Coming from the mind of Vivienne Medrano, Hazbin Hotel defies characterization. It's a musical, black comedy, adult animated show about angels and demons. Furthermore, the princess of hell, Charlie Morningstar (Erika Henningsen), is determined to find a way for sinners to be redeemed and allowed into heaven. Charlie wants to accomplish this not only for sinners to live a fulfilling afterlife, but also because each year Heaven sends down an extermination crew to cull the number of demons in Hell.
If Hazbin Hotel sounds a little weird, that's because it is. But that weirdness has helped the series tap into an extremely specific audience: those who grew up obsessing over The Nightmare Before Christmas while also being fond of musical theater. It draws a lot of comparisons to shows like The Flight of the Conchords and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Season 2 continues many of the same trends that defined Hazbin Hotel's first season: catchy musical numbers, expressive gothic imagery, and fascinating characters that could only exist in this unorthodox animated show.
Hazbin Hotel got its start on YouTube and amassed such a large following that Amazon and A24 got involved, as well as a collection of amazing talent. I was ambivalent about the series when I first tried to watch it. I thought the art style was fine, but it really didn't excite me enough to see it through. I ended up dropping the show and not giving it another thought. When I took on this assignment to review the second season of the show, I knew I was ready to give it another shot. Frankly, I'm glad I did. Consider me a convert to the fandom of Hazbin Hotel.
Season 2 kicks off with our sinners having successfully fought off extermination and, by extension, Adam (Alex Brightman). The hotel has been rebuilt, and the denizens of hell all want answers — but Charlie's in mourning because of Sir Pentious' (also Brightman) death.
Wait — that's not right. Sir Pentious didn't perish; he was redeemed and welcomed to heaven.
His arrival in Heaven sets off a lot of alarms, particularly those inside the head of Sera (Patina Miller), the Head Seraphim. She never believed that sinners could be redeemed, and if she had, she wouldn't have agreed to the yearly extermination. Meanwhile, Lute (Jessica Vosk), Adam's second-in-command, vows vengeance on those who killed Adam.
Now that Hell has learned of Heaven's weakness, some of the most powerful Overlords are interested in accumulating power. The Vees want to become Gods now that they've learned how to kill the angels. For a recap of who the Vees are, it's a collective name for a trio of influential Overlords. First, there's Vox (Christian Borle), who's the media overlord and literally has a flat-screen TV for a head. Then, there's Valentino (Joel Perez), the porn overlord, who controls the sex industry of hell and owns the soul of Hazbin Hotel resident Angel Dust (Blake Bojewski). Finally, there's Velvette (Lilli Cooper), the social media overlord. She's the youngest of three and is rarely without her phone in hand. They plan to besmirch the claims of redemption from the Hazbin Hotel and rule Heaven and Hell for themselves.
One of Season 2's overarching storylines is the idea of media manipulation, which is as much of a problem in Hell as it is in our reality. Charlie's quest to do good often leads to her downfall, and that naivety is what makes her vulnerable to the Vees.
Even though the Vees aren't as compelling villains as Adam and the angels, the highs of this season reach even higher than the first. A number of breakout characters — like Lucifer (Jeremy Jordan) and Cherri Bomb (Krystina Alabado) — have extended stories in Season 2, but it's Alastor's (Amir Talai) backstory (Episode 4) that's the highlight of the season. Not only do we learn more about a fan favorite character, but there's also a musical number with Niffty (Kimiko Glenn), the tiny Cyclops demon. Her presence in episodes is always appreciated, given her eccentric tendencies. The musical number fits her perfectly as it eventually transforms into a Japanese pop song, complete with anime visuals.
While the characters and animation style are certainly highlights of Hazbin Hotel, the show must also function as a musical. Given its tremendous cast of Broadway talent, with Tony Award winners in multiple roles, the show is certainly up to the task. Season 2 has plenty of memorable tunes from the Kimiko Glenn song, "Clean it Up!," a number from the entire company called "Hear My Hope," and "Easy," a duet between Charlie and her girlfriend, Vaggie (Stephanie Beatriz).
Despite Season 1 featuring a more compelling villain, overall, I preferred Season 2. Hazbin Hotel started to answer questions I had about these strange patrons with intriguing backstories, better character development, and honestly, better action. I haven't mentioned the action of Hazbin Hotel up to this point because it often feels superfluous about everything else that is going on, but even that is better here.
If you liked the first time around with Charlie and her friends, you'll certainly be satisfied with this new season. And if you failed to watch the first season, this should definitely be one hotel you make reservations at.
Hazbin Hotel Season 2 premieres October 29 on Prime Video.
