EVIL Season 1 Episode 5 Review: October 31
Jessica Lerner
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They say don't call it a comeback, so we won't.
And if you happen to need clarity to what I'm referring to, that would be the way that EVIL Season 1 Episode 5 surprisingly rebounded after the disasterous EVIL Season 1 Episode 4.
Sure, there were still issues -- namely the subplot involving Kristen's daughters -- but it managed to deliver something pretty great.
Viewers got their first look into what an exorcism on the series would look like, and it seemed like the average TV fanfare.
What made it stand out was the length of the exorcism, which viewers were told was longer than usual, and the constant back-and-forth.
Dr. Boggs: This is not supernatural Father. This is a sick woman who is in danger of harming herself.
Father Amara: No, she is in danger of being harmed by supernatural forces.
Something was obviously wrong with the woman, but instead of just Kristen and Acosta arguing over whether it was possession or not, Father Amara and Kristen's therapist Dr. Boggs got in on the fun.
And things seemed pretty par for the course until the woman mentioned Acosta's visions.
As a man of the cloth, predicting the priest-in-training is having visions or communing with God isn't that far of a stretch.
What made Acosta -- and viewers -- pause, though, was the woman's comment about the three stars, which has become a focal point in his visions.
Acosta: What if it’s not delusions?
Kristen: Dr. Boggs has graduated Johns Hopkins. He’s got 30 years treating schizophrenia, but I mean sure, let’s just get his professional opinion and ignore it.
Acosta: I understand that. All I’m asking is what if her possession is not delusion.
Dr. Boggs: You’re calling me here and asking me to believe, but I deal in facts, psychiatry. I look at her and see a very sick woman who needs a doctor’s care and may die without it.
Acosta: And we see a very sick woman who may die if we stop.
There's no rational way she could have known about that, and yet she did, making Acosta a true believer at that moment.
While the night's events weren't enough to convert Kristen since she left before the end of the exorcism, they might have made a believer out of Dr. Boggs.
Or at the very least, make him question a few things.
As a non-medical professional, I can't say with certainty whether there's an explainable reason for the woman returning to her old self.
However, something happened during that conversation with Acosta, and it seems to have made an impression on Dr. Boggs.
Related: EVIL Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Rose 390
Whether it was the psychological comfort that she was no longer in danger or the demon finally getting exorcised, it's unclear.
Whatever it was, the woman seemed to be doing much better in the final scene, providing both a happy ending and the looming question of if it was a demonic possession or not.
Also on the plus side, Ben got an entire subplot all to himself.
Separating him from the team at this early point in the series could have been disastrous if the character wasn't so likable.
It’s Halloween night and our investigation takes us to Jersey to one of the most haunted strip clubs in Jersey City.
Tony
His scenes gave the character a chance to shine, as they provided both opportunities for snarky comments and vulnerability.
Plus, seeing him go on a series that was essentially the made-for-TV version of his job was pretty darn epic.
And the idea for a haunted strip club was ingenious, further showing how inane that paranormal show was.
Predictably, Ben had no problems debunking the show's gimmicks, though it was surprising how easily he opened up to the show's own resident skeptic, Vanessa.
We live in a world that is made up of bits and pixels, and it is so easy to manipulate them and create whatever we want. And I hate that because it encourages superstition and conspiracy theories. I just don’t like when you can’t tell what is real and what is fake.
Ben
The pair had a great conversation about how most of what they deal with isn't supernatural, but each have had their own share of experiences that they just can't explain.
It was a nice moment that ended up getting ruined when Ben found out their conversation was being recorded.
It was the first time Ben had opened up about his uncertainty, something he felt he couldn't do with Acosta or Kristen.
That made it all the more disappointing when he was seemingly betrayed by Vanessa.
Ben: You don’t really believe in this crap?
Vanessa: Ninety-five percent of what we shoot is helped along, but the other 5 percent – I’ve seen some stuff you can’t exactly explain.
She made him feel like he could trust her, but she just ended up using him for content for the show.
In the end, the pair managed to patch things, and hopefully we'll be seeing more of her as Ben did manage to snag her phone number.
