In 1997, you couldn't just "stream" something dark. You had to hunt for it. If you were a kid staying up way too late in May of that year, flipping to HBO felt like stumbling into a restricted area of a government facility. Most people remember Spawn as a "90s thing," a relic of the era where everything had to be "extreme." But looking back at Todd McFarlane's Spawn Season 1, it’s clear this wasn't just a cartoon for adults.
It was a nightmare in ink.
People often confuse the animated series with the live-action movie that came out the same year. Honestly? That’s a mistake. While the movie was struggling with rubber suits and early CGI that looked like a PS1 cutscene, the HBO series was leaning into the shadows. It was quiet. It was filthy. It didn't care if you liked its protagonist.
The Al Simmons Nobody Knew
When we talk about Todd McFarlane's Spawn Season 1, we have to talk about Al Simmons. But not the hero version. The version we meet in episode one, "Burning Visions," is a confused, rotting mess. Keith David’s voice—deep, gravelly, and vibrating with actual pain—instantly set the tone. He wasn't cracking jokes like Peter Parker. He was a guy who made a deal with the devil and realized, too late, that the devil is a terrible business partner.
The plot kicks off with Al coming back five years after being murdered by his own people. His wife, Wanda, has moved on. She’s married to his best friend, Terry. They have a kid. Al is stuck in a rat-infested alleyway with a talking, farting clown and a mysterious old man named Cogliostro.
It’s bleak.
🔗 Read more: Shamea Morton and the Real Housewives of Atlanta: What Really Happened to Her Peach
It’s basically a noir film that happens to have a guy in a living red cape.
Why the Animation Still Hits Hard
Most cartoons from that era used bright palettes to sell toys. HBO went the opposite way. They used the darkness as a character. You’ll notice that in many scenes, Spawn is just a pair of glowing green eyes and a massive, physics-defying red cape. This wasn't just an artistic choice; it was a way to make the budget stretch while amping up the horror.
Madhouse, the legendary Japanese studio, handled some of the heavy lifting. You can see their fingerprints on the fluid, almost liquid-like movement of the shadows. There’s a specific scene in the third episode, "No Rest, No Peace," where Spawn fights Overt-Kill. It’s brutal. The sound design alone—metal grinding on bone—was enough to get this show banned in several countries.
The Villains Weren't Just Monsters
Sure, you had the Violator. A demon who looks like a grotesque, overweight clown with blue face paint. He’s the physical manifestation of Al's bad choices. But the real villains in Todd McFarlane's Spawn Season 1 were the humans.
Jason Wynn is a terrifyingly realistic antagonist. He’s a bureaucrat. A power-hungry shadow-leader who orders hits like he’s ordering lunch. Then there’s Billy Kincaid. If you watched this as a kid, Kincaid probably gave you nightmares. He’s an ice cream man who kidnaps children. No superpowers. Just pure, human rot.
💡 You might also like: Who is Really in the Enola Holmes 2 Cast? A Look at the Faces Behind the Mystery
Dealing with that kind of subject matter in 1997 was unheard of for "cartoons."
The Music of Shirley Walker
We can't ignore the score. Shirley Walker, who also worked on Batman: The Animated Series, ditched the orchestral heroics here. She went with industrial synths and guttural, ambient noises. It feels like the city itself is breathing down your neck. It’s uncomfortable.
It’s perfect.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Legacy
People say Spawn is "edgelord" material. They think it’s just about blood and chains. But if you actually sit through the six episodes of the first season, you see a story about grief. Al Simmons doesn't want to save the world. He just wants to see Wanda.
He wants his life back.
📖 Related: Priyanka Chopra Latest Movies: Why Her 2026 Slate Is Riskier Than You Think
But he can't have it.
The tragedy of Todd McFarlane's Spawn Season 1 is that the "hero" is actually a pawn in a much larger war between Heaven and Hell. And neither side cares about him. This moral ambiguity is what made the show a critical darling, eventually winning an Emmy in 1999 for Outstanding Animation Program.
Quick Facts You Forgot:
- Episode Count: Season 1 only had six episodes. Short, but no filler.
- The Cape: Todd McFarlane insisted the cape should feel like its own character, often taking up the entire screen.
- The Voice: Keith David didn't just play Spawn; he became the definitive version of the character for a generation.
How to Experience it Today
If you’re going back to watch it now, don't expect a modern superhero show. It's slow. It spends a lot of time in the rain. It’s more like a stage play than an action movie. But that’s why it holds up. It wasn't trying to be a commercial. It was trying to be a piece of gothic literature.
Actionable Insights for New Viewers:
- Watch the HBO Version: Ensure you aren't watching the censored "TV-14" edits that occasionally pop up. The "MA" rating is essential for the atmospheric weight.
- Pay Attention to Cogliostro: His dialogue actually explains the mechanics of Spawn’s power (the "9:9:9:9" countdown) which many viewers miss.
- Look for the Background Details: The homeless characters in the alleys often provide the best world-building through their rambling dialogue.
The show hasn't aged a day in terms of its "vibe." Even in 2026, with all the big-budget superhero content we have, nothing feels quite as grimey or as honest as that first season. If you want to understand why Todd McFarlane became a mogul, look no further than these first six episodes. They captured lightning in a very dark, very dirty bottle.
Go back and watch episode five, "Souls in the Balance," if you want to see the show at its peak. It’s the one with the crazed priest and the mute boy. It encapsulates everything the show stood for: sacrifice, horror, and a tiny sliver of hope that usually gets snuffed out by the end of the credits.