A24 is a studio that’s now best known for its horror movies and indie films, including Hereditary, Midsommar, and Everything Everywhere All At Once. Now they have finally started their foray into adult animation with Hazbin Hotel and what better place to premiere than on Prime Video, which is already home to other adult animation series like Invincible and The Legend Of Vox Machina. For those unfamiliar with Hazbin Hotel, the animated musical comedy series is based on the YouTube web series by creator Vivienne “VivziePop” Medrano.

Princess Of Hell

The adult animated musical series follows the Princess of Hell and daughter of Lucifer, Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen), as she tries to save the lives of the damned souls in Hell by rehabilitating them in her hotel. Even though Hazbin Hotel is set in Hell, it’s not grim or bleak, the tone is actually more cheerful and Disney-like than I expected, especially with its uplifting power ballads and flashy musical song numbers. Yes, again, this series is a musical, so there’s at least one musical sequence in every episode. The songs and musical sequences are the highlights of the series, and they’re always unique to the situation and personalities of each character.

Hazbin Hotel doesn’t disappoint in the animation department either, with smooth and fluid animation that looks vibrant. This all adds to a fun and exciting viewing experience, by combining the great animation with the musical numbers. Each character has a distinct design and style, which makes the characters almost instantly memorable and easy to distinguish. With the stellar ensemble cast boasting the likes of Stephanie Beatriz, Keith David and a bunch of talented Broadway stars, it all meshes together for a high-quality animated series that’s worth watching.

Sir Pentious, Husk, Charlie Morningstar, Niffty, Angel Dust

Despite the chaotic energy of Hazbin Hotel, it does feel like the series doesn’t really go far enough as an adult animated series. Sure, there’s a lot of swearing and cussing, but besides that, a lot of the characters (yes, despite one being a porn star) and the jokes are tamer than expected. They also mostly fall flat. This is especially so when you compare Hazbin Hotel to other recent adult animated series like HBO Max’s brilliant Harley Quinn series and even when compared to Prime Video’s own Invincible series. The sense of humour feels more childish than expected and the main protagonist, Charlie Morningstar, is one of those happy-go-lucky leads who’s always just annoyingly positive and upbeat. Maybe it’s because of her extreme earnestness to help fix everyone she meets.

That being said, one episode stands out so far. Episode Four focuses on Anthony ‘Angel’ Dust (Blake Roman) and covers actual mature subject matter like the physical and mental abuse faced by sex workers and those working in the industry. Keith David also sings in this episode (yes, the legendary Keith David with his iconic voice, I’ve put the song below for your pleasure and convenience). If the rest of the episodes in Hazbin Hotel Season 1 are the same quality as this one, the series will be amazing.

Sinful Potential

Vox

So far, Hazbin Hotel is a fun and enjoyable series, especially if you’re a fan of musicals and Disney animated movies. For someone who was previously unfamiliar with the series, it practically feels like what if classic Disney animation went for a more adult demographic. The only downside so far is how tame and childish some of the characters feel, but hopefully, that will change as they continue to develop throughout the rest of the season. Hazbin Hotel has already been renewed for a second season, so these characters will have time to grow and be fleshed out, and I will be here for it.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100

The first four episodes of Hazbin Hotel are now streaming on Prime Video Malaysia. New episodes will premiere every subsequent Friday.