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A romantic pairing between the two is something fans could get behind as their chemistry is off the charts.
As for other romantic pairings, how fun is it seeing Townsend and Sheryl together?
Obviously, Townsend only pursued Sheryl to get under Kristen's skin, but their interactions so far have been just delicious to watch.
Townsend: Was your friend OK?
Sheryl: Excuse me?
Townsend: Your friend?
Sheryl: Oh, yeah, he just had some hiccups. He’ll be fine.
Townsend: I’m glad. I knew a man that had hiccups like that; he had a heart attack and died.
Sheryl: I’m so sorry.
Townsend: That’s all right. He was suicidal anyway.
Plus, Sheryl has been underutilized throughout the series so far, only relegated to babysitter duty, so any chance to spend more than five minutes with her is appreciated.
Due to the lack of screen time over the past four episodes, I don't have an opinion on the character.
She seems like the cool relative who would take you to a rock concert without your parents' consent and get you in with a fake ID.
She's someone teenagers would want to hang out with, but maybe not the most reliable of caretakers.
Sheryl: Ok, take it off.
Townsend: I’m practically naked here.
Sheryl: Wait, what color are your underwear? Let me guess: They’re boxers, and they’re Cupid hearts.
Townsend: Worse, Jedi knights.
That was proven true tenfold when Sheryl didn't even realize Kristen's daughters and their friends had a) left the bedroom, b) went down into the basement, and c) ended up in a local cemetery.
Kristen should rethink her choice of babysitter in the future, as three out of four of her daughters ended up in a graveyard at night.
And speaking of her daughters, I'm compelled to wonder why the writers decided to give this annoying foursome yet another substantial subplot.
Once again, the girls found themselves dealing with a creepy little girl, this time going by the name of "Brenda."
Except "Brenda" wasn't really Brenda, so it's not really clear who that little girl was supposed to be.
Related: EVIL Season 1 Episode 3 Review: 3 Stars
Was she a demon in disguise or just some kid who got off on having the girls play a game where they pretend to kill their parents and bury them?
And since the writers were so adamant about introducing yet another creepy little girl, wouldn't it have made more sense to nod to "Brenda" being Rose390?
Some mentioned the Rose390 plot from EVIL Season 1 Episode 4 felt unresolved, so having "Brenda" be Rose390, the Wednesday Addams-like character from the scary virtual reality game, would have made sense.
Only now, it's more confusing than ever why Kristen's daughters keeping "attracting" creepy little girls as playmates.
Once upon a time there was a girl who was so burned by her parents that she looked like a monster. No one could look at her for more than a minute. She couldn’t go outside because people were too scared of her. They would scream and they would run away, but Halloween night was the only night she could go out because she could wear a mask and no one thought it was weird. And no one was scared of her until she took it off.
Fake Brenda
It's a question that if indeed does receive an answer means spending an ample amount of time watching the shrieking girls on the TV screen.
Maybe it would just be better to "quit" while the writers are behind and drop these wasteful subplots, but knowing the Kings, they probably have something clever up their sleeves that may make it all worth it.
Some stray thoughts:
- There wasn't much mention of the show's larger mythology, but there were some subtle references, including the three stars from Acosta's vision and another mention of the Sixty. Hopefully, this means we're getting back on track and will be getting answers soon.
- Was anyone else curious how Kristen's daughters and their friends got to the cemetery? Is there one right around the corner, or did they simply walk there? And if the latter, how come no adults asked where their parents were?
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Can we please see more of Sheryl and Dr. Boggs in the future? I would much rather spend time with them than with Kristen's annoying girls who the series seems intent on showing.
So what did you think EVIL Fanatics?
What's your new favorite 'ship: Ben and Vanessa or Sheryl and Townsend?
How will Kristen react when she finds out about her mother and nemesis cozying up?
Are "Brenda" and Rose390 the same little girl?
Hit the comments below to let my know your thoughts. If you happened to miss the latest episode, don't worry. You can watch EVIL online right here at TV Fanatic.
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Jessica Lerner was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in October 2021.
