Spotlightlowlife

Lust is an 'art' that must be 'earned'.

Is this supposed to positive or is this a manipulation?

It sound the goal is to building up on a skill, earn the stripes and have the targets feel privileged to be the experts proximity - lusting after someone who can chew them up and spit them out.

Validateing the aggressive sucubus

Or pimps who can do as they please and possible gain enough power to topple literal gods.

So what of Fizz, Ozzie's the poor, disabled pursedog who works in Ozzie's field even though this wasn't the direction he was working towards

or Blitzø, in a sexual transactionship in exchange for the ability to support himself and others?

Many of us agree that the 'lust requires consent' was a lazy way of making Ozzie look good and nice and like other characters, it only made him look worse because how have you been managing your role?

I watched Mission zero, the replacement pilot. What was wrong with the original? It gave us a premise that was easy to stick to even if sidelined, now no part of their work ever mattered and the infrastructure of society has changed.

Now sinners are and were always the biggest threat, they come along and low levels like imps have to wait on them and do minion work like serving coffee.

Have we just randomly dipped into the parent show where this could have worked? Hazbin has sinners make up most of the cast, here they were hardly relevant and now are hardly a thing, where are they these days?

Sinners were just customers who we would see in season one before that fad died out, if anything Hazbin has us believe that it takes time, influence and domination for a sinner's to get powerful, those IMP work with are new enough to have living adversaries and if the sinners are do bad then why contribute to their numbers?

Helluva boss was the show to give us a large variety of demons of hell, showus royalty and their roles, centre those at the very bottom of society, the serving classes, but with these leading characters we watch them work to better prospects all at a cost.

We are also to believe that Stolas's staff will be worried about him if he's out the house too long. Is this included to prove that he treats them well?

We are also to believe that Stolas and Blitzø's transactionship was just an innocent misunderstanding on Stolas's part, that he believed Blitzø was manipulating him into hooking up again by stealing the book to force another meeting.

In what world does this make Stolas look better? If anything it makes his ultimatum of testing Blitzø with a crystal worse, it tells us that he's hopelessly naive and doesn't understand hardship and desperation, privileged, never getting his own power and influence, the scary situation Blitzø must have been in and the reliance Blitzø has on him, this means he never felt guilt, just caught feelings along the way and didn't realise that he was the only one who could make a difference and that his fallout with Blitzø involved no projection but was just a tantrum, he's literally a child now.

Blitzø pitching the idea of the company to a married Moxxie and Millie doesn't seem to go well with the 'Millie and Blitzø are best friends' inclusion from the later half of season 2 that we not long watched. We watched Millie join an ambitious company that was already in its feet, so how long have they be hanging around doing nothing in particular? The only thing Millie could do was be an assassin, there was nothing for else, but among the lack of options were jobs in retail and food?

In short, I ask the question again.

Why aren't these episodes?

Pointless question to ask now but it's still a waste. We could have had a comical recurring pest in Emberlynne who's presence in hell is Blitzø own fault and we could have explored more of the random, forced out of nowhere Loona angst at being a hellhound and the approval of humans (seriously, there is so much that could have been done with her by now, this could have incorporated her learning to shift into a human, she could have expressed more interest in the sinners we now rarely see).

The latest short I can actually give a lot of credit to, I appreciated Moxxie's solo mission where he would have that opportunity to project and reflect minus Blitzø's sarcasm and all else or Millie having the presence of a cardboard cutout.

Moxxie really played mental gymnastics and it sort of works. He instantly put himself in the shoes of the supposedly weak willed mafia son and saw the supposed domineering evil dad as the baddy, understandable, this is his situation entirely, but the moment the dad showed decency Moxxie open up to other options and the moment the son shows himself to be an ass Moxxie turns on him. It opens up the option of Moxxie being open to his dad changing his ways of atleast showing him he cares.

I'm sure we have never seen Moxxie wish harm on Crimson, projecting is something he has done before, in the main show (the start of season one when it was at its best), seeing a 'shitty dad' as a fair target, so it was interesting to see that he would turn on the person he saw himself in for not behaving as he would have in that situation.

This could be a stark reminder that anyone can have selfish 'me' moments and the power to do harm in them and no excuse is good enough to justify it, no matter how nice they are and what they've been through.

Funny that the trailer for Helluva on Amazon came out just days prior and tells us "they're not monsters", but Moxxie the 'nicest' of the group slayed someone he related to for a wrong answer, also enjoyed butchering a bratty child, looks on lovingly at his beloved slaughtering random bystanders and most of all, they're assassins going after strangers. Not monsters is bull.

At home and Millie and Moxxie yet again show little interest in what the other has been doing, thinks or feels, boasting, admiration and kink, which was their character outlines to begin with, yet another example of this relationship potentially being shallow that could add so much complexity to their future. Season two, unintentionally I'm sure, created distance between them by trying to make Millie more relevant by having her all of a sudden be Blitzø's best friend and have been the whole time, all the while Moxxie who in Blitzø and Millie's backstory was credited as the one who discovered Millie, is totally irrelevant, having switched cardboard cutout role with Millie who he has been married to for over a year. One light had to be dimmed for the other to shine, a scenes where Millie's fishing trip and Moxxie's trying perhaps first ever solo job didn't matter to the other should matter.

The latest short would still have been a out of place (is Loona not passed this phase since she's now close with her dad who has doted on her a lot like this guy for as long as he has known her and why isn't this more relatable to Blitzø and where is their conversation about all this?) but atleast we would end on some nuances of the old guy, having seen so much in his years, but not this.

Again, he was said to be very elderly and he's only human.

This latest Helluva boss was so SO bad. Drawn out waste of time in just five minutes that added nothing, it could have slotted in to any timeframe as there's no tabs on character growth and the characters could have been switched out with anyone else, this could have been Moxxie and Millie instead of Blitzø and Loona.

As we have now come to expect, the latest short follows the whole plot we were sold, assassins who specialise in carrying out hits on humans and the mayhem that follows, things well featured in the pilot and early season one.

This story has Loona and Blitzø go on a job together, they are tasked with yet another petty hit which is fine, would be better if the main story didn't keep trying to force:

'they're just like people'

'they're nice really'

'they just had it tough and need to open up'

'sadness'

'desperation'

'hurt by rejection'

'just look at them grow'

Narratives, which again would be fine if they weren't so selective for whatever fleeting thing was going on that may never matter again or be consistent with future events, but they have worked before such as in the pilot where IMP tried to do the right thing when they believed that they made a mistake by seeking medical help, nothing wrong with displays of decency, or Moxxie's reluctance to take out the hit in a mother of a happy family, rathering the target was someone like a 'shitty dad', all to only be forced to act because it became a rescue mission and for his team to not care how he felt which reinforced where he stood amungst them, his unhappiness made sense in the end and there was nothing wrong with his initial projection, but on that note, let's return to this short.

The target is a very sweet old man who has high compassion for orphans, so much so that he has adopted many. Not only does this never take a perverted turn, but it takes a very familiar one, where it turns out that this man has adopted those who easily get left behind in the system, again sound familiar? Well not to Blitzø, as this isn't even picked up on at all.

Remember the main series in its season two briefly returned to its roots of carrying out hits for sinners in the finale, only for this plot and its contractor, a woman, to not be taken seriously?

This woman's targets received compassion without any dialogue, they simply needed to be a male same sex couple enjoying the holidays with their daughters. Double standards tend to mean nothing though, I can't really knock consistency. We get a moment of false character growth of Blitzø and Moxxie watching them through the window which is history repeating itself of Moxxie's reluctance to kill a happy family and Blitzø wanting him to get over it, this time Blitzø leads the compassion train and Moxxie, not knowing what Blitzø was actually daydreaming of, supports him before they quit the job totally ignoring Millie in the process, which was also supposed to be a thing.

