Rating + Reviewing every single episode of Hazbin Hotel (Season 2)
This was an excuse to pull out my inner film-student/ media critic... and yes, I did rewatch the season to write each review.
Minor spoilers ahead !!
Ep 1 : 4/10 (below average with some redeeming qualities).
The initial pacing of this episode was infuriating – the crowds of people should’ve left as soon as the ‘Hazbin Guarantee’ song had ended. The reporter jokes got really old, and we could’ve spent this time with more Vees interaction or even more Alastor being in pain.
‘Once we get up there’ is a fantastically villainous ‘I want’-song, it’s refreshing to have a villain’s goal be perfectly laid out for the viewer, reminiscent of Disney’s golden age.
The scene between Lucifer + Charlie was incredibly touching and made Charlie slightly easier to root for.
Ep 2 : 6/10 (above average)
The better half of the twin-film. An incredibly strong first half – the score being my favourite part. The courtroom scene does get a bit repetitive with how much Lute kept repeating the same rhetoric, but this was honestly my only gripe with the pacing. ‘No one here is like you’ is such an annoying song, but annoying does suit the setting and Pentious’ spiral. We got a lot of humanising and character building moments with Pentious that did well to increase his sympathy and add more emotional stakes to the overall story. ‘Sera’s Confession’ contains, by far, the most impressive female vocal performance- I would say second to ‘Gravity’, which does well at conveying Lute’s anger (in retrospect- although this is a great moment in the episode, it has no payoff in this season and rather serves as set up for a future conflict).
Ep 3: 7/10 (highly above average)
A genuinely lovely, character-building episode. The episode gives the season room to breathe, and as a result, we get some great moments between characters that expand their dynamics- particularly with Angel, Cherri and Charlie’s characters. Charlie’s actions in this episode are frustratingly naïve, but they add a dramatic strain on hers and Vaggie’s relationship that their dynamic desperately needed. ‘Piss (A love song)’ is a fantastic song, however ‘Speedrun to Redemption’ felt unnecessary. You find yourself much more emotionally invested in the characters after this episode, which I feel is something season one lacked.
Ep 4: 8/10 (significantly good)
This episode certainly stands out from it’s incredibly choreographed fight-scene to its amazing expansion of Vox’s motivation. In this episode we gain needed setup for the finale alla Alastor’s background, as well as some needed depth to Vox: his goals become even more meaningful when we find out that his goal of god-hood is supported by- not just his pride- but a deeper need to prove himself. His rivalry with Alastor also becomes far more interesting with the added history between the two of them, and as a result, every interaction between Alastor and Vox is outstandingly engaging.
The main hangup with this episode is essentially a repeat of Charlie’s mistakes from the last episode, which feels slightly repetitive. However, since it’s more of a footnote in the episode, it doesn’t ruin the overall enjoyment.
The plot development of this episode is so good that I wouldn’t even say the songs are the highlight: ‘Don’t you forget’ and ‘Clean it up’ are good songs but ultimately don’t drive the plot forward (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing).
‘Don’t you forget: Reprise’, on the other hand, is a phenomenal addition to the episode that lays a great foundation for the finale.
Ep 5: 9/10 (especially great)
This episode is definitely a standout for the entire show. The pacing is perfect, the episode hits every beat it needs to and the conflicts between Lucifer/Vox and the Seraphim were gripping. The writing of Vox’s spin-tactics to rally up the crowd is eerily realistic and provides a great commentary on how dictators rise to power out of suffering, as well as a good commentary on accountability for tragedies such as genocide. The beginning song ‘Bad with us’ is what I’d call a ‘montage song’- a song that could’ve been replaced by a montage, but it’s a decent song that conveys Vox’s gathering of powerful allies efficiently.
The standout songs of the season are contained in ‘Vox Populi’ and ‘Vox Dei’- these songs are the quintessential villain songs that really raise the threat of Vox as a villain.
We also get some good spats between Charlie and Vaggie + Charlie and her father, which, although doesn’t really give itself enough time for you to be as invested as the writer’s would like, it’s still a needed inclusion.
