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The first episode of “Hazbin Hotel,” “Overture,” follows Charlie as she meets with Adam, the leader of the angel army. Yes, that Adam, from the story of Adam and Eve.
Lucifer delegates a meeting with Heaven to Charlie, causing her to break out into song like a Disney princess or Broadway star. Her song, “Happy Day in Hell,” is an excellent introduction to Charlie’s character. Charlie (voiced by Erika Henningsen) is hopeful but somewhat naive. She loves her home and wants to redeem sinners, all evident through catchy lyrics and a pretty tune.
When she makes it to Heaven’s office in Hell, she is introduced to Adam, a stereotypical frat boy who spends most of the meeting being sexist and playing pranks on Charlie. Charlie finally gets a chance to present her plan and is barely 3 stanzas in when she is interrupted by Adam (voiced by Alex Brightman), singing. Adam says, “Hell is forever, whether you like it or not.”
While Adam could’ve been nicer about it, there is no proof that redemption is possible.
The meeting ends with terrible news. Charlie returns to the hotel, and the culmination of the episode’s subplot: the other hotel residents had banded together to create a commercial, cheering her up. While filming the commercial, Alastor’s disdain for television foreshadows the central conflict of episode two.
The episode assumes that any audience had watched the pilot prior to Overture, and the visuals are a bit jerky, but overall, it’s a strong start with two absolutely unforgettable songs and a gripping plot.
“Overture” and the next eight “Hazbin Hotel” episodes can be found on Amazon Prime Video.
Warning: Includes gratuitous violence, swearing and graphic sexual imagery. Not for minors or sensitive audiences.
Rating: 5/5 Spinnaker sails
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