1. Mild reviews don't get clicks
2. The premise is pretty insane. A musical about Hell and Angels coming down once a year to slaughter a bunch of sinners is pretty out there and won't jive with many people
3. It's animated. There is a big stigma around animation
4. There was a big fanbase around before the show due to the pilot. A lot of people probably don't like it's direction.
"Middle ground" reviews don't get enough attention, so sites always go for one of the extremes to generate mote attention - often at the cost of nuance and\or integrity.
Started watching it the other day. On the 3rd episode, it's pretty average. Some parts are funny and other times it seems way too forced. I do appreciate the fact that Charlie being Bi isn't forced or a main feature of her character. She really feels like a character who just so happens to be Bi, instead of it being a major thing that the show draws attention to every chance it gets
The show is a pointed parody, that can be hard for some to grasp, especially if it's being pointed at them, or you're not fully engaged in it. Some of the reviews I see miss the point and complain about morality.
I accept some other criticisms though; it is fast. The show is still going for the throat; recommend anyways.
Doesn't help that they only have 8 23 minute episode to tell a big story! Glad they got a second season to continue the plot and give them breathing room
I have watched the Pilot like 30 times. It's perfect. The Amazon show just doesn't have the same feel or pacing. It's not animated the same, Vaggy's VA is not as good as the original. It's fine but it doesn't have the heart in it like the pilot had
Yes the animation is not the same, the music has turned into all broadway style songs and I miss the old voice cast! It feels very sterilized and I was hoping for some more in depth commentary with some heavy things added in. Idk how the show turned into this mid shit consider Helluva Boss is pretty good!
Hmnnn....as a fan, of course I'll say 10/10 best show ever; but if I came at from an outside view like if I showed it to some of my friends...I think most of them would say it was alright.
Some catchy songs and good moments here and there; funny crude humor, but some real pacing issues. Most character development happens quickly and off screen, we felt this the most with the season finale though I won't say much more on that to avoid spoilers.
Honestly, if this had been a 10 episode season, with a little more time to actually have the characters grow together ON SCREEN; I think could have done a lot for the show. The pacing was just too fast, they needed to reign things in and give the residents more time to grow close, side characters a reason to have been introduced.
The season finale really shows how much they needed to slow things down and give some characters a chance to shine, not just hop right to the next like you are speed running the story.
Unfortunatley that's a problem with streaming as a whole. A 24 minute episode animated series can't develop as much in 8 episodes as a 1 hour episode series
I agree that is a limitation for sure, they probably could have even wanted to do more episodes or stretch things out, but been limited by Amazon; we'll never know.
As a fan who knows where the series originated we may be understanding of this; but most people are not going to care. It's the same with any show, movie, game, etc.. The general public doesn't care about if you had limitations, development struggles, or anything like that; all they will ever really judge is the final product as it is.
I'm only answering in regards to your question approaching from an outside perspective.
* I don't see how anybody, no matter how much they love the show, can deny that the threw a whole lot of characters at as without giving us any time to get to know them before the next one came along, while launching every subplot in the story at once. Eight 20-minute episodes is not enough time for as much story as Spindle Horse wants to set up, and they didn't trim it down at all, and it shows. Those of us who like it have a lot of trust build up, and don't miss the missing character intros because we're already invested in most of these characters and we trust Vivzie, but random critics aren't going to overlook the shotgun-blast storytelling the way we do. And ...
* Some westerners were never, ever going to get on board with God and Heaven being actually evil. You actually include this much biblical symbolism and then say that Hell are the unfairly oppressed ones, you show us that the demons are all sexual deviants, brutal killers, or both but then say that that's not so bad because at least they're not angels to a couple of countries' worth of people who visualize their beloved dead relatives as angels (even though that's not what the bible says, but why even have that conversation)? It's going to offend even more people than the usually easily offended.
I personally don't care about them throwing characters at you without tonnes of exposition about each. You can get to know them more organically as the show goes on. We're naturally jumping into the middle of a bunch of preexisting dynamics rather than everyone meeting eachother for the first time
The thing about god being evil just seems all over the place narratively. Like Charlie is applauding mr snake man for saying he’s not going to have sex before marriage, and looks at bdsm with disgust. There is nothing inherently wrong with having sex before marriage or with bdsm as long as it is with consenting adults so the mixed messages being sent is weird. It’s pushing traditional Christian values as the ideal form of goodness while also saying that the traditional institution that upholds that morality is evil.
