The World of Myth Magazine

BEWARE: This review contains spoilers!

Like most people, I have a practiced habit of denouncing television and film series before they make it to air, even if they capture my interest. The truth is, I, admittedly, have a very addictive personality, and I can't cope with any more series having their day in the sun only to be canceled or shelved once it's hooked its audience. I've been scorned too many times, and it's simply too hurtful! Looking at you, Netflix's Marvel shows that are now available on Disney+ and finally garnering attention after cameos, years-late-tie-ins, and desperate, but eager fans.

When I first saw previews of CBS's series 'Evil', I thought it looked interesting enough, but would probably never make it beyond its freshman season. And man-oh-man, am I eating those words. Because now all I want to talk about is the best series that deserves all the attention. So, buckle in, because yes, after having Dave's blessing (pun intended re: the subject at hand) to review television shows, I am most certainly abusing that privilege; but fret not, I'm sure I'll watch another movie someday.

So, what is 'Evil'? The show stars 'Jessica Jones' and 'Luke Cage' star (see above) Mike Colter as aspiring and eventual priest, David Acosta alongside his team of assessors for the Catholic Church, but more imposingly, for the Vatican itself. Their job is to investigate prospective religious phenomena such as demonic infestation and possession, seemingly unanswerable supernatural occurrences, and even miracles. From the beginning, the show introduces us to David and Ben (Aasif Mandvi; A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV series), Jericho, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation); David the devout, and Ben the skeptic. After a case regarding a vicious murderer also becomes the subject of investigation by the church, Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers; Westworld, The Leftovers) enters the scene in a critical role as the resident forensic psychologist and additional skeptic. Soon, the church invites Kristen to become a part of the investigation team, and her curiosity is piqued. She signs on, but not before making enemies with another psychologist, Leland Townsend (Michael Emerson; Lost, Saw). Together, they work to discover the heads of sixty demonic houses that put forward all sorts of evil forces.

It's a mouthful, and I am not remiss that there are three seasons and I'm trying to maintain some mystery to the series to avoid too many spoilers that would make the show unenjoyable for potential viewers, but after watching the phenomenal season three finale, I knew I had to talk it out, so we're in this together, okay?

Needless to say, the series takes viscerally dark twists and turns and from the very beginning, it's on solid footing, if the ground in which the feet are on is slight water-damaged hard wood with a creaking and weak support base. It's good enough to entice, don't get me wrong; season one was extremely enjoyable, especially as a horror fan, but season two seems to be where the series' groundwork is being rebuilt completely and reinforced into something with Luke Cage-strength support. Is the analogy still working and are you sick of me talking about Luke Cage?

Season one allows us to explore the tone of the series and it's done very wisely and knowingly, weaving through the intricacies of the assessment team's work with demonic activity as well as miraculous events. Not only do we meet an alleged prophet, but also a handful of the demons doing their best to manipulate their victims. The series plays in a very typical cable TV way, in that you can tell it's being juuuuust constricted enough to keep censors happy.

By the end of the first season, it's hard not to be absolutely enamored with the story and its direction, reasons I'll get into shortly. And it seems the network had some of its own feelings regarding the constraint. While the thirteen episodes of season one aired by the beginning of 2020, season two didn't see the light of day until the middle of 2021, and no longer on CBS, but newly streaming on Paramount+. This meant the gloves were, kind of, off. Those constraints were more forgiving, albeit with some humorous dubbing to include, rather than eliminate, curse words. By season 3, the show was in the best position possible to elicit exciting storylines, dialogue, visuals, and overall joy to horror fans.

The series moves in a way that establishes its voice without question; while you are eager to remain curious and regularly wonder, “What the eff?”, it also leaves you with the vague assurance reminiscent of 'The X-Files'. We, as the audience, are aware overall of the supernatural elements throughout the series, but our lead characters are left in the dark often, still working with their own beliefs and using their own skills and educations to make certain deductions. What is factual to David is not factual to Kristen or Ben, and vice versa. The show also never slaps you over the head with any ideologies, which is pleasant, and even taps into other belief systems from time-to-time. It's also very self-aware, stating certain facts before the audience can do so, and it also raises interesting questions from different perspectives that are exciting to explore as a viewer.

