Ricky Church reviews the third episode of Hazbin Hotel season 2…
It is only the third episode of Hazbin Hotel‘s second season, but things are already getting very chaotic as Charlie is energized and overly enthusiastic to prove to Hell that redemption is actually achievable. ‘Hazbin Hotel: Behind Closed Doors’ led to interesting tension between her and her friends that is aimed to be her main arc throughout the season.
One of Charlie’s most well known qualities is her seemingly endless positivity which often leads her to rush into things without considering the consequences. That was on full display here as Charlie, upon learning Sir Pentious was redeemed and did make his way into Heaven, wasted no time in spreading the news and turned to the very people smearing her name to do so by inviting Vox and Velvette to the hotel against Vaggie’s advice. This is also with no proof on hand to back up her claims, letting Charlie dig her own grave as she fumbles again and again with Vox’s manipulations to make her look increasingly worse.
It’s a nice deconstruction of this well-meaning but glaring flaw in her, one she’s repeating from last season when she offers out of desperation to redeem Angel Dust on the spot. This led to some good comedy beats as she sang about all the potential steps to redemption – steps she’s mostly making up as she goes – and her own test to prove Angel is good by making him ‘rescue’ Husk to disastrous results. It shows Charlie still has work of her own to do both in learning her friends’ boundaries and how she can’t use her earnestness to fight Vox’s slander.
While this was a Charlie-centric episode, many of the supporting characters had several moments in the spotlight. Between Husk’s faith in Angel, the revelation of Angel’s sin and Baxter’s past with Pentious, there was plenty to enjoy of with the other characters but none moreso than Cherri Bomb and Pentious with their duet ‘Piss (A Love Song)’ as the hilarious romance ballad not only delved into their back-and-forth war but their feelings with each other. Cherri’s own reluctance to acknowledge her feelings led to her deciding to give redemption an actual shot. Vox was also given a great amount of development as Charlie’s new antagonist, showing how his manipulative and opportunistic mind works against Charlie’s optimism.
This episode succeeded in raising the stakes for Charlie personally and professionally as her drive to prove redemption is possible risks driving her friends away and further tarnishing her image. The songs were fun and catchy and the voice cast gave great performances, particularly Erika Henningsen as she switched from silly zaniness to righteous anger and Christian Borle for the smugness her poured into Vox. With Vox’s misinformation campaign getting stronger and Charlie alienating some of her friends, it certainly sets up more intriguing places the season will take viewers.
Rating: 8/10
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