Hazbin Hotel

Hazbin Hotel is a web-based musical-comedy adult animated series created by Vivienne Medrano (better known by her internet alias, VivziePop). The pilot episode can be viewed on YouTube. A prequel web comic can be found in the official site.

The show centers around Charlie, the daughter of Lucifer and the Princess of Hell. Hell faces an overpopulation crisis, which is currently managed through annual massacres of the population by angels. Charlie is dissatisfied with the status quo and as such she creates an hotel which aims to reduce Hell's population through reforming sinners/demons, sending the reformed souls to heaven instead. Whilst most of Hell's population finds the idea ridiculous, a powerful demon takes an interest in her project (primarily for his own amusement, not out of a belief it could actually work) and thus gives her dream a chance to become reality.

Recurring characters other than Charlie include Charlie's girlfriend Vaggie, Alastor (the aforementioned powerful demon who invests in Charlie's hotel), and the hotel's first guest Angel Dust (who happens to be a gay drug-addicted cross-dressing pornstar and prostitute spider-demon from a mafioso background).

On August 7th, 2020, it was announced that the cartoon was picked up for a regular series by A24, but any further information (including release date) has yet to surface.

Has sort of a sister-series called Helluva Boss, also created by Vivienne Medrano, set in the same continuity.


 * 0% Approval Rating: As might be expected, nobody except Vaggie (maybe) seems to think Charlie's idea will work. Even Alastor - who is funding the project - is only doing so because he thinks it has entertainment potential.
 * Adorable Evil Minion: Razzle and Dazzle, two cute goat demons who work for Charlie, sometimes providing the music for her singing routines. Word of God says they are gifts from her father and can quickly go from friendly to ferocious if Charlie is threatened, but for now we can only assume that.
 * Alliterative Name: Media demons Vox, Valentino, and Velvet. A common theory among fans is that they hold (or will hold) a grudge against Charlie because they wanted Vaggie to join their group.
 * All There in the Manual: Much of the information on characters comes from VivziePop's blog page, often with commentary from the characters themselves via Literary Agent Hypothesis. Not that a lot of secrets have yet to be revealed.
 * Ambiguously Evil: Sinners have to do something really bad to wind up in Hell, but with many characters, it's hard to say what. Vaggie is probably the most obvious case, as she doesn't seem evil at all. Angel Dust seems a decent type too, and Husk is a rude fellow with a lot of bad habits, but there's no proof he's ever hurt anyone other than himself. Niffty is one of the hardest to analyze, as she seems to have the personality of a friendly, happy child, despite working for one of the most dreaded of Overlords.
 * Badass Gay: Charlie is bisexual, Vaggie and Angel Dust are both gay, Alastor is "aromantic asexual", and Husk is pansexual (something revealed by Faustisse, one of the show's illustrators); LGBT themes seem common in this show.
 * Being Evil Sucks: The Addict music video seems to  show the opposite Trope at first, but at the ending, Angel Dust clearly isn't as happy about it as he claims.
 * Breakout Character: While Charlie is the protagonist, Alastor pretty much steals the show halfway through the pilot.
 * Breakout Villain: Sir Pentious was originally just going to be a one-shot character for Angel Dust and Cherri Bomb to pound on, but he became so entertaining that Viv decided to expand his role.
 * Canada, Eh?: VivziePop claimed in one livestream that this version of Hell has a town specifically for Canadians for... reasons.
 * Cats Are Mean: Husk is a rude cat-like Sinner with a foul mouth. Supposedly, he used to be a soldier, he gambles, and is easily bribed by cheap booze.
 * Chaos Is Evil: Vaggie claims Alastor is an unpredictable force of Chaos, the reason he's dangerous.
 * Country Matters: Uh, yes, Vaggie does seem to have something of an Unfortunate Name. (Word of God claims it's short for "Vagatha".) Angel Dust made a joke about it the first time they met, according to the comic.
 * Crapsack World: You expected differently from Hell? Gang wars are so common, the results are broadcast on the news with the way you'd expect them to report the weather. While cities seem to be loosely ruled by Overlords, those positions are only held so long as they can defend them from others. And then there are the annual purges...
 * Cute Monster Girl: Charlie and Vaggie, although the former does have a Game Face that she shows briefly when excited.
 * Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gangster!: Subverted with Angel Dust. He seems to love such a life at first, but the music video shows he's actually pretty miserable. Cherri Bomb is the same.
 * Deader Than Dead: Most residents of Hell cannot die by conventional means, but the Celestial forged weapons the angels use during the annual purges can eradicate them completely. This may, in fact, be the reason Lucifer holds his power; if he is indeed a Fallen Angel, he might have access to this power.
 * The second episode of the sister series does suggest demons can truly die; when a psychotic woman tries to burn Blitzo and Millie at the stake, the fire, unsurprisingly, cannot harm them, Blitzo even mocking her for trying that. Blitzo does however admit that her conventional shotgun would "be more effective".