It's also not so innocent because it seems women are needed to make these children then after serving her purpose she can be a mean bitch who deserves to die or someone long dead needed to serve a lead guys sob story, that's the case for Blitzø, Moxxie and Stolas. On the topic of Stolas, it fair to nickname this character 'Digression', because he's literally central to Blitzø's almost every move and the story going sideways, his mood swings could have made or broke IMP, but instead he chose to twist his own misdeeds on Blitzø and gaslight the whole audience like a true narcissist, but nobody else saw it (including many viewers) and in Blitzø's case, he had no right to speak on it like most victims. Is there nuance to this? Something for us to realise and take note of? No.

The sinner who placed the hit deserved to be ignored for her story hitting to close to home, for Stolas, her ex and his new man deserved to be spared because they gave Blitzø hope that he and Stolas could be like them one day (with their grown daughters having apparently had personality transplants) and finally this sinner, dispite all the petty jobs they take on, deserved to have her job rejected and to be assaulted, in defence of Stolas. That's that.

Yet Blitzø couldn't also see himself in someone who like him adopted someone disadvantaged and pours unconditional love into them, in this guys case multiple times? Why not?

Honorable mention of Loona. Since when did she seek validation from humans? What was the major difference between this loving dad and Blitzø sho chose her and smothers her? Why would she feel it fine to show her real physical appearance without warning and why wouldn't a human be startled? Does she long for more time in Earth and see this world as wonderful, because he haven't seen any of that just like we never see her studying magic. What even is the culture of their world and what do they know about humans? It's like Loona and every other female is here to be seen and not heard.

Not once was this target used to remind her that she had someone similar in her life, that this mirrored her own experience, the episode ended with Blitzø and Loona barely interacting and the two of them and the target interacting together momentarily. Nuance? Nope!

In season one we saw the scheming business man who placed a hit on his dying rival immediately upon entering hell only for them to be reunited, see opportunities, waste no time and immediately go back into business with each other. We also had the much better short we saw Emberlyn taken out on a petty hit revel in her moment of being centre of a demons scheme before showing up as a cute demon fangirling outside of the office.

But this short, no, nothing. A character actually has something in common with the characters in question but this isn't realised, he's killed off and the story finishes and not because of anything in particular. Nuance? Hello no.

Stella who just like Stolas endured a childhood arranged marriage with someone she didn't like, threw a 'not divorced' party and mocked Stolas to a pair of close friends (something even happy people in relationships do).

She's evil for doing this, nevermind her being introduced to us as the scorned woman mad at being cheated on, nevermind a dissolved marriage shaking up her lifestyle and resulting in her losing the familiy home she had for half her life where they welcomed their child.

Stolas was unhappy about the party, is clearly bothered him. He took opportunity to have some control of the situation, have his own fun and exact a petty revenge by coercing Blitzø into the marital bed then taking the chance to announce a divorce infront of Stella's friends.

Apparently there was some scandal? Which would be expected since they're a couple at the top.

Verosika throws an 'anti Blitzø' party and invites a load of total strangers connected in having hooked up to various degrees with Blitzø, who sits at the bottom of the social pyramid. They bond over their supposed hatred if him. Somehow she keeps tabs on his mingling but it's ok because she's heartbroken.

Stolas not only chooses to attend this party but he chooses to have his fun and have a hook up, this is after an opportunity to talk with Blitzø. Revenge?

Somehow the element of scandal is no more, a bad guy is a bad guy and that bad guy is Blitzø. Why?

This all could have been a good thing.

Stolas a spiteful attention seeker who in the same season was shown to use parties to initiate drama, he managed to humiliate his wife and later that same hook up who he used that last time, finding themselves suffering a similar fate.

Stella getting more and more bitter but actually having agency, rallying in her brother and the two of them scheming together as partners to gain her revenge and reclaim her home. Why not even throw her friends in the mix too?

In Jack we have a have someone who decides he has work to do outside of his world. Sound familiar? He is in a position of power so he can get to work on his plans that nobody gets immediately. Sound familiar

Jack is charming, enthusiastic, nice enough and well loved, but on the flip side he is entitled, ignorant and very unpredictable. We see him go from someone bored and gloomy that nobody can get through to to having to overexcited, overbearing, tunnel visioned, toxic positive while threatening and determined to have his way once inspiration hit. Again, nobody could get through to him.

Did this harm him likability? Not really.

Accountability

Jack Skeleton from The Nightmare Before Christmas has his own thing going on but noticed something else he would rather be doing, something he knew nothing about, only had a kind of idea of how to execute it and would have to rope others on board. Again, sound familiar?

Take all above that describes Jack. Jack decides he will set aside being the pumpkin king and will be Santa instead, he's not going to simply phase Christmas into his culture, he's going to replace Santa on his own turf and who cares what Santa has to say about this, but at the same time he means Santa no harm, but at the same time he summon Santa by kidnap.

Jack listens to nobody and instantly gets to work making his vision happen. He achieves his goal of replacing Santa and handing out gifts that the people of his community would like, but the backlash is instant and a whole lot of heat is what he responded to.

We get a twisted moral compass from someone not of our world whose world was well established in a short time. Jack is allowed to be friendly and not set out to cause trouble yet be dense and entirely in the wrong with nobody else to blame as he brings trouble upon himself.

Blitzø reminds his scorned and petty ex that they live in hell, but what does this really mean, they're from there?

Casual murder is fine and anything goes, yet it all happens in a flash with extras, we never get enough time with moral greyness but decency and an understanding of it that we the audience are used to in the everyday is a default from characters who were never human? We know nothing of their culture.

HH Charlie is surrounded by former humans yet the tone is the same as HB, 'humanity' could be influential but who knows? Charlie knows what good is but we know nothing of her culture.

Anyway.

Blitzø also starts up a business that involves going into another world. Blitzø also directly screws over others, the humans he carries out hits on and if Charlie had anything about her, Charlie and the sinners she is trying to help. There hazbin no consequences for Blitzø's line of work or for crossing into territory he shouldn't which in this case was guarded.

There's no threat presented by those Blitzø slayed even though they have easy access to him. We are to assume business is going well even though the foundation is hardship and sacrifice, what could have been a major change of the book portal being replaced by the crystal portal has so far made no difference and again it's been long enough. Forget the tragic fire he accidentally caused being tackled with 'sorry but', the only 'accountability' of Blitzø's that actually matters is Stolas's upset

which is entirely not his fault.

Stolas was allowed to exploit his power and position to get what he wanted from Blitzø, allowed to be rude and dismissive to Millie and Moxxie and allowed to roughly handle 'little' imps, but upon catching some feeling the tables turn and his coercion and snotty actions are a thing of the past, not because he realized them on his own or because he got called out.

Charlie is just there. Good by default because she has done nothing wrong by doing nothing. Her toxic positivity doesn't come with a hint of malice or anyone submitting easily because of who she is, something she could take advantage of for the sake of her goal, Charlie also wants to see happiness, has tunnel vision and a lack of empathy but in her case it makes no difference because it's harmless and she wouldn't do anything that wasn't nice even accidentally as dense as she is. Her goal got nowhere.

Lucifer leads, supposedly, and that's that. He can have fun hobbies, be bored or 'depressed', have a child in a recent age for some reason and be revealed to have acess to heaven, but it all makes no difference to anything.

