Featured Photo by Amazon Prime
Story by Larry Rincon
Vivienne Medrano has become one of the most popular animators and artists on the internet. She is well known for her YouTube series “Helluva Boss” and her webcomic “Zoophobia,” but above all else her popularity really took off after the release of the pilot episode of her adult animated web series “Hazbin Hotel”.
The pilot has accumulated almost 100 million views since its release four years ago, and after a long wait, the series had its four-episode premiere on Amazon Prime on Jan. 19. The newly created “Hazbin Hotel,” however, takes a 180 turn from its original idea.
The series picks up in the newly established Hazbin Hotel where Hell’s princess, Charlie, is trying to get demons to reform in order to reach Heaven. Problems arise when Charlie’s mission to save demons shortens after Heaven decides to come back to exterminate demons in six months instead of a year.
The dark sexual humor and the energetic music are dialed up to the max as the series decides to explore multiple characters as opposed to just Charlie. Creating an opportunity for character development and an intricate plot, you can’t help but wonder how everyone’s stories will intertwine.
The newly added troubles with heaven bring a lot to be discussed. With the less-than-heavenly behavior of Adam, the first man, and the other holy beings, many stereotypes for angels and demons are being broken. The question of what makes someone good versus evil is challenged by the different characters we get to meet.
In just the first four episodes, the world-building has grown to be more detailed and meaningful since its original concept four years ago. Characters feel more developed and have more depth than their pilot counterparts. Above all, the musical aspect is coming through in what feels like typical Disney Channel fashion.
The series had always been marketed to be a musical, but so far episode after episode the songs seem to be the worst part of them all. With a unique concept, it’s an unfortunate fact that the main marketing point is the part that makes “Hazbin Hotel” feel like a complete flop.
The actors showcase their powerful voices, courtesy of having a background in Broadway, with hard-hitting lyrics. The downfall is the implementation of these songs. Dismissing the overall tone and mood of the scenes ruins the presentation of the series.
It takes you out of the story, and suddenly everyone is reminded why they hate musical serieses. “Loser, Baby” is one of the few songs where you can agree its placement and performance work with the context of the show.
However, the fact that these performances can stand alone is not something to dismiss. The cast is stacked with talented Broadway performers and other recognizable names. From Erika Henningsen to Stephanie Beatriz to Alex Brightman, I was blown away by the iconic voices that would be part of “Hazbin Hotel.”
Expectations were extremely high before this series was released resulting in as many negative reviews as there were positive ones. While this only covers the impression left by the first four episodes, there is still hope for the series to improve.
As the story unfolds, I await the results of Hazbin Hotel’s practices. There is much to be explored, and I hope the music starts to feel like a seamless blend with the scenes of the show. The series is available on Amazon Prime, and the first episode is available on YouTubefor free.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell and Assistant Lifestyles Editor Shamani Salahuddin, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
