Hazbin Hotel Review: A Vibrantly Hellish Good Time (Season 1 Episodes 1-4)
Hell is all about redemption. Hazbin Hotel splashes onto Prime Video in all its devilishly sharp-witted, technicolor glory with its first four episodes. Spearheaded by the charming, if occasionally saccharine, Charlie Morningstar, the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith, the series finds a group of misfits endeavoring to rehabilitate Hell’s sinners so they can gain ingress into Heaven. Naturally, animated shenanigans ensue.
Vocal Performances
The musical adult comedy doesn’t lean into its unique premise quite as heavily as it should out of the gate. However, when Hazbin Hotel embraces the juxtaposition of demons seeking redemption in Hell or dismantles their public facades like Angel Dust in “Masquerade,” it truly sings.
The vocal performances, both singing and non-singing, are solid in these first four episodes. They effectively fit their characters. Erika Henningsen is a delight. She imbues Charlie with vim and vigor, along with a heaping helping of heart. Her speaking voice is just as pliable and melodic as her singing. Charlie’s ingenue-like behavior is the antithesis of all Hell stands for, and it’s refreshing.
At face value, Charlie’s relationship with Vaggie reads as your stereotypical “opposites attract” pairing, but there’s a lot of unexplored depth there. Vaggie, in particular, feels shafted in this first half of the season. Here’s hoping she gets her time to shine in the back half.
As for the rest of the cast, Stephanie Beatriz boasts a gorgeous singing voice, but it’s somewhat jarring compared to her speaking voice. If you’re a Brooklyn Nine-Nine fan, it’s challenging not to hear Rosa Diaz in Hazbin Hotel despite Beatriz nailing the vocal intricacies of her predecessor Monica Franco, who voiced Vaggie in the 2019 pilot. Perhaps having a less-than-seamless transition between speaking and singing is an intentional choice.
However, it doesn’t work. That aside, Beatriz and Henningsen play off each other well.
Hell Is Forever
Alex Brightman proves his versatility by voicing two vastly contrasting characters and successfully adopting different singing styles for both.
He’s certainly no stranger to the rock scene, as evidenced by his work in the stage adaptations of Beetlejuice and School of Rock. He’s at home in the uptempo, electric guitar-heavy track “Hell Is Forever.”
Blake Roman is a knockout as Angel Dust. His voice is at its full power in the showstopping “Masquerade,” where his talents are best displayed. He infuses Angel Dust with painful nuance, dark humor, and a beautiful vulnerability.
He also contributes to two of the best tunes in the show thus far: the sweetly comedic “Loser, Baby” and the heartbreaking, techno-fueled “Poison.”
Keith David is, well, Keith David — he significantly elevates every project he graces. He captures the gruff, acerbic, yet lovable nature of Husk and boasts fun chemistry with Roman’s Angel Dust. Kimiko Glenn doesn’t have as much screen time as Niffty as one would like, but she utterly steals what few scenes she has. Like Vaggie, this reviewer hopes Niffty gets more attention in the coming episodes.
Story
On a story note, Hazbin Hotel‘s narrative staggers somewhat in the first three episodes before hitting the ground running in episode four. It’s a bit rocky, to be sure, but there are still fun moments aplenty. Once the series finds its footing, the pacing improves, as does the balance of comedy, drama, and music.
That said, the plot can be confusing to follow if you have yet to watch the 2019 pilot. The premiere, in particular, moves quickly and doesn’t waste time on lengthy introductions. However, if you’re a long-time Hazbin Hotel fan, the Prime Video series captures the feisty energy and vibrancy of the 2019 pilot.
It feels like a natural extension of it. Additionally, the color palette is even prettier here. The eye-catching pinks and Valentine’s Day color scheme are inexplicably perfect for Hell.
Hell Is Hilarious and Heartwarming
Overall, this series has a ton of potential. The songs never derail the overarching narrative; they inform it and provide much-needed insight into each character, which is what any musical worth its salt does.
Growing pains and occasional stumbles aside, Hazbin Hotel is on the right path, especially with that top-tier fourth episode.
The visuals are aesthetically pleasing, the jokes land (for the most part), the singing is stellar, and the musical numbers are damn catchy. As a whole, the show bursts with irreverence, cheeky humor, and surprising heart. Long live the Hazbin Hotel.
Tunes on repeat: “Hell Is Forever,” “Poison,” “Loser, Baby,” “Respectless,” and “Stayed Gone.”
Stray Observations:
- Adam’s right about one thing: math is a problem that should be eradicated.
- Keith David statistically makes everything better. As does Daphne Rubin-Vega.
- Note to self — don’t hire Sir Pentious to infiltrate any top-secret organization. He’d give himself away mere minutes after going undercover.
- I need a Fat Nuggets in my life. Please give me an adorable Hell Piggy any day of the week (although I have a bulldog; that’s basically the same thing).
- “I’m coming.” “Not off camera, you’re not.” This is such a fun throwaway joke.
- Who is your favorite character, and why is it Angel Dust? On the subject of favorites, Charlie must be protected at all costs.
- Husk the Overlord — now there’s a prequel series.
- Thank the Vee’s we’re getting two seasons of this.
- Who else is shipping Charlie and Vaggie (besides me)? I mean, Vaggie sings about being Charlie’s partner…
- Full disclosure: Christian Borle’s voice as Vox is hot. No further questions.
What did you think of these episodes of Hazbin Hotel? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Hazbin Hotel drops new episodes every Friday on Prime Video.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.