If horror, gore, and comedy are your thing, you’ll adore The Gaslight District! This indie animated show is brought to you by GLITCH on YouTube. They are the masterminds behind the series The Amazing Digital Circus and Murder Drones. It follows a crime family of undead beings living in the titular location. And while it’s all about the dark tones, there’s a lot more to it. Ready to learn more about this new and exciting series that’s taking YouTube by storm?
Welcome to the Gaslight District
The Gaslight District pilot episode opens with the narrator telling us this world’s story. Eons ago, an entity known as the Black Hand granted eternal life to humans. The only downside was their flesh still decomposed, eventually turning them into zombies called Rotlings. Nevertheless, they celebrate their immortality and worship the Black Hand as a god. The one thing they fear is losing their gift of eternal life. Only a human born from an angel’s egg can bring about this disaster.
We jump to the present, where the episode introduces the main characters, The Smiling Dead. This small local crime family follows Ken the Butcher, a short-tempered hulk. Under him is the slimy sharpshooter Mud, the simple-minded brute Breadhead, and the energetic Melancholy. This quartet of criminals is pursuing a close associate, though Mud is confused about why. Nevertheless, they corner their target, encase them in cement, and throw him into the ocean. And this is done before they can reveal that Melancholy is a black-blooded human.
The next day, Mel proposes a heist to steal the human egg from Heaven. It’s an angel egg, and she’s using this heist to maintain her cover. Ken reluctantly agrees as long as she stays with him at all times. The Smiling Dead sneaks into Heaven with the plan going off without a hitch. Ken and Mel acquire the egg despite some interference from the Angel Mother. The gang presents the ‘human’ egg, but it suddenly hatches into a fluffy newborn angel.
A Hellish Delight Worth Seeing
Looking at The Gaslight District, you immediately understand it’s a gory horror show. The background characters are mostly zombies who barely have any flesh on their bones. Or humanoid flies with a taste for cannibalism or excrement from the bird-like angels. If they don’t sell the idea, Mud and Ken also possess gruesome disfigurements. There are even subtle references to iconic horror tropes like Melancholy having a mummy-like attire. The flies could also be a homage to 1986’s renowned scary movie starring Jeff Goldblum.
Alongside its apparent horror and gore-centered themes, this pilot episode possesses fine humor. Most of these comedic moments come from Mud or Melancholy being chaotic gremlins. Aside from creating chuckles, this show’s humor humanizes these undead monstrosities and makes them relatable. It also helps bring out The Smiling Dead’s true personalities and overall dynamic. In addition, the comedy helps bring relief during emotionally tense moments like the climactic battle.
Speaking of the main characters’ dynamic, The Gaslight District contains a family theme. These immortal psychopaths may be criminals, yet you can see their familial connections. The aspect, however, shines the most during the moments between Ken and Mel. He’s willing to do anything to ensure her identity remains secret. He’s also determined to give Mel a better life than his and the gang’s. Overall, Ken embodies what it means to be a proper father.
Final Verdict of this Pilot
After watching this Gaslight District pilot numerous times, I give it a 9. The only thing I believe works against it is the too-soon reveal of Melancholy’s identity. They should have saved it for the finale or during the season’s second half. Nevertheless, I consider this pilot a spectacular experience any adult or horror fan can enjoy. My favorite parts include Mel being chaotic and her private interactions with her murderous father. I cannot wait until GLITCH releases the next Gaslight District episode or its premiere date.