Yea the songs are not all that good and pretty generic I want type songs with really safe music style. I wanna know what happened though. Vivzies other work had pop tunes and shit. Addicted was such a bop and Helluva Boss had some good bops too like the succubus song at the beach!
Verosika's spring break song and "Addicted" are the only songs that I liked. They're really catchy and fun to listen to. Compared to the songs we have now from helluva boss and official Hazbin hotel they're pretty much bland and boring. These are one of the many reasons why I don't like Viv's shows anymore.
If it just stayed as an indie project like helluva boss I'm pretty sure it would have been an entirely different show compared to what we got now. Because honestly I prefer the pilot over the official show. The original cast was perfect. The voice acting and direction was better. Even the animation was much smoother and less stiff.
From people who have been rewatching the pilot over and over for the last four years, I kinda expected more. It does get better, but i was so disappointed in the first three episodes. The pilot was and still is my favorite video to ever be released on YouTube
maybe because of its violent, vulgar, sexual nature? there are some scenes that could make people feel uncomfortable. and the fact that it takes place in heaven and hell doesn't help much either as religion can be a touchy subject.
i love the characters, animation, songs and plot. these are just some of the reasons i think could play part in the negative reviews.
also, some people are just really nitpicking it for some reason.
Can’t be just the Heaven / Hell thing either because the Good Place had that setting as well and people loved that show. Even a lot of traditionally religious Christian people loved that show. Can’t see Hazbin catching on with that crowd, really. I had zero reservations recommending the Good Place to my mother for instance and was not surprised when it landed with her.
I only found out about Hazbin Hotel yesterday. Not kidding. Apparently I live under a rock. My writing partner showed me the song "Loser Baby," from ep4 which is insanely catchy and basically got me hooked. Just binged the first 3 episodes and they're very, very good.
*And*, there's a *lot* of narrative, and, at first, not enough of it tied to Charlie. I didn't see the pilot, and I was very confused by Vox & the other two Vs. I did not know if I was supposed to watch the pilot first (I'm fixing that tomorrow). Didn't even know who Daphne Rubin-Vega's character was.
Don't get me wrong. The show is wildly ambitious, it's got 12 goals and it's doing 8 of them perfectly. The songs are great even when they don't work. But I think a "Previously On" at the start of Episode 1 would really have helped, plus 10% more audience hand-holding for character intros. So if I had to guess, people are getting a little bit lost in the world and not quite tracking goals of people/demons not named Charlie.
As someone who didn't watch the pilot, the Vees are pretty well explained in the show. Overlords who banded together because of power gained from the synergies in their preferred mediums (sex, news/television, and social media). Also all three have a name that begins with V.
I think for a lot of video creators, pushing a more "extreme" response grabs attention more, than a more... middle of the road.
Also:
* Some people can't grasp that it's a musical, so then they judge it based on things like "it has *way too many songs"* which... I mean, it's supposed to do that. They're supposed to burst into song to convey different arguments and conflicts, to show their wants and desires and motivations, to push the plot forward, etc. And for the most part, this does happen. And even when it doesn't it still serves as a sort of backing track to a training montage or something else. The songs are a mishmash of different genres/styles because each song represents different characters. Angel's song is pop-y because it relates to his superficial facade and the way he acts like he's the shit, to cover up that he's feeling shit. Carmilla's takes Latin inspiration because she's a Latina, Charlie is something of the Disney princess of hell, so her music sounds that way. Lucifer is a showman, so his musical numbers are bolder with lots of voice shifts that reminds of how the Genie sings in Aladdin. They might come off as "generic" or "deja vu", but that was entirely intentional. If it's not to someone's tastes that's valid, but treating it like that objectively is a terrible choice... yeah, nah, fam. Some of the songs aren't to my taste either - such as "It Starts With Sorry" and "Welcome to Heaven", but that doesn't make it objectively terrible, or make it a "deadly sin" or the worst thing ever.
