Spoilers Evil - Season 1

[TREK_GOD_1]

But how much of that is Sheryl and how much is the demon possessing her?

To address this question again, after the recent episode, I feel Sheryl is in full control, always knowing what she was doing to anyone. If she was even partially possessed, I doubt she would have had a reaction to learning what Leland planned with Andy's would-be murder of Laura if all of her actions were under the influence of possession. One repeating theme of the series is that Leland prods and cajoles new recruits, but he leaves it up to the person to embrace the beliefs and take the deep dive with action. This is to say, Sheryl chooses what she will and will not do, such as all of the reanimated Andy manipulation, and setting her own daughter up to be a pawn, then victim in the rise of the Anti-Christ.

As of this recent episode, she's choosing--hypocritically--to be outraged about the attempt on Laura's life, yet appear to not care about what Leland and his demon cult intend to do to the entire population of earth through this Anti-Christ-to-be.

Something i'm not too fond of about the writing of David, is that he (rather the showrunners) seem to be tipping off the possibility that he may leave the priesthood, of abandon faith altogether (which would--in part--send the message that the criticisms around him--about his faith--were correct, when many were not, but agenda-driven, just as various things Leland, some subjects of their investigations, or even what Ben will occasionally say). David's questioning (and not in the rational, Sister Andrea manner) and recently feeling "angry" from essentially "leaping" into / viewing the actions of evil people is just that--he's not possessed, but he's behaving like someone who is blaming the job for reactions from temporary contact. I hope he remains steadfast in his faith, commitment, and returns to his 1st season tendency to see to change certain beliefs from within his particular faith.

Then, there's Kristen. Sheesh. It's becoming clear why Leland targeted her: she is so susceptible to supernatural influence from anywhere (or its drawn to her), as seen with the coven. Despite being a psychiatrist, she fails to look within to analyze why she just falls along into so many supernatural connections / occurrences, which could pose a danger to her own life, as well as her family.

Dr. Boggs now reading scripture--but being drawn into building on his demonic story is a curious outcome, since he has no idea that Kristen's daughters are behind uploading his story--which ends with the mother character meeting a gruesome fate. It seems Leland's scheme has a number of paths as options.

Anyway, the season is still intriguing.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Silly as they are I’m a sucker for the escapades of the girls. The AI story last time cracked me up.

Well they’re not letting up with Leland and Sheryl though I think it’s getting a little clearer what’s driving Sheryl. Of course, Leland doesn’t stay on his back foot for long.

Kind of a lite episode with Andrea’s familiar battles with the forces of darkness. Ben’s final approach to embrace the changes happening to him surprised me. But I still feel like they’ve left David hanging some this season.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

How awesome does a show have to be to get me to be yelling at the screen "What are you waiting for, BAPTIZE HIM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!"

 

[JirinPanthosa]

So I guess that was the finale? I thought season 4 was a planned ending, but it looks like they didn't plan to end it but it got cancelled anyway. That's really disappointing. Only one major plotline was kinda resolved. I hope the show gets a real ending somehow.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

So I guess that was the finale? I thought season 4 was a planned ending, but it looks like they didn't plan to end it but it got cancelled anyway. That's really disappointing. Only one major plotline was kinda resolved. I hope the show gets a real ending somehow.

I was confused by that as well. Apparently that was the original season finale. From what I understand the next four episodes are an extended "season 5" so they could have a chance to wrap things up better.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772802977150963884

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

So in E10, Sheryl finally taps out, after trying to kill Leland on her own. Either she was underestimating him all along, or assumed any of the demons would not be around that house to aid him. Both. Some viewers are calling Sheryl's final episode the cap of a redemption arc, but one cannot forget that she--knowing who and what Leland's Satanist group are (including living demonic creatures out in the open)--was still willing to be a part of the company (as of E9) once she believed Leland was fired from the group. That was not about protecting her grandson (getting him Baptized served that purpose, which that episode suggested prevented the baby from being the right subject for the Antichrist), but attaining power for herself and the other female employees. Again, atheist or not, she--of her own free will--decided to remain a member of the company (aware of the evil they were committing) until Leland murdered the manager.

I'm sure everyone paid close attention to two character moments during the prayer scene in the bathroom: one--three of Kristen's daughters (Lynn--obviously, Lila & Laura) actively prayed with Sister Andrea, but Lexis did not. Clearly, there's a reason for this--that's yet to be fully explored (after the tail business revealed seasons ago), but I do wonder what the showrunners were waiting for.

Perhaps the biggest moment of the episode was David and Kristen essentially declaring their love for each other, with Kristen's "I wish I had two lives...both for you" especially telling in that she desires to share all of her life with David, not even mentioning her zombified (arguably) rehabbing husband. Responsible showrunners cannot really dial this scene back; some might say their declaration acknowledges how there's a barrier preventing them from finally being together, but there's no creatively satisfying way of bottling that back up, as it was the natural culmination of their relationship since the beginning of the series.

