Common criticism of Hazbin Hotel (and why it’s nonsense)
Alright, so ever since the pilot for Hazbin Hotel aired, a lot of criticism has been presented. No show is perfect and there are flaws in the show (as with every creation, the team is well aware of that too).
However, what I want to do here is to present and debunk some of the most common criticism of the show. This criticism is not based on a proper argument but often misunderstandings and/or the first and worst impression. Hence why I felt it was necessary to make this post in the first place.
1. “VAGGIE IS AN ANGRY LATINA STEREOTYPE!”
Vaggie’s race is never stated in the pilot, only outside of it. The closest we get is Angel’s remark in the limo and that still doesn’t reveal Vaggie’s race. She doesn’t have an accent, says very little in Spanish (partly mumbling at some point) and doesn’t go into a loud, hissy fit in Spanish, as that stereotype is known for.
Also, she isn’t angry all the time or for no reason: she only gets angry when Charlie(’s business) is threathened or unfairly criticised. This does not match the stereotype people keep comparing her to and her temper is more likely the reason she’s ended up in Hell.
2. “ANGEL IS A SEX ADDICT!”
He’s putting on an act and isn’t flirting with everyone he interacts with (namely Charlie, Vaggie and Nifty). He even states that he has a persona, meaning it’s a performance. There’s no proof in the pilot that he has an actual addiction.
3. “ANGEL IS A DRUG ADDICT!”
Angel is clean for two whole weeks because he’s promised a free room. That is NOT how an addict behaves, as they wouldn’t stop out of nowhere just because they can something that simple for free (and actually stop, he doesn’t seem to lie and actually do it anyway without Charlie knowing). He also gets his drugs stolen and destroyed but he pouts and that’s it. A desperate addict would freak out if they’d been clean for two weeks and then got their newly bought drugs taken right in front of them.
Edit: Addict behaviour can vary a lot and he might turn out to be an addict in the future but as of the pilot, drugs are only presented to him once and he reacts like it’s candy. That’s a very weak foundation for presenting a hardcore addict which the criticism is based on. Also, if he is, that’s not a bad thing!
4. “ANGEL’S DESIGN IS TRANSPHOBIC!”
Angel clearly has traits that are both feminine and masculine and can change into different looking personas. This does not automatically make him a transphobic figure. His gender identity is clearly fluid and the one character in the show who calls him “drag show” immediately gets crushed by a rock that comes out of nowhere, no explanation whatsoever. The creators obviously don’t approve of transphobic slurs so why would they make a transphobic design in the first place?
5. “BUT KATIE IS HOMOPHOBIC!”
Yes, because she’s an antagonist and painted as a bad person. It’s called writing and that behaviour is probably why she’s in Hell in the first place.
6. “B-BUT THE SWEARING IS UNNECESSARY!”
..they’re in HELL. Of course they’re swearing a lot! And the swearing is coherent with every character’s personality. If it was unnecessary or overused, it would be used for everyone, regardless if it’s out of character for them or isn’t matching the situation. Your personal dislike of swearing does not equal bad writing.
So far, Nifty hasn’t been swearing and Alastor “kinda” swears when singing (‘what the hell’). Charlie, Vaggie, Sir Pentious and Cherri swear 2-3 of times, Angel swears 9 times and so does Husker in the few minutes we see him on screen. Sir Pentious doesn’t even swear a single time until he’s fighting with Cherri and Angel and is obviously pissed off.
This amount matches their personality and overall tone and can’t be called unnecessary or overused. And again, they’re in Hell. I would be severely disappointed if no one was swearing at any point. I swear a lot and at no point, it seemed unnatural or out of place for the characters to me.
