‘Helluva Boss’ Season 3 Part 1 Lands Emotional Highs and Lows [REVIEW]

Heading into season three, Helluva Boss left itself in a uniquely difficult position. With the dynamics of the show majorly shifted, fans were left uncertain about where we would find the characters in season three. It’s an especially impressive turn, considering the show began as a comedy series following the antics of a group of imp assassins. Created by Vivenne Medrano (Vivziepop) and originating on YouTube, the show gained its audience long before Hazbin Hotel, Medrano’s Prime Video sister show, premiered in 2024, expanding the “Hellaverse,” as fans know it.

The end of season two left Goetic Prince Stolas (Bryce Pinkham) and imp assassin Blitzø-the-O-is-silent (Brandon Rogers) in a very precarious place. Stolas sacrificed his powers
— and access to his beloved daughter Octavia (Barrett Wilbert Reed)
— in order to save Blitzø. The resulting moment was a difficult realization for both of them. With how the episode ended, the growing rift between them was clear. All fans could wonder was how they would come out on the other side.

Season three finds the imps of I.M.P. (Immediate Murder Professionals) bringing Stolas into the fold in a more permanent position. Stolas has taken on the role of the team’s communication lead, leaving Blitzø’s adopted Hellhound daughter Loona (Erica Lindbeck) to finally be able to join the team on missions. However, Stolas is not faring too well with the changes, though to his credit he seems to keep on trying. The time jump between season two and season one is ambiguous, but it seems to have been enough time for Stolas to get used to his life without powers, which is a smart move.

Part 1 Allows Room for Character Exploration

Meanwhile, imp couple Millie (Vivian Nixon) and Moxxie (Richard Horvitz) are going through their own changes in their relationship. At the conclusion of the last season, Millie discovered that she was pregnant. The show left us wondering how she would handle it and what she would do. At the beginning of season three, she is still keeping the pregnancy a secret, though as the trailer revealed, Stolas catches on.

Season three’s first episode smartly handles all of this. Sending Blitzø, Moxxie, and Loona on a mission let part of the story linger on Millie and Stolas back at headquarters. The separation of the groups allows viewers to have deeper glimpses into where the opposite half of these couples are. The secret of Millie’s mysterious illness is causing Moxxie anxiety, while Blitzø’s over-course-correction is pushing Stolas further away. The scenes between Stolas and Millie are some of the quieter moments so far, but they are also some of the most important ones.

Though the first episode is the weakest of the bunch, it still successfully serves to further the storyline and set up the tone of the rest of the season. It’s clear that Helluva Boss has found a balance between the humor of the missions and its deep emotional journeys. Episode two follows Millie, delivering a backstory that fans have been waiting eagerly for while also giving Nixon a chance to fully shine in the role. The episode is also a deeper peek into the Wrath Ring and its customs, fleshing out more of the world.

This deeper look into the different Rings of Hell is hopefully a peek at what is to come in both parts one and two. In Hazbin Hotel, sinners are not allowed to travel between Rings, so Helluva Boss would be the show where we would get to see it. And with Medrano’s recent tease of a Belphegor song later in the season, it does seem likely that more screentime in other Rings is on its way.

When the show moved to Prime Video, it received minor animation fixes. Season three’s animation has gotten even better. Some of the scenes are so strikingly beautiful that it’s clear that Helluva Boss can only get better from this moment on. If the first three episodes are anything to go by, its ambition might just give Hazbin Hotel a run for its money — and hopefully open the (hotel) doors for a crossover.

“Will They or Won’t They” Becomes “Is it Even Possible?”

Episode three, however, is the most ambitious and most emotional one of the bunch. The episode once again splits the group, using a mission to drive along a key emotional moment within the series. It is the best example so far of how emotionally intelligent the show has become as it handles not only romance, but also familial bonds.

Blitzø and Stolas’s budding romance became a core aspect of the second half of season two. Blitzø, who up until that point refused love, found himself falling for Stolas. However, at that time Stolas was beginning to wonder if what he’d thought was a consensual arrangement between them was anything but. As they both grappled with their realizations, their relationship as they knew it began to fracture.

Once Stolas gave up his powers, he moved in with Blitzø. Season three highlights their current dynamic and how much it has shifted now that Blitzø has all the power that Stolas took for granted. In fact, Stolas isn’t even sure he is ready for a relationship. Blitzø, meanwhile, wants to make things serious between them. This shift is a major factor in their relationship this season and where it will go.

Episode three touches on all of this to devastating effect. In fact, it might just be one of the best episodes of the Hellaverse. For anybody who says that Medrano and co. can’t handle emotional depth, I challenge them to watch this episode and still come to the same conclusion. It’s Pinkham’s finest hour in the series yet, and the scenes he shares with Rogers will be some that stick in fans’ minds for some time.

Helluva Boss season 3 part 1 premieres with three episodes on Wednesday, October 14 on Prime Video. Two episodes will be released weekly until Wednesday, October 28. Season 3 part 2 will arrive in 2027. Episodes will also premiere on YouTube at undisclosed dates.