Other characters

Jack is central to everything and everyone has some involvement in his idea, a.k.a the plot

The nervy mayor needs his input

Sally, she crushes on him but is noting but rational, sensible and compassionate with an empathy unusual for the apparently inhuman townspeople, but she has a fun amount of toxic positivity about her too, choosing to spike prof Finkelstein and sneak out as he sleeps rather than disobey and speak up. Jack never listens to her

Santa who he crosses who realizes the lunacy in this new setting and who is decent, Sally, he's rightfully upset at all that happens but gets back to work clearing up Jack's mess and shows himself to be the bigger and better person by still showing kindness in wishing them all happy holidays

Lock, Shock and Barrel who double cross him, a trio of horrible little children who he clearly has some history with, as much as they taunt and lie to his face they hold a little fear of him, but their preference to Oogie surpasses that

Oogie, an infamous rival who is quick to jump in his throne and finds his new interest ridiculous

Blitzø

Loona seems to be comfortable and well looked after, there's no sign of her struggling since adoption despite their social class and Blitzø's drastic efforts to get the business going

Millie and Moxxie, Millie said they were behind on bills that one time and Moxxie criticized Blitzø's spending decision in the pilot

Charlie

Angledust is the character she hopes will show heaven that sinners can reform, he shows no interest in her, she barely interacts with him, doesn't tell him he's doing anything wrong and stays out of his business, he isn't interested her work or heaven

Vaggie who I needed to explicitly hear was her girlfriend. Same lack of interest in anything Charlie stands for. The angel backstory made no difference to any part of the main story or 20 different subplots

Setting

HH/HB the demon and undead filled seven rings of hell while NBC a small Halloween themed town inhabited by the undead and random others.

Nightmare's town is small enough for everyone to casually wonder around, know each other and get involved. The scenery is quaint, Victorian looking which is a particularly macabre time in history and go to for modern day gothic culture, there are cobbles, big iron gates and a very spacious cemetery. Organisation wise we see many creatives dispite the town being so modest, it gives the impression that this is a town the community built.

HH/HB is set in an entire big world which is fine, but we don't get to see much scenery of where the characters currently are, most of what we see looks typical of what we have in this modern world of cities being central, this is the case outside the district just for sinners. There isn't much community, we have a cannibal area but this may be the only thing the people there have in common and it's unclear if they're residents or not? Otherwise the setting isn't Blitzø's office or Charlie's big old hotel which we have had no look around.

Hierarchy

Jack lives in a small world, a little town that runs itself where his fame makes him somebody standout and important, he is famous and loved but also central to their whole economy. In this world Halloween is their leading holiday and each day after is a lead up to the next, celebrating Halloween is a collective purpose. Jack is 'The pumpkin king', the main attraction of the Halloween festival who puts on a show and is celebrated by everyone, Halloween and its star being the only thing that have is why the mayor's constantly at his side and why he has engineers and all sorts who can get a job done on call. Because this is just a little town that runs itself, he can be the most famous person around, a leader, a casual on the street or someone others wish to screw over.

HH/HB gives us a large world with whole pyramid system that is near impossible to scale, since those at the top consist of fallen angels, humans who existed when hell was becoming a thing and cherry picking of who makes it into heaven who for all we know sit at a pyramid too? Towards the middle in society are former humans who like the angels have no lifespan and believe that they can level up, head towards the bottom are those that were born in hell, poverty is a default, (somehow we have crime in hell?) imps dependent on hustle and thuggery to get by and hellhounds who are also kept like pets having just as few opportunities, get old and die.

Take all this information and apply it to our leading characters.

Charlie the princess of hell, daughter of this worlds creator gets walked over in her show not because people are taking advantage of her but because she doesn't matter. She can walk around and nobody knows who she is and when they find out, what difference does it make, she's as insignificant as her dad, yet the spinoff cleaned itself up a little and told us that there is order and in exile you're fair game, so does this not contradict their shitty treatment?

Blitzø, a lonely imp who lives somewhere where crossing paths with royalty is easy no matter how destitute you are, is the big bad who holds a position of power because the prince who caught him stealing and cornered him into sex caught some feelings down the line. Said prince is in temporary exile and slumming it with an imp, but other characters at the top casual hang out with and date at the bottom, no issue at all with these power scale relationships or sharing in what the powerful have.

HH/HB crossover bothering to centre Charlie and Blitzø bonus Moxxie for the buddy cop dynamic we once had as the main character they are supposed to be and their lines of work that are the very plots we were sold in the description and beginning would easily do wonders for their characters and their whole shows.

Charlie, if she focused on what she claimed mattered to her, will have an antagonist who directly contributes to the sinners flooding in, but she may also have to acknowledge that there are classes much worse off than the class she has chosen to advocate for.

Would her 'niceness' lead her to work towards eradicating issues that lead likes of Blitzø into the business he started which he needs work? Will she address the contributions of fellow royal who facilitate lower demons going to earth and creating new sinners?

How should Blitzø feel about catching the attention of the highest of the high for a reason as serious as contributing to war between heaven and hell? Shit hit the fan moment or more quips then forgot about it?

HB season one set up the heiracy fine its first half, then we casually met Ozzie, then we casually met Bee and it was downhill from there. Satan and his court with no opportunity for smartassness and no gooey ship moments restored some order, we got to see the lead characters in fear of authority and helpless throughout that episode, we got to see how Stolas didn't even know what to expect in court and what rules those above him play by.

There's the opportunity for Charlie's presence in the world of HB and actually mean something, for her to be 'someone' which would help in further giving back power to those at the top, because niceness doesn't equal grounded and smartmouth doesn't elevate anyone to the top sitting with royalty reminding us that childish toxic positive princesses and bored horny rich princess can easily have their way with the poor, effortlessly pose a treat and get away with anything.

Ironically returning to basics would allow character development. Charlie in an environment where she has undisputed power and influence where her title means something like it or not and Blitzø having that fear, caution and desperation that were a driving force and a reminder of where he stood, really where he still stands.

Imagine Octavia is just a baby goth with no guidance who is in awe of this older goth Loona who she's now connected to because of the business between their dads, so far the only positive to come out of that situation. Where Octavia has her dad's collection of rare occult books and has shown an interest in learning during her rare appearances, Loona is the punk to her academic who just tries out bits of stuff she finds and self educated in magic this way, which will explain the random abilities of this main character.

Now we have some background for their characters a connection for them instead of this random forced friendship out of nowhere. This took me under a minute to think up.

Let's take it one step further.

Loona likes the idea of Blitzø and Stolas because hierarchy actually matters, those at the bottom are impacted by their position, some have had it particularly bad and are used to others not caring

this 'relationship' could pull them out of hardship and bring some stability, this is why she roots for Stolas for no good reason and like most others sees Blitzø as more confident and in control than he actually is. Shallow? Oh well, nuanced or at the very least better than nothing.

Octavia remains oblivious to her dad coercing Blitzø because she's an innocent kid who saw someone who gives off confidence and assumed like everyone else that this equated to being the one leading the 'relationship', and because heiracy matters and even a nice enough privileged kid understands this and sees who apparently has more to gain, but if the supposed relationship stabilizes, they start all getting to know eachother and awkward moments of tip toeing around the story of how they became a thing arise, where will things go?

This can offer Loona and Octavia yet more content, opinions and involvement since this 'relationship' involves them too. A fantasy happily ever after where Blitzø and Stolas have put everything behind them and enjoy sweet affectionate family time with their pretty much grow girls who are void of their personalities isn't deserved.