 * Word of God has confirmed that demons can physically die, but the angels are the only ones who can make them stay dead. Any other method, and they will "respawn" after an indeterminate amount of time.
 * The Devil: Charlie's dad, called Lucifer here. Exactly how similar he is to the Judeo-Christian concept of Satan is not yet known. VizziePop has confirmed, however, that he is a Fallen Angel.
 * Doomsday Clock: A variation. The series starts right after one of the annual purges, and a clock in the center of the city starts counting down to the next one. Possibly, Charlie has until then to prove her hotel is a success.
 * Downer Beginning: The pilot starts right after the annual purge, and Charlie's hotel already seems doomed to failure... Until Alastor shows up and gives Charlie a Hope Spot.
 * The Dreaded: The prequel comic emphasizes this trait for Alastor, as the story shows him simply out for a morning stroll, with other civilians either fleeing at the sight of him or cowering in fear. Merchants at the stores he goes into are noticeably nervous when serving him, and the final scene does show such fear is justified. The only people who aren't scared of him is a pack of other cannibals whom he seems familiar with.
 * Easy Road to Hell: Possibly, seeing as many characters identified as damned souls have not been seen doing anything truly bad. Angel Dust is a drug addict, prostitute, and drag queen, but he seems decent overall; Vaggie, aside from occasional rudeness and snarkiness doesn't seem evil at all. One of the biggest controversies of this show is the suggestions that some characters are Hell simply for being gay. Possibly because Heaven isn't as "good" as it used to.
 * Electronic Speech Impediment: Alastor's voice sounds like a scratchy old radio speaker, fitting given his moniker as the Radio Demon.
 * Evil vs. Evil: Turf wars among residents of Hell are so common that the news reports them like they would the weather.
 * Fallen Angel: Word of God states this is true for Lucifer.
 * Fantastic Caste System: Hell has three types of residents: Sinners, which are damned souls of mortals (like Vaggie), demons, who were born the way they are (like Charlie), and a third that has not yet been named. It doesn't seem right now that this means anything in Hell's social structure, though; while most Overlords are demons, Alastor at least started as a Sinner.
 * For the Lulz: Alastor claims he has no doubt Charlie's project will fail, and that he's helping her because he sees entertainment potential in it. Having said that, he may see potential for profit too, but he hasn't outright claimed so.
 * God and Satan Are Both Jerks: Maybe. They are only seen briefly, but angels who conduct the annual purge are Humanoid Abominations who sport Slasher Smiles as they do their job. Word of God is, as yet, very closemouthed about what condition Heaven is in or who's running it. An episode of Helluva Boss confirms that at least some angels are indeed jerks.
 * Hate Sink: Katey Killjoy; rude, cruel, sadistic, and a homophobe, she's has no good qualities at all and is the most despised character seen thusfar. Given the setting, that's really saying something.
 * Horny Devils: Possibly true for Charlie's mother, although Word of God states that (at least for now) the plot will not involve Charlie being a succubus via inheritance. Having said that, succubi do exist in this reality, as seen in the sister series.
 * Hypocritical Humor: Katie tells Charlie, "Sorry, I don't touch the gays," and then proceeds to poke Charlie in the chest. Of course, bigotry and hypocrisy tend to be mutually inclusive most of the time.
 * I'm a Humanitarian:
 * Alastor was not just a Serial Killer, he was a cannibal, and he hasn't completely lost that habit. In one comic book story he brutally devours a butcher who was trying to rape and/or murder a demon-sheep-girl. The fact that he likes venison makes his demonic form something of a Karmic Transformation, as it makes him a cannibal twice-over. In the same story, the only citizens not terrified of him seem to be a group of other cannibals.
 * Notorious Serial Killer Jeffery Dahmer actually hosts a cannibal cooking show on Channel 666, although a sticky note on an add for it (that says "who approved this show?") suggests it's not very popular.
 * Impossible Task: The plot, more or less. Charlie and Vaggie admit - in the prequel comic - that they have no idea whether it's even possible to redeem a sinner to the point where Heaven will accept him, and that the Hotel is still an experiment aimed at finding that out.
 * Still, even if Heaven is willing to accept redeemed souls, Charlie might have a hopelessly difficult task. Her overall goal, by her own admission, is to stop the annual purges and to do that, enough sinners would have to leave to keep the population of Hell stable. As this fanmade video shows, even if her hotel blossomed into a chain that was as successful as the Marriott, she'd still have hardly scratched the surface.
 * Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain: Sir Pentious; a Breakout Villain, yes, but in the pilot alone he gets his ass handed to him twice. And it seems those were hardly the first two times.
 * Large Ham: Alastor's most prominent trait.
 * Laughably Evil: All evil characters to date, especially Alastor.
 * Mad Bomber: Cherri Bomb is more like a Crazy Awesome Bomber.
 * Meaningful Rename: Possibly. Charlie's original name for her hotel was "Happy Hotel"; changing it to "Hazbin Hotel" was Alastor's idea, though it is unclear if the word has any importance.