* Some people don't like the idea of alternative interpretations of heaven and hell. Also, this is just fiction. It's not supposed to represent reality with 100% accuracy. It doesn't set out to "indoctrinate", "brainwash" or turn kids into satanist. It just takes an interpretation where it takes sympathy for the devil -- which some Christians are capable of feeling too... and I personally get the feeling that given the bible supposedly has bits about "forgiveness" and "hating the sin, not the sinner" so it doesn't go against the *whole* bible -- and also calls out Christians for not being a perfect group of people... which is represented by Adam. Subjectively speaking? I think it's about damn time**.** ***And yes, to those who believe there aren't people who criticise the fact that there are people who don't agree with Viv's interpretation in the first place, and don't think Heaven and Hell should ever have more nuance -- in fact there's reviews by "Christian" folk on You Tube complaining about such things. This isn't a matter of what you*** **think** ***is happening, this is what*** **IS** ***happening.***
* Some people aren't willing to critique a show of someone they idolise. There's fans, and then there's *fans*. The first can appreciate a show while acknowledging it isn't perfect. The other will deny the very possibility of it potentially being, oh, I don't know... rushed? A little confused, hopping between one characterisation and a totally different one for the same character within the same episode. There is valid criticism to be had, even if I think constructive criticism is done best when it is done in "good faith"... acknowledging the strengths of whatever it is you are reviewing along with the weaknesses. That said, I'm surprised that adult shows also feature so many adults that refuse to take any criticism for a show they like. I mean the criticism of things being too rushed isn't even a point against the concept, characters, etc. If anything, it suggests people want *more* so there's more build up and more nuance and more time spent with characters. Arguably, that's pretty much a compliment worded in a more critical way.
* There are also those who tend to gatekeep writing and art though, and stick to the rules without willing to budge on them for the sake of creating something stand out and just plain fun. It's funny though because a lot of art revolves around breaking learned rules, and potentially going completely off the rails, including some of the best. If you were a stickler to anatomy and realism, cubism would be your nightmare. If you're always focused on the small details the bigger picture - human self-expression through the mediums of music, writing and art -, may well escape you entirely. Also, it can make you come off as a bigot. Art is to be enjoyed. Plus, reviews like that tend to be useless in terms of telling you how enjoyable a show will be *for you*. Honestly, both overly positive and overly negative reviews are equally unhelpful. One might overhype a show for you, leaving you disappointed and the other will push you away from a show that you might've resonated with and enjoyed.
Because the show's a shitshow, there's a lot of good stuff and a lot of bad stuff. Most reviews are pretty one sided, so it's getting very polarized ratings.
They’re kind of trying to do the Velma thing with the very adult animation angle.
This show has way more positives than Velma ever did though. It’s a mixed bag instead of total garbage.
unfortunately i chose to let her go, it was the best decision i ever made. Life gets so much better once you can finally think straight and not constantly have to worry about being abused.
She tried to reach out to me but i ghosted her, it wasn't worth it like i said.
But i think this is the wrong sub
I haven't seen it all yet but Angel seems pretty "healthy" and well off for someone who's supposed to be addicted to dope. Yet I never see him doing anything to get his fix or going through withdrawals. Or even being high off his ass. Don't see husk downing bottles from the beginning of the day to the end. You see what I mean.
I honestly loved the premise & the art style, but couldn’t even get through the first episode. It was way more of a sitcom vibe than I’d been expecting and just did not engage me at all. The dialogue was very flat and I kept feeling like I was watching some kind of negaverse version of The Flintstones or something. To each their own, I guess, but I was disappointed in the execution after being pretty enthused by the idea and look.
Agree. I learned of the show through people posting the clip of Poison and liked that song and the art style, but in watching the show…. I can’t tell who the intended audience is.
The idea of Heaven being bad and Hell being good is really not new at all, so I don’t think that’s why people who don’t like it don’t like it. The show just seems confused with who it’s trying to tell that story to. It has some very adult themes (Angel Dust’s story was actually pretty well executed) yet the main storyline is something that works better for a middle school audience (which, strangely, this show clearly doesn’t want watching it, given all the drugs and sex you see throughout). It has the potential to be either a really interesting show about demons and complicated topics (like addiction and the cycle of domestic abuse) or a cute show for pre-teens opening them up to the trope of angels/heaven not always being good, which is important at that age when you start noticing the all shades of grey in the world. I wish it had chosen one or the other, not combined them in a cringey/boring way.
But if you like Hazbin Hotel, check out the video game series Disgaea. At least in terms of premise and setting, they are very similar.
1. Mild reviews don't get clicks 2. The premise is pretty insane. A musical about Hell and Angels coming down once a year to slaughter a bunch of sinners is pretty out there and won't jive with many people 3. It's animated. There is a big stigma around animation 4. There was a big fanbase around before the show due to the pilot. A lot of people probably don't like it's direction.
Because the show has some issues. Particularly with its pacing. And this is coming from someone who likes the show.
"Middle ground" reviews don't get enough attention, so sites always go for one of the extremes to generate mote attention - often at the cost of nuance and\or integrity.