So to come in season 3, more Fizz sobbackstory which will no doubt be more missed Blitzø (our main character) Barbie (Blitzø's whole beloved and also went threw it twin), Tila (dead mother 1 of ?) and even Cash (sell out bad dad and leader) opportunity, with the latter maybe getting a bit of time to be a token 'bad guy' along with Mammon who run a franchise off his fledgling like he said he would.

All that aside.

I actually once really liked Fizz and Ozzie.

Back in season one as arrogant, gossipy, vanilla shaming bullies who doubled down on 'losers' at their club.

Clearly they were popular back then because what were people looking forward to seeing when 'oops' came out? We hadn't seen them since they appeared back then. The episode after 'oops' where we met Mammon did just as well but the series hasn't recovered since.

It's a shame these two have been replaced, there was easily room for caring and lovey moments, they had that went we met them and what they had in private during their more routine was just fine.

It would have been interesting to see how the main characters mixed with them/their season 1 selves after Blitzø and Fizz made up and after IMP were contracted under Ozzie, which would have involve Fizz quitting fame with confidence because the time was right, losing fair and square to Glitz and Glam because why not, fame is fickle, they are new, trendy and worked hard or maybe his brand just isn't for him, maybe he doesn't know what he wants but now he's in a position where he has options

or maybe he doesn't give up fame and his brand, carries on like he did at the start of 'oops' before the humbling began and was allowed to have the trade he's always been in and is apparently good at for himself.

Ozzie being IMP's essential overseer, which hasn't been a thing so far, offers many oportinites for him and by extension Fizz. Having a say in the business, setting tasks and maybe looking not so nice, but do as you're told or you lose your crystal.

We would have plenty of room to see them regularly and they would be relevant as we would be seeing the main characters alongside them. There could be plenty of ground for drama, a clear look at weather or not any of them even enjoy their job or the tasks that take away from assassination, are they living better with more a d focused work, are they happier or do the changes required assessment over if their being around each other is worth it?

This may sound harsh but it's apparent that The Gaslight District in it's pilot alone managed to do what both Hazbin and Helluva started but steadily phased out.

That would be making the plot it offered us the most important thing, having dynamics between the leads and introducing real risks factors all while being that crazy black comedy.

I am happy to cut pilots some slack but good for TGLD to manage in a 20 minute pilot more for its story and characters than two pilots, three seasons, a focused back to basics spinoff of a spinoff, MV's and insider information from patreon and other online engagements.

Similarities

Between these three shows, comparison is no doubt inevitable since both have clearly taken from Judeo-Christian scripture and literature to offer a chaotic, godless hell setting with a mysterious hierarchy and further mysteries in heaven.

We get a ragtag bunch in the spotlight running a business for the people in all three with a lead character desperate to have their idea work as the opening to their story, all businesses have former humans who have everlasting life as their clientele.

Between HH and TGLD we have a youthful and optimistic female lead who could change the world and between HB and TGLD we have a hardworking adoptive dad running a business and leading the group into trouble they're best not questioning.

Plot, growth and pacing

Blitzø runs an assassination business where he takes commission from dead humans to slays those on earth. There's no proof of this being a passion project but something he does for the money, he has no view on humans and no concerns about those who will end up in hell. Whether he's desperate for money because he's struggling, greedy, aims for a greater comfort, sees this as easy money, has had bad experiences in work or just knows he doesn't work well under others is all unclear. We just know he's a commoner who had it tough and it's guesswork from there.

Helluva boss may have been made just for fun but the drama of seeing Blitzø have to to risk his safety and dignity to enter into the transactionship to make everything work for the team, his desperation to build connections crossing over to intrusive and spoiling of his adopted adult daughter created an understandable and well rounded lead character warts and all

but season two as good as wiped all this by hamming up petty drama for the most random of characters in the name of fanservice, because can we really call abruptly erasing a load of established struggles and any potential risks character development? That 'just for fun' element of assassins taking on jobs no matter how petty didn't just get shelved, it got recycled to be the main premise of the back to basics shorts series, only this silently scratch out the personal sacrifice element of Blitzø's transactionship with Stolas, Stolad being the one person who could destroy the business with ease.

Charlie wants to deal with the issue of the purge of demons that was later specifically applied to sinners, a.k.a former humans. They are slated indiscriminately by angels to maintain numbers, but Charlie believes she has a solution to this which is to rehabilitate them in her grande and make them good enough for heaven.

Charlie knows nothing of heaven and appears to be a protected class in hell where she is perfectly comfortable. She doesn't seem in any hurry to see results and mingles very little with these people who she calls 'her people', there's no proof that she is a peoples person or hospitable in any way which is ironic if you take the shows title. We are to take her lack of wrong doing and friendliness as proof that she is a nice person trying her best but really she just doesn't get enough time and what she does get isn't memorable or important.

Hazbin had a song in the pilot then the storybook in episode one to establish lore, both seem to clash, it went from Charlie being a well meaning princess making a choice to do a charitable thing but roadblocks had her second guessing if it was best to just go home to her parents, the retcon had her being a chosen one following on from her parents who are now yet another mystery in this story of loose ends, but ultimately it made no difference because the premise of rehabilitating guests has yet to happen, we even eventually learn that even if those in the right places wanted to help Charlie they couldn't since they have no power or idea how things really work, so this only slowed is down further. Charlie has other options since her dad is Lucifer himself who created hell and still has access to heaven but she asks no questions, she's not interested, if she was an absolute moron or arrogant we may have a good character but she's neither, she's just there occasionally. On the casual we should be able to see what Charlie gets up to, how being privileged benefits her and realistically running a hotel, even a quiet one shouldn't be an easy feat.

Gaslight has a local rough neck family running a business and dealing with anybody who bothers them it will seem, this world is a chaotic one where anything goes, though their reasons may be more noble than most, but this is a secret between lead Melencholy 'Mel' and her dad whose ways nobody questions.

There is no escaping that Melancholy is a lead character we can't escape from, not the big secret she hides nor the trouble she brings, even when she's not doing a lot. What's best is her motive it to hang out more with her family,that's it. If she wants to know more about her origin which the intro suggests, again, that's will only embed us further into the story.

Gaslight also introduced us it the lore in narration before getting straight to the serious side of the main story while letting us get to know the lead characters at the same time, they have their fun and they're not nice, though they have their reasons. It ends as if it were the last episode of the season or we just watched a short film, with a cliffhanger following a perilous scheme gone wrong it presents many outcomes for the future, such as how they will get out of the mess they found themselves in?

We get real angst and heartwarming moments that all easily interlink because the main characters actually have chemistry and Mel can't be rendered irrelevant. Stakes are high here but it also grounds itself well, the simple backdrop of 'local crime family' is nothing but the truth, we open with them having fun as they do 'criminal' stuff, but we also see that anything goes in this world of undead and loving it 'rotlings' who don't die, so 'family' is the key word and it just so happens that the focus is on that, we learn who they to one another as we see their dynamics naturally play out, we see what makes them stand out, with Mel by intention being the main stand out because even if she wasn't the troublemaker of this rotten family she has a secret spoiler alert feel free to dip out here she isn't like everyone else she a living human, a chosen one of prophecies whose existence is said to threaten the world the undead enjoy and her dad, family patriarch 'Ken the butcher' will do anything to ensure her safety and in the grand scheme of things, ironically, world peace.

Characters

Gaslight maintains a focus on how leading character, the well loved Mel, just isn't for this world and it's not because she doesn't like it, it's just that she's different. On the inside however she's just like everyone else.

