On today’s Bingeworthy, we’re trading Hell’s Kitchen for hell itself with Prime Video’s latest genre mash-up, “The Bondsman.” Blending supernatural horror, dysfunctional family drama, western grit, and country music—yes, you read that right—this new series follows Hub Halloran (Kevin Bacon), a bounty hunter resurrected by the devil himself to hunt down escaped demons. But beneath all the blood and brimstone lies an emotionally charged story about family, regret, and second chances.
If it sounds wild, you’re not alone. Kevin Bacon admitted it was one of the craziest pitches he’d ever said yes to—but that was exactly what drew him in.
“It was pretty wild,” Bacon laughed. “But if you’ve done as many dudes as I have, it’s hard to find something that’s truly like, ‘Wow, okay, I haven’t walked in these shoes before.’ So that was a big plus.”
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Bacon praised the unexpected layers of Hub, adding, “He’s such a badass, but also such a mama’s boy, stuck in a lot of ways. He hasn’t quite grown up, and the show confronts him, having to finally take responsibility for his actions.”
As for the demons Hub faces, Bacon was especially intrigued by the emotional ones. “It’s the regret, the bitterness from a failed marriage and a broken family band,” Bacon explained. “Hub was too stubborn to compromise his musical ideals. He wanted something authentic, to be Willie [Nelson] or Waylon [Jennings], and it cost him everything. That bitterness and inability to move forward really fascinated me.”
Music isn’t just a plot point; it’s the emotional heartbeat of “The Bondsman.” Bacon himself contributed heavily, writing original songs alongside his co-star Jennifer Nettles. “We wrote from the perspective of our characters 15 or 20 years ago,” he revealed. “It was really interesting because usually, when I write songs, they’re from my own perspective. So this was an entirely new way to approach songwriting.”
Meanwhile, creator Erik Oleson described the series as a playful and chaotic genre cocktail. “We wanted it to be a laugh-out-loud, scream-out-loud, ‘I have no idea what’s coming next’ kind of ride,” Oleson said. “It’s got horror, it’s got heart, it’s got humor, and at its core, it’s this Appalachian noir that’s genuinely respectful of its setting.”
Oleson listed inspirations ranging from “Tremors” and “Constantine” to “Ash vs. Evil Dead” and even “Deliverance,” adding, “We’re constantly giving little hat-tips and Easter eggs. Part of the joy was mixing all these genres and seeing what kind of insane rollercoaster we could build.”
Speaking of “Tremors,” Bacon expressed continued enthusiasm for revisiting his iconic role: “It’s not for lack of trying. Val is just fascinating. Who that guy was when that whole thing ended is a fascinating thing to come up with. [For the TV series that didn’t go], I went to Blumhouse about it, and we took various pitches—it was really fun to hear writers talk about where he could be now. It’s definitely something I’d still love to do.”
Bacon also reflected on recent collaborations, including his role in the upcoming Netflix mystery series “Sirens,” where he plays “a cashmere-wearing billionaire who smokes a lot of weed.” Bacon praised co-star Millie Alcock for her “amazing presence,” recalling that he texted James Gunn to celebrate Alcock landing the role of Supergirl. “I took a picture of us and sent it to James saying, ‘Hey, look who I’m working with!”
Bacon has a long history with Gunn, which he detailed during the interview. “I had worked with James on his last tiny little movie called ‘Super’ down in Louisiana,” Bacon shared. “And then right after that, he went to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ which is a big leap, as you can imagine. And, then, weirdly, I go to see the movie,’ Guardians,’ you know, that’s quite a few years later, and I’m sitting there alone in the afternoon at a matinee watching this movie. I’m like, ‘This is so cool.’ And they started talking about me, and I looked around like, ‘Is this actually happening? Like, this is so weird.’ I know I’m like a well-known person, but to have that experience— ’cause nobody had warned me that this was going to be the case. So, of course, he very kindly, many years later, came up with this idea for the [‘Guardians of the Galaxy] Christmas Special’ and gave me that part as Kevin Bacon.”
As for if he’d be into the idea of working with James Gunn again in the DC Universe, Bacon seemed game. “I’m down —James knows where to find me,” he laughed.
Additionally, creator Erik Oleson expressed excitement for the continuation of “Daredevil,” a series he once helmed during its third season on Netflix. “I saw the first episode [of ‘Born Again’] and had dinner with Vincent D’Onofrio recently,” Oleson said. “I’m excited that all my friends are back at it. It was such a wonderful family—I hope the show goes on forever. I plan on sitting down and watching the hijinks that my successor, Dario Scardapane, has put on the screen. I was in contact with him, and we chatted a bit while he was getting started. And I’m very excited to see where they go with it.”
Both Bacon and Oleson spoke highly of their partnership with Blumhouse TV. Oleson added that after production wrapped, Jason Blum invited him over, proposing future collaborations on the film side: “It was flattering. We hit it off really well.”
Erik Oleson’s Film/TV Recommendation Playlist:
- “Tremors” (1990)
- “Constantine” (2005)
- “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974)
- “Ash vs Evil Dead” (2015–2018)
- “Deliverance” (1972)
All eight episodes of “The Bondsman” premiere on April 3 on Prime Video.
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