Little Demon Review: First Blood / Possession Obsession (Season 1 Episodes 1 and 2)

Little Demon Season 1 Episodes 1 and 2, “First Blood” and “Possession Obsession,” deliver a solid series premiere, carving out a foundation composed of sardonic humor, horror elements, and gushing blood. 

Let’s face it — Danny DeVito channels Frank Reynolds from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia in “First Blood” and “Possession Obsession.” It’s bound to happen after inhabiting the same character for 17 years. Plus, DeVito’s quite adept at the “deadbeat dad” character, although the actor seems nothing but charming and kind in real life. 

CHRISSY: Let’s kick this hero sh*t into high gear.

Aubrey Plaza is an intriguing choice for Laura. However, her voice is so distinct it’s difficult not to think of April Ludgate when listening to her or thinking to oneself, “Oh, that’s Aubrey Plaza voicing a character.” It’s a bit jarring and distracting.

Lucy DeVito boasts the perfect voice for a middle schooler, and her scenes with her actual father are brimming with chemistry and warmth. Little Demon struck gold by finding a real-life father-daughter duo packed to the gills with talent. 

“First Blood” and “Possession Obsession” don’t pull punches on the gore and horror elements, doling out both in equal measure. The gore is intensely graphic for an animated series, but that’s the beauty of animation. You can up the ante regarding the blood and guts and entrails. 

LAURA: Remember, Chrissy, assume everyone’s a murderer until proven otherwise.

However, it’s not all dismemberment, penis removal, and bloody vomit. Little Demon touches on tangible, true-to-life, essential issues. For example, “Possession Obsession” delves into the topic of consent as Chrissy hones her newfound ability (and seamless knack) for possessing bodies. 

Chrissy’s friend Bennigan (voiced by the always fantastic Eugene Cordero) mentions that nobody asked for Chrissy’s consent to enter their space, so Chrissy wonders whether utilizing demonic possession as a tool for positive change would make a difference. 

The episode implements a fun twist about the government stripping away bodily autonomy, which feels incredibly relevant given the world post-Roe v. Wade. That said, the topical exploration doesn’t feel heavy-handed or change the episode’s overall tone — the humor still flourishes with the bonus of important thematic digging.

SATAN: Being a dad sure is something. Guess it was concern and taking a sh*t.

“First Blood” is a solid stepping stone into this world, bursting with sharp-as-a-demon’s-teeth humor, a unique narrative, and plenty of bloody horrors to keep fans of multiple genres sated. “Possession Obsession” takes this one step further, wasting no time mining the depths of Chrissy’s character as she navigates the choppy waters of adolescence while being the Antichrist. It’s all darkly macabre fun. 

Stray Observations: 

• Satan saying “first blood” in the pilot is reminiscent of Danny DeVito’s character in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, confusing his life with John Rambo’s in “Mac and Dennis: Manhunters.” Frank talks about how Mac and Dennis “drew first blood.” That scene has embedded itself in this reviewer’s brain and refuses to leave.
• The scene wherein Chrissy hops between the student and lunch lady’s bodies in “Possession Obsession” epitomizes “Yes and –” improv class energy. That bit was undoubtedly crafted as a nod to actors who had to tough it out in Improv 101. 
• Who doesn’t feel warm and fuzzy inside knowing that Danny and Lucy DeVito are father and daughter in real life? That energy certainly translates into their vocal performances in this series. 
• “Pee pee, poo poo” will be etched into the annals of pop culture history as a perpetual testament to the refined humor of the 21st century.
• At first glance, the hairclip in Chrissy’s hair resembles the Evil Eye, but upon closer inspection, it’s a mere eyeball. The Evil Eye choice would be funnier, though. 

What did you think of these episodes of Little Demon? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Little Demon airs Thursdays at 10/9c on FX, with next-day streaming on Hulu.

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