Within five minutes of The Bondsman introducing its main character, Hub Halloran (Kevin Bacon), he dies. And theres no question about it. The mans throat is slit from end to end. When he unexpectedly revives, he zooms right off to give his would-be killers a piece of his mind. But the obvious question looms: what the hell just happened? As it turns out, hell does play a rather large part in Hubs story. Created by Grainger David and brought to Prime Video by the horror heads at Blumhouse Television, The Bondsman is a high-energy supernatural thriller with a small-town Southern twang. Its much in the vein of Stan Against Evil or Ash vs. Evil Dead, with Bacons middle-aged reluctant hero squaring off with the forces of darkness thatve put him in their sights. In this case, Hubs actually in cahoots with the devilusing his bail bondsman skills to track down escaped demons and return them to the underworld. Its not a job he chooses for himself, and the terms are non-negotiable, as explained by Midge (WandaVisions Jolene Purdy), his liaison to his new employer. Their company, of course, is really a front for Satan; one of the shows running gags is that it operates like a sleazy pyramid scheme and relies on the most annoying technology possible, including incessant spam, 1-900 numbers, and fax machines. Midge and Hub share a moment between co-workers. Prime Video While Midges main purpose is to appear when Hub (and the audience) need more exposition, The Bondsman does take care to flesh her out and give her some specific motivations of her own. Thats also the case with the shows other supporting cast members, especially Beth Grant (Donnie Darko) as Kitty, Hubs tough but kind mother, and Jennifer Nettles (The Righteous Gemstones) as Maryanne, the oft-exasperated ex-wife Hub still loves. With just eight episodes that run between 25-30 minutes each, The Bondsman moves fast but uses well-chosen flashbacks to fill us in on how Hub got into this predicament in the first place. Who was behind the murder attempt? We learn that quickly. We get some layered backstory on why someone wants him dead. We also eventually get the full story on why Hub, whos rough around the edges but seemingly not a truly bad guy, went straight to hell when he died.The demon-slaying scenes are extremely fun (the CG is definitely lower-budget, but it fits the grungy vibes of the show), and The Bondsman also incorporates a larger cosmic mystery for Hub to puzzle through. But the show is really about a man sorely in need of redemption who gets an unexpected shot at it. Hub regrets messing up with Maryanne, and hes starting to lose touch with their teen son Cade (Lost in Spaces Maxwell Jenkins), especially since Maryanne has moved on with new guy in town Lucky (Justifieds Damon Herriman), whose sketchy past sets Hubs teeth on edge. Though his time back on Earth is compromised by his dangerous new gigand complicated by other factors, like local cops who grow increasingly suspicious of the weird crime scenes popping up around townHub soon realizes hes been given a gift. There are serious strings attached, yes, but its worth it for the opportunity to make sure his loved ones know how important they are to him. It gives The Bondsman, which devotes a lot of screen time to murderous monsters, some surprising emotional grounding. Prime Video Also, and this is no small thing, but The Bondsman has a blast incorporating music into its storyline, with well-executed needle drops, a key setting in the towns honky-tonk, and a subplot about Hubs failed music dreamsa big part of why his marriage with Maryanne fell apart. It feels organic to the setting rather than shoehorned in, and since Nettles just happens to be a renowned country artist, the show wisely makes great use of her powerful vocals in several different contexts. And while this is a spoiler-free review, we will say that The Bondsman ends its final episode with quite a few dangling threads. Some viewers might find this frustrating; others might see it as a hopeful sign that Hub and company may return for more devilish dealings. Count us in the latter category; wed happily watch Kevin Bacon kick more demon ass in any future seasons to come. All eight episodes of The Bondsman hit Prime Video April 3. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.