January is typically a barren wasteland in the media landscape, but sometimes, a hidden gem is released that people tend to overlook. In 2024, make it a point to watch Hazbin Hotel since its premiere is absolutely rock solid.
Hazbin Hotel has had a long road to get to this point. Created by Youtuber and animation artist ViziePop, Hazbin Hotel was originally a pilot that released on YouTube in 2019. Since then, the premiere has amassed over 94 million views, making it a certified hit by YouTube standards. It spawned a very devoted fanbase and also led to the creation of a spin-off series, Helluva Boss, but Hazbin Hotel got the premiere treatment and was picked up by Bento Box Entertainment, the same folks who make Bob’s Burgers, and A24. The first four episodes were released in January on Prime Video, with four more episodes releasing over the next two weeks.
The series follows Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen), the daughter of Lucifer and Lillith and the princess of Hell, who opens up a hotel in an attempt to redeem sinners. The eponymous Hazbin Hotel has a handful of occupants inside of them, like her girlfriend Vaggie (Stephanie Beatriz), porn star Angel Dust (Blake Roman), and the frighteningly powerful Radio Demon Alastor (Amir Talai), all of whom either want Charlie to succeed or are just involved because it’s amusing. All the while, there’s the threat that angels pose to the denizens of Hell, as angels on a yearly, soon-to-be bi-yearly, basis come down to slaughter demons. So, Charlie has to do whatever she can in a limited amount of time to save as many souls as possible. But rehabilitating demons isn’t easy, so hilarity and vulgarity ensue.
One of the things that’s most evident from these first four episodes is that the series goes all in on being an adult animated series. At first, that moniker seems very surface-level. There are plenty of cursing and sex jokes, but instead of them being tactfully used, they come across like a teenager using curse words to sound cool. It loses its luster very quickly, but future episodes pull things back and instead focus on other adult concepts and scenarios that justify its adult reputation. The fourth episode, “Masquerade,” was probably the best episode of the four that were released because it takes an uncomfortable look at things like sexual assault, abuse, and gambling addiction in a way that feels all too real but is conveyed in a way that’s still entertaining.
That primarily has to do with the eclectic cast of characters assembled here. While characters like Charlie and Vaggie come across as a bit dull and fall into familiar roles, the supporting characters all feel distinct and are highly entertaining. After watching a single episode, it’s very clear to me why characters like Alastor and Angel Dust became highly popular in the fandom. They’re bursting with charm and charisma, and whenever they’re on screen, they’re the most captivating thing present. It’s a show about redeeming a group of villains and demons, so the more reprehensible the monster is, the more fun the show is. The antagonists are also enjoyable, like the three Vs of Vox, Valentino, and Velvette, and the head angel Adam, and their infrequent presence makes it all the more exciting when they appear.
No matter who is on screen, the show’s animation is sublime. I like to think I know what good animation is and can recommend a show solely based on how nice the animation is, and Hazbin Hotel is slick and stylish. I think some of the characters are a bit overdesigned at points, but the show has fun with what it can do with its cast visually. In the second episode, “Radio Killed The Video Star,” there are a lot of fun visual sequences and great usage of lighting that makes several moments stand out. The episode really emphasizes the hatred that Vox, who is a demon with a TV for a head, has against Alastor and his radio eccentricities, with that disdain and rivalry coming across incredibly well within the musical numbers.
Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that Hazbin Hotel is a musical? Every episode so far has two songs within it – one usually toward the beginning and another at the end, and these songs are, for the most part, okay. Songs like “Happy Day In Hell” and “Poison” are highlights not just because the cast is able to sing these songs remarkably well but because the visuals match the lyrics perfectly. Going back to “Radio Killed The Video Star,” the rivalry between Vox and Alsator is conveyed via the song “Stayed Gone.” Throughout the song, we watch Vox’s face constantly shift on his screen as he attempts to hypnotize the masses via his screens, which creates some striking visual sequences. Granted, they’re not quite as powerful as Alastor’s final verse, which shows him slowly shift into something monstrous and threatening, but it’s a steady progression that makes that song, in particular, the best one in the season so far.
However, the rest of the songs are middling and fairly unremarkable. I understand that this is a series about redemption and how anyone can be a good person, but the songs that drive this theme home are the most uninteresting. Even then, the songs are as good as they, are mostly due to the visuals associated with them. I love a good musical and a wonderfully crafted score, but the songs in these first episodes aren’t songs that I would listen to if it weren’t for the animation associated with them. Granted, that is a nitpick because you can’t dissociate the songs and the sequences in the show associated with them, but I would still consider that a minor weakness. If a musical is good, you’ll want to listen to the songs in it on repeat, even without the context.
As someone who never saw the pilot or anything that ViziePop did before this, I found Hazbin Hotel to be highly impressive. It’s a strong note for A24’s first television production and an adult animated comedy that works for the most part. Once it’s done trying to shock you and you start to get underneath the superficiality of some of the cast, you find that there’s a strong core that’s supported by smooth-as-hell animation. It’s always hard to judge a show by only a handful of episodes, but I think it’s safe to say that Hazbin Hotel has gotten off to a strong start that will satisfy longtime fans as well as get new ones into the fold. It’s also a show that you can judge almost entirely by its first two episodes, so give them a watch and make a call after that. Chances are, you’ll be hooked, just like I was.
