Hazbin Hotel

Hazbin Hotelis an Americanadult animatedmusical comedytelevision series created byVivienne "VivziePop" Medrano.The series revolves aroundCharlie Morningstar,princessofHell, on her quest to find a way forsinnersto be "rehabilitated" and allowed intoHeaven, via her "Hazbin Hotel", as an alternative to Heaven's annual "Extermination" of souls due to Hell's overpopulation. The series is produced bySpindleHorse Toonsin collaboration withA24,Amazon Studios, and the animation studioBento Box Entertainment.
Thepilot episode, released onYouTubeon October 28, 2019, was made entirely by freelance animators and was mainly financed by Medrano'sPatreonfollowers.The first season premiered onAmazon Prime Videoon January 19, 2024,withits first episodealso released onYouTubea day earlier for a limited release.A second, third and fourth season are confirmed to be in production. The series has received generally positive reviews from critics.
The popularity and success of the pilot allowed Medrano to create a spin-off series calledHelluva Boss, which premiered on October 31, 2020. The series features a different cast of characters within the same in-universe setting.
As of January 2024,Hazbin Hotelwas the largest global debut for a new animated series on Prime Video.In February 2024, the pilot episode surpassed 100 million views on YouTube.
The series followsCharlie Morningstar, the princess of Hell, as she sets about fulfilling her seemingly impossible dream of opening a hotel called the "Hazbin Hotel", which aims to rehabilitate sinner demons. Due to overpopulation, Hell goes through an annualpurgewhereangels, led byAdam, descend from Heaven and kill sinners. Charlie finds this upsetting, and wants to find a more peaceful solution to the overpopulation problem. Her goal is to have her clients "check out" fromHellas redeemed souls and be accepted intoHeaven.
With the help of her devoted manager and girlfriend,Vaggie, and their reluctant first patron,pornographic film actorAngel Dust, she is determined to make her dream become a reality. But when her proposal on live television goes awry, her plan attracts the attention of the powerful"Radio Demon" Alastorwho, despite finding her belief in redemption laughable, wants to help Charlie run the hotel for his own amusement.
Thescoreof the pilot episode was released on November 3, 2019.
The day after the release of each episode of the first season, the songs featured within them were released on a soundtrack EP throughA24 Music, starting with Part 1 on January 19, 2024.Two songs from the first two episodes were released ahead of the series and are not present on any of the EPs; "Happy Day in Hell" was released on October 20, 2023, following a preview atNew York Comic Conand "Poison" was released on January 5, 2024.Following the release of the series, "Poison" debuted at number 34 on the USBillboardHot Rock & Alternative Songschart, having accumulated 2.7 million US streams in the week following the show.
From October 27, 2019, to July 7, 2020, awebcomictitled "Chapter 1: Dirty Healings" (which showed how Angel Dust learned of the hotel) was completed, containing twenty-two pages and hosted on the officialHazbin Hotelwebsite.Another comic entitled "A Day in the Afterlife (The Radio Demon)", which focused on Alastor's daily life in Hell, was posted to the website on October 19, 2020, containing sixteen pages.
In February 2020, Gabriel C. Brown, Alastor's pilot singing voice, covered the songs "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" and "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" in character.He reprised the role in several fan-made music videos for original songs, including "Insane" in June 2021, which was reviewed byOne PiececreatorEiichiro Odaas his "second-favorite song of 2023".In July 2020,Hazbin HotelandHelluva BosssongwriterSam Haftreleased "Alastor's Game", in which Haft voiced Alastor.In February 2024, aHazbin Hotelemote entitled "Reaper's Showtime" was released to the video gameFortnitebyEpic Games, allowing the player character to wield Alastor's iconic cane, while playing the song "Insane".On October 11, 2024, Black Gryph0n and Baasik released "Daisies", a prequel song to "Insane" which "explores Alastor's (semi-canon) origin story".
"Addict" is an animatedmusic videoreleased on July 17, 2020, on Medrano's YouTube channel,based on and featuring the Silva Hound song of the same name.It centers around Angel Dust's relations with his best friend,Cherri Bomb, his abusive boss,Valentino, and their experiences withaddiction.The song was performed by Michael Kovach and Kelly "Chi-Chi" Boyer. Tito W. James ofComicon.comdescribed the video as giving viewers a "deeper look" at the lives of Cherri Bomb and Angel Dust, and praised the "world ofHazbin" for being "paradoxically provocative and empathetic".The song ranked as the #3 dance song on iTunes on July 21, 2020.Additionally, the song #14 on the USDance/Electronic Songschart, #4 on theDance/Electronic Digital Songschart, and #77 on theDance/Electronic SongsYear-End.
