Evil Review: October 31 (Season 1 Episode 5)

Bad Grandma! 

The poor supervision is whatever, but you ditched your sweet hiccupy date to make-out in the alley with a DEMON!

Bad move, Grams, bad move. 

Evil Season 1 Episode 5, “October 31,” is almost as frightening as last week’s bone-chilling Evil Season 1 Episode 4, “Rose390.”

Surprisingly, it isn’t the exorcism that scares. It’s the children, including Grandma who acts like a kid. 

Townsend is so disgusting. I start to gag when he shows up at Sheryl’s date. That is after I am gripped with fear. 

What kind of demon-person is he? I suppose he could be stalking and cyber-stalking Kristen and her family like a regular human. But it sure feels like more than that. 

Clearly, he gave Sheryl’s date those hiccups. And then, on the phone with his new kissing partner (barf), he seems to be manipulating Sheryl away from discovering that the masked kid is not Brenda.

But how did he know Brenda was home sick!? DID HE MAKE HER SICK?!

If only a simple exorcism could rid us of Leland Townsend. But no, the evil he brings is much more insidious than a possession. 

Sheryl is interesting. It seems that Kristen gets her open-minded curiosity from her. But, perhaps she also gets her attraction to risk-takers from her as well? 

Red flags should be waving all over. And yet, Sheryl is literally singing with happiness. Yikes. What is really going on with Grandma? I’m excited to find out.

Fake Brenda proves that what we imagine in our minds can be so much scarier than what we actually see. In a brilliant move from the Evil team, we never actually see Fake Brenda’s face.

Fake Brenda (Rose390?) skipping through the middle of the street scaring Halloween stragglers is iconic.  

Evil is adding to the psychological horror genre’s iconography, which is a really cool accomplishment considering it has the trappings of a more ordinary procedural. 

We already have: the inexplicable personal assistant device talking about a baby, a mysterious bundle floating in the pool, and now a little blond girl skipping down the lane with a fearsome face we can’t see. 

Evil is crafting meaningful imagery that will last forever. 

The exorcism is dramatic and tense, but the overwhelming emotion it elicits is sadness, not fear.

The foggy cinematic reference to The Exorcist is a really nice touch. I adore that Kurt Fuller gets to be at the heart of the reference. As Dr. Boggs, he adds to the late-70s/early-80s vibe that is peppered throughout the episode. 

The scenes are visually interesting, with the simple dark sunglasses and the blocking choices making it seem almost satirical. 

The quiet conversation David has with the possessed woman shows that she is a real person who is being hurt very badly. She’s not a prop or a scare tactic. She’s not a pawn or a symbol. 

She’s real. 

Coming to see her as an actual person makes the exorcism more meaningful. It isn’t just a test of belief, it is a person’s life on the line.  

Her warning to David is scary; evil is coming for him. 

David already knows that he is a target, presumably because anyone who can connect with the divine through visions is going to open themselves up to attack. 

Still, his chill is remarkable. 

The demon possessing Violet tries to use David’s visions against him. And this smartly allows the exorcism plot to tie back in with Evil Season 1 Episode 3, “3 Stars.” 

This is a show that has no intention of leaving plot points hanging and just going for the creeps. It is weaving something together that, when finished, is going to reveal there was a pattern all along. 

CBS has smartly renewed Evil for a second season, so the freshman series can rest easy knowing it can take its time with its story. 

The Evil-trio (the 3 stars, if you will) is getting stronger every week. But, so it seems, is the evil they face. 

We’re buckled up for the Evil ride.

Confessional

• The weird re-cap graphics are back! I suspect there is a late-70s/early-80s film aficionado on the staff. The Blues Brothers and other old school referential elements are tenderly and strangely tucked in there. I am growing fond of them, actually.
• Ben’s whole storyline is fantastic. I am hot for Ben. Lest I show my thirst cards way too soon, we’ll just leave it at that. 
• Chef’s kiss to Kristen’s daughter’s knight costume. 
• I wonder if Kristen being at the exorcism actually hindered David’s ability to be completely vulnerable? He likes her and it seems clear that he’s not ready to show her his scars quite yet. 
• All the guest stars are excellent. My favorite on “October 31,” is Vanessa, played by Nicole Shalhoub.
• The least believable thing on the whole show is that a bunch of parents would let their little girls go over to someone’s house on Halloween night, supervised by one drunk grandma. 
• If my little granddaughter had a heart issue, there is no way in this world I would let her sit around telling ghost stories with a bunch of bigger kids. Nopety, nope. 

What did you think of this episode of Evil? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Evil airs Thursdays at 10/9c on CBS.

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