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Helstrom Review

· superuser

Helstrom

Review Ratings

Art/Style: 
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
Production Value: 
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
Content: 
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
Personal Enjoyment: 
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
Overall Popularity: 
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4
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final_score: 6.4

Final Review Score

6.4 / 10

Great

Created for Hulu by showrunner Paul Zbyszewski, Helstrom (2020) holds a unique position as the final live-action series produced under the standalone Marvel Television banner. Designed as the flagship entry for a planned “Adventure into Fear” horror line, the ten-episode series abandons bright superhero tights and heroic fanfare entirely. Instead, it dives straight into psychological dread, demonic exorcisms, institutional secrecy, and deep-seated familial trauma. In this detailed Helstrom TV review, we break down how somber storytelling, sharp lead chemistry, and chilling horror atmospheres crafted a distinct occult thriller.

A Demonic Lineage, Exorcisms, and Severed Sibling Bonds

The narrative centers on Daimon (Tom Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Sydney Lemmon), the estranged adult children of a notorious, mysterious serial killer who was secretly an ancient demonic entity. Daimon works as an ethics professor in Oregon while secretly utilizing his pyrokinesis and supernatural instincts to perform exorcisms for the Catholic Church. Meanwhile, Ana runs a high-end auction house in San Francisco, using her psychometric abilities to track down and eliminate predatory criminals. Reunited when their long-institutionalized mother, Victoria (Elizabeth Marvel), becomes possessed by a powerful demonic force known as Basar, the siblings must confront their dark heritage to save innocent lives and stop a catastrophic demonic awakening.

Gothic Visuals, Unsettling Exorcisms, and Haunting Score

Showrunner Paul Zbyszewski frames the series in cold, muted tones, using rain-slicked Pacific Northwest landscapes, shadows, and claustrophobic asylum interiors to build persistent dread. Horror sequences emphasize psychological terror and visceral body horror rather than loud jump scares, capturing intense exorcism rituals and supernatural telekinetic violence. Composers Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans deliver an unsettling, minimalist musical score filled with dissonant strings and deep ambient soundscapes that heighten the show’s dark, ominous atmosphere.

Compelling Sibling Dynamics and Powerhouse Acting

The core anchor of the show lies in the sharp, complex dynamic between Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon. Austen plays Daimon with brooding intensity and cynical morality, while Lemmon delivers a scene-stealing performance as Ana, infusing her character with razor-sharp wit and hidden emotional pain. Elizabeth Marvel turns in a terrifying, tour-de-force performance as their possessed mother Victoria, supported by strong performances from Ariana Guerra as Vatican investigator Gabriella Rossetti and June Carryl as Dr. Louise Hastings.

The Final Verdict

Ultimately, this Helstrom review celebrates a mature, moody, and atmospheric foray into comic book horror. Driven by Paul Zbyszewski’s dark vision, impressive lead performances by Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon, and genuine supernatural suspense, it stands out as a unique, adult-oriented entry in Marvel’s television legacy.

Information

  • Title: Helstrom
  • Release Date: October 16, 2020
  • Director: Daina Reid, Michael Offer, Bill Roe, Amanda Row, Sanford Bookstaver
  • Stars: Tom Austen, Sydney Lemmon, Elizabeth Marvel, Ariana Guerra, Robert Wisdom, June Carryl, Alain Uy
  • Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action

This post is part of Marvel TV Shows Ranked