A spin-off series,Helluva Boss, unveiled its first season on October 31, 2020, almost one year after the release of its ownpilot.Helluva Bosstakes place in the same fictional universe asHazbin Hotel, the Hellaverse, but it has a different cast of characters and story. As Medrano described it, while both shows share the same setting,Hazbin Hotelis aboutredemptionand consequences of past actions, whileHelluva Bossfollows "characters and societies that already exist in Hell", focusing on relationships between characters.
Some characters of thepilothad been around for years when Medrano began working with people atSchool of Visual Artson what would later becomeHazbin Hotel,as the "Misfit Demon Gang" in Medrano's webcomic seriesZooPhobia.Originally, the pilot was meant to be an adult comedy "with a raunchy, demonic aesthetic". It took over six months to write the episode, and over two years to animate it, with teasers released in that ensuing period to garner an audience of fans.The series contains variousLGBTQ+characters. This includes agaycharacter named Angel Dust, abisexualcharacter named Charlie, and anasexualcharacter named Alastor.
The show's pilot episode was released on Medrano's YouTube channel in October 2019, and it gained 54 million views by early February 2021.Almost a year later, A24 picked upHazbin Hotelfor the production of a TV series in August 2020.
On December 21, 2021, the officialHazbin HotelTwitter account teased the release of the first season.It was later reported that the cast from the pilot was not asked to reprise their roles for the A24 production, though these voice actors showed support for the show despite their removal.Medrano said that she loves her characters "more than anything" and that they are "in good hands".
Several main characters had been redesigned from the pilot, including Charlie,Vaggie,Alastor,and Angel Dust.Along with SpindleHorse Toons, Bento Box Entertainment co-produced the series for A24.Princess Bento Studio,aMelbourne-based studio jointly owned by Bento Box Entertainment and Princess Pictures, alongside Bento Box both handled animation production, with SpindleHorse Toons andToon Cityboth handling digital animation services. According to Medrano, many of the artists who worked on the pilot would be returning for the first season, and argued that the "indie spirit of the pilot lives on".
On October 28, 2022, the third anniversary of the pilot's release, a teaser trailer was released on Medrano's YouTube channel promising a summer 2023 release date for the first season,but this was later stalled due to the 2023strike of actors and writers.On September 28, 2023, a trailer was posted on the series' official Instagram account and Medrano's YouTube channel announcing its first season's premiere on Amazon Prime Video in January 2024, while also announcing that "Season 2 is coming".In November 2023, it was announced that the series would premiere on January 19, 2024.On December 13, 2023, the official season one trailer was released. It was also confirmed that the pilot would remain canon to the story with the show itself acknowledging it in multiple episodes while continuing plotlines that were established in it.On July 26, 2024, it was announced that the series was renewed for a third and fourth season.On August 13, 2024, it was announced that DogHead Animation in Florence, Italy, will also be handling animation services for the second season.
The pilot episode has been critically acclaimed for its animation quality, music, and characters.Matthew Field ofGo! & Express, argued that the pilot was part of the "animation renaissance" on YouTube, and said there may be "a lot more projects like Hazbin in the future".Lidia Vassar of theMSUReporterpraised the show, noting its "raunchy sense of humor and quirky art style".She also stated that she was looking forward to future episodes, enjoyed the "diversity of character designs", and stated that it is clear that the show's creators "put a lot of time and heart into this project". In December 2019, in an article about the current state of adult animation,CBRanimation critic Reuben Baron stated that while the pilot episodes ofHazbin HotelandHelluva Bosshad garnered "some warranted criticism" because of their inappropriate and edgy humor, they are still "clear labors of love from an animation standpoint".Another critic onCBR, Nerissa Rupnarine, pointed out that Alastor is on the small list of "canon asexual characters" within animation.
Some reviewers argued the series will have a positive influence onindependent animationgoing forward,and argued that the success ofHazbin Hotelled to the success ofHelluva Boss.Reviewer Sean Cubillas forCBRpraised the show for "quirky, ambitious, anddark humor" and some of the "fastest, wittiest, and raunchiest dialogue ever seen in independent animation."
On thereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes, 81% of 31 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A hellzapoppin' musical series swathed in hot, vibrant colors,Hazbin Hotelis worth a booking."Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned a score of 69 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Erik Piepenburg of theLos Angeles Timessaid the show's universe is a "brazenly colorful, queer-inclusive and fast-paced mishmash" with "outlandish grotesque scenes and copious potty mouths", along with "a Broadway pop score".Christine N. Ziemba ofPasteargued that the series is not "simply a rehash" of the pilot, is not for kids, and includes "wickedly pointed adult humor", characters which are eccentric or are sinners, and "Disney-esque musical numbers", and called the series "visually eye-catching".Hope Mullinax ofCollidersaid series expectations were "easily smashed", praising the music, cast, and design choices. She was excited to see where the series went forward, but was disappointed that Cherri Bomb didn't get a bigger role.Joe Draper ofDigital Spydescribed the series as explicit and including an "all-star cast of stage performers and TV favourites".Petrana Radulovic ofPolygondescribed the series as a "character-driven musical with an overarching driving plot and a lot of deep world-building", also noting that it features "multiple female and queer leads".
Rendy Jones ofRogerebert.comsaid that some jokes are not as effective, and that the "ambitious wings" of Medrano were trimmed "by corporate streaming demands". He claimed the series has hit-or-miss gory humor and disorienting camera angles, but overall has stellar music, skillful voice actors, and a "balanced charm to round out its hellish setting", and called it a "sweet, raunchy time" that many adults will like.Rachel Leishman ofThe Mary Suecalled the series special for its musical element and argued that animated series have a "special kind of magic to them", and stated thatHazbin Hotel's shine is its own, and is a "fun series to take a dive into".Mae Abdulbaki ofScreen Rantcalled the series "lively", praised the cast, characters, catchy songs, and "chaotic energy", while saying the themes of good and evil could be "more nuanced" and that the characters can act "extremely childish" at times.
In contrast, Alison Herman ofVarietysaid that although the series has a "feel-good backstory belied by its grim premise" and original idea that's "easy to root for", it pays less attention to cosmological details or motivations of the protagonists. She said the series has retrograde morality, gets lost in "its chaotic, contradictory atmosphere," and is not far along enough to "function as a full season of TV", comparing it unfavorably toThe Good Place.In addition, Jenna Scherer ofThe A.V. Clubsaid the series has a "lot going for it", praising the premise, stylish and innovative animation, music numbers, and voice actors, but criticized the writing as lacking, and hoped the second season allowed the series to "slow down and find its groove", but noted that the series will "find its audience regardless".
Kristy Puchko ofMashabledescribed the series as a "perky pink cartoon show about sinners and singing", but argued that the first three episodes are "unremarkable" to newcomers, and said that the dialogue is jarring when compared with an animation style which "seems to be apingDisney XD", as well as saying it is "not satisfyingly subversive". She hoped that the series will "overcome its growing pains" in the first season, and says this expansion of Medrano's works is "flashy but thin".TheNew Hampshire Union-Leadercriticized the series as having an "utterly confusing backstory/mythology", frantic action, overall calling it a "headache of a show", as well as stating the dialogue sounds "more adolescent than shocking".
Following its release,Hazbin Hotelset a new streaming record for Prime Video, becoming the largest global debut in viewership for a new animated title on the platform.
By August 2020, the show had developed a dedicated fanbase,with the 31-minute pilot receiving over 101 million views as of February 2024,a rise from 32 million views in May 2020.In awhite paperabout the increase in adult animation,John Evershed, founder ofMondo Media, described the series as a rare exception to shows on YouTube that are picked up by companies as a "long form TV series".He argued that the show generated enough attention and views to interest A24 in producing the show as a TV series.Medrano toldInsiderin February 2021 that she was surprised the show had gotten so big, saying that thefandomofHazbin Hotelrivals those of shows with multiple seasons, even with only a pilot released, and that it "hit a chord with people" due to its art style, angst, and drama. Furthermore, she expressed excitement in the direction of the show, noting the demand for her content.Others called the series a "YouTube hit".
Some media outlets noted intense fan interest in the character Lucifer Morningstar, the king of Hell,who hadn't "physically appeared in anyHazbin Hotelwork" prior to the show's first season.Sarah Laudenbach ofScreen Rantnoted that the series had developed a strong fanbase despite having "minimal content" available,with "longtime fans" praising the series for dealing with "dark topics like abuse and addiction".She also said that Medrano created an "entire Hellish universe" which gained a "fandom of its own".Kimberly Terasaki ofThe Mary Suedescribed the show as having inspired the "imaginations of thousands of fans" and noted that there are over 7,000fan fictionsfor the series onArchive of Our Own, along with "thousands of fan comics andfandubs".Scholar Ben Mitchell described the series as "sensationally popular" and an effective use of Patreon to subsidize the show's art "through monthly tiered payments".