Villains Tonight! tells the tale of Hades as he attempts to hold onto the title of "Lord of the Underworld." After The Fates warn him that he may lose his position as supreme ruler because the Underworld is too happy a place, Hades decides to gather the most powerful Disney villains in an effort to make his underground kingdom a bit more wicked such as Dr. Facilier (removed), Ursula, Scar, Yzma and Kronk, The Evil Queen, Maleficent, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee, Cruella De Vil, Jafar and Iago.
Accompanied by Pain and Panic, in addition to some of your favorite Disney scoundrels, Hades sets off on a fun-filled quest brimming with lively musical numbers and wacky antics.
Plot
The show takes place sometime after Hades' defeat at the hands of Hercules (whom Hades forbids anyone from mentioning). Hades welcomes the audience to the Underworld, which he has renamed the "Fun-derworld" with his river of soul dancers. The Fates then arrive to inform Hades that he is lacking evil, and if he is unable to get enough evil in one evening's time, he'll no longer be allowed to rule the Underworld.
Unconvinced by this, Hades gets Pain and Panic to show the "Evil-O-Meter", but is shocked to learn that it is close to zero, so he plans to gather the Disney Villains together to get the evil levels high again. He sends Pain and Panic, with personal invites for the Evil Queen and Maleficent, stating that they are the type who need to be invited, rather than simply summoned. (In early versions, after giving the invites to Pain and Panic, Hades summons Dr. Facilier for a second opinion, and he confirms that what the Fates claim is true. This scene was cut from the show.[1])
Pain and Panic, however, take a break at a lounge under the ocean, where Ursula is the lounge singer. Hades calls them up and tells the two to deliver the invites, before looking in his rolodex for more evil. He feels he needs someone who is ambitious, and thinks of Scar. The Evil-O-Meter is then discovered by Yzma and Kronk as they hunt for Kuzco, and they head to the Secret Lab to think of how to raise the evil. Yzma comes up with the plan to host a musical number about a city ruled by her.
In a forest, Pain and Panic come across a witch, who gives Pain an apple, but rather than poison him, it gives him gas. The Witch then reveals herself to be the Evil Queen, and the two give her the invite. When learning that the invite has hugs and kisses from Hades on it, they ask if the two are lovers. The Evil Queen denies it, claiming they simply had an intimate time at Castaway Cay. Maleficent arrives, and also gets an invite (much to her surprise), but sees that it also has hugs and kisses from Hades on it. Pain and Panic then invite the audience to a "boo-off," to see who is the most evil, but it results in a tie and both the Evil Queen and Maleficent refuse to help Hades.
Hades gets more concerned when the Fates warn him in time. He considers throwing in the towel, but decides not to (after some encouragement from the audience) and notes that a villain never gives up, comparing himself to Captain Hook's hunt for Peter Pan.
On Hook's ship, after shooting one of his crew members, Captain Hook tells his crew to wash the deck, but they would rather plunder. The Crew mutiny and are about to make Hook walk the plank, when Cruella De Vil arrives, stating that in villainy, "You're either in or out," and that while Hook is out, she never is. Cruella then hosts a fashion run-way show with Dalmatian-themed attire, which she calls "Project Cruella".
Hades then sets up a reality show called "Hot Talk", feeling that the anger and violence that comes from it should raise the Evil-O-Meter. The show has him interview Iago and Kronk, and Hades has Iago bad talk Jafar, with the parrot not realizing that Jafar is backstage. Jafar arrives (scaring Kronk from the stage), but rather than violence, as Hades is hoping for, Jafar and Iago make up. (In early versions, after Jafar and Iago's scene, Hades then summons more Disney antagonists, even Chernabog, but it doesn't work, with Chernabog having to apologize to Hades. This scene was also cut from the show.)
This show of affection causes the Evil-O-Meter to drain. Hades thinks this is bad, but assures himself that the Evil Queen and Maleficent shall soon arrive to fill it up. Pain and Panic then arrive, telling Hades that the Evil Queen and Maleficent are not coming. Hades realizes that he has failed.
Suddenly, The Evil Queen and Maleficent arrive with all the other Disney Villains, to tell Hades that, while he may have gotten evil from others, he didn't look for the evil inside of him. Hades admits that he doesn't feel evil, since Hercules defeated him, but the others note that one defeat shouldn't stop him, before taunting Hades with Hercules' name, causing Hades to rage and fill the Evil-O-Meter.
The Fates congratulate Hades as ruler of the Underworld before announcing they're heading on a cruise (with the ship being the one the show is being performed on). Hades thanks the audience and the other Disney Villains for their help, with them asking, "Without a villain in the story, what does the hero have to do?”
The Reprise of Villains Tonight! - Hades, Pain, Panic, Company
Trivia
Early script drafts had the Fates mention that Hades would live among mortals if he was kicked out.[2]
While most of the Villains' musical numbers are from their respective films, Yzma is the only one whose musical number comes from a television show.
While "A Pirate's Life" is sung for Captain Hook's scene, the scene also has "Yo Ho" from Pirates of the Caribbean.
While it seems Cruella is based more on her original animated incarnation, the Fashion House idea seems to be based on her live-action and 101 Dalmatians: The Series occupation.