Paramount+ Evil (Formerly on CBS) (1 Viewer)

[Doug Wallen]

This one handled the "possession" well, just beginning to get a more supernatural vibe about all of the things concerning Kristen, David and Ben.

Dr. Townsend (Michael Emerson) is still the creepiest thing about this series.

 

[Matt Hough]

This fourth episode I found genuinely creepy and quite disturbing. I felt unsettled for the entire forty minutes of running time, and Michael Emerson didn't even make an appearance!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

This fourth episode I found genuinely creepy and quite disturbing. I felt unsettled for the entire forty minutes of running time, and Michael Emerson didn't even make an appearance!

This show gets under my skin like no other. The ending with the family of the possible possession was quite shocking. Very few cable shows would go there, much less a network drama.

And "Rose 390" was also very creepy -- especially because we never found out who was on the other end.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yes, this was by far the best episode and I agree with you that I was surprise the network went there about the possible possession. I have to wonder if they're done with "Rose 390"?

 

[Walter Kittel]

Watched this earlier today and it really creeped me out. All of those damn rabbits.

I have a question about the conclusion of the episode and Kristen's reaction. Was her breakdown at the sink a reaction to:

A) Getting news about her husband (not revealed to the viewer)
B) Not getting an email or call from her husband, preying on her uncertainty.
C) A delayed reaction to events associated with the McCrystal family.
D) Perhaps some combination of A/C or B/C

The show certainly embraces ambiguity and I thought no scene typified that more than the finale.

BTW, Kristen needs to talk to her mom about the kind of gifts she gives her grandkids.

- Walter.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

I would vote for option C. We're talking about parents who murdered one of their own children to protect their other two children. Being home with her own children, it probably hit home as a parent in a way that it didn't earlier when she was in her professional mindset.

That being said, the lack of confirmation of her husband's safety after Rose390 said he was dead felt very conspicuous. Katja Herbers and Mike Colter have crazy chemistry together, but Kristen is married and David is preparing for a life of celibacy so neither is in a position for a romantic entanglement. We'll see how aggressive the writers get about clearing the obstacles in their path.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Per CBS, the "critically acclaimed new drama EVIL has been renewed for a second season in 2020-2021. EVIL will conclude its 13-episode first season on Jan. 30, 2020."

While initial ratings were not promising, it's been the only new show to actually go up in ratings week-to-week. CBS has also had a lot of success selling it in foreign television markets, which helps defray the cost.

I'm glad that they're sticking with short 13-episodes runs rather than trying to force them to hit this quality for 22 episodes at a time. At its best, "The Good Wife" could do it, but I can't think of another recent show that could.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This is another 10:00 p.m. show that a lot of people DVR for later viewing.

 

[jcroy]

I'm glad that they're sticking with short 13-episodes runs rather than trying to force them to hit this quality for 22 episodes at a time. At its best, "The Good Wife" could do it, but I can't think of another recent show that could.

Hmmm ......

Wonder why they're not getting a 9 episodes back end order for the first season (for a total of 13 + 9 = 22 episodes).

For example, are they planning to dump the show to the summer schedule or the streaming service?

 

[Doug Wallen]

Glad it has been renewed. This has been an exceptional series so far. Really like all aspects of this. Still reeling from last weeks final minutes.

 

[Matt Hough]

Delighted to read that it has been renewed. And the Kings were smart to insist on 13-episode seasons. Now that they've mastered how to do short form TV seasons with The Good Fight, I doubt they'd ever want to go back to the grind of a 22-episode season again.

 

[David Weicker]

Well, I’m out.

there’s a line between scary and sick, and last night’s episode crossed it.

the prior episodes were interesting, but to me, it’s now the equivalent of kiddie porn or a snuff film. The show revels in glorifying evil over all other things.

I can see no redeeming value, much less anything entertaining. I’m just repulsed.

removed from my DVR.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I found the latest episode disturbing, but, damn they crossed the line???? I must say the grandmother is a horrible baby-sitter.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I almost forgot that I did like the homage paid to "The Exorcist".

 

[David Weicker]

I found the latest episode disturbing, but, damn they crossed the line???? I must say the grandmother is a horrible baby-sitter.

Having the two older sisters put their protesting younger (already traumatized from last week) sister into a grave as a ‘game’ - no way I’m ever watching this again

 

[Robert Crawford]

Having the two older sisters put their protesting younger (already traumatized from last week) sister into a grave as a ‘game’ - no way I’m ever watching this again

A younger sister with a heart condition.

 

[Matt Hough]

Yes, that grandmother should be hiding her head in shame for her neglect, just because she got aroused by a man's attention.

But, hey, the show is called Evil. I wouldn't expect anything less than some of the disturbing events we've seen thus far.

