Stream It or Skip It: ‘Hazbin Hotel’ on Prime Video, A NSFW Animated Musical Comedy That’s A Helluva Good Time

Based on Vivienne Medrano’s viral 2019 YouTube pilot, which has since amassed over 93 million views, Hazbin Hotel is a new animated musical comedy series on Prime Video following the Princess of Hell as she opens a rehabilitation center for sinners following the annual Extermination, an event where angels kill sinners to avoid being overpowered. The show is unabashedly queer, quirky, and fun with high-level execution — it’s bound to fit seamlessly in the underrated adult animation genre.

HAZBIN HOTEL: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Charlie, the Princess of Hell, narrates the creation of humanity, heaven, and Hell… and it’s a little different than the classic story. She explains that her father Lucifer was an angel ousted from the pearly gates of Heaven for being seen as a troublemaker.

During this time, the angels created Adam and Lilith as the first people on Earth. Adam demanded total control over Lilith and she fled, thus meeting Lucifer.

The two fell in love and aspired to offer “free will” to humanity. But the angels didn’t like this plan and punished them by creating Hell – where a bulk of the series takes place – and the extermination. 

The Gist: Hazbin Hotel begins in the aftermath of the latest Extermination, which has left Charlie (Erika Henningsen) feeling distraught. While lounging on a couch, she narrates the story of creation aloud until her girlfriend Vaggie (Stephanie Beatriz) comes into view. They sit and chat, revealing that Charlie hasn’t heard from her mother in seven years. Ruh-row. In response to the recent Extermination, Charlie decides to open the Hazbin Hotel, a rehabilitation center for sinners to redeem themselves and avoid death.

What’s their first action plan? Well, they must get the word out… with the help of the current hotel occupants. Alastar (Amir Talai), a radio demon with magical powers, shows them an advertisement he made, but they aren’t impressed. They begin to brainstorm, but the session is interrupted when Charlie receives a phone call from her father stating that the angels want to meet with her to discuss her new project. Charlie darts out the door, leaving Vaggie, famous porn star Angel Dust (Blake Roman), grumpy bartender Husk (Keith David), housekeeper Niffty (Kimiko Glenn), and Alastor to make the commercial by themselves. 

Throughout the first episode, Charlie is dismissed by the angels; Angel hornifies the Hazbin commercial; and Vaggie establishes herself as a total simp. Will the gang be able to pull together a solid commercial? Will Charlie be able to successfully convince the angels to support her plan? Will there be another extermination? Holy shit, there’s a lot going on.

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? There’s nothing quite like Hazbin Hotel – that’s why it has such a large cult following. Maybe Harley Quinn on Max?

Our Take: Hazbin Hotel is a show for people whose favorite fanfiction tags are “hurt/comfort” and NC-17. The show is for losers, outcasts, and theater kids who prefer Rent over My Fair Lady. More importantly, it’s a show that honors its fanbase with Medrano holding the reigns as creator and a chunk of the original creative team returning, which is a rarity when two major entertainment companies – Prime Video and A24 – are involved.

The series has everything from a solid overarching plot, catchy songs ranging from stereotypical musical theater tunes to powerful rock ballads, and an extremely talented cast that isn’t afraid to make themselves unrecognizable with superior voice acting.

There’s something for everyone here, and Hazbin Hotel accomplishes the impossible by blending it all together exceptionally. 

The stereotypical behavior of the core characters is accompanied with dark and gritty storylines that’ll leave viewers craving more.

There’s Charlie, whose can-do optimism and people-pleasing attitude can be credited to the absence of her parents; Angel, whose promiscuous lifestyle is a facade to hide the abuse he suffers in his workplace; and Husk, who’s grumpy because he is literally being forced to be there after losing his free will in a gambling bet. The show also inserts a fun feminist twist in reinventing the creation story and reducing Adam to a misogynist asshole, who demands to be called “dickmaster.”

As the show continues, focal points shift among individual characters, including the antagonistic angels and overlords. While the first couple of episodes might feel like information overload, the bits and pieces begin to come together in Episodes 3 and 4 as the assorted stories interlace. It’s obvious that in the end, the time devoted to each character will enrich Charlie’s overall journey. 

Sex and Skin: Hazbin Hotel is super NSFW, but the show is animated so the level of explicitness depends on each viewer’s sensitivities. Personally, a few scenes were cringey and ventured into “furry” territory. But we don’t kink-shame here! The pilot includes several allusions to sex and dicks – there’s even a flasher in the opening number, but that specific act feels more like a Hairspray reference. 

Parting Shot: Charlie returns to the hotel and the group shows her the commercial they made. The moment is sentimental and fluffy. However, as they tune in to watch, they find out that the angels have moved up the date for the next Extermination because the body of a dead angel has been found. 

Sleeper Star: Newcomer Blake Roman steals scenes as Angel and delivers some of the most absurd lines without hesitation. The actor also displays an incredible range as the character’s tragic backstory comes to life. 

Most Pilot-y Line: “Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel, a misguided path to redemption founded five days ago by Lucifer’s delusional daughter Charlie Morningstar,” Alastor says in his advertisement. “Come place your faith in her inexperienced hands as she tries to work through her daddy issues by fixing you.” …that’s pretty savage, dude.

Our Call: Hazbin Hotel is very queer, raunchy, and fun. The animated comedy is filled with memorable songs, exciting character arcs, and a thrilling story. The episodes will have you on the edge of your seat, while filling your heart with equal parts joy and angst. Even if it doesn’t sound like it’s fit for you, get it a try. STREAM IT!!