Hazbin Hotel

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Hazbin Hotel
Title card
Genre
Created byVivienne Medrano
Based onCharacters
by Vivienne Medrano
Written by
  • Vivienne Medrano
  • Dave Capdevielle
  • Raymond Hernandez
Screenplay byVivienne Medrano
Story byVivienne Medrano
Directed byVivienne Medrano
Creative directorVivienne Medrano
Voices of
  • Jill Harris
  • Monica Franco
  • Edward Bosco
  • Mick Lauer
  • Will Stamper
  • Kelly "Chi-Chi" Boyer
  • Faye Mata
  • Joshua Tomar
Composers
  • Evan Alderete
  • Gooseworx
  • Thomas Ryan
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes1
Production
Executive producerVivienne Medrano
EditorVivienne Medrano
Running time31 minutes
Production companies
Release
Original network
First shown inOctober 28, 2019 (2019-10-28)
Chronology
Related shows
External links
Website

Hazbin Hotel is an American adult animated web series created by Vivienne "VivziePop" Medrano.[5][6] It revolves around Charlie Morningstar, demon and princess of Hell, on her quest to find a way for other demons to be "rehabilitated" and allowed into Heaven, and the many demons she meets along the way. The pilot, released to YouTube on October 28, 2019, was made entirely by freelance animators and was largely financed by Medrano's Patreon followers.[7][8][9] Its first season will be produced by independent entertainment company A24.[10] By August 2020, the show had developed a dedicated fanbase,[11][12] with the 31-minute pilot receiving over 79 million views as of February 2022,[13] a rise from 32 million views in May 2020.[14]

Premise[]

The series follows Charlie Morningstar (voiced by Jill Harris), the princess of Hell, optimistic demon and heir to the throne, as she sets about fulfilling her seemingly impossible dream of opening up a hotel called the "Happy Hotel" which aims to rehabilitate sinners. Due to overpopulation, Hell goes through an annual purge once a year, where angels descend from Heaven and kill demons. 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" from Hell as redeemed souls and be accepted into Heaven.

With the help of her devoted manager and girlfriend, Vaggie (Monica Franco), and their reluctant first patron, pornographic film actor Angel Dust (Michael Kovach, pilot), she's 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" Alastor (Edward Bosco) who, despite finding her belief in redemption laughable, wants to help Charlie run the hotel for his own amusement.[15][16]

Characters[]

Main article: List of Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss characters

Episodes[]

SeasonEpisodesOriginally airedCumulative views (millions)
First airedLast aired
Pilot1 (+ 2 dubs)October 28, 2019 (2019-10-28)79.56

Pilot (2019)[]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byStoryboarded byOriginal air date
1"That's Entertainment"Vivienne MedranoVivienne Medrano, Dave Capdevielle & Raymond HernandezVivienne MedranoOctober 28, 2019 (2019-10-28)

Charlie Magne, the princess of Hell, pursues her seemingly impossible goal of rehabilitating demons to peacefully reduce overpopulation in her kingdom. After a yearly extermination imposed by angels, she opens a hotel in hopes that patients will be "checking out" into Heaven. While most of Hell mocks her goal, her devoted girlfriend, Vaggie, and their first test subject, adult film star Angel Dust, stick by her side. When Alastor, a powerful entity known as "The Radio Demon" reaches out to Charlie to assist in her endeavors, her crazy dream is given a chance to become a reality.

Musical numbers: "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows", "Inside of Every Demon is a Rainbow", and "Alastor's Reprise"

Other media[]

Webcomics[]

In July 2020, a webcomic titled "Dirty Healings" that showed how Angel Dust came to know the hotel was completed, containing twenty-two pages and hosted on the official website.[17][18] Another comic titled "A Day in the Afterlife", which focused on Alastor's daily life in Hell, was uploaded to the website on October 19, 2020, containing sixteen pages.

"Addict" song and music video[]

"Addict" is an animated music video released on July 17, 2020 on Medrano's YouTube channel,[19][20][21] based on and featuring the Silva Hound song of the same name.[22] It centers around Angel Dust's relations with his best friend, Cherri Bomb, and his abusive boss, Valentino. The song was performed by Michael Kovach and Kelly "Chi-Chi" Boyer.[23][a] Tito W. James of Comicon.com described the video as giving viewers a "deeper look" at the lives of Cherri Bomb and Angel Dust, and praised the "world of Hazbin", as he called it, for being "paradoxically provocative and empathetic."[24] The song ranked as the #3 dance song on iTunes on July 21, 2020.[25] Additionally, the song reached number 14 on the US Dance/Electronic Songs chart, number four on the Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart, and number 77 on the Dance/Electronic Songs Year-End.[26][27][28]

Helluva Boss[]

A spin-off series, Helluva Boss, unveiled its first season on October 31, 2020, almost one year after the release of its own pilot.[29][30][31] Helluva Boss takes place in the same universe as Hazbin Hotel, but it has a different cast of characters and story. As Medrano described it, while both shows share the same setting, Hazbin Hotel is about redemption and consequences of past actions, while Helluva Boss follows "characters and societies that already exist in Hell", focusing on relationships between characters.[32]

