Prime Video got a dose of hellfire with its new series The Bondsman, but those who have already dived into the series know that there’s just as much comedy as there is bounty hunting for hell. Those golden comedic moments are brought to life by a stellar cast that includes the talented Mike Kaye, who plays Tommy ‘Tater’ Dean. ComicBook.com had the chance to speak to Kaye all about The Bondsman, including working with Kevin Bacon, how the show subverts expectations, his time in Marvel and DC’s movie universes, and even some Disney Lorcana.
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First though let’s talk The Bondsman, which follows a bounty hunter named Hub Halloran (Bacon) after he dies and is resurrected to now be a bounty hunter for Hell. While there’s plenty of chaos, there’s also an equal amount of humor and family depth that some may not initially expect.
“The series overall kind of baits you into thinking it’s one type of thing and then it kind of changes direction. You’ve also got like, every episode kind of presents a unique threat while there’s also a season-long threat that’s going on,” Kaye said. “So watching Kevin and his family kind of navigate that stuff is, it keeps you interested and intrigued throughout the whole thing.”
“And then I would say for my character, well, I’m one of the first people that Hub runs into after his resurrection,” Kaye said. “And I don’t know that he knows what to do with me, but he keeps me around, which is very kind of him. I work for Lucky (Damon Herriman). I don’t know what my relationship with him particularly is. He is my mentor, he guides me, but I feel like that my character is a little bit more chaotic neutral. He’s just trying to make his way, you know what I mean?”
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While the first episode sets the pace for the series, it’s really episode 2 that shifts it into high gear, and Tater’s own view of things start to come into view alongside that shift. “The other interesting thing I think is that Tater definitely has his own theories about what’s going on. I see some s*** in the second episode and I’m like, guys, this is nuts. The only explanation for this is this certain thing and it doesn’t necessarily align with what the truth is,” Kaye teased. “But I’m, I’m real convinced that’s what it is.”
While the series deals with horror and big action elements, comedy is also an important element of the show. This rang true during Kaye’s initial reading of the script as well, and goes to show that regardless of what other craziness is happening around you, sometimes you just have to laugh about it and move forward.
“Well, it’s interesting because I feel like when I first looked at this script I was like, oh, this is inherently ridiculous and funny, but the only way this is going to work is if I’m a full believer in the circumstances,” Kaye said. “And I also think that’s parallel with life. I mean, as tough as stuff gets, we have to deal with it with some level of humor or we just go nuts, and I think that the show does a really good job of writing that into the dialogue where there’s all this chaos and people’s heads are getting exploded and there’s demons hunting people and you’re just like, well, that sure was some s***, wasn’t it?”
“And Hub is so calm, cool, and collected about it because that’s kind of the lifestyle he was used to before he was resurrected,” Kaye said. “He just is like, well, I guess this is just my new trajectory, right? I’m just working for the devil and that’s just how things are. So when you accept those circumstances as reality, it’s like I don’t have any control over anything, and that’s just how it’s going to be.”
Kaye is also in elite company outside of The Bondsman, as he’s been a part of both the DC movie universe and the MCU with roles in Doom Patrol and She-Hulk. We wanted to know what both of those experiences were like, and one of the things that stands out most is the sheer scale of those productions and what they are trying to accomplish.
“Of those experiences, the scale was just crazy. Actually, my first union gig was Doom Patrol, and I remember meeting Timothy Dalton, and we were in this circus tent and there’s, like, a whole 120 extras, and it’s just the scale, it’s insane,” Kaye said. “The amount of detail and care with the set deck, and it’s just like on another level.”
“And the same with Marvel. I mean, I was in the last episode, and even though it was like this little bit part, I mean, the Abomination and Tatiana and then Daredevil even, there’s just so much going on, the amount of people involved, the stunts happening. It’s a different world than what I’m doing in Bondsman, which is kind of like just being a regular guy when you’re watching all these stunts and crazy stuff going on around you, and you’re like, yeah, just go over there and say your line the same way that you would normally,” Kaye said.
Kaye is excited that both universes see to be on the cusp of promising new eras, with Superman and Thunderbolts sort of leading the way in that regard, and he would love to jump back in if the opportunity comes along. “It’s a very different feeling, and I’m excited to see if a little bit of a reset gets stuff in the right direction for both of those studios. And certainly one of those things where I’m like, hey, listen, if I can sneak back onto either one of those universes, that’d be fantastic,” Kaye said.
Speaking of Marvel, there is a character he’s been dying to play at some point, and with the X-Men era approaching, it might be the perfect time.
“I love the Deadpool universe, and I really like Sabertooth, and I had long hair and a giant beard for a very long time. I was like, I’m that guy. And then I was like, I’ve only been acting for, like, six months. I’m not that guy,” Kaye said. “But, like, future, I love the idea of a villain that has merit where you’re like, I kind of see where they’re coming from. I can get behind it. They’re still probably net bad, but I see where he’s coming from. There’s rationale behind that evil.”
I couldn’t let Kaye go without talking some tabletop, specifically Magic: The Gathering and Disney Lorcana. Both games continue to release new sets and increase in popularity, and both games have also made a concerted effort to welcome in new players. For Kaye, that’s part of the appeal of Lorcana, and has been since it launched.
“I would say from my experience, and maybe it’s just generational, or maybe I’m just getting older, but I’m like, when I got into Lorcana, it felt more accepting of all types,” Kaye said. “You didn’t have to be a hardcore grinder to have fun at your weekly locals, and I feel like Magic still has a bit of, if you’re not playing one of the top five decks, like you’re a joke, you know?”
“So I think Disney did a really good job of making a game where someone who’s, I don’t know, a parent of two can be like, hey, you know what? I assemble the deck for about 50, 100 bucks, and I can still compete with the guys who are spending 500 or 600, because the game’s fairly balanced and no one’s being a jerk,” Kaye said. “I love teaching people within a match being like, hey, you know, just if you want any constructive feedback, you could probably have sequenced it this way. And I think that’s what all TCGs, and board games too, just don’t be elitist. Don’t be a freaking elitist jerk. You know what I mean? Just enjoy the fact that people want to play the game with you. That’s how the game goes longer and you have more fun over time.”
Kaye is curious to see how the game deals with things power creep, which we’ve seen addressed by other games in a variety of different ways. “I think it’s fascinating. I think I’m interested to see just because I saw the power creep of Magic, I’m really interested to see how they deal with the power creep of Lorcana and if they’re going to end up kind of doing like, cycling like they did with Magic with Standard and like, hey, when are we gonna stop using set 1 cards, etc,” Kaye said. “But right now, and I’m just going to go on the record saying this, Blue Steel is a problem. Blue is a problem. Okay. Just like in Magic, blue is a problem, but for different reasons. Oh Lord, it’s a problem. Stop giving Blue everything. Rest my case.”
You can watch Kaye in action in The Bondsman, which is available to stream on Prime Video right now.
What have you thought of The Bondsman? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things TV with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!