Everything simmers down to Mel, her interactions, plans and necessary oppression. Mel's feelings of loneliness, boredom and inequality along with her high energy and risky ideas can provide many possible scenarios, from wacky plans she cooked up like the angel egg heist, to accidental acts of foolishness like gossipin, the fallout she incurs can be tragic but as problematic as Mel is she's actually no more reckless than anyone else and her motive of hanging out with her family more wouldn't be an issue if she was anyone else, it would be rather sweet. Mel is a product of her environment and would be nothing special if she wasn't so physically different, her frustration is she justified and it almost seems cruel to call her selfish as she endangers those around her for the sake of inclusion, even though she's smug about doing harm, this is a hell were immortal people enjoy maiming each other for hell of it.

We have a lead who is modest and happy with her life, loves her family and technically wants contribute more, pity that standing out could easily cost her her life and maybe cause the apocalypse. Mel is a smart and a spirited handful seeking inclusion and validation where true equality is pretty much impossible.

One thing is like is that so far Mel being a woman is just fine, it would make no difference if she wasn't because we saw that kindness and affection between males is fine, she isn't being swaddled because of her sex and so far we see no ship.

Ken (the butcher) is volatile but social.

He is a loving and affectionate dad to not one but two main characters, it's rather impressive that he manages to emotionally meet both of them, having to constantly act quickly to keep with Mel but still manage time to let Breadhead know he's appreciated. Ken runs a resturant and bar and is a welcoming person, he employs staff who became the "buddies" of Mel, he knows their names and there are photographs on the wall so it's safe to assume they had good relationships, but nobody comes before his careless daughter's secret so he's had to violently cut ties with others in an instant.

His rash behaviour is understandable, being in constant state of stress, an authoritarian leader, not being able to trust anyone, upholding dishonesy, caring for such a high maintenance daughter, along with a clear brain injury and thousands of years of experiences and history with those who hold some power.

We have Mud who is so clearly money motivated, something we see even before he shown to swallow the content of Jack's wallet and sneak in the cash register while Ken tries reasoning with Mel (clearly something he spends a lot of time doing).

He appears to be in the dark about Mel's secret so he isn't let in properly on her plan to sneak into heaven and snatch the prophecied human egg, which was also a lie which clearly frightened him to begin with but quickly became something he was happy to try and pull off, which showed us that he is opportunistic yet loyal, yet just like the rest of society in being comfortable with eternal life, blink and you miss it but the credits even showed us that he was as upset as the crowd during the cliffhanger and we get a clue that he may have to go behind their backs for answers

Other than that he's like a fun uncle who (remember he's in the dark about Mel) believes Ken is too overprotective, offers to pay Mel to be his sidekick and gives technically fair and accurate but unwanted parenting advice to Ken about how keeping Mel bored will have her coming up with things to do.

Breadhead is the big bruiser type but apparently doesn't have a much of background, reason being he is a gollum who it seems Ken made one day and raised as a child so his whole life has seemingly been what we see.

Next to his sister Mel he is the easy child, quiet, content, happy with praise and exceptionally obedient, he follows orders without question and waits on the next instruction, though Ken is clearly the apple of his eye he did take instruction from all three other leads, everything he does is for his beloved family.

Dispite sluggish speach and part if the family apparently being his purpose he is far from stupid, on the contray definitely smart since he often looks nervous at where thimgs are going and all his actions and interruptions were productive in moving the conversation to what was important, neutralizing tension or nipping something in the bud, right at the start when Mud asked Ken the awkward question of why they were hunting Jack he reminded Mud that they get paid, this was the first indicator that Mud was money motivated and could be manipulated by this, we soon found out that Ken didn't even pay his children. Another instance had him able to instantly decode and react to Mel's pig Latin while also playing the piano whilst apparently drunk, then be the first to support Mel's idea just simplified. It seems as though he may know Mel's secret but is keeping this knowing a secret too and honestly, why would such a thing come up in a conversation anyway?

The fleshing out of TGLD characters in such a short period of time really seals it in place that hazbin haz the issue of taking on too much too soon and helluva too much overtime with most things being small and not well interconnecting with what's next and what was before. Both make the mistake of letting the main character, their goal, hard work and personality get swept away because they don't fit in with all else added, in Blitzø's case it's because his story clashes with the changes to Stolas's character and in Charlie's it seems there's just not enough time for her and nobody else shares in her interest.

Blitzø has as good as been replaced as main character.

His uncomfortable arrangement to keep his business going which worked in season one where he knew full well he was being fetished by a predator who was not only creepy but clearly someone who would never respect him is no more, because the shoe is now on the other foot somehow and preditory power playing Stolas is now a victim but where it should be possible for him to be both, no, he's an all around victum even a victim of Blitzø of all people and since multiple things can't be true at once Blitzø took a hit to his character, his pushy, crass and inappropriate ways that appealed to his sugar daddy have to go as he has to prove himself, a murderer, decent, in hell, this is his development? Building bridges with those he hurt in the past but not really, like giving Fizz a 'sorry but' as they made up very easily after being in the same place at the same time, feebly approaching Barbie as she got a pointless two minutes in a busy episode and giving a hamper to a sinner he had killed dispite not regretting, this instance did connect to a wider plot however, the newest leading plot of desperation to impress Stolas who appeared to be losing interest, which would be fair enough because of the risk of losing out on rights to the grimore? But no. That major risk was discarded. Blitzø's upset at rejection coming into play? This would be totally consistent with what we have seen of him, but no not quiet. Stolas's blossoming crush from a fetish fueled hookup he started conplexing life and it's all his playthings fault? Yep, that's it. The lead role changes, and after a while of Blitzø being dismissed and ignored by those who are supposed to care about him in regards to his situationship, Blitzø is now the bad guy with power because big personality equals power. The other leads don't ship Stolas x Blitzø because they're desparate to stay in work and Fizz doesn't ship them out of projection, no, this would make them all selfish and reinforce power dynamics and Blitzø's record of poor connections, no, they simply take Stolas's, prince and stranger's side because they know Blitzø to be overbearing. Marginalised commoner Blitzø who was risking it all earn a living is now a humbled shell of what he once was and heiracy that was established is now forgetten.

Outside of the ship, alternate means of travel to earth to carry on business are in place because losing the grimore is no issue, yet no story has come of him now being under formal jurisdiction of godlike Ozzie, another character neutered to be 'nice' but what happened to Blitzø's poor leadership and running of his business? Time passing would mean salaries and expenses mount up, but the effort and pitfalls of running a business are like that of hazbin, a fart in the wind.

We got a reminder of thr importance of being paid to work time told to him by Millie in a friendly passing remark probably made to give her the time of day because it easily would have been Moxxie bringing up such a thing of it wasn't for him being watered down to uplift his wife.

Millie and Moxxie are now pretty much the same character, take what was said above as one example, which is a shame because they were good in season one as two opposites who compliment each other, cross into codepdency but are still in the honeymoon phase.

We had the farm gal who is used to having nosey family around, she didn't hide them unlike Moxxie, so Millie not minding Blitzø's intrusion sort of worked but on the contrast she loved being exclusively seen by her more city, theatre kid partner Moxxie who loves doting on her. Moxxie clearly lacked confidence but would speak up and believed in his ideas which were for the betterment of the business, he had viewpoints that tie in with his concealed past like not wanting to assassinate the mother of the young nuclear murder family, he questioned and stood up to reckless boss Blitzø at any turn was seen as a nag and butt of the jokes, he puts up with mistreatment at work because it was always clear that things working out meant a lot to him too.

