Three years ago, I reviewed the pilot for the Hazbin Hotel Spin-off series, Helluva Boss, and today, we’re going to review the first season. Helluva Boss was created by Vivienne “VivziePop” Medrano and written by Brandon Rogers. The series pilot was released in November 2019 which would be followed by the first episode for the first season in late October 2020, produced by Spindlehorse Toons and released exclusively on Medrano’s YouTube Channel.
The story follows an Imp named Blitzø, who decides to start a small assassination business cleverly nicknamed I.M.P. (Immediate Murder Professionals) with his weapons specialist, Moxxie, and Moxx’s wife, Millie, and their receptionist, Loona (who is the adopted daughter of Blitzø). Together, these murder professionals, with the help of an ancient book called a Grimoire that is owned by Stolas, the Goetic Prince of Hell, complete tasks on orders from demons in Hell.
As far as it goes, it may serve as a spin-off for VivziePop’s other series, but it has a prominent fanbase and has gotten plenty of praise from both the animation and the entertainment industry, but Helluva Boss is vastly different from her other series. For example, Hazbin Hotel focuses on redemption and consequences, while Helluva Boss focuses on the characters and societies that already exist in Hell. The world that Medrano introduced at the beginning involving Hell is a mix of fantasy and the real world, where it blends dark humor and action into a fine, chaotic story.
Speaking of the story, the premise behind each episode is intriguing. It gives off a vibe of a workplace comedy with raunchy, edgy humor. Aside from the humor, it offers emotionally complex characters and character-driven stories, Helluva Boss does offer a variety of fourth-wall-breaking moments and representation, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community. Something that is desperately needed in the entertainment industry, where it isn’t exaggerated, put in for the sake of enticing more viewers, or put in for shock value. While there are hit-and-miss moments in the beginning, it is well-researched and offers certain moments that people can relate to in their lives.
Let’s discuss the voice acting in this series, it may offer some star power but it does offer a personal feeling behind the characters, each actor brings a sense of individuality to their role and it doesn’t feel forced or fake. Take Brandon Rogers, for example. He has done a phenomenal job in his portrayal of Blitzø, Rogers can offer both humor and be serious in whatever situation he is in. Erica Lindbeck is an amazing voice actor. Whatever role she is put in, you can either love or hate them, Lindbeck works hard, and it pays off, whether it be in video games or animation. I love the fact that Richard Horovitz signed on for the role of Moxxie, older fans can recognize his work on shows such as Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Doug, Horovitz always has a fun and twisted side in whatever project he approaches and whenever Vivian Nixon (Millie) is involved, their chemistry together is hilarious and touching. As I have mentioned previously, it was star-packed, but each was a great choice when they were cast. Especially when the surprise announcement at the season finale when KESHA made her appearance as Queen Bee-lzebub, fans can remember when Medrano made a music video involving one of her beloved creations, Jay-Jay.
I would like to discuss the animation in the first season. Each episode felt like an experiment. I’m not saying this is a bad thing, but it was interesting to see what each animator could bring to the table, either when it comes to comedy or crazy action sequences. Episodes Six and Seven were two of the strongest cases in terms of Animation, Truth Seekers had well-choreographed action sequences and strong emotional moments that carried over into the finale when Blitzo and Stolas were confronted by elements of their past.
With Helluva Boss already in its fifth episode in its Second Season, Vivienne Medrano and the folks at Spindlehorse Toons are setting up for the next big thing in Animation, with great musical tunes, comedy, etc.
Final Grade:
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