The Bondsman
admonition : spoiler for The Bondsman below!The Bondsmanfeatures a virtuously compromise protagonist being drop behind out of Hell to capture scat demons - a premise that also apply to 1998’sBrimstone . The BondsmancastKevin Bacon as Hub Halloran , a bounty hunter who is slain on a job but afterward resurrected by the Devil to hunt run demons on Earth . ThePrime original seriesvery much tilt into the comic side of the repulsion - comedy genre , feel like a blend ofEvil DeadandThe X - Files .
It ’s been pointed out elsewhere , butThe Bondsman’scentral premiss soundsreallyclose toBrimstone . Running for one time of year between 1998 and 1999 , the show cast Peter Horton as a detective who kills the homo who assaulted his wife , only to get commit to Hell when he ’s afterwards murder on the job . He ’s render a 2d nip by John Glover ’s Devil , where all he has to do is recapture 113 psyche who ’ve get away from Hell . Horton ’s Stone also has 113 tattoo covering his body , which disappear one by one as he sends the demons back .
Hub ’s account in The Bondsman begins with him refund from hell , elevate many interrogation about why he was place to the infernal region in the first place .
The Bondsman Feels Like A Loose Remake Of Cult TV Series Brimstone
The Bondsman feels like Brimstone updated for the 21st Century
Brimstonewas a horror serial that , despite the dry humor both Horton and Glover bring to it , took the conception seriously . Visually , it resembles the dark , grim consecutive killer film being produce during this era , such asSe7enorMillennium . This is in direct contrast to the brightly lit , goofy vibes ofThe Bondsman , whereBacon ’s Hub is essentially a manchildwho demand his mother ’s ( Beth Grant ) avail on his job , and his fight turn into big action setpieces .
Despite their optic and aesthetic difference , The Bondsmanvery much feels like an update ofBrimstone’spremise . They both featured tumultuous characters brought back to do the Devil ’s study ( and in both cases , execution is what sent them to Hell ) ; they have to work with a supervisor and both Hub and Horton ’s Stone are tattoo with demonic marks . They can also heal from wound that would be black to normal humans , though in Hub ’s case , not every injury is heal instantly .
Brimstone Was An X-Files Rival That Deserved Better
The rising tides of the X-Files wave didn’t raise all ships
show likeTwin PeaksandThe X - Filesraised the bar for revulsion on television in the other 1990s . Naturally , some shows attempted to bottle the same whitening asThe X - Files , includingAmerican Gothicand Chris Carter ’s dour consecutive killer seriesMillennium . Brimstonewas one of the best of this batch ofX - Filesclones because it worked as both a detective seriesanda revulsion show .
InBrimstone , demons are sent back to Hell after being shot in the eyes , as these are the " window to the soul . " This same method acting was used in 1995’sTales from the Crypt : Demon Knight , which was also written byBrimstonecreators Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris .
It also specify itself aside fromThe tenner - Filesvisually , with its noirish tone and look ; the dynamic between Stone and the Devil also could n’t have been further aside from Mulder and Scully , either . Brimstonequickly gained a loyal fanbase , but thanks to an inconsistent timeslot , it suffer poor paygrade . In fact , Brimstone’scancellation was so sudden the production had part buck the fourteenth episode before it was shut down 60 minutes into filming . Despite an impassioned plea by fans to keep it awake , Brimstone’s1999 cancelation proved lasting .
The Bondsman Still Has Major Differences To Brimstone
The Kevin Bacon horror series is a much lighter snack
The Bondsmanmay partake a luck of aerofoil similarity , but in death penalty , it ’s quite unlike fromBrimstone . A central difference is the want of The Devil himself appear in the Prime serial . Satan was the atomic number 27 - lead ofBrimstone , but the demon is entirely absent fromThe Bondsman . In his place is Jolene Purdy ’s upbeat supervisory program , who is revealed to be a more large-hearted figure as the season progresses . Being shot in sunny Georgia and having most of the activity take place in blind sunshine , the series is more colourful and pollyannaish than FOX ’s moody horror noir .
… those in the mood for a brooding , character - driven horror series should attempt out Brimstone , and those look for a playfulness , lighthearted natural action ride should render The Bondsman .
The same could be say of the lead character ; Hub find like a spiritual descendent of Bacon ’s Val fromTremors , whereas Horton ’s Stone is a sardonic detective right out of a pulp magazine novel . Brimstonewas hold back in terms of language or force due to its ventilation on electronic web television , butThe Bondsmanis fill with joyful , Evil Dead - inspired splatter . Most of this is execute with gooey hardheaded effect , make them all the more telling . Sadly , the CGI is way less convincing and can be downright awful in some scene .
Image via FOX
So , those in the mode for a pensiveness , reference - motor horror series should seek outBrimstone , and those looking for a fun , lighthearted action at law ride should tryThe Bondsman . Its early cancelation and lack of a abode media release has seenBrimstonefall through the cracks of time , but it ’s a gem of a serial ripe for rediscovery .
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Cast
The Bondsman follows hinterland amplitude hunting watch Hub Halloran , who returns from the hereafter for a 2d chance at life and dear , while navigating his past as a musician . As he resumes his work , he discovers his former occupation now necessitate a supernatural element .
Brimstone is a 1998 Fox television series concentrate around a deceased law tec task with recapturing 113 scat souls from Hell . The show aired for a partial time of year and has since been feature in rerun marathons on Syfy and Chiller .
Image via FOX
Brimstone is a 1998 Fox television series centered around a deceased police detective tasked with recapturing 113 escaped souls from Hell. The show aired for a partial season and has since been featured in rerun marathons on Syfy and Chiller.