Millie enjoying and encouraging affection and gave Moxxie space to not be shy, which was good for his character, he embraced his artistry and continued to speaking up, very relevant since they'e in a small business together where Millie was the happy bruiser, but fast forward to season two and she's maybe only the bruiser because that's all someone like her is good for she gloomily let us know in a season two backstory even though rough housing is fun in her culture?

Millie's background came before everyone elses, and nothing. It became a Moxxie episode where she did nothing to defend him to her family and even discouraged his attempts to impress, she also didn't defend her job or city life in any way while coming across very comfortable, the only bit of character and conflicting viewpoints we got was the introduction of Loona as Blitzø's hellhound and Blitzø's and Loona's reactions to this, which not only got no reaction from Millie's parents who liked Blitzø and that's that but never made any difference to IMP's dynamic. I actually only remember that Loona was in this episode because of this one line, same episode we meet Striker who actually carried a relevant plot of trying to topple authority by assassinating Stolas at the town games, back then it mattered that Stolas faced threat from being g out in publc. Moxxie eventually get an excuse to gives Millie's parents a telling off in oneupmanship that Millie predictably has no reaction to. Her well adjusted family didn't matter. Moxxie on the other hand doesn't have a stable family, but when we finally meet his dad Crimson and learn Moxxie's big secret of being from a mob family, nobody checked in on Moxxie, also nobody is concerned about getting involved with someone like Crimson, gangster above all the other troublemakers in this world were they can die exist but don't matter.

Millie and Loona rescuing Moxxie and Blitzø was a great display of teamwork though what was the takeaway other than finding out Millie is five years older than Loona, it did nothing for them, on the contrary it this ep further solidified Moxxie and Blitzø's fun and heartfelt buddy cop dynamic. Fast forward to season two and Blitzø and Moxxie's connection is absent, we now have Millie being Blitzø's bff and cheerleader with her other bff being her rude sister who can hang out at her marital home as Moxxie silently slips by unnoticed, because Millie having more character ment that she Moxxie needed less, she could have content that wouldn't be out of character for him taking up screen time that could have been spent addressing her past and what she drifted away from.

Loona has grown up a lot, she is now friendly with Blitzø and in the latest episode actually wanted to go out on a job rather than sit in her phone not manning the desk, but it would have been good to actually see her making these new friends who she invited around to hang out with and see what it is she looks at on her phone while killing time scrolling, season one let up know she was friendless when she showed us how socially awkward she could be when infront of a guy she fancied, she didn't appear to make a good first impression on anyone at that one house party she attended, so why skip what's crucial part of us watching her grow? Emberlynne from the shorts can hardly be called a side character, she got a few minutes but we atleast saw where she got her ideas and basic witchcraft from, why not Loona?

There's a recurring theme of females being there to be seen a d not heard. If they're not quietly stood in the background they have a second option of propping someone else up, otherwise they're an irritant.

Charlie's hotel manages to be a pipe dream and afterthought even though she owns it. Nobody else cares, she has no drive and somehow nobody in hell wants better for themselves, be it a stay in that big hotel or an upgrade to heaven. In this universe the people of hell can actually die. This is set in the modern day so there's no doubt countless who just found themselves there and could do with kindness and accommodation, but somehow the hotel is centre of inactivity. The hotel feels aa equal as a character as its owner, both hollow figures we glimpse at sometimes.

Charlie's status means nothing. Where the pilot offered the impression that she was a laughing stock to the public because she's a clueless princess trying to hang, the main series gives the impression that pretty much nobody even knows who she is, helped by her having as little presenceas her and seeming like her little brother, it's so obvious that they're irrelevant to make them seem more humble and not powerful.

Vaggie may have been retconned to have been a secret angel all along rather than a sinner, or did we assume? Who care because Vaggie certainly doesn't, about the sinners, the angels or her own background, she's also a bruiser spouse.

Angeldust requires a song video and the pilot that may have been scraped as part of the story to get to know more about him because they did more for him than all his content in the show. For someone we are told is popular his character he depends on someone shining spotlight on him, he's Charlie's project but we hardly see her, she hardly interacts with him and does she hope to mentor him? How? Angel being an entitled user is consistent, it would fit to have him enjoying being the guest of honor at the hotel and sabotaging Charlie's attempts to reform him in order to stay, this way both get relevant content.

Extra and predatory boss Valentino sets him to work and we get to see him have more of a life than most other characters on the show. Angel sexually harrasses Husk but Husk is in the wrong for being upset about it and Cherrybomb is supposedly his friend but follow just the main show and tell me that this is clear.

Truly not a lot to say about this bunch.

Relevance

Hazbin's princess Charlie planning to to help sinners in her hotel seems like a passion of hers but only for a minute, she has no help and she is wide open to being taken advantage of but she too dense to care and doesn't needs to be there, the hotel could vanish and I doubt she would say a thing. Had Charlie come across more of a clueless or righteous rich girl who mixed more with the unfortunate group she wished to help then she would have plenty of content.

Hazbin Hotel has managed to not start its plot at all. How have we not had a good look around the hotel? How has Charlie gotten away with never running a whole giant hotel? Hotels have staff and guests, where is everyone and what are those around even doing? Why haven't we been able to see Charlie's plans before she goes on to fail to execute them? The pilot could get away with all of the above because like it's spinoff it come across as just starting out with some worldbuild and letting us know how they live, but pilot Charlie atleast had sense to see that maybe this was a pipe dream that she could give up on and go home to her supportive parents who were on the other end of the phone , but fast forward to the main series that depends on the pilot dispite apparent retcons and her caution is gone, along with her presence and support, the hotel isn't impotant among any of the hoard of new little stories, the purge isn't on anyones mind and the addition one was over as soon as it was announced.

Helluva's commoner Blitzø running a assassination business from a city office just seems like something to do, he doesn't come across as interested in murder, humans, sinners or earth, his workforce don't seem to care for what they do, Moxxie cared for the running of the business but he became less visable and Millie who seemed to enjoy going out and flexing apparently sees violence as the only thing she's good for we don't see the affects of them being at the bottom of society.

Helluva boss pilot did good at letting us know that they were just starting out and that Blitzø who isn't good at making decisions had to and has to make great sacrifices to keep the business running, Loona is his nepo baby who doesn't care to be there, Millie and Moxxie are employees with Moxxie being frustrated at being the most serious one there and Millie by his side, just there but atleast she was the well adjusted one. Immediately we see them at work as assassins and we see how much that sacrifice Blitzø has to make looms over him, yet this setup has fizzled, season two and its character development has become a whole digression where sulking rules and the plot is now the main theme of the shorts series, these shorts are a spinoff series of Helluva, which is itself a spinoff series of Hazbin Hotel.

Gaslight's Ken running a restaurant is a premise that isn't that big of a deal but at the same time it may be an effort to keep it running because of reputation and staffing issues, who knows what the future holds? Being the head of a 'local crime family' is an inevitability because they're family and as foul as the next person. Do they take requests? Who knows, probably, it would just be some order amongst all the chaos. The show begins with the group setting off on a job carrying out a 'hit', but it's actually not really a job but a cover up that only half the team are in on, still our lead character Melancholy 'Mel' never joins her family on these jobs but does today so her excitement is understandable the dialogue that tells us why they're doing this 'job' and why Mel doesn't belong there fit.

Are they struggling to survive? For the most part no, they're immoral aside from Mel yet the whole story revolves around her vulnerable. This hell seems to totally lawless and they're thieves aswell as murderers, the main source of food is common fly and what makes someone higher in the pecking order is a mystery but not a loose end, for all we know the virtues, who seem to be those in power are more fragile than the general public?

