Why haven't we given up on Supernatural in fifteen years, even though the series has repeatedly floundered? Because of its plot? Its bestiary? Its 1967 Impala? Okay, the car played a role. But it's mostly because the show managed to make us love its characters, who navigate the spectrum between horror, drama, and humor. Because there are those who kill demons... and there are those who kill demons with style. Like with a chainsaw, for example. The Bondsman has just landed on Prime Video with one goal: to gather all the orphans from Eric Kripke's show, all the fans of Ghost Rider, John Constantine, Preacher, or Taylor Swift, take them in his arms, and whisper in their ears: "It's okay, you're home here."
Hub Halloran is a bounty hunter from a small Georgia town, working with his mother, without a real future. A future he will see even less since he falls into a trap and is brutally murdered. Promised to Hell, he will be resurrected and return to work, this time in the service of the Devil. Demons are escaping, and Hub will have to send them back where they came from before the corpses pile up. A second chance that could also allow her to reconnect with her ex, try to distance her from her new boyfriend with a criminal record as long as your arm, bond with her son and prevent his mother from accompanying him to his new job.
Why it's good
Because Kevin Bacon. As we said at the top, we have a huge amount of sympathy for the actor and the series allows him to play on many levels. He is the bad boy hero, charming, joker, fighter, but also the lying, manipulative, selfish loser who kind of deserves what's coming to him. A protagonist full of flaws in whose skin we feel Kevin really having fun. A fairly contagious enthusiasm within the cast, since the first episodes suggest that The Bondsman navigates with a light spirit, with irony and absurd lines. The tandem formed by Hub and his “Mama Bear” (the brilliant Beth Grant) is as incongruous as it is delightful.
The show likes to cross genres and we feel that, when it comes to horror, this Blumhouse production uses its heritage to play the gore card to the max. The violent images are not that frequent, however, they know how to stand out with a little Final Destination aspect. On the other hand, Hub's ability to accomplish his missions is almost miraculous, as, despite what we are led to believe, he does not seem particularly gifted for the job. The Prime Video series plays heavily on this dichotomy between the nightmare and the trivial, even the comical. It's clear that creator David Grainger, who is directing this show for the first time, watched Sam Raimi's work on Evil Dead 2, even making a direct reference to it.
The Bondsman also leaves a lot of room for the relationships between the characters, with family history often taking precedence over everything else. The demon hunt becomes almost a subplot as Hub tries to put his true inner demons behind him, without managing to escape them. And to add another layer to this lasagna dish, we have big chunks of country in the middle of the mess, so as not to forget that we're still in the depths of Georgia. And even with that, Grainger manages to connect the dots by not making it a significant part of his story, because why deprive yourself? The equivalent of a pineapple cordon bleu chorizo St Môret pizza. Inedible? This is where the chef's last little trick came in: this first season is limited to 8 episodes of 30 minutes, a surprisingly reasonable length given the stated ambition. From there, even the soft underbelly remains acceptable.
What will need to be fixed in The Bondsman season 2
We see you coming, you'll devour the season and come back to tell us that you didn't get your money's worth. So, firstly, for any refund, you can contact the brains of the editorial team. And secondly, we agree with you. The Bondsman may have the best intentions in the world, but there are a few things that need to be fixed if we want to enjoy season 2 more.
The main flaw remains its dosage. We implied it above, but the demonic part of the plot is almost subsidiary, to the point where the generosity is not really there. We're treated to one or two small gory scenes, and we return to the Halloran family. As the episodes progress, the humor fades, the target's location is quickly identified, and the real objective is resolved a little too easily. In half an hour, The Bondsman tries to cram in a little too much, to the point of sacrificing what is sometimes the most interesting and the reason for our visit.
It's still very enjoyable to watch, but the frustration is palpable. And despite everything, we have a lot of hope that the show will rectify this for the future, because we can sense that the story wanted to get rid of certain subplots before moving up a gear. The promise is there, the casting too, and the tone requires a bit more control. If it ever happens, we'll be there for The Bondsman season 2, just for Kevin's Bacon (according to a member of the editorial staff who prefers to remain anonymous).
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