Production and release[]

See also: LGBT representation in animated web series § YouTube

The characters of the pilot had been around for a while when Medrano began working with people at SVA in musical theater to work on what would later become Hazbin Hotel.[33] 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 (from 2017 to 2019) to animate it, with teasers released in that ensuing period to garner an audience of fans.[33] The series contains various LGBTQ characters. This includes a gay porn star named Angel Dust, a bisexual character named Charlie, a lesbian character named Vaggie, and an asexual character named Alastor.[34][35][36]

On October 28, 2019, the pilot was released, and it gained 54 million views by early February 2021.[33]

On August 7, 2020, A24 picked up Hazbin Hotel for the production of a TV series.[37][38][b] In January 2021, in a white paper about the increase in adult animation,[39] John Evershed, founder of Mondo Media, described the series as a rare exception to shows on YouTube that are picked up by companies as a "long form TV series."[40] He argued that the show generated enough attention and views to interest A24 in producing the show as a TV series.[41]

In February 2021, Medrano told Insider that she was surprised the show had gotten so big, saying that the fandom of Hazbin Hotel rivals shows with multiple seasons, even with only a pilot released and said that it "hit a chord with people" due to its art style, angst, and drama.[33] She also stated that the series is only on YouTube because it's the best way to "get the most eyes" on the show, but that the company had not reached out to her once. Furthermore, she expressed excitement in the direction of the show, noting the demand for her content and said that in the future she would like to do something "in the family friendly space" but gave no timeline for that. In a Twitter thread the same month, Medrano clarified that she was not "abandoning" Hazbin Hotel, and was working on comics for the series in the meantime.[42]

On December 21, 2021, the official Hazbin Hotel Twitter account teased the release of the first season.[43] Cast members from the pilot, including Elsie Lovelock,[44] Michael Kovach,[45] Krystal LaPorte,[46] and Michelle Marie[47] individually announced on their respective Twitter accounts that they were not asked to return for the A24 production, though showed support for the show despite their removal.[48] Medrano said that she loves her characters "more than anything" and that they "are in good hands."[49] On February 22, 2022, the official Twitter account unveiled a redesign of the main character Charlie, whose last name was changed from Magne to Morningstar. The bio was also updated to reflect the involvement of both A24 and animation studio Bento Box Entertainment.[50]

Reception[]

The series' pilot episode has been critically acclaimed for its animation quality, music, and characters,[2][51] even by those who are more critical of the show itself.[52] Stephen Novak from The Oswegonian student newspaper praised the animation, writing, and characters in Hazbin Hotel. However, he criticized the songs, saying "while Hazbin Hotel will certainly not appeal to everyone, those who can appreciate good animation and fun characters will certainly find themselves tortured by what is likely to be a long wait until the next episode."[53] Another reviewer, Matthew Field, argued that the pilot was part of the "animation renaissance" on YouTube.[1]

Matt Smith of another student newspaper, The Harbinger, had similar thoughts. Smith praised the show as a "hilariously dark look" into life in Hell while praising the voice acting, singing, and animation.[54] At the same time, he pointed out the show is clearly "not for kids", noting the drug use and sexual references as well as strong language and violence. Smith notes that the animation is crisp and lively, but not perfect. He states that the show has great pacing as well. In addition, Lidia Vassar of the MSU Reporter praised the show, noting its "raunchy sense of humor and quirky art style."[18] 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, CBR animation critic Reuben Baron stated that while the pilot episodes of Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss had garnered "some warranted criticism" because of their inappropriate and edgy humor, they are still "clear labors of love from an animation standpoint."[55] Another critic on CBR, Nerissa Rupnarine, pointed out that Alastor is on the small list of "canon asexual characters" within animation.[56]

Charlie Ceates of Cultured Vultures stated that Hazbin Hotel is an example of how "traditional methods of television production are changing," and posited the possibility of YouTube being used to change the "balance of power between the creator and networks" in favor of creators. Ceates also stated that the show represents a "clear change in traditional media" and called the pilot a "well-designed bit of animation which deserves a watch,"[57] which is echoed by others which say it will have a positive influence on independent animation going forward.[21] Some even said that the success of Hazbin Hotel led to the pilot of Helluva Boss.[10] Reviewer Sean Cubillas praised the show for "quirky, ambitious, and dark humor" and some of the "fastest, wittiest, and raunchiest dialogue ever seen in independent animation."[58]

Notes[]

  1. ^ She would later work on Helluva Boss and also worked as a compositor and production manager on Hazbin Hotel.
  2. ^ Matt Braly, the creator of Amphibia, offered his support, calling the action a "fantastic fucking step forward" and "great."