Is Mel marginalised? Yes, truly so aswell as ironically top of the hierarchy but what good is it when it doesn't grant her useful powers like the basic ability to survive anything?

Is she out of touch with every one else? Ironically no and that's the issue.

Godlike but oppressed

All three shows have those who sit at the top and those at the bottom, but where the Helluverse could be showing us both sides as we get a discarded class as one lead and a princess as another, reliance is instead on the viewer routing for whatever an authors pet says, does and wants and thing is, this formula works for quite literally everything out there. There are so many shows and movies where we follow the villain and so many casual viewing sitcoms where the lead characters are actually jerks, but does this stop us from enjoying the? Hardly, it certainly doesn't bother the fans.

HH has Charlie offer a vague plan but barely, she sulked when daddy didn't let her have her own way immediately and clearly get things handed to her (like the hotel), we see that she is well heard when she speaks up she does she only makes requests and asks no questions, but she isn't a brat, why? Because she doesn't do much to challenge others unwillingness to work with her, doesnt seem smart and is 'nice'? These aren't good shortcuts to telling us that she isnt privileged and has it tough.

HH also gives us Lucifer who we are to believe is depressed because he says so. He is somehow the leader and creator of hell but has as much presence as his daughter and somehow even less work ethic and zero responsibilities, but he's depressed and that's that.

HB has Stolas share the exact same backstory as his mean wife who has made the best of her situation but his unhappiness in their arranged marriage that could have dissolved much earlier (back when they were teenagers who had fulfilled their condition if having a child maybe, and at no loss to him as he remained in his palace) justified his cheating with bottom of the pyramid struggle imp Blitzø who Stolas coerced into a transactionship, but now Blitzø of all people is the meanie for not keeping up with Stolas's moodswings.

HB also has watered down Ozzie who like Bee is only responsible for the nice parts of the whole sin he is the embodiment of catch feeling for his maimed and disabled, bottom of the pyramid imp lover who he smothers and employs, but he faces the oppression of having to share his lovers time with his lovers other boss and worse, the public finding out and gossiping.

Those at the top have power but the everyday things like not seeing eye to eye and the discomfort of being centre of gossip are used to convince us they're oppressed, hitting glass ceilings and are therefore not so different from those who they have dominion over or anyone watching? The audience's empathy is what's being exploited.

Gaslight has Mel be the highest of people being that she is the messiah of prophecy who will change the world as they know it, somehow, nobody knows but that's somethibg to fear. People don't want change, this realm of no lasting death and freedom is something the rotlings are comfortable with, making Mel a terrifying figure and the worlds most wanted, threat level ampt up since she's a living mortal, fortunately she's not alone and her identity is virtually unknown, unfortunately that comes at the expense of not only her freedom and happiness but that of those she's close to, fortunately she gets it but unfortunately it's not the strongest of deterrent.

Still Mel knows what others think 'her', or what of she is, separating her from it is probably impossible.

Selfishness and consequences

Notice how both HB Stolas and TGLD Mel were bored, lonely frustrated and desperate to break away from routine and the roles they didn't ask for, so they acted selfishly in order to grasp some control and enjoy themselves, but it came at the expense of others?

Difference is Mel who is pretty much a youth watching all in her environment allowed to act with careless abandon while she can't, she understand her situation and has worked to get around it with research and an idea which will truly benefit everyone because she is a team player, but anything involving her around others is risky and she's not entirely trustworthy, poor choices, carelessness or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time spells disaster and her guilt at this is a lot like that of those around her who have nothing to worry about, hardly any.

Mel is a bit of a "brat", happy to be get her own way but seeks praise, but she doesn't expect anyone else to change who they are, she puts in the work. Mel likes having friends and loves her family, still that doesn't change how she feels about her isolation and her recklessness constantly spells danger.

Stolas is a married adulterous dad who maybe could have divorced his 'mean' fellow victim who he shared a bed with wife since the condition of his marriage was to have a child and this already happened a while ago. He neglects his child who is seen to make an effort with him, look forward to their plans and has been forward about how she feels yet her visits are always an excuse for Stolas to hang out with Blitzø, he is more excited to have drama with his ex or dirty talk to Blitzø while in her presence.

Stolas started a reflection of his situation but not a reflection of himself, he decided he now likes the lowly member of the bottom of the social pyramid Blitzø who he coerced into a sex, sets secret tests for Blitzø and takes tantrums on him for not keeping up with all his mood swings, denies Blitzø the right to be heard, accepts his help with no gratitude and doesn't appear to like anyone.

As for his significance in the story, it is unknown or none? He is rich, nobody prevented his choice to get a divorce, he hooks up with Blitzø and his affair is known and just fine, he's bored in his big house alone, watches dramas and eats sad meals, decides his predatory ways are now love, he freely approaches fellow royalty and we learn that he is protected from the harsh treatment that a commoner would be subject to. We are entirely expected to just route for him because he's sad, he bought no threat and was hardly threated, especially nt during his banishment. He he had the power to ruin IMP but there wasn't even so much as an empty threat, a simple dangling of a carrot was enough for Blitzø to take one for the team, suck it up and hook up.

Heiracy is an explanation with no meaning, Charlie also suffers from assumed power just being a means to an end, the excuse as to why they can do what they want but how does being royalty with extra magic all work? What is expected of them? What damage are they willing to do? What do they hope to learn about those they lord over and this one goes out to well meaning work shy Charlie, how will they make a difference?

Side characters

HH and HB have a tendency to have extras outshine the leads by bringing us their own side story that has little or nothing to do with any founding plot with the leads featured in that episode are there just for show.

Alternate Stolitz Fizz x Ozzie's two episodes in season two (that absolutely neutered both of them), we follow their daily lives. Fizz goes out and bumps into Blitzø who he fights with but they make up because their devide was down to an unnamed extra, as Blitzø takes little responsibility for the accident they were both involved in and talks over Fizz, we quickly move on from that important long awaited lead character origin story.

They bond over their hookups with royalty and it didn't matter that things aren't positive for Blitzø, Fizz just talks over him without question and concern. This episode served to let us know that Ozzie the lust sin believes in consent and their love is true, the next episode Ozzie calls on Blitzø for no reason other than to double down on manipulating Fizz, the reason he gives when having Blitzø show up was actually a lie because Ozzie was always allowed everywhere, can size shift and teleport, but nothing comes of this which could have been an excellent character flaw for both Ozzie and Blitzø, lust god in love and clingy intrusive guy are possessive and shady, not a bad concept but no, they're good and right and that's where this topic ends, nevermind Fizz being smothered the previous episode too and his objectification being called out by Striker the "supremacist".

Fizz and Blitzø's flashback served as Mammon and the creep guys introduction, creep guy had nothing to do with the creeps Ozzie was concerned about and new side characters Mammon being blamed for side characters Ozzie and Fizz's issues rendered them irrelevant after hogging two episodes where there was nothi g to fear in the end and Fizz for the most part was pissed off with Blitzø's presence, and again, why was Blitzø in this episode? To serve as a reminder of who's show this is?

The take away was to lets know what Stolas x Blitzø could have.

Moxxie's dad Crimson wanted fellow new extra Chaz to join the family for financial gain so planned to marry him off to his married son, he didn't know that they were exs and it made no difference, bigamy clearly isn't a thing while adultry is here and Crimson barely acknowledged Millie. Millie didn't care to be acknowledged and gave nothing either unlike Moxxie who made an effort with her family. Chas was also Millie's ex which made no difference to anything, we learnt nearly nothing of Chas x Moxxie and a fat nothing of Chas x Millie. Millie slayed a bunch of no name extras infront of Crimson and Chas who she despised. We never know why Chas wanted to be part of this world and he has no chemistry with his soon to be father in law who we see to be competent in a later epidode whe he let Ozzie know he had kidnapped Fizz.