 * Might Makes Right: How the government in Hell (assuming you can call it that) works. Overlords are regional rulers who only hold their positions after seizing them, Lucifer keeping them in line mostly through intimidation.
 * Mugging the Monster: Charlie is a Nice Girl and all, but she's still Princess of Hell, and not exactly helpless if someone picks a fight with her, something Katey Killjoy learns the hard way.
 * New Media Are Evil: Maybe it's just a coincidence, but given the Overlords that have been seen so far, getting into the media business may be the go-to way to gain political power in Hell. Alastor controls the radio industry, Vox controls television, Valentino the film industry, and it seems likely Velvet has a lot of influence in social media. It's even hinted that Lucifer himself is Hell's equivalent to Walt Disney.
 * Noble Demon: Alastor is this according to Word of God. He may be a Serial Killer, but he never pursues a fleeing victim and does not seriously harm or kill children (but he would still use Corporal Punishment on them if they were misbehaving).
 * Not Helping Your Case: At first, Charlie's only real evidence that her project might work is Angel Dust, whom she claims while on the air, has been clean and sober for two weeks. Unfortunately, this is when Katie gets breaking news that Angel Dust is at that moment involved in the latest turf war, showing he relapsed.
 * Number of the Beast: Charlie's interview is aired on Channel 666.
 * Picky Eater: As the comics show, Alastar is a gourmet and refuses to eat processed food, like canned meat, Easy-Mac, or ketchup. His favorite is venison, but he demands it to be carefully skinned, as he wants "fresh meat, not bubblegum".
 * Persona Non Grata: Hell has Seven Circles (for each of the Seven Deadly Sins, but demons like Angel Dust and Vaggie who were once human are not allowed to leave the Pride Circle, the topmost layer. Whether this is a supernatural feature of Hell or a law imposed by Lucifer is not stated, although seeing as angels (including fallen ones, like Lucifer) have complete domination over demons, it may be both. Exactly why is not stated either, but it may be that sinners are considered easy to replace (the reason Charlie started her project to begin with) and are used as a “buffer” during the annual purge to keep the angelic strike teams from invading the deeper layers.
 * Politically-Incorrect Villain: Katie does not even make an effort to hide her homophobic views. Word of God says her death was in 1992, when such views were more common among the media, not that this is in any way an excuse.
 * The Purge: Hell seems to have an overpopulation problem that causes the forces of Heaven do this annually. The first episode starts with a clock counting down the days until the next one, suggesting a time limit on Charlie's project...
 * Rousseau Was Right: Charlie truly seems to believe this, at least in regards to humans. Sadly, most of Hell has more of a Machiavellian outlook.
 * Sissy Villain: Valentino, at least he has a lot of potential for the "villain" part.
 * Slasher Smile: Pretty much everyone can sport one if they have to, even Charlie.
 * Terrible Trio: Vox, Valentino, and Velvet, three Overlords who are allies and possibly friends. Vox and Valentino are even hinted to be romantically involved. Most fans assume that the reason they have achieved their lofty positions is because they have each others' backs.
 * Tough Room: Predictably, Charlie doesn't do very well promoting her Hotel on Channel 666, and having to deal with a bitch like Katie looming over her doesn't help. Still, it's implied that the broadcast is what piques Alastor's interest.
 * Unholy Matrimony: Lucifer rules Hell alongside his Queen, Lilith. Word of God confirms they are, indeed, Happily Married.
 * Unknown Rival: Whether this is intended or not, the cast of the sister-series Helluva Boss could be considered this to Charlie without even intending to be so. They have goals completely contradictory to Charlie's, spreading evil and causing more souls to be damned. Whether this will ever cause any sort of conflict between the two remains to be seen, although let's be honest, it would be a Crowning Moment of Awesome if it did.
 * Vice City: The setting for now seems to be Pentagram City, a virtual warzone for demonic gangs where every sort of vice - sex, drugs, liquor, and violence - are both openly available and cheap.
 * Hell has another known city named Imp City in the sister series - Helluva Boss - and it seems just as bad.
 * Villain Takes an Interest: The plot is kicked off when Alastor decides to get involved in Charlie's project, which seems doomed to failure beforehand.
 * Winged Humanoid: Word of God states both Charlie and her father have fully functional demon-wings that are only visible when being used.
 * The Wonka: Lucifer - Charlie's dad - has not been seen on screen yet, but Word of God has actually compared him to the Trope Namer; he's also a talented musician who actually loves polka music. The sister series Helluva Boss even suggests he owns Hell's equivalent of Disney World!
 * The Worf Effect: Used as Alastor's backstory. According to Vaggie, he appeared mere decades ago, and managed to topple Overlords who had been in power for centuries, clawing his way to the top faster than most demons could imagine.
 * Wouldn't Hurt a Child: Downplayed with Alastor; Word of God claims that although he wouldn't kill or seriously hurt children, and that he might even take custody of an abandoned child, he would still slap them should they misbehave.