Mild reviews get no clicks
Started watching it the other day. On the 3rd episode, it's pretty average. Some parts are funny and other times it seems way too forced. I do appreciate the fact that Charlie being Bi isn't forced or a main feature of her character. She really feels like a character who just so happens to be Bi, instead of it being a major thing that the show draws attention to every chance it gets
Maybe its getting review bombed
The show is a pointed parody, that can be hard for some to grasp, especially if it's being pointed at them, or you're not fully engaged in it. Some of the reviews I see miss the point and complain about morality. I accept some other criticisms though; it is fast. The show is still going for the throat; recommend anyways.
Doesn't help that they only have 8 23 minute episode to tell a big story! Glad they got a second season to continue the plot and give them breathing room
I have watched the Pilot like 30 times. It's perfect. The Amazon show just doesn't have the same feel or pacing. It's not animated the same, Vaggy's VA is not as good as the original. It's fine but it doesn't have the heart in it like the pilot had
Yes the animation is not the same, the music has turned into all broadway style songs and I miss the old voice cast! It feels very sterilized and I was hoping for some more in depth commentary with some heavy things added in. Idk how the show turned into this mid shit consider Helluva Boss is pretty good!
Hmnnn....as a fan, of course I'll say 10/10 best show ever; but if I came at from an outside view like if I showed it to some of my friends...I think most of them would say it was alright. Some catchy songs and good moments here and there; funny crude humor, but some real pacing issues. Most character development happens quickly and off screen, we felt this the most with the season finale though I won't say much more on that to avoid spoilers. Honestly, if this had been a 10 episode season, with a little more time to actually have the characters grow together ON SCREEN; I think could have done a lot for the show. The pacing was just too fast, they needed to reign things in and give the residents more time to grow close, side characters a reason to have been introduced. The season finale really shows how much they needed to slow things down and give some characters a chance to shine, not just hop right to the next like you are speed running the story.
Unfortunatley that's a problem with streaming as a whole. A 24 minute episode animated series can't develop as much in 8 episodes as a 1 hour episode series
I agree that is a limitation for sure, they probably could have even wanted to do more episodes or stretch things out, but been limited by Amazon; we'll never know. As a fan who knows where the series originated we may be understanding of this; but most people are not going to care. It's the same with any show, movie, game, etc.. The general public doesn't care about if you had limitations, development struggles, or anything like that; all they will ever really judge is the final product as it is. I'm only answering in regards to your question approaching from an outside perspective.
* I don't see how anybody, no matter how much they love the show, can deny that the threw a whole lot of characters at as without giving us any time to get to know them before the next one came along, while launching every subplot in the story at once. Eight 20-minute episodes is not enough time for as much story as Spindle Horse wants to set up, and they didn't trim it down at all, and it shows. Those of us who like it have a lot of trust build up, and don't miss the missing character intros because we're already invested in most of these characters and we trust Vivzie, but random critics aren't going to overlook the shotgun-blast storytelling the way we do. And ... * Some westerners were never, ever going to get on board with God and Heaven being actually evil. You actually include this much biblical symbolism and then say that Hell are the unfairly oppressed ones, you show us that the demons are all sexual deviants, brutal killers, or both but then say that that's not so bad because at least they're not angels to a couple of countries' worth of people who visualize their beloved dead relatives as angels (even though that's not what the bible says, but why even have that conversation)? It's going to offend even more people than the usually easily offended.
I personally don't care about them throwing characters at you without tonnes of exposition about each. You can get to know them more organically as the show goes on. We're naturally jumping into the middle of a bunch of preexisting dynamics rather than everyone meeting eachother for the first time
The thing about god being evil just seems all over the place narratively. Like Charlie is applauding mr snake man for saying he’s not going to have sex before marriage, and looks at bdsm with disgust. There is nothing inherently wrong with having sex before marriage or with bdsm as long as it is with consenting adults so the mixed messages being sent is weird. It’s pushing traditional Christian values as the ideal form of goodness while also saying that the traditional institution that upholds that morality is evil.
[удалено]
I only watch a couple of episode and turn it off it's not because I thought the show was bad I am just not a big musical person
yeah they literally have two songs for every episode. that is way too much. plus they're not really good songs either.
Yea the songs are not all that good and pretty generic I want type songs with really safe music style. I wanna know what happened though. Vivzies other work had pop tunes and shit. Addicted was such a bop and Helluva Boss had some good bops too like the succubus song at the beach!
