The Bondsman

I've yet to see anything with Kevin Bacon in it that wasn't worth watching, so we're off to a good start, especially with the addition of Jennifer Nettles to the cast.

The premise is not original; Reaper, Brimstone, The Dresden Files, Constntine, Wynnona Earp and Evil have all trodden this path. There are probably a few I've forgotten about. So now new ground is being broken here, but it's a fun ride all the same. It's not billed as a comedy but, in a similar way to Evil, it has comic elements which help to lighten the mood a little. Without these moments of lightness the gore and dark tone would probably be a bit too much, so the writers have done a good job of balancing the tone.

Complete and Utter fun, Easy to Watch, Easy to keep watching. The writing is painfully cheesy but In a charming way, it feels intentional, kind of nostalgic. Deserved to have been made in the late-90's-Early 2000's, would have had a more mainstream audience.

I also forgot how much I missed the episodic formatting, 'Episode 1 Spoilers ahead' 1 Demon per episode makes it a blast to watch.

The world-building is also very interesting, I constantly want to know more about the way the world/afterlife operates. One of my only concerns is that it's only 8 20-minute episodes, but If anything; that just means that it's less of a commitment.

I'm disappointed to learn this series got cancelled after only one season. It was a fun comedic/action/horror series with room to grow and develop! And the powers that be nipped it before the show had a chance to bloom into its full potential. Sure, it is similar to Brimstone series but it's fundamentally different. Kevin Bacon was the right cast for the Bondsman just like Bruce Campbell was for the Army of Darkness series. If you have ever had the opportunity to see Kevin Bacon in the Guardians of the Galaxy special, you'd know that Kevin Bacon would successfully carry The Bondsman show with a great sense of humor threaded with hilarious & exciting action! C'mon Amazon resurrect the show and allow a second season to be made and aired!

I don't typically write reviews. On the contrary, I typically leave it to others. But the polarized nature of the reviews currently given to this show have inspired me to give a, perhaps, more nuanced take.

The Good: For one, this show is easy to watch. The short episode run-times mean you can watch an episode or two without committing a huge amount of time, e.g. When you're commuting.

Additionally, the plot is easy to follow, but likewise engaging enough to where it'll keep you interested - hence why I call it "comfort TV".

Thirdly, it's got a great soundtrack, which is well balanced and feels thought out. Definitely a plus that adds to the overall experience.

The VFX are pretty good, too. Don't expect excellence, but it's certainly a far improvement from what most such shows had 10-15 years ago.

The Bad: The acting is far from phenomenal. It's not terrible, but don't expect any Oscar-worthy performances, either.

It's also not a show for die-hard mythology fans, the mythological elements are kept pretty simple, and don't go on a deep dive. This may be an upside to some, though, as (again) it makes the show easy to follow.

Also, the sub-plots aren't super deep, and can at times feel a bit forced, but overall they're just ok.

Overall: I'd say the show is definitely worth a watch. The plot is engaging enough to where you want to keep watching, and it's a fun experience. I'm interested to see where season 2 goes with the premise.

If you were a fan of Ash vs Evil Dead (or even the largely forgotten and underrated Reaper) then this show is for you. Kevin Bacon stars as Hub Halloran, a bail bondsman resurrected and returned to Earth from Hell to serve as The Devils bounty hunter.

Nothing earth shakingly original here, but the show overcomes this with great performances from Bacon and in particular from Beth Grant as his elderly (but still full of fight) mother. Bacon plays up the rough, laconic charm of Hub, but his interactions with his Mum are surprisingly sweet...as they hunt demons together. In amongst the severed limbs and geysers of blood there's a nice family dynamic to balance out all the splattery violence.