
Evil
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Bloody, spooky visuals on solid supernatural mystery.
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Evil
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Based on 4 parent reviews
Hmm.. a little much for 14/15 year olds
A Wicked Delight
What's the Story?
Supernatural mystery show EVIL stars Katja Herbers as Dr. Kristen Bouchard, a skeptical psychologist who takes a job with the Catholic church investigating unexplained mysteries such as demon possessions, hauntings, and historical miracles. Along with priest in training David Acosta (Mike Colter) and professional ghostbuster Ben (Aasif Mandvi), Kristen soon discovers there may be an ancient coven of demons ("the sixty") intent on wreaking havoc in our world and theirs -- and only those who can see them can oppose them.
Is It Any Good?
This interesting series is basically a procedural, a classic TV approach that can be stultifying in the wrong hands -- but Robert and Michelle King (The Good Wife) definitely aren't the wrong hands. The cast of this relatively small ensemble is absolutely terrific: Katja Herbers, so good in supporting roles in The Leftovers and Westworld, reads perfectly as a smart skeptic willing to revise her opinions as she learns new facts. Her scenes with her four young daughters, with authentically overlapping dialogue, ring sweetly true, and there's a crackle and pop between Kristen and David, who's calm and smooth in this role but no doubt ready to unleash some volcanic Luke Cage-style fury when necessary.
But all bets are really off, cast-wise, when Michael Emerson (you remember him as ultra-creepy Ben Linus from Lost) shows up in the first episode as mysterious villain Leland Townsend, owl-eyed behind big glasses. There's a cabal, and various Bads both big and little, and creepy spirits who show up to menace our leads, and darned if all the supernatural goings-on doesn't liven up the police procedural nicely. Evil casts a spell, and viewers won't mind falling under it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about death and the afterlife, which are prominent themes in Evil. Is the show optimistic or pessimistic? How does it use religious theology to add context to the plot?
Is Evil scary? Is it supposed to be? What specific elements of the show are scary? How does the series use visual and sound cues to amp up tensions? Pay attention to a scary scene; notice how lighting and imagery changes, and what sounds and music you hear.
How does Kristen compare to other TV portrayals of women? How common is it to have a female lead character in a mystery/suspense show? What others can you name?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 26, 2019
- Cast: Katja Herbers , Mike Colter , Aasif Mandvi , Christine Lahti
- Network: CBS
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: February 27, 2022
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