If you are a fan of horror and haven't given this series a chance, please do! For most horror fans, it's less about the scares and more about the artistry that goes into the elements of the genre. From the beginning, we meet the demon, George, who is attached to Kristen and haunts her dreams in the form of a sleep-paralysis ghoul. Not only is George crass and obscene, but he's the first real bout of creature-building we get to see in the series. George sets the tone, and the moment you meet him, you know the series is going to be a very interesting road to get travelled. There are so many delightful elements of creature and demon design that are so fun, and overall, made up of practical effects. That's not to say there's not CGI involved, but when it's good, it's soooo good! Afterall, we're talking about the special effects designer who has worked on some of the most impactful projects in modern film and tv like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Pirates of the Caribbean (Bootstrap Bill, anybody?), Black Panther, and so many more. Lap it all up and just enjoy the disturbing imagery because all these characters are stunning works of art!

Lending to the scope of this series is not just the amazing creature design and special effects, but also the cinematography and editing. There is an unnerving romanticism to the series visually, from the camera work that plays with angles and intimacy and isolation with its viewer. There are moments of beautiful anticipation that lurks in the dark corners of a spacious room or the slow, still settled view of a moment that waits patiently to illicit some sort of response from the viewer.

The show's score and use of silence go hand in hand. In horror, we all seem to know the usual tricks. We know the low hum and the gradual build-up, the sharp strings when something jumps out of the darkness. While the show's composer, David Buckley (who also just came off a stint of, ahem, Netflix's adaptation of The Sandman), uses very traditional sounds, he also seems to explore the notion of whimsy in his horror tones. Not in a Tim Burton and Danny Elfman way, but in tones that move in interesting ways. The show's opening credits are an unnerving delight to listen to, with its instruments that feel ever so slightly off. But the piece that stands out the most is the piece Buckley boasts on his website, titled Sigils. It appears throughout the series, and it is always so rewarding to hear. The haunting choir and thrum of the piano and strings together jumping and leaping and…you get it, it's a brilliant piece of music.

While I could go on all day about the cast, really nothing more needs to said other than, “perfect”. The ensemble is so engaging and fun, with Katja Herbers' mysterious but sturdy psychologist always playing in a contradictory but hearty manner with Mike Colter, joined with the dry humor and comradery of Aasif Mandvi, partnered with the devilishly charismatic product of Michael Emerson and Christine Lahti's roles, it's just…you just have to trust me. The cast is stellar and so much fun.

So, what is it about this series that is enigmatic? While I appreciated the entire show, it was episode seven in season two that felt like a real game changer in establishing the security of absolute creative force behind this show. 'S is for Silence' sees the team headed to a rural monastery that is, as you might have gathered, silent. Most of the episode features no dialogue, save for small moments here or there. Not only does the episode give us one of the most relatable moments of David trying to quiet his mind ultimately leading to a long, captioned string of hilarious vulgarity, but also lets us witness the brilliance of these actors. The episode is just a beacon of excellent and interesting storytelling and captivating and engaging.

I can honestly say, I could probably write an entire novel detailing how fun each episode is in its own way, and why it's the best horror series on television, in my opinion, today. It pays homage to countless horror classics, including The Exorcist (it's very on-the-nose), and while there are moments that are cheesy or silly, it plays right into the overall vibe and effect of the show. We, as an audience, are thrown into wild and unpredictable scenarios, some of which even include our main characters who we think we know well and are left to wonder what's real or fantasy. It's engaging and funny but also dark and unafraid of its voice and narrative. There were only two moments that I found particularly scary, but there are always moments of pure appreciation. It's a fun show, and after season three's finale, I cannot wait for season four!

'Evil' is available to stream on Paramount+ and I give this series the blessing of 5 out of 5 stars!