Frustrating as this series can be from time to time, I feel Kristen will take care of the baby, thus keeping the Satanic group's plans alive, and endangering her entire family. That might be the stuff of drama, but if the heroes are aware of the Antichrist plot, they would not continue to make that home ground zero for supernaturally evil acts / creatures.

Just putting it out there, that I hope there are no more main character deaths. One was enough to raise the stakes for the heroes.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I thought that was the ending, it's a relief the show will still get a real ending.

I don't think the baby is a threat to the family as long as Kristen is raising it. The demon has been baptized away, in order to become the 'Antichrist' he would have to be raised being taught to be evil.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I thought that was the ending, it's a relief the show will still get a real ending.

I don't think the baby is a threat to the family as long as Kristen is raising it. The demon has been baptized away, in order to become the 'Antichrist' he would have to be raised being taught to be evil.

The problem with Kristen raising the child is that she may not be evil, but her beliefs (or lack of them) seem to be one of the reasons her family and home were ground zero for the Satanic events / visitations throughout the entire series. Her initially hostile response to Lynn considering becoming a nun ("Fuck that!" I believe was Kristen's response, if memory serves) is exactly the kind of conditions Leland and his group focused on.

Kristen may not be as hostile to faith as in recent times, but she--and that house--might not be the right place to raise a child who may or may not be entirely free of part of his origin. He might be better off being raised as a ward of the church--David's church--where he would be a more protective environment (specifically Sister Andrea), considering the child is still Leland's focus for bringing the Antichrist into the world.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

The penultimate episode raises some interesting questions. That Leland got a little more good and David got a little more evil, that the Entity is religious but evil and how all that will turn out. I honestly have no idea how the finale is going to go but I'm excited.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

The penultimate episode raises some interesting questions. That Leland got a little more good and David got a little more evil, that the Entity is religious but evil and how all that will turn out. I honestly have no idea how the finale is going to go but I'm excited.

Well, Evil's series finale dropped today, and I was concerned the one hour running time would lead to rushed, truncated wrap-ups. Without spoiling anything, I will say I was very satisfied with the majority of the arcs, with the exception of one rather large one, that was sort of left hanging in the winds....

 

[JirinPanthosa]

I was pretty satisfied with the ending. Unless I missed some other meaning of that cabinet,

Spoiler: Leland

Leland ended up getting successfully exorcised, right? I wish they'd shown a little more of his fate.

But I kinda liked the twist that the ancient evil families aren't something you can physically fight and defeat anymore because they've moved their evil plans into the interaction of man and machine, which I think is just the right note for the time we live in. And of course the funny last scene with the baby.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

I thought the final episode in particular did a good job of wrapping things up in a way that fit with what Evil had become over the seasons. The series could be very over-the-top and melodramatic at times so it made sense that it was wrapped up in a similar fashion. Leland coming through the basement hole was great. Similarly the stuff with the girls and the crazy VR tech plot seemed very on-brand.

I don't remember completely how the demonic cabinet in the silent monastery worked. I guess I might need to revisit that episode.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I was pretty satisfied with the ending. Unless I missed some other meaning of that cabinet,

Spoiler: Leland

Leland ended up getting successfully exorcised, right? I wish they'd shown a little more of his fate.

But I kinda liked the twist that the ancient evil families aren't something you can physically fight and defeat anymore because they've moved their evil plans into the interaction of man and machine, which I think is just the right note for the time we live in. And of course the funny last scene with the baby.

Leland was not exorcised...or was he? He was deposited into the "demon cabinet" (from S2's "S is for Silence"), where its suggested he will be trapped there for eternity, since the only thing which would release him...and the world-destroying demon is to merely speak, hence the reason it is stored in the monastery where no words are ever spoken. I was glad Sister Andrea appeared pleased with her new position, which includes making sure Leland is condemned to some Hellish netherworld forever.

I thought the final episode in particular did a good job of wrapping things up in a way that fit with what Evil had become over the seasons. The series could be very over-the-top and melodramatic at times so it made sense that it was wrapped up in a similar fashion. Leland coming through the basement hole was great. Similarly the stuff with the girls and the crazy VR tech plot seemed very on-brand.

I don't remember completely how the demonic cabinet in the silent monastery worked. I guess I might need to revisit that episode.

I believe the series could not have ended in a more satisfying way within the in-universe timeframe of a few days; despite arguing that she wanted her normal life back, Kristen uproots her family to join David in Rome (after getting the convenient, yet pointed message, "A risk not taken is us a life not lived" / "Never give up a chance to fuck or travel" from her doppelganger). Such a major move was a cap to the issue of just how close David & Kristen were (aside from the bathroom conversation during the storm, and Ben telling David they were meant for each other), so her relocating felt perfectly natural.

