Evil Television Series: A Review by Warren Bull

 

Image from Peter Forster on Unsplash

Evil: The Television Series: A Review by Warren Bull

I see this series as proof that any genre can be well-written. Although I do not usually read romance novels, I have read some that I consider exceptional. Cookbooks hold little interest to me, but I rate a few as serious literature. This series does the same for a genre that I rarely read and generally do not care for, namely horror -politically correctly labeled supernatural. 

The creators, Robert and Michelle King have written successful movies and television series including The Good Wife, a legal series that ran for seven seasons.

During its first two seasons, Evil has been nominated for 25 awards without winning any. The ensemble cast includes Katja Herbers as Dr. Kristen Bouchard, a lapsed Catholic agnostic, who is a forensic psychologist and mother of four daughters. Mike Colter plays David Acosta, a Black devout Catholic studying to become a priest, who had visions in the past and sometimes seeks them through the use of hallucinogens. Aasif Mandvi, appears as Ben Shakir, who has a religious background as a Muslim but now considers himself an atheist. He is a contractor, computer expert, and equipment handler, the most skeptical of the three.

Kristen, David, and Ben are hired by the Catholic Church to investigate possible demonic possession and possible miracles. Kristen tries to differentiate possession from mental illness. Ben seeks scientific explanations for events. David struggles with the church's history of sexual abuse, policies about the treatment of Blacks and women, and the White male-dominated hierarchy of the church, but he sees possession as a real possibility.

Kristen is the main POV character. Herbers as Kristen portrays a range of emotions in a kaleidoscope of situations with aplomb. She gives an air of believability that anchors events that are very hard for the viewer to accept as even barely possible. With a lesser actress, this could be campy or utter crap. The other two primary characters carry complex storylines with ease. The extensive supporting cast adds depth and interest. Several cast members present vivid and distinct characters. The basic concept is interesting and allows for serious questions of ethics and religion. 

Another strength is the creative representations of demons, djinn, and monsters. There is nothing cheap or distracting in how that is done. 

I do not like blood and gore, but it is justified within the boundaries of the show. Some tropes are unavoidable like – There’s a zombie/vampire/monster around here. Let’s go search for it individually. I also don’t like the tendency to put children in danger.

I don’t recommend watching the show with your children, or anyone else’s children but with consenting adults who appreciate skill in storytelling, I recommend this highly.