There were no consequences for Moxxie leaving this world, we are left to presume threat because gangster, just as we are to presume bigotry and 'supremacy' because Southern.

Crimson not caring about what his kid had to say is fair enough, what's Millie and Blitzø's excuse?

The takeaway was 'bad daddy and mother is no more' which was executed fine in the small flashbacks, otherwise the rest of the episode served as introduction of various characters featuring in the same shots but not mingling with each other. Standing togeter and having zero connection is pretty much the foundation of parent series HH, which is much more convoluted that HB and the reason why I leave it there.

HB is morphing into a vaguely connected anthology with an ensemble cast while HH seems entirely about showcasing an ensemble cast then picking where to go from all that's been layed out and who's the flavour of the month. They do good at letting the most eccentric characters who all happen to be someone in society the opportunities to flex on us, those who aren't as showy like Charlie don't get a chance to shine and those who aren't so flash like the whole IMP crew have as good as served their purpose because who cares about the stories they sold us? It isn't good to have a not one but both leads of their shows reduced to extras while their secondary leads may, like the many side characters, get a moment that will make no difference the next episode.

Gaslight has pretty much everyone it from the leads to the named extras get quality content.

We see that the four lead characters can be very friendly and social people, the restaurant wall is full of smiley pictures of the family and the workforce whose names are all known, but family comes first, they can't risk gossip and will take out anyone who could out Mel's secret no matter how much they're liked, this has been done in the past and is done to again for us to see, twice.

Jack's dialogue indicates that Mel and Ken give off the impression that Mel's secret is just between the two of them, so where does that lead fellow family members Mud and Breadhead? This is Jack's question but in his panic he follows up with another question giving Mel the opportunity to vaguely give an answer that may have covered both or just one question. Good writing, shows further how terrified Jack is and that Mel can think on her feet. Mel's conversation with him is calm, slightly friendly but very smug, again good, really adds to the mobster running business employees beware background.

Though will we see him again? Maybe, rotlings have eternal life, we know he's liked and take the hook floating down to Jack after learning Mud sleeps on a meathook, fortelling?

We meet Temperence who is not only in on Mel's secret but he has physical documention on her, he has become too much of a risk for Ken to feel comfortable keeping around. He is terrified of Ken and instantly knows he's there for no good and his assumed position of power means nothing, which is made more interesting as we see that the virtues, this class of gatekeeper who are carrying out mystery work, maybe no match for the public if only they rose up.

Diligence is a sadistic individual who casually tortures the rotlings who resemble the population surrounding the lead family, they accept his actions with a thumbs up, but Ken dispatching Temperence makes it seem like they don't need to take such abuse but they do, the virtues are another group built different, they seems like cyborgs Both Ken and Mel casually insulted the general public when secretly discussing her plan in the freezer, they believe them to be easy to manipulate too, so Diligence in his high place being like a god to them makes sense, they are sheep who don't know their own power, clearly they will follow Diligence's lead if he were to set them onto the lead characters.

Virtually all the no name extra need little incentive to attack the lead characters following their hoax being ousted infront. The way of life is possibly threatened and everyone knows why, which renders the masses the biggest threat, which the synopsis pretty much tells us!

Now Helluva boss is part of Amazon like Hazbin, we get rid of the pesky hindrance of licenced characters locked into their media alone.

yet certian characters simply not being able to feature didn't have to equal irrelevance, which is the leading issue both shows.

First off, the actual leaders, pretty regularly amongst all else and no leader at all or threat if we are to like them. The perks of being royalty are immortal with magic includung getting to form shift, in a world where magic is learnt and those at the bottom also practice it, also have been seen change form and hook up royalty.

Blitzø becomes less and less relevant as time goes by and Charlie was an extra from the start.

Blitzø's story was one of a cross dimensional assassination business but at the heart of it was someone at the bottom of society making every effort to improve his situation, while Charlie who sits at the top opened a hotel to double up as a sort of rehab, she hoped to help a targeted group.

Blitzø got somewhere in his story but the plot has been sidelined to some form of complete side quest in favour of fanservise that speaks nothing to the class structure this show aggressively tries to hold on to for a rew seconds per episode, though things are worse for Charlie, who hasn't even gotten her plot off the ground and not only doesn't stand out among the massive lineup if characters and subplots, but her position as royalty accounts for zero.

One consistency both shows have in common is that they are both prime examples of the other major issue both have which is tell not show.

Both aggressively tried to assert that there is a hierarchy and oppression for a minute or two only for both to choose 'look, everyone can be miserable' to depict these things and 'look, someone from the bottom hooked up with someone from the top' as a resolution with the downside being 'some may gossip (but not always)'

The ability to cross over is certainly needed, but it opens the door to both shows becoming further diluted in fanfare that also won't go anywhere

Millie and Vaggie could be friend great, they had no friends to begin with, both are some quite bruiser spouse and keeper to someone more childlike, they're not even interested in their own stories let alone anyone else's, so to the background with both of them no doubt

Who will Angel flirt with?

who cares, everyone or nobody because where does it lead? may aswell have him and Blitzø strike up a predictable conversation then to the background with both of them

What will Ozzie think of Valentino o.o

Would it make a difference? We were presented with a perfectly good Ozzie when we met him, an avid pusher and promoter of hedonism who didn't care who he upset but dispite of his role still had room to catch feelings, yet he then got botched to someone who had to tell us how he's about consent and he's not responsible for the Fizz dolls. A sloppy attempt to make him more likeable by stripping him of responsibility. Ozzie has no credibility. Unless Val plans to rise in the ranks like Alastor does and replace Ozzie, we could go somewhere, but remember, they're both side characters in two different shows and only firmly establishing the importance of hierarchy could allow a story like this to happen which in turn deflates the subplot of Alastor's plans to snatch from Lucifer, which seems to have been shelved for Rosie

Blitzø and Loona are at the bottom in society, likewise with Millie and Moxxie who are from a whole other ring, yet why do they travel so freely throughout the rings without issue from anyone? They have always roamed into different territories and been around different demons yet nothing puts them at the bottom.

Ozzie's bar was just 'that place', Bee was just a hellhounds girlfriend who had a house party and to add to this theme of royalty we must like so therefore they're good and righteous, Lucifer dropped by to visit his daughter, who is treated as a nobody annoyance, in her hotel which is seen as lame by other characters, one being Mimzie who literally barged in, outshone and didn't notice him, the one and only Lucifer, was just a casual.

Will Charlie the 200 year old teenager who is good at crying and sulking because she didn't get what she asked for first time ask her dad real questions? History on where they live, what he does as a leader and how he selected and manages the six who help him by running entire nations?

We could actually get some answers if Charlie was given just half the screen time the average leading character gets and that be used to work on all that has already been put out there, rather than brand new subplots. She could still be the over optimistic airhead in the process of her position actually bringing about results.

A cross over should lead with the leading characters, but where could we even ho with them?

We have a good potential story idea for Blitzø being confronted for contributing to the sinners problem by relying on the negativity of sinners to take out humans, which creates more sinners, this actually takes us back to both plots, but everyone is 'nice' and Blitzø and Charlie don't seem to care for work anyway, the poor seem to manage just fine in spacious homes with large vehicles and Charlie said sinners are "her people".