By: Rachel Ruffner

        Revenge is a sin worthy of Hell, according to the King James version of the Bible. Vivienne Medrano and Brandon Rogers provide an interesting perspective on the topic of sin and revenge in a new animated series for adults called Helluva Boss. The series focuses on a small company in Hell run by Blitzø, a demon. Blitzø’s entire business is devoted to revenge. He and his employees are paid to kill humans whom other demons want dead. This series provides a way for its viewers to think critically about humanity as a whole. 

Medrano and Rogers provide a way for their viewers to laugh at themselves and further analyze how humans can be quite petty. By creating a company that is designed to only fulfill a dark desire for revenge, the creators provide a satire of how humans can become angry over issues that seem important in the moment, but quickly forget these minute problems. For example, the first episode’s client wanted to murder the woman who her husband chose over her. The show demonstrates how quickly the client grew enraged at her husband and now has to face the consequences of her irrational actions for the rest of eternity. 

        This episode shows how acting out in a blind rage produces more problems than reasonable answers. A woman attempted to kill her husband and now is forced to be punished for her actions for the rest of eternity. Even though most viewers would agree that acting out of anger never produces a useful outcome, sometimes people need a humorous reminder. This expression of emotion can be seen by both the client and the target, both of which tend to act on their emotions rather than on logic, producing a negative outcome. The client dies and goes to Hell, while the target has her own difficulties with both the client and Blitzø’s employees.

        This version of Hell is different from the one mentioned throughout the Holy Bible. Medrano’s version of Hell tends to reflect earth and specifically America far more than actual Hell. This interpretation of Hell is displayed in her other recent series, Hazbin Hotel. Hazbin Hotel is about the princess of Hell trying to help sinners achieve redemption and go to Heaven. The humor in both of Medrano’s series is rather graphic and sexual in nature, which may make some viewers uncomfortable. However, life can also be rather uncomfortable and this show can depict how life can constantly bring people out of their comfort zones. Helluva Boss has rather blasphemous humor which is not as amusing as it could have been, had they taken a different approach. Using God’s name in vain is not a joke; most people tend to say it out of spite or anger. Doing so does not create depth for the characters; if anything viewers would expect that demons which to offend God. 

        This series has rather perverted humor, as does most of Rogers’s work. He creates characters that satirize stereotypes and show their inaccuracies, and so his characters verge on offensive. Sam, his closeted homosexual character is an example of these satirized stereotypes, who is on the verge of offensive. 

        Blitzø is an “imp,” a low level demon born in Hell who does not have the ability to leave. He cannot do his job without the aid of an overlord, who holds a great deal of power and has a book that allows a visit to Earth when necessary. Blitzø thus exchanges sex with an overlord (Stolas) for use of his book. Stolas tends to call Blitzø at the most inconvenient times. Stolas calls Blitzø because he has free time and is alone in the bathtub; considering his tone and explicit language, the reason for the call is because he is aroused. Helluva Boss is memorable because the animation is gorgeous. The animation reminds the viewer that life can be beautiful at times, even though pain is a part of it. The animation for Stolas’s bath scene is one that obviously took a great deal of time when reflecting on the amount of detail. 

        I personally love these two scenes because of the contrast between Stolas and Blitzø. Their characters reflect how celebrities or royalty are able to have more leisure time compared to those who are middle or lower class citizens. The series has an underlying message about class and social order. 

         Just prior to Stolas’s bath (Helluva Boss 8:07), Blitzø runs through a forest where the viewer only sees the imp with his back against a tree. The background is incredibly dark and the scene is quite tense. Since Blitzø is an imp, he does not have a luxurious life like Stolas. The colors chosen for him merely show a common or simple lifestyle. He cannot afford expensive materials for clothing or furnishings. However, Stolas’s bath depicts cosmos-colored curtains with a few icy blue colored constellations seemingly floating in midair. The tub is a royal purple that almost appears black; the legs are gold. The candles which sit on the edge of the tub are a creamy white with bright blue flames. The floor underneath the tub is a light brown, almost tan with satanic symbols which glow a soft pink. Since Stolas’s eyes glow a light red, they add to the mystery and elegance of the scene. These colors were chosen to show the wealth and elegance of Stolas since he is an overlord. His wealth is displayed through his material possessions since there are no scenes demonstrating his power, currently. The reason these two are involved in an affair is explained in the pilot; the viewer should note that Blitzø is having this affair for personal gain.

         This brief scene reveals the bigger personalities of Blitzø and Stolas. Blitzø is a common demon who is quite impulsive and never creates a plan. His style of dress and speech seem rather simple. Yet, Stolas is one of the most elite demons in Hell. He seems to have ample time for leisure and could be viewed as the epitome of elegance. His style of speech is similar to that of royalty. For example, when talking with Blitzø about his book, Stolas said, “I do need it [the book] back to fulfill my duties. What if we worked out some kind of exchange?” (Helluva Boss 8:40-8:46) Blitzø responded, “You better stop using your fancy ass rich people talk, I’m trying to concentrate” (Helluva Boss 8:49-8:53). Just from these two quotes, one can assume that Stolas had a better upbringing than Blitzø. In the pilot, Stolas is referred to as a prince in addition to an overlord. Blitzø, on the other hand, seems to have grown up like a human in middle or lower class. 

         Helluva Boss is a series which is perfect for 2020. The series provided me a way to closely examine human emotion and the construct of the United States’s social heirarchy. Helluva Boss has many layers that will need to be explored as the series continues throughout the year.