get ready for an unpredictable and thrilling exploration of the haunted house. Encounter witches, dragons, zombies, and other spooky and bizarre B-movie horror clichés
Is Haunted Hotel worth watching?
It is a reasonable pick for a viewer who wants adult animation with an ensemble family at its center and a steady supply of supernatural sitcom setups. The strongest case for trying it is the contrast between ordinary family and hotel concerns and the unruly creatures sharing the building. The case against it is that neither the Rick and Morty credits nor the broad horror menu guarantees the particular comic bite or consistency a viewer may be looking for.
So treat it as its own horror-comedy, not as a substitute branded by association. The critic-audience gap in the October 2026 Rotten Tomatoes snapshot also counsels against assuming there is one obvious consensus. If its premise sounds fun, start with the show itself rather than expecting the credits to settle the question.
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Where can you watch it, and when does season two arrive?
Netflix lists Haunted Hotel on its service. Catalog access, subscription plans, and eligibility can vary by location and date, so check Netflix in your region. Netflix Tudum announced on September 16, 2026 that season two opens October 9, 2026. As of October 4, 2026, season two was announced but had not yet been released; confirm the date on Netflix if checking later.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Netflix: Haunted Hotel title page, synopsis, episodes, and availability
- Netflix Media Center: Haunted Hotel series information
- Netflix Tudum: season two announcement, credits, and Matt Roller background
- Rotten Tomatoes: ratings snapshot
- Jack Seale, The Guardian, September 19, 2025
- Will Forte interview, The Daily Beast
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