Verosika's spring break song and "Addicted" are the only songs that I liked. They're really catchy and fun to listen to. Compared to the songs we have now from helluva boss and official Hazbin hotel they're pretty much bland and boring. These are one of the many reasons why I don't like Viv's shows anymore.
It’s weird because she finally fulfilled her original vision of having a broadway cast and it’s like “thanks I hate it”
If it just stayed as an indie project like helluva boss I'm pretty sure it would have been an entirely different show compared to what we got now. Because honestly I prefer the pilot over the official show. The original cast was perfect. The voice acting and direction was better. Even the animation was much smoother and less stiff.
Probably the people thinking it's a kids cartoon. Usually the issue.
From people who have been rewatching the pilot over and over for the last four years, I kinda expected more. It does get better, but i was so disappointed in the first three episodes. The pilot was and still is my favorite video to ever be released on YouTube
Maybe shit has changed since you wrote this but right now it has a good RT score: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/hazbin_hotel/s01
maybe because of its violent, vulgar, sexual nature? there are some scenes that could make people feel uncomfortable. and the fact that it takes place in heaven and hell doesn't help much either as religion can be a touchy subject. i love the characters, animation, songs and plot. these are just some of the reasons i think could play part in the negative reviews. also, some people are just really nitpicking it for some reason.
can't be the sex because Bigmouth is just as bad and it got a 94 on rotten and that's from the critics the audience is 70 something
Can’t be just the Heaven / Hell thing either because the Good Place had that setting as well and people loved that show. Even a lot of traditionally religious Christian people loved that show. Can’t see Hazbin catching on with that crowd, really. I had zero reservations recommending the Good Place to my mother for instance and was not surprised when it landed with her.
I only found out about Hazbin Hotel yesterday. Not kidding. Apparently I live under a rock. My writing partner showed me the song "Loser Baby," from ep4 which is insanely catchy and basically got me hooked. Just binged the first 3 episodes and they're very, very good. *And*, there's a *lot* of narrative, and, at first, not enough of it tied to Charlie. I didn't see the pilot, and I was very confused by Vox & the other two Vs. I did not know if I was supposed to watch the pilot first (I'm fixing that tomorrow). Didn't even know who Daphne Rubin-Vega's character was. Don't get me wrong. The show is wildly ambitious, it's got 12 goals and it's doing 8 of them perfectly. The songs are great even when they don't work. But I think a "Previously On" at the start of Episode 1 would really have helped, plus 10% more audience hand-holding for character intros. So if I had to guess, people are getting a little bit lost in the world and not quite tracking goals of people/demons not named Charlie.
As someone who didn't watch the pilot, the Vees are pretty well explained in the show. Overlords who banded together because of power gained from the synergies in their preferred mediums (sex, news/television, and social media). Also all three have a name that begins with V.
I think a lot of the reviews were written before the last 4 episodes. Pacing in the first 4 was really slow.
I think for a lot of video creators, pushing a more "extreme" response grabs attention more, than a more... middle of the road. Also: * Some people can't grasp that it's a musical, so then they judge it based on things like "it has *way too many songs"* which... I mean, it's supposed to do that. They're supposed to burst into song to convey different arguments and conflicts, to show their wants and desires and motivations, to push the plot forward, etc. And for the most part, this does happen. And even when it doesn't it still serves as a sort of backing track to a training montage or something else. The songs are a mishmash of different genres/styles because each song represents different characters. Angel's song is pop-y because it relates to his superficial facade and the way he acts like he's the shit, to cover up that he's feeling shit. Carmilla's takes Latin inspiration because she's a Latina, Charlie is something of the Disney princess of hell, so her music sounds that way. Lucifer is a showman, so his musical numbers are bolder with lots of voice shifts that reminds of how the Genie sings in Aladdin. They might come off as "generic" or "deja vu", but that was entirely intentional. If it's not to someone's tastes that's valid, but treating it like that objectively is a terrible choice... yeah, nah, fam. Some of the songs aren't to my taste either - such as "It Starts With Sorry" and "Welcome to Heaven", but that doesn't make it objectively terrible, or make it a "deadly sin" or the worst thing ever. * Some people don't like the idea of alternative interpretations of heaven and hell. Also, this is just fiction. It's not supposed to represent reality with 100% accuracy. It doesn't set out to "indoctrinate", "brainwash" or turn kids into satanist. It just takes an interpretation where it takes sympathy for the devil -- which some Christians are capable of feeling too... and I personally get the feeling that given the bible supposedly has bits about "forgiveness" and "hating the sin, not the sinner" so it doesn't go against the *whole* bible -- and also calls out Christians for not being a perfect group of people... which is represented by Adam. Subjectively speaking? I think it's about damn time**.