The Bondsman is a horror and action thriller series streaming on Prime Video, starring Kevin Bacon. Told across eight fast-paced episodes, the show blends supernatural horror with crime drama and dark humor. The story follows a man who dies, goes to hell, and is resurrected with a terrifying new assignment. He must hunt down escaped demons and send them back to hell. The season ends on a major cliffhanger, strongly suggesting that the story will continue in another season.
Hub Halloran is introduced as a deeply flawed bounty hunter whose personal life has already fallen apart. He is divorced from his wife, Maryanne and has lost custody of his son, Cade. His relationships are filled with resentment, violence, and regret. Things reach a breaking point when Maryanne arranges for Hub to be killed. The murder appears final until Hub returns the very next day, alive and seemingly untouched by death.
Resurrected From Hell, Hub Is Forced Into a Relentless and Violent Demon-Hunting Mission
Hub’s return to life is not a miracle. He truly died and was sent to hell before being returned to Earth with a visible wound on his throat that eventually heals. A woman named Midge explains his new reality. Several demons have escaped from hell, and the Devil wants them captured. Hub is now a demon hunter whose job is to kill these demons again and send them back to hell. His new existence is defined by violence and obligation rather than choice.
The Bondsman (Amazon MGM Studios)The series slowly reveals why Hub was sent to hell. Years earlier, he killed a bartender named Sheryl while heavily intoxicated. Believing he was shooting Lucky Callahan, the man who later married his ex-wife, Hub instead shot Sheryl, who was wearing Lucky’s hat. As she bled to death, Hub promised to save her but failed. He then buried her body in secret. This crime becomes the source of Hub’s guilt and the reason demons are able to manipulate him.
Maryanne’s story reflects a pattern of destructive relationships. Hub admits that he was controlling during their marriage, even though he truly wanted to be a better man for her and for Cade, whom he adopted. After leaving Hub, Maryanne married Lucky, a man with a violent criminal history. When Lucky realizes what happened to Sheryl, he arranges Hub’s murder. Later, Maryanne becomes disillusioned with Lucky as well, giving Hub false hope that he might regain his family.
Pot O’Gold and Midge Reveal Hell as a Bureaucratic System of Cruel Exploitation
Hub’s demon-hunting work is controlled by Pot O’Gold, a bureaucratic organization that operates as the corporate face of hell. Midge, Hub’s handler, is trapped in a cruel agreement. Her son’s cancer treatment was paid for only after she agreed to work for Pot O’Gold. When she tries to leave, her son’s illness returns. Her job involves recruiting souls for hell, highlighting the system’s lack of morality and the show’s critique of exploitation.
The final episodes centre on Lilith, the most powerful demon Hub encounters. She possesses the corpse of Sheryl and uses Hub’s guilt against him by speaking in Sheryl’s voice. Lilith despises men and threatens chaos on Earth. Hub and Midge manage to trap her using a pentagram, but Hub makes a devastating choice. He agrees to free Lilith in exchange for Sheryl’s resurrection, believing this will erase his crime and his punishment.
Hub’s belief that his troubles are over proves false. Lilith escapes by possessing a crow and later takes control of Maryanne, holding Hub’s family hostage in the final scene. The season ends with hell’s forces closing in and Hub facing consequences greater than death. While The Bondsman does not always deliver strong action, Kevin Bacon’s performance and the show’s dark mythology keep it engaging. The unresolved ending clearly sets up the possibility of a second season.
