The Bondsman

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.

Those whose memory is able to extend back to 1999 will immediately recognize the "inspiration" for The Bondsman. Okay, a direct copy is the better comparison. In Brimstone , Peter Horton was a New York City police detective, who was sent to Hell because he took pleasure in killing his wife's rapist. John Glover, the Devil, gave the detective a chance at a second life if he would return 113 demons who escaped from Hell.

The Bondsman is still a bingeworthy program, and I really like the mother and son dynamics as they play off each other in the course of returning demons to Hell. Unfortunately, there's no one streaming the original concept in Brimstone, and it isn't available on DVD or Blu-ray. Those who like and enjoy The Bondsman, would really appreciate Brimstone. Still, it's a pleasant watch in its own right and it deserves a second season.

It's good to see Kevin Bacon back. He is no doubt having fun with this role. It's a low budget special with not much at stake. It mostly works because Bacon and Beth Grant, who plays his mother, play it straight and drag the rest of the cast along with them.

Beth especially is having a blast. She is the glue holding this thing together. If you have watched (the much superior) Stan Against Evil, you know what they are trying to do.

Whenever the family angle crops up with the ex and son...the bottom drops out. Whiny yet wise beyond their years teens...kill pretty much every vibe.

Frankly, with the absolute garbage that's being released, this one seems like a bit of a gem...or at least you probably won't feel like your time was totally wasted if you watch a few episodes all the way thru.

It's harmless, ok, time killing. Sometimes...that's enough.

Bondsman is a show that utilizes a modest budget, a simple premise and Kevin Bacon to full effect. The episodes are all 30 minutes long, don't overstay their welcome and are typically entertaining throughout. The characters are endearing enough and there is enough drama, albeit cliched, to add family tension each episode.

Loved Kevin Bacon as a kid watching him in one of my favorite B movies, Tremors, and Kevin still has it in him to hold the screen. He kicks a lot of Demons butts with a good mix of practical/CGI gore to satisfy the horror fans. There is a lot of moments where I found myself chuckling along the absurdity of the story line.

Bondsman is a nice surprise. It's not overly demanding, deep or intelligent by any means. Yet fans of B movies, Evil Dead and some fun horror action will get a kick out of Bondsman. I would give it a 7.5 overall if IMDB allowed it.

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.