References[]

Citations[]

  1. ^ a b Field, Matthew (December 5, 2019). "'Hazbin Hotel' a bold step in indie animation". Go! & Express. Archived from the original on May 12, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Liberman, Dr Esther (December 9, 2019). "A Salvadoran-American Artist's Conception of Hell". BeLatina. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "hazbin-hotel-is-sinfully-good-83501650edb4".
  4. ^ "Hazbin Hotel (@HazbinHotel) / Twitter". Retrieved March 18, 2022. @A24 + @bentoboxent present HAZBIN HOTEL
  5. ^ Bekah (November 9, 2019). "Hazbin Hotel: The Queer Demon Princess Revue… Review". The Geekiary. Archived from the original on November 20, 2019. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  6. ^ sgathaich0 (October 7, 2020). "Sgathaich: Hazbin Hotel". The Orkney News. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  7. ^ Medrano, Vivienne (February 12, 2019). "SVA Features VivziePop - Vivienne Medrano" (Online). Interviewed by SVA. YouTube. Archived from the original on February 1, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  8. ^ Vollenbroek, Tunde (April 29, 2019). "7 Tips For Building A Successful Animation Channel On Youtube". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  9. ^ Sarto, Dan (December 4, 2019). "'Hand Drawn' Feature Documentary in Last Days of Indiegogo Campaign". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Bermudez, Lucas (August 12, 2020). "A24 Is Bringing Controversial Demon Cartoon Hazbin Hotel to TV". Screenrant. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  11. ^ Brueheim, Jackson (May 6, 2020). "Hazbin Hotel: 10 Amazing Cosplays That Look Just Like The Characters". CBR. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  12. ^ Nyaa, Gavis (November 1, 2020). "L'intervista cosplay della settimana: Gavis Nyaa" [Cosplay interview of the week: Gavis Nyaa]. Senza Linea (Online) (in Italian). Interviewed by Danilo Battista. Italy. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  13. ^ Troup, Margaret (December 10, 2020). "'Helluva Boss' creator Vivienne Medrano releases second episode of her spinoff series". Iowa State Daily. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  14. ^ Brueheim, Jackson (May 13, 2020). "Hazbin Hotel: 10 Astonishing Pieces of Fan Art". CBR. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  15. ^ Peters, Danielle (February 15, 2019). ""Animation is Magic": SVA Alumnus VivziePop on Perseverance, Inspiration and 'Hazbin Hotel'". SVA NYC. School of Visual Arts. Archived from the original on December 2, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  16. ^ Caultron, Cara (November 5, 2019). ""Hazbin Hotel:" A Victory for Independent Animation". The Issaquah High Times. Archived from the original on November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  17. ^ Vivziepop (November 11, 2019). "7 MILLION? WHATS NEXT? BIG OL UPDATE VIDYO!!". YouTube. Archived from the original on May 7, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
  18. ^ a b Vassar, Lidia (November 14, 2019). ""Hazbin Hotel" worthy of a binge". MSU Reporter. Archived from the original on December 5, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  19. ^ Viziepop (July 17, 2020). "Addict (Music Video) - Hazbin Hotel". Archived from the original on July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ Troup, Margaret (November 2, 2020). "'Hazbin Hotel' creator releases new episode of spinoff series 'Helluva Boss'". Iowa State Daily. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  21. ^ a b Von Polko, Juno (November 4, 2020). ""Hazbin Hotel" a great place to check into". The All State. Austin Peay State University. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  22. ^ Silva Hound (February 14, 2020). "Silva Hound ft. Michael Kovach and Chi-Chi - Addict". Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020 – via YouTube.
  23. ^ Fisher, Sara "Sherval (2020). "Resume". Official website of Sara "Sherval" Fisher. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  24. ^ James, Tito W. (July 17, 2020). "'Hazbin Hotel' Returns With A New Music Video 'Addict'". Comicon.com. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  25. ^ "iTunes Top 100 Dance Songs". July 21, 2020. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  26. ^ "Dance/Electronic Songs (August 1, 2020)". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  27. ^ "Dance/Electronic Digital Songs Sales (August 1, 2020)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  28. ^ "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs - Year-End". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  29. ^ Dudok de Wit, Alex (September 1, 2020). "Here's The Biggest Animation News You Missed In August". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  30. ^ Alexa, Laurén (September 1, 2020). "Unconventional A24 Picks Up Controversial 'Hazbin Hotel'". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  31. ^ Vivziepop (November 1, 2020). "HELLUVA BOSS - Murder Family // S1: Episode 1". Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020 – via YouTube.
  32. ^ Crusch, Marley (December 13, 2020). "Hazbin Hotel Panel Recap". Bubble Blabber. Archived from the original on December 14, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  33. ^ a b c d Asarch, Steven (February 3, 2021). "A cartoon demon musical drew in 53 million YouTube viewers. The creator of 'Hazbin Hotel' says she couldn't have predicted its success". Insider. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  34. ^ Medrano, Vivienne [@vivziepop] (October 11, 2018). "Angel and Alastor are old men who don't understand anything anymore