Ep 6: 6/10 (above average but with certain drawbacks)
I appreciate this episode’s service to the development of Husk’s character- especially in relation to his relationship with Angel and the hotel. This episode deepens the encroaching decent between the Vees, which has payoff in the finale, as well as watering the seed of Vox’s pride being easily wounded by Alastor. The song ‘Love in a Bottle’, I would say, is the most impressive male vocal performance of the season and it’s an incredibly well composed swing number. It’s also blocked very well and is very visually interesting. Angel’s song ‘Losing Streak’ is important to the development of ‘Huskerdust’ and is a good song- but is ultimately could’ve been a conversation.
My major drawback for this episode is how quickly the tension between Charlie and Vaggie was resolved: Charlie is having a major and valid meltdown, which should’ve been a grounded and emotional moment that prepares us for the emotional stakes of the finale, but instead, it’s cheapened by ‘Easy’- a pop song that abruptly interrupts her and resolves any tension between the pair that may have been more engaging if it had happened during a more significant plot point.
The plot-twist that Angel had been a spy was shocking and was contained in a chilling scene (I praise the animators and directors for the nerve-wracking visuals and tone of this scene), however considering the foreshadowing for this twist only begun one episode prior, it felt undeserved.
Ep 7: 6/10 (above average- few highlights)
The episode had a strong first half: descent amongst the Vees, payoff from the development of Angel and Husk’s relationship in his reaction to Angel’s ‘betrayal’ of the hotel, and a high-stakes hit against heaven that does well to demonstrate Vox as a valid threat (as well as establishing the strength of Lucifer’s power which is no doubt set up for future seasons). It hit a slight snag during ‘Live to Live’, which was a forgettable song that felt too cheerful for a mid-finale song. The song would’ve had more impact if it retained it’s ballad-y tone it had at the beginning. The rest of the episode is mere exposition for the final episode, including a cheap moment where Baxter is suddenly on the side of the hotel because of the particular folding of his bedsheets – this moment felt insanely undeserved and there was a missed opportunity to expand on his developing dynamic with Niffty that’d been hinted at in the mise-en-scene throughout the season (e.g. he could’ve joined the side of the hotel because he made his first friend in Niffty and wanted to protect her).
However, the mash-up song ‘When I think about the future’ contains the perfect amount of excitement and emotion needed to excite the viewer for the finale. It effectively covers all its bases and leaves us on a sombre note: Sera praying at her church altar in fear.
Ep 8: 9/10 (impressively great)
This episode was a phenomenal finale and puts the season one finale to crippling shame. The beginning was full of cliches but they didn’t necessarily take from the enjoyment. The fight scenes were long enough to feel like an even match and they were impressively choreographed, very visually interesting and very well animated. The best part of the episode had to be the payoff for this entire season’s worth of setup around Vox’s pride and jealousy of Alastor: the need to prove himself and best Alastor had been building since episode one, and to see Vox completely break and find himself willing to die if it meant he could finally beat Alastor was chilling. Every scene with Valentino in this episode is a delight to watch- he has a greatly entertaining presence which sets up his role as a main villain next season neatly. We finally get payoff for all the inner discourse that had been building between the Vees- albeit suddenly. Episodes 3 and 6’s efforts at building Angel’s character and his relationship with Husk leaves the viewer heartbroken but not shocked at Angel’s decision not to return to the hotel once the battle is won, which prepares season 3 for a focus on Angel’s redemption and release from Valentino’s grasp. ‘Hear my Hope’ is a decent song- it’s slightly all over the place and we get reminders to the existence of Lute and Abel shoe-horned in, which felt clumsy but necessary. It’s a climactic song, it serves its purpose, and it’s forgotten for favour of more iconic songs of the season.
Of course, it’d be hard not to critique the ‘power of friendship’ ending- which I honestly would be more inclined to excuse if the Vees weren’t forcibly included. If the writers wanted to maintain their villainy and rivalry with Charlie for next season, they should’ve ran away, demonstrating their selfishness. This alternative also would’ve prevented the inclusion of Charlie smiling at the two people that have been harming her friends the entire show, which is jarring to see. Of course, this show is about redemption, but if you intend on keeping the Vees as your villains for next season – this was not the time to imply that they have good in them.
My final praise of this episode is, surprisingly, the cliffhanger. Charlie has been calling her mother since the beginning of the show and it had began getting repetitive- so receiving a call back felt earned.
Overall, season 2 far outdoes season 1 in terms of quality and emotional investment. If the show improved this much in one season, I, for one, am very much looking forward to season 3.
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