(Originally posted on
Brimstone came out in 1998, roughly the time another hellish series called GvsE (Good versus Evil) appeared. Both series were similar in plot, and I don’t know if one copied another. I do know I enjoyed Brimstone, whereas I found GvsE forgettable.
Basic plot goes like this: Ezekial “Zeke” Stone (played by Peter Horton) is a NYC cop whose wife is raped. Zeke tracks down the rapist and murders him. Shortly thereafter, Zeke is murdered and goes to Hell for the sin of murder. Jump forward fifteen years and Zeke is sprung from hell by The Devil (played by a bombastic John Glover.) Turns out there was a jailbreak from Hell. 113 damned souls are free and loose on Earth. If Zeke uses his detective skills to find and return all of them to Hell, he gets a second chance at life.
Great hook. Grabbed my interest from the start.
Any catches, you ask? Several. The damned souls are impossible to kill unless you destroy their eyes. Also, it turns out the longer you’re in Hell, the more of Hell comes with you. This translates into the longer souls are in Hell, the stronger they are on Earth. Nearly all of the souls are older than Zeke, and some are hundreds or even thousands of years old. Even worse, not only are they stronger, but many of them have hellish ‘magic tricks’. Some can turn invisible, spread hellish diseases or cast magic spells. Zeke relies on old-fashioned police work and his own immortality.
The sole reason I even know this series exists is because the Sci-fi Channel (before they called it “SyFy”,) had a marathon one Saturday afternoon. Lasting a grand total of 13 episodes, it was a mid-season replacement that fizzled. A pity, since it had great promise.
Lori Petty fills out an enjoyable minor role as a hotel clerk. (Usually people either love or hate Lori–I am one of the former.) John Glover as The Devil chews scenery like a teething beaver. No joke, he’s a pleasure to watch. My favorite episode (“It’s a Helluva Life”) has John playing both The Devil and an angel. The two of them take Zeke through is life, alternately showing him every bad thing he ever did and the good he’s accomplished. It’s surprisingly moving.
Is Brimstone great? No. Plot stumbles and misfires are in evidence. The special effects are dated and clunky. I will say that there was enough there that I wanted more. It picked up steam as it went, and the writers and actors were hitting their strides–just in time to be cancelled.
Should someone with a modicum of power in television get a chance, resurrecting this series wouldn’t be the worst idea.
Go dig up the 13 episodes or watch them online somewhere. You won’t regret it.
