MARVEL MARATHON DEEP DIVE
HELSTROM
SEASON 1
Helstrom arrived on Hulu on 16 October 2020 with all ten episodes, following siblings Daimon and Ana Helstrom as they hunt the worst of humanity. Hulu cancelled it two months later, ending Marvel Television’s run of live-action series.
A HORROR SERIES FOR HULU
HOW HELSTROM WAS MADE
Hulu ordered the series in May 2019 with Paul Zbyszewski as showrunner, working under the title Omens, and Disney dropped “Marvel’s” from the title in July 2020. Filming began on 7 October 2019 in Vancouver and wrapped on 14 March 2020, and Marvel Television was folded into Marvel Studios in December 2019. All ten episodes were released on 16 October 2020.
A BAD DAD STORY
WHAT THE SERIES IS ABOUT
Daimon and Ana are the children of a serial killer who hunt the worst of humanity. Zbyszewski said on 14 October 2020 that it is “the story of a couple of kids with a really bad dad,” and that the show pays homage to genre classics while knowing “what everyone’s expecting.” On the show’s place in the wider Marvel line-up, he was direct:
“we’re not connected to the MCU, we are our own thing.”
Paul Zbyszewski, 14 October 2020
TWO SIBLINGS AND THEIR CIRCLE
WHO IS IN THE CAST
The main cast is Tom Austen as Daimon Helstrom, Sydney Lemmon as Ana Helstrom, Elizabeth Marvel as Victoria Helstrom, Robert Wisdom as the Caretaker, Ariana Guerra as Gabriella Rosetti, Alain Uy as Chris Yen and June Carryl. Uy said that in some ways it was “the end of an era,” while also “a transition into something new.”
A WEAK RESPONSE
WHAT THE SCORES SHOW
Rotten Tomatoes lists a 27% critics’ score from 26 reviews and a 71% audience score, and its consensus says the show’s “strong visual effects” cannot save it from characters who “simply aren’t interesting enough.” Metacritic gives the season 40 from nine critics.
THE REWATCH
THE END OF MARVEL TELEVISION’S LIVE-ACTION RUN
Hulu’s cancellation of the series after one season was reported on 14 December 2020, as one of a string of Hulu cancellations. It was the final live-action Marvel show not made for Disney+, and its cancellation ended the original live-action era of Marvel TV.
In the Marvel Marathon it is catalogued as Marvel Television and sits in the Marvel TV shows in order guide between Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 and WandaVision. It is not in the MCU timeline guide or the MCU release-order and series guides.
QUICK ANSWERS
HELSTROM SEASON 1 WATCH QUESTIONS
Is Helstrom part of the MCU?
No. Zbyszewski has said that the show is not connected to the MCU, and the Marvel Marathon classes it as Marvel Television rather than MCU.
How many episodes are in Season 1?
Ten, all released on Hulu on 16 October 2020.
Was Helstrom cancelled?
Yes. Hulu’s cancellation of the series after one season was reported on 14 December 2020.
Which Marvel Marathon guides include Helstrom Season 1?
It appears in the Marvel TV shows in order guide, between Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 and WandaVision. Its catalogue entry is classed as Marvel Television rather than MCU, so it is not in the MCU release-order, series, movie or timeline guides.
EDITORIAL NOTES
SOURCES AND UPDATES
Production, story, cast, scores and cancellation details are checked against a series reference, interviews with the showrunner and cast, entertainment reporting and aggregator scores, cited individually below.
- Wikipedia: development, filming, cast and reception
- Syfy Wire: the showrunner and cast on Helstrom, 14 October 2020
- TVLine: Helstrom cancelled, 14 December 2020
- SlashFilm: Helstrom cancelled after one season
- TheTVDB: season 1 episodes and air dates
- Rotten Tomatoes: Helstrom season 1 critic and audience scores
- Metacritic: Helstrom season 1 Metascore