Ten Reasons You Should be Watching EVIL

Somehow EVIL flew completely under my radar for months, despite being quite a fan of Michael Emerson (Person of Interest, LOST). I missed the show entirely at San Diego Comic Con but then all of a sudden in September I started seeing articles suggesting that it was one of the best new shows of the season. The X-files-esque “skeptic vs believer” premise was appealing, so I tuned in to the premiere. From that first episode, the show rapidly became the one that I most looked forward to each week.

It seems to have remained a bit of a little known gem as many people with whom I’m brought up the show have never seen it or even heard of it, even though it just finished its first season and got an early renewal for season 2. I’ve taken on a bit of an evangelical role (ha!) in promoting the show because I think that EVIL is the best show that you are probably not watching!

So what’s the show about?

Three very different people – a techie, a forensic psychologist, and a priest-in-training – team up to investigate paranormal activity for the Catholic church. They are tasked with looking into reports of demonic possession, miracles, prophets, and the like. David Acosta, played by Mike Colter (Luke Cage), is a priest-to-be and the Fox Mulder of the group, although his faith is more complicated than it might initially seem. Kristen Bouchard, played by Katja Herbers (Westworld) is the Dana Scully to David’s Mulder – a very down-to-earth (except when she’s climbing mountains!) forensic psychologist, mother, and professional skeptic. Ben Shakir, played by Aasif Mandvi,  is also a skeptic, and a master of all things technology-wise.

These three characters all have one main thing in common – the desire to find the truth – though they approach it in very different ways. Along the way, they are sometimes thwarted by the forces of evil, often in the form of Leland Townsend (played gleefully by Emerson), a rival forensic psychologist who may be more than he initially seems to be.

As the name implies, the overall tone of the show is dark – a battle between good and evil where it’s not clear that good is winning. However, the show does have moments of levity to keep it from descending too deeply into the shadows. The show shifts between deep philosophical discussions, psychological thrills, exploration of human relationships, and downright “you’ve got to be kidding me” wacky moments.

Not quite hooked yet? Here’s 10 reasons why I think EVIL should be your next favorite show! (Mild spoilers to come)

1. No one plays a villain like Michael Emerson! His Leland is calculating, calm, and absolutely diabolical.  There is palpable tension whenever he comes into contact with the other characters and you can feel their frustration at not being able to best him. His worldview and his actions are positively chilling – in him we see much of what is broken in our current world. While I loved Emerson when he played the hero (Person of Interest), his villains (on LOST, Arrow, and now EVIL) are truly the most memorable and this one may be the best one yet.
2. The other characters are similarly complex. David struggles with his faith and the show alludes to struggles with family, drugs, and possibly violence. Kristen is trying to keep it together as a working mother of four daughters while her husband is abroad living their mutual dream of being a mountaineering guide on Everest. Her career feels a bit of a dead end and she struggles to pay her student loans, sometimes finding herself resenting both her daughters and her absent husband.
3. The cast is diverse and the casting is excellent. Herbers, a Dutch actress, imbues Kristen with the perfect combination of intellectual curiosity, skepticism, and harried-working-mom to make it all completely believable, no matter how crazy the story lines become. Colter plays David as a man haunted by his past, working his way towards a higher calling. He’s the gentle giant, but something more is always just below the surface. Mandvi’s Ben is a complete non-believer, yet he is frequently faced with phenomenon that he can’t explain by science or technology. He’s also very accessible and has a great relationship with both his sister and Kristen.
4. The show approaches some of the “big questions” about life and faith head-on in a way that is respectful, but also open-minded. We see through David’s eyes, those of someone who very much wants to believe what the Church is telling him, as well as the skeptical ones of Ben and Kristen. There are no answers here to life’s biggest questions, but enough thoughtful tidbits to get you pondering them.
5. Controversial topics are embraced rather than avoided. Racism, misogyny, genocide, mental illness, and domestic violence were all tackled in the first season.
6. Despite the name and the theme, EVIL does not take itself too seriously. Just when things are getting really grim, they throw something totally unexpected in for a total “WTH?” moment. Without being too spoiler-y, note that the picture below references a totally bats%#t crazy, but important, scene that left the viewers with their mouths gaping open.
7. While the show can have a creepy, unsettling effect, most episodes are unlikely to keep you up at night, especially after the first 2-3 episodes, which have a bit more of a freaky monster vibe (and feature one character’s vivid nightmares).
8. Similar to The X-files, many of the trio’s cases are never completely resolved. However, the show is more of a serial than an “unrelated mystery of the week” procedural. This means that a bit of the mythology is metered out in each episode, rather than requiring the viewer to watch several standalone episodes in between pieces of the overarching story.
9. The show has already been renewed for a second season, so there’s no concern about getting emotionally invested only to have it be cancelled after one season.
10. The season 1 finale was terrific and ended with a very unexpected cliffhanger that will have dramatic repercussions for season 2.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to get caught up on EVIL. The entire first season can be streamed on CBS.com/CBS All Access.