The entire first season of Netflix’s Devil May Cry is now available. Fans of the games, as well as those discovering Dante for the first time, are breaking the show apart to uncover hidden Easter eggs, secret lore points, and, of course, judging how successful this rendition of the series is. While some die-hard fans have pointed out a few issues with the plot, most viewers agree that the show provides good entertainment, without breaking any molds or leaving too many jaws dropped.
As the majority of the show is a blast, it is hard to decide which episodes outshine the rest, as the quality across the board is fairly high. That being said, some episodes edged out ahead of the pack. The best ones demonstrated something new or interesting, or were simply the most enjoyable to watch.
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8
Episode 1, “Inferno”
A Show Has To Start Somewhere
There is nothing particularly boring or weak about the episode, as its main purpose is as an introduction into the world and characters. It manages to cram quite a lot into a short runtime, showing off the White Rabbit for the first time and the start of his master plan. It also lets Dante show off some of his power, along with a few comedic quips.
It’s a nice way of showing off the action in some smaller chunks, not playing all the cards at once. One criticism that a few fans have had is that Dante doesn’t take as much of a spotlight as he should. Many other story elements are built around him, interspersed with a few action sequences with him and some demons, but he doesn’t live up to that main character role until later in the show. It would have been nice to have some more early screen time with him, and perhaps even have the White Rabbit become a more obvious threat to him from the start.
7
Episode 4, “All Hope Abandon”
The Start Of The Final Arc
Episode four is the midpoint of the show, where the story slows down to develop the plot further and get the rest of the show ready for the final chapter. Dante and many others are captured and placed on Air Force Two. They’re told that the plane will be detonated, and Dante will have to use all the power he has to save the passengers and himself before they plummet to their doom. Meanwhile, the rest of the Darkcom crew launch an assault on a building where they suspect the Rabbit is hiding. Unfortunately, all but Mary meet an early grave.
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There’s a good amount of dialogue, and it’s nice to see Dante’s demon form and true past for the first time. However, with the main character with his hands tied for 80% of an episode, it can only do so much in terms of excitement and greatness. As for the rest of Darkcom, the side characters were almost set up to die right from the start. The episode is still a good watch, but compared to some of the later episodes, it is more of a background memory.
6
Episode 3, “The Deep And Savage Way”
Building Up The Style
This episode starts with a flashback to Mary’s past, where she is seen with her parents, almost being killed by a demon in the subway. This moment sparked her father’s downward spiral and created a rift between him and the rest of his family, as well as giving Mary some fuel to add to her demon-killing fire. In the present, Darkcom is on the move, having captured Dante and placing him in the back of one of the trucks. They are then ambushed by the Rabbit and a group of demons who are ready for blood.
It’s a nice introduction to the extent of the demon’s capabilities. Showing off multiple shapes and sizes is a great way of illustrating the scope of the hellish world on the other side of the barrier. It does, however, suffer from similar constraints as episode four, since Dante is constrained for most of the running time. But when he does leap into action, the sequences and animation are stunning, giving the audience another showing of his speed and power.
5
Episode 2, “Our Lady Of Sorrows”
Dante Versus The World
Episode two serves as the first indicator that Dante is a cut above the rest and that there is something unnatural about him. It has some of the best pacing, and provides more than enough action to keep viewers engaged. Darkcom and a set of lowly hunters receive the brief on Dante and their mission to retrieve the amulet, information handed over by Dante’s friend/employer Enzo. They begin to mount a targeted assault on his location.
Things don’t turn out as expected, as Dante expertly dispatches the attackers before being confronted by Mary. After some back-and-forth and a few comedic exchanges, she manages to subdue him and take him into custody. The episode might not be extraordinary or mind-blowing, but it’s a load of fun. It gives Dante some deserved attention and builds the stakes for the rest of the show.
4
Episode 4, “Descent”
More Than Meets The Eye
This episode has two simultaneous stories playing out: one with Dante and the other with Mary. Dante’s sees him literally falling out of a plane and having to swoop between shrapnel and debris to save the other passengers. It even shows his full transformation into his demon form, with a full set of wings and an anger for revenge. Mary, meanwhile, undergoes more psychological torment, being gassed upon escaping the fate the rest of her crew met and hallucinating things from her past.
This episode also reveals the extent of the Rabbit’s influence, with a lab full of demons being experimented on and begging for death, and a whole apartment complex full of demons, some civilians and some ready for battle. Criticisms regarding Dante’s demon form aside, he still looks pretty incredible, and it is great to see it well before the final fight.
3
Episode 7, “At The Gates Of Paradise”
Entering The Gates Of Hell
This episode is a standout. It’s nice to see Mary and Dante become a kind of dynamic duo, though some fans have criticized her presence in the show differing from the games. But she is still fine to watch, and seeing her go up against giant demons all by herself gets the excitement going for the next season.
The comedy lands at every point, and Dante demonstrates why he is the demon-killing king, effortlessly taking out an entire group at once and even using one of their corpses as a pair of boxing gloves. Then, of course, there’s the big reveal to Mary that the White Rabbit is the man she saw outside a portal many years ago, now disfigured and deranged. It’s interesting to see the impact the attack had on his physical appearance, and gives an even bigger reason for him to hide it from the world. This episode fits in right before the climax and has some of the best music integration in the show.
2
Episode 8, “A River Of Blood And Fire”
The End Of The First Chapter
In the climax of the show, all the threads come together, and the only questions that are left unanswered are the ones that set up the second season. The White Rabbit has one final stand against Dante and Mary, charging himself up with a feast of demon blood. The battle between good and evil is filled with great sequences of action that end in good triumphing over the darkness. And throughout the intense moments, there are still opportunities to sneak in a few extra bits of dialogue, both comedic and related to the grander story.
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The final few scenes are as horrifying as they are hilarious. The full might of the US army matches into the underworld and obliterates anything that could be considered a demon. There’s some good commentary on the state of humanity, and the answers to those questions are both open-ended and potentially solvable with another set of episodes. In terms of what could have been done better, the only thing to ask for is more episodes.
1
The First Circle – Episode 6
Where It All Began
When it comes to adapting media, the best episodes or renditions are the ones that are the most unique or attempt to do something different from the rest of the story, making them the most memorable moments. This episode of DMC is no different. It shows the backstories of both Mary and the White Rabbit as comprehensively as possible, delivering some of the most beautiful moments the show has to offer.
The decision to adopt multiple animation styles is never easy, but it is executed so well here, with a more cartoony style for the hellscapes and a more polished one for the real world. The stories that unfold in both worlds are as upsetting as they are wonderful, culminating in a bridge between the two worlds and a heartbreaking outcome for the demon side of the war. Dedicating a whole episode to outlining two of the main character’s motives and personalities was a bold move, but one that turned out great. More moments like this with different animation styles, or episodes that take an aside from the plot, would be welcome additions in the future.