 

[Malcolm R]

I'm not really a fan of kids in general, and Kristen's girls are extremely annoying and are getting far too much screen time. Thankfully I have this show on the DVR so I can fast-forward through those scenes. Makes for a very short episode.

Also not really a fan of Michael Emerson. Haven't liked him in any show he's been on.

I'm not really sure what happened at the end of the Rose episode. We're led to believe that the parents did something bad to their son, but it sounds like an incredibly sloppy attempt if they really did it. Why would they even call in the police? Especially if, as it sounds, there was blood visible in the house? All they had to do was sit tight and explain to anyone who inquired about Eric's whereabouts that they'd shipped ihm off to another program/institution for treatment. Everyone knew he had serious issues, so no one would have questioned them. Seems like more sloppy writing, unless they intend that Eric is actually still alive and will bring him back for a future episode. I guess the other option is that the mother took action of which the father is unaware and she cannot bring herself to confess to him. He came home, saw the blood, found Eric is missing, and called in the police unaware of what his wife has done.

Found the last episode very irritating as David pulled Kristen away from her family because of the "emergency" then dismissed everything she said out of hand. She may as well have not even been there, as it was apparent they were going to do whatever they wanted to regardless of her input. If I were her or her colleague, I would have called in the police. It seemed like a very cheap and poorly written way to create the drama with the kids and grandmother.

Not quite sure why I'm still watching, but since it's only 13 episodes, I'll probably keep going at least until the end of this season just out of minor curiosity.

While they may have re-created a scene from The Exorcist, the series of The Exorcist that was on Fox a couple years ago was far better than this series.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Yeah, I'm not sure why you're still watching it either.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

This continues to be the creepiest show on television. Perfect October fare.

The Halloween episode seemed like the perfect time for the show to put its cards on the table, and show us some things that seemed pretty unambiguously supernatural with the possessed wife.

I must say the grandmother is a horrible baby-sitter.

She's not the most hands on, but in fairness Kristen had told her to expect another little girl named Brenda and then a girl appeared and introduced herself as Brenda. I would have been maybe a bit suspicious that her parents weren't around, but otherwise I'm not sure I'd have questioned it in her shoes, either.

Having the two older sisters put their protesting younger (already traumatized from last week) sister into a grave as a ‘game’ - no way I’m ever watching this again

I guess I'm just sick or desensitized, but that didn't really stand out to me as more obviously awful than anything else this show has done. When I was a kid, we'd play games like that all the time.

And as far as the girls were aware, the girl in the mask was their normally boring friend Brenda and this was all game. It's not like they'd started actually burying her.

The brother attempting to drown his infant sister last week -- and then his parents killing him for it -- seemed a lot more shocking to me.

Yes, that grandmother should be hiding her head in shame for her neglect, just because she got aroused by a man's attention.

And not just any man, but an agent of Satan and in all probability a demon.

I'm not really a fan of kids in general, and Kristen's girls are extremely annoying and are getting far too much screen time. Thankfully I have this show on the DVR so I can fast-forward through those scenes. Makes for a very short episode.

For me, those scenes are important because they establish the stakes. In this battle between good and evil, Kristen has four innocents in her care and that makes her very, very vulnerable. I also think they've been featured in some of the creepiest storylines -- with both Kristen and Laura seeing George, and Rose390 in the game, and now "Brenda".

Also not really a fan of Michael Emerson. Haven't liked him in any show he's been on.

Fortunately, in this show you're not supposed to like him. He is playing a literal embodiment of evil.

All they had to do was sit tight and explain to anyone who inquired about Eric's whereabouts that they'd shipped ihm off to another program/institution for treatment. Everyone knew he had serious issues, so no one would have questioned them.

I think you're underestimating the visceral reaction that a parent can have when someone threatens the life of their child. Even if that person is another of your children.

Seems like more sloppy writing, unless they intend that Eric is actually still alive and will bring him back for a future episode. I guess the other option is that the mother took action of which the father is unaware and she cannot bring herself to confess to him. He came home, saw the blood, found Eric is missing, and called in the police unaware of what his wife has done.

That's a possibility I suppose. But it was pretty clear to me that one or both of the parents killed the son, who might have been possessed or might have just been a psychopath.

Found the last episode very irritating as David pulled Kristen away from her family because of the "emergency" then dismissed everything she said out of hand. She may as well have not even been there, as it was apparent they were going to do whatever they wanted to regardless of her input.

David called Kristen in because he himself was skeptical and disagreed with the priest performing the exorcism. But then the demon spoke to specific things from his visions that the possessed woman couldn't possibly know. That's when he changed his position.

It seemed like a very cheap and poorly written way to create the drama with the kids and grandmother.

It didn't seem cheap to me. It seemed insidious. I wouldn't be surprised if the girl under the mask was Rose390, and that she -- like Leland -- is one of the sixty. The scene with her at the end, having discarded her mask and scaring the children on the street with her unseen burned face was genuinely unnerving.