The wait is nearly over for all you sinners eagerly awaiting another season of Prime Video’s Hazbin Hotel. Episodes 1 and 2 premiere on October 29, and it is no small feat to say that if season 1 was great, then season 2 is phenomenal. This is a team that understands its world and understands its audience.

In case you don’t remember, last season ended with the destruction of the hotel and the death of Adam (Alex Brightman). Shockingly, we are shown that redemption does work as Sir Pentious (also Brightman) ascends into Heaven after being killed by Adam. While the tone is melancholy, it is also hopeful. Charlie Morningstar’s (Erika Henningsen) idea of redemption is possible, even if she doesn’t know it yet.

Season two finds Hazbin Hotel with a glut of eager guests vying for a room. On the outside, it looks great. But most of the sinners aren’t there because they’re looking for redemption. Rather, the hotel has gotten the reputation as an angel-killing hotel, thanks to Niffty (Kimiko Glenn), who is responsible for killing Adam.

Meanwhile, Charlie herself is still reeling from the casualties of the battle, Pentious especially. It’s affecting her presence at the hotel, but that does not come as much of a surprise, given how much of a “bleeding heart” (to quote Husk [Keith David]) she is. This season begins to delve into her own emotional journey with a strength that promises the kind of storytelling that sticks with you. Expect much more character development (and many more emotions).

Of course, Hazbin Hotel is nothing without its staff and guests. While the hotel itself is running smoothly, we see that things are less than smooth for the resident hotelier and overlord, Alastor (Amir Talai). With his staff still broken, we are left unsure of how it will affect him, or if there is any way of truly getting it fixed. The battle with Adam left him with more scars than one, so time can only tell. Currently, though, his biggest problem just might be Lucifer Morningstar (Jeremy Jordan), who has taken up residence at the Hotel, ducks included.

Meanwhile, Up In Heaven

With episode 1 focusing solely on Hell, episode 2 takes place squarely within the picture-perfect limits of Heaven. Pentious isn’t exactly being given a warm welcome, as Sera (Patina Miller) and much of Heaven is suspicious of how he made it into Heaven in the first place. Emily (Shoba Narayan) has always been a firm believer in Charlie’s idea of redemption, but the suspicion in Heaven runs too deep for anyone to listen to her.

Always eager, though, Emily does her best to show Pentious everything that is, supposedly, good about Heaven. However, Pentious just misses his friends, and Emily’s well-intentioned but misguided attempts at selling him on an eternity in Heaven fall flat. We begin to see that his persona in Hell really was a front, something put on so he’d survive, a glimpse that we were teased last season once Pentious was actually on their side.

We are also introduced to Adam’s son, Abel, played by Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump. Heaven’s presence will be growing this season, which makes room for more world-building outside the confines of Hell, something fans have been looking forward to. With the expansive world of Helluva Boss also now on Prime Video, it seems undeniable that these worlds will eventually collide, and with it, more room to expand the universe.

Also showcased this season is a smoother and richer animation style, giving characters freedom of expression that was not quite there last season. The growing pains season 1 had are nowhere to be found. It brings this world to life in new ways, and impressively so.

What Is A Musical About Angels And Demons Without Its Music?

Hazbin Hotel needs its music, and Sam Haft and Andrew Underberg delivered. Previously released were the songs “Hazbin Guarantee (Trust Us)” and “Gravity,” the video for which was shown at NYCC.

“Hazbin Guarantee” does a fantastic job of setting up the main conflict in Hell this season between the Hotel and the overlord trio known as the Vees. Now that everyone knows that angels can be killed, Vox (Christian Borle) finds the perfect time to strike. On the Vees side, the song features him, alongside Velvette (Lilli Cooper) and Valentino (Joel Perez). On the Hotel side, Charlie is trying to sell a stay there to Baxter (Kevin Del Aguila), a potential new resident.

Haft and Underberg have a knack for delineating songs with ease, which this one especially does as it bounces between the Hazbin Hotel and Vee Tower. While the song itself is enjoyable and catchy, the visuals are what really round it out. And we’ve already seen Lute’s fiery breakdown in “Gravity,” which bears no repeating for how visually impressive it is. The searing guitar and ghostly backing vocals land this song right at the top of the Hellaverse soundtrack list.

However, this season is Borle’s moment in the spotlight, and it’s been a long time coming. Last season we were not given much on Vox besides his status as the media overlord (and rivalry with Alastor), but this season will definitely be peeling back those layers. His vocal performances are always something to behold, but he holds nothing back as Vox.

In Heaven, the songs are so diametrically different, matching the bright and positive tone of their setting. Best of all, we’re already treated to a small bit of Stump’s singing. Spoiler alert for all you Fall Out Boy fans: he sounds great. There are also a few other surprises, including an angelically beautiful duet, that showcase the vastly different directions Haft and Underberg pursued this season.

So What’s Next?

As creator Vivienne Medrano mentioned during NYCC, the two episodes take place consecutively, meaning that the story itself doesn’t officially move forward until episode 3. So what does that mean for your favorite demons? You’ll have to tune in on November 5 to find out when episodes 3 and 4 are released.

The second season of Hazbin Hotel consists of eight episodes, with two episodes rolling out weekly through November 19. The series will be available on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Let us know what you think of season 2 so far! And for more Hazbin Hotel news and episodic reviews, keep checking back to THS.

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