Some Evil fans have expressed an intense dislike for Kristen, accusing the character of being a hypocrite for her reaction to / decision about Andy as he was being "abandoned" (often downplaying his admission of finding someone else who understands him, and sticks with that choice), when she committed adultery earlier in the series and fell in love with David. Some have accused the showrunners of "pushing an agenda" regarding David and Kristen, as if their relationship was not presented as organic and honest, which it most certainly has been over the series' 4 seasons.

The showrunners have said they wanted the baby / Lexis plots left ambiguous, since both are still part demon, and Kristen never learned about Lexis' true nature. Still, despite some misdirection from the showrunners, Lexis does not appear to be the "AntiChrist protector" her grandmother believed her to be.

Poor Ben. He's so emotionally withdrawn, that he stumbled through his "I love you" response.

In any case, Evil was not a great series, but very, very strong, and memorable, addressing a wealth of spiritual and personal issues rarely addressed on any other type of TV series, using its supernatural elements in logical, effective ways often not to be found in genres where such creatures and occurences are the order of the day, but handled with as much sense as a Saturday morning cartoon from the 80s.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Leland was not exorcised...or was he? He was deposited into the "demon cabinet" (from S2's "S is for Silence"), where its suggested he will be trapped there for eternity, since the only thing which would release him...and the world-destroying demon is to merely speak, hence the reason it is stored in the monastery where no words are ever spoken. I was glad Sister Andrea appeared pleased with her new position, which includes making sure Leland is condemned to some Hellish netherworld forever.

Ahh, I wish they'd been more explicit about that because I forgot about that story detail completely.

In any case, Evil was not a great series, but very, very strong, and memorable, addressing a wealth of spiritual and personal issues rarely addressed on any other type of TV series, using its supernatural elements in logical, effective ways often not to be found in genres where such creatures and occurences are the order of the day, but handled with as much sense as a Saturday morning cartoon from the 80s.

What I love about the series is how willing it was to be openly ridiculous. When it first started it seemed like it was going to be Demon X Files where they never truly confirm or deny demonic influence and always give a scientific out for every situation. But they confirmed the literal existence of demons really early and just went with it. Some aspects of it went full Buffy, especially when it came to Andrea, but also when it came to demons being fully committed metaphors of real life evils.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Ahh, I wish they'd been more explicit about that because I forgot about that story detail completely.

I suppose the showrunners assumed longtime viewers would recall so creepy and important an artifact as the demon cabinet.

What I love about the series is how willing it was to be openly ridiculous. When it first started it seemed like it was going to be Demon X Files where they never truly confirm or deny demonic influence and always give a scientific out for every situation. But they confirmed the literal existence of demons really early and just went with it. Some aspects of it went full Buffy, especially when it came to Andrea, but also when it came to demons being fully committed metaphors of real life evils.

I too apreciated the series jumping right in with confirmation of the existence of demons, despite the frustrating tendency for the producers to have their main characters rarely share their experiences with each other. Even hard athiest Ben had his moments where he could not provide (or create) and explanation for his encounters, whether it was the Djinn, the hidden floor of the hotel, etc.

Some fans are debating the baby's nature, wondering if the baptism had been ineffective. I believe it worked, since Sister Andrea saw the demon within the child, and its "removal" during the baptism episode. That said, if the baby is part demon, I guess David would recommend performing an exorcism (to start) on the child, which might awaken the "protector" role in Lexis which Cheryl revealed in her video.

If this ever hits blu-ray, I would love see some of the alternate takes (read: plots) which were left on the cutting room floor.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Her youngest girl had the sharp teeth too, remember in the dentist's office when she nearly bit a finger off. Having a demonic aspect does not make him evil.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Also wasn't that episode early season 3? I only watched through the series once and that episode was two years ago.

One other thing I appreciated was the scene in the second to last episode where Father Zek opened up about how aware he is about how his religion is viewed in modern times, how people treat him like he's stupid.

It's tough because people who are religious aren't stupid. Just, the church has become so associated with the politics of exclusion and judgmentalism oriented at people objectively hurting nobody, it's lost moral authority with so many people.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Her youngest girl had the sharp teeth too, remember in the dentist's office when she nearly bit a finger off. Having a demonic aspect does not make him evil.

I thought Lexis was the one with the sharp teeth (and bit the dentist), which was the first sign of her being demonic? Not certain, but the Lexis subplot may have been a part of S2.

One other thing I appreciated was the scene in the second to last episode where Father Zek opened up about how aware he is about how his religion is viewed in modern times, how people treat him like he's stupid.

I was pleased the series never presented the most visible religious characters as idiots. Some were certainly corrupt (The Entity's members), or lost their way (or never found it) such as Father Ignatius, but there were no flat out acts of cluelessness or buffoonery among the members, and of course, David was sharp, and able to hold his own with most.