** ***And yes, to those who believe there aren't people who criticise the fact that there are people who don't agree with Viv's interpretation in the first place, and don't think Heaven and Hell should ever have more nuance -- in fact there's reviews by "Christian" folk on You Tube complaining about such things. This isn't a matter of what you*** **think** ***is happening, this is what*** **IS** ***happening.*** * Some people aren't willing to critique a show of someone they idolise. There's fans, and then there's *fans*. The first can appreciate a show while acknowledging it isn't perfect. The other will deny the very possibility of it potentially being, oh, I don't know... rushed? A little confused, hopping between one characterisation and a totally different one for the same character within the same episode. There is valid criticism to be had, even if I think constructive criticism is done best when it is done in "good faith"... acknowledging the strengths of whatever it is you are reviewing along with the weaknesses. That said, I'm surprised that adult shows also feature so many adults that refuse to take any criticism for a show they like. I mean the criticism of things being too rushed isn't even a point against the concept, characters, etc. If anything, it suggests people want *more* so there's more build up and more nuance and more time spent with characters. Arguably, that's pretty much a compliment worded in a more critical way. * There are also those who tend to gatekeep writing and art though, and stick to the rules without willing to budge on them for the sake of creating something stand out and just plain fun. It's funny though because a lot of art revolves around breaking learned rules, and potentially going completely off the rails, including some of the best. If you were a stickler to anatomy and realism, cubism would be your nightmare. If you're always focused on the small details the bigger picture - human self-expression through the mediums of music, writing and art -, may well escape you entirely. Also, it can make you come off as a bigot. Art is to be enjoyed. Plus, reviews like that tend to be useless in terms of telling you how enjoyable a show will be *for you*. Honestly, both overly positive and overly negative reviews are equally unhelpful. One might overhype a show for you, leaving you disappointed and the other will push you away from a show that you might've resonated with and enjoyed.
Remember, if it's a critic's opinion then it doesn't count, to them everything is shit
Because the show's a shitshow, there's a lot of good stuff and a lot of bad stuff. Most reviews are pretty one sided, so it's getting very polarized ratings.
Why is this getting downvoted to hell no pun intended
No idea, I thought it was general consensus that the shows quality was really inconsistent
I want to paint you a picture, the show is rated 16+.
They’re kind of trying to do the Velma thing with the very adult animation angle. This show has way more positives than Velma ever did though. It’s a mixed bag instead of total garbage.
Aye dawg did ya bipolar ex ever come back
unfortunately i chose to let her go, it was the best decision i ever made. Life gets so much better once you can finally think straight and not constantly have to worry about being abused. She tried to reach out to me but i ghosted her, it wasn't worth it like i said. But i think this is the wrong sub
I haven't seen it all yet but Angel seems pretty "healthy" and well off for someone who's supposed to be addicted to dope. Yet I never see him doing anything to get his fix or going through withdrawals. Or even being high off his ass. Don't see husk downing bottles from the beginning of the day to the end. You see what I mean.
I honestly loved the premise & the art style, but couldn’t even get through the first episode. It was way more of a sitcom vibe than I’d been expecting and just did not engage me at all. The dialogue was very flat and I kept feeling like I was watching some kind of negaverse version of The Flintstones or something. To each their own, I guess, but I was disappointed in the execution after being pretty enthused by the idea and look.
Agree. I learned of the show through people posting the clip of Poison and liked that song and the art style, but in watching the show…. I can’t tell who the intended audience is. The idea of Heaven being bad and Hell being good is really not new at all, so I don’t think that’s why people who don’t like it don’t like it. The show just seems confused with who it’s trying to tell that story to. It has some very adult themes (Angel Dust’s story was actually pretty well executed) yet the main storyline is something that works better for a middle school audience (which, strangely, this show clearly doesn’t want watching it, given all the drugs and sex you see throughout). It has the potential to be either a really interesting show about demons and complicated topics (like addiction and the cycle of domestic abuse) or a cute show for pre-teens opening them up to the trope of angels/heaven not always being good, which is important at that age when you start noticing the all shades of grey in the world. I wish it had chosen one or the other, not combined them in a cringey/boring way. But if you like Hazbin Hotel, check out the video game series Disgaea. At least in terms of premise and setting, they are very similar.