Family sitcoms are a penny a dozen these days. Ever since the 1980s, the amount of shows about “quirky” families that have been made could fill the entire state of Alaska. But for the most part, these TV families didn’t have anything particularly quirky that made them stand out. The Family Ties, the Full Houses, the Step By Steps, and the Fresh Off the Boats all used the same formula with maybe a pinch of minor differences that set them apart by a mere millimeter. Where was there a show that actually had a truly unique family that stood out from the Tanners, the Winslows, and even the Simpsons?

It turns out all we needed to do was look down to find that family. Way, way down. Towards the pits of Hell. We had to enter the realm of Belzebubs! And sweet Lucifer, has a show like this been way overdue!

Based on the hit web comic by JP Ahonen, Belzebubs follows a family that’s trying to make ends meet and dreams come true. The head of the patriarchy, Sløth (Andrew Wheildon-Dennis), does his best to balance being a good dad and the frontman for the black metal band Belzebubs. His wife, Lucy (Jess Robinson), has a decent job at an advertising firm, but it’s sucking out her creativity like a zombie enjoying a brain and watermelon daiquiri. Their teenage daughter, Lilith (Emma Ballantine), has fallen in love with her classmate, Sam (Charlie Hiscock), who also just joined Belzebubs as their new drummer. Then there’s the young son, Leviathan (Theo Oliver), who wants to help his dad as best as he can.

Thankfully, Sløth has some pretty good bandmates to back him up when the time calls for it. Bassist Hubbath (James Alexander) tends to be the voice of reason for the band, even if he can lose his focus due to problems with his past relationship. As for guitarist Obesyx (Richard Southgate), his sick riffs help to compensate him for being, well, a kind of a wuss outside of the black metal persona. Nonetheless, he’s got something of a good head on his shoulders when the time calls for it. A solid 7/10 head, mind you, but still good enough.

The first season of Belzebubs follows the band’s quest to finally record their debut album, film a proper music video, and make it big. But family always comes first in Sløth’s life, which means it takes the band a really, really long time to get those gears turning. Leviathan getting food poisoning, Lucy attempting to put together an art gallery, and Lilith and Sam trying their best to date normally all get in the way of the band’s attempt to reach global stardom. Sometimes, Lucy’s mother, Nana (Pippa Haywood), and her husband have to stick their noses in, causing the usual hijinks in-laws tend to do.

Okay, I wouldn’t call anything that happens in Belzebubs “usual”, and that’s what makes it stand out from the rest of the pack. Sitcoms always have a sick kid episode, but never have we witnessed projectile vomiting and poopy pants presented in such a gross and hilarious fashion. The old “booked two important things on the same day” trope goes for a trifecta that involves bloody piñatas, fireworks up one’s rectal cavity, and a very, very angry wife. And did I mention that one of the in-laws is dead, and the “grieving” widow constantly digs him out of their grave?

And yet, throughout all of that anarchy and violence, there is a genuinely sweet story about a family and a band that pulls together and overcomes every obstacle that’s thrown at them. Sløth would do anything for Lucy, and Lilith and Leviathan are as sweet as kids as one can humanly get…once you get past the corpse makeup. While Sløth’s bandmates may have their frustrations (and rightfully so), they’re good guys who will wait until Armageddon arrives to make their dreams come true. Even Nana and her dead husband, who does come to life in one Halloween-themed episode, have their moments of tender love.

It helps greatly that Ahonen acts as the head writer for the cartoon. His means of transforming his four-panel comics into thirteen 22-minute episodes have been nothing short of magical. Pyjama Films should also be commended for keeping the visual style of Belzebubs intact in animation form, with the black & white style working well both in the comedic and metal side of the narrative. Sure, it’s a bit rough around the edges in places, but so is the art of black metal.

Speaking of which, those who have never actually listened to the music of Belzebubs are in for a real treat. This is as black metal as one can get, with screaming vocals, riffs, and drum solos that’d make Dethklok pee themselves a bit with fear. The sounds of “Blackened Call”, “Cathedrals of Mourning”, and “The Faustian Alchemist” are not only brimming with darkness, but they’re also melodically beautiful in all of the right places. And that’s not the only sound that will leave you grinning menacingly.

I can’t be any happier with the voice cast for this show. Wheildon-Dennis balances the metal persona and true-loving dad & husband self perfectly as Sløth. Robinson brings a tired-yet-persevering mother energy as Lucy, with Ballantine’s Lilith having a somewhat angelic personality in her voice despite the blackness in her heart. Alexander & Southgate deliver a solid buddy-buddy attitude to the voices of Hubbath and Obesyx, respectively, whilst Oliver’s Leviathan gets that kid attitude down pat. (Maybe it helps that he’s actually a kid.)

It has taken six years for Belzebubs to hit the TV screen, but the wait has been worth it. By any stretch, it is not a traditional family sitcom, especially with the plethora of violence, nudity, and occasional curse word it has. (Hilariously, the show is rated 7+ in Finland, with a couple of episodes 12+ possibly due to it having more genitalia than normal.) However, even if black metal isn’t your thing, Belzebubs will find a way to warm your heart, tickle your funny bone, and bang your head to a family that truly defines the word “quirky” in every way, shape, and form.

Belzebubs can be viewed on Yle Areena (VPN required). Episodes 1-13 were observed for review. Episodes 1-3 will be available to view on ZeeKay Comedy’s YouTube page in November.