Evil Review: Rose390 (Season 1 Episode 4)
Holy hell, Evil really went there. They. Killed. Their. Own. Son.
I am deeply disturbed by Evil Season 1 Episode 4, “Rose390,” and it is fantastic.
“Rose390,” showcases how careless parenting can leave children vulnerable to harm. It seems like a fairly innocuous message.
The parenting in question is problematic, but nothing abusive or outside the range of what “good parents” do. Arguably, even Papa Bouchard isn’t an entirely awful father just because he’s away for his job.
That normalcy of the ways in which the parents on “Rose390” fail to protect their children is why it is terrifying to the core.
We don’t want to believe that evil can get in so easily, especially, ESPECIALLY, to our kids.
There is literally nothing in this world more terrifying to me that the idea of losing my sons. The subversive and overt ways the children on “Rose390,” are taken from their parents is incisively effective at scaring the pants off of every parent watching.
Sarah McCrystal’s decision to save one child by ending the life of another makes me want to vomit.
Heather Lind’s portrayal of the desperate mother perfectly captures the absolute horror of her choice. Her quivering lip as she stands in the doorway and makes eye contact with Kristen, knowing she knows the depth of her anguish because she is also a mother, is unraveling.
It is the scariest episode yet.
I feel the connection between Ben and Kristen getting hotter as he takes on a fatherly presence in her household. But, he is not a dad-joke kind of guy.
Instead, he brings safety. He takes Kristen and her daughters seriously, and he is bold in taking care of them. It is very attractive.
I can confirm that my feelings on Evil Season 1 Episode 3, “3 Stars,” have not changed. I ship Ben and Kristen! Ship name KristBen?
Alongside its frightening case of the week, the episode brings us deeper into the personal lives of its main characters.
Kristen’s family situation is beyond strange. Her overly chatty daughters are very close in age. And the biggest perplexing part of her home life is the gaping absence of her husband.
The daughters call this out on the episode, and we see Kristen be a loving mom and quiet their fears. But Kristen herself seems to never be thinking about her husband.
What does that all mean? Very few clues are given.
I adore that her life is so weird and complex.
The show has claimed that evil works in puzzles and no straight lines. The Bouchard family and the core Evil trio are certainly not straight lines.
More Evil is coming their way. And we’ll be here, cuddling under layers of cozy blankets to make sure the evil doesn’t jump through the screen at us.
Confessional
- Eric’s emotionless stare through his inky black eyes is 10,000 times scarier than demon George.
- David’s love of graphic novels has to be a reference to Mike Colter’s work as Luke Cage.
- Why would you only buy two of the VR machines? Come on, grandma. That’s asking for war!
- What IS with those stars, though?
- I don’t not ship David and Kristen. They have excellent chemistry and I enjoy the constant contrasting of black and white between the two.
- The weird recap graphics are gone. Hooray!
- Those bunnies are also terrifying. No, thank you.
What did you think of this episode of Evil? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
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Evil airs Thursdays at 10/9c on Fox.
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Janelle Ureta
Janelle Ureta is equal parts Veronica Mars, Raven Reyes, and Rebecca Bunch, but she aspires to add some Tammy Taylor to the mix. An attorney turned teacher, Janelle believes in the power of a well-told story. She is currently exploring how to tell short stories, 140 characters or less, on twitter. She loves to talk about TV, and right now she can't shut up about Timeless, Dear White People, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The 100, or Younger.
9 comments
This was a good episode. That kid was far gone as nd only these three c as red. Sad.
What weird recap graphics are you referring to?
They were at the very beginning of the episodes and they recapped what happened on the previous episode. They were like rectangles within the screen and the milky white backdrop was there as different scenes transitioned. They were so strange!
It doesn’t make sense. As soon as that boy tried to kill the baby, he should have been taken out of the house.
Criminal Minds had a similar case a few years back. It was as chilling as this one, even though they gave it another name, arguably.
Criminal Minds had a similar storyline a few years back. It was as chilling as this one, even though they arguably gave it a different name.
The evil kid storyline or the VR story? Both are so scary. I haven’t watched Criminal Minds– I’ve been told I’d love it!
I’m going through and catching up on your reviews here, and I just want to say YES to your shipping Ben and Kristen. I loved your description of Ben’s actions this episode in relation to Kristen and her family:
Instead, he brings safety. He takes Kristen and her daughters seriously, and he is bold in taking care of them. It is very attractive. – This. All of this.
This episode is probably my favorite one from the season thus far, creepy though it is. The case was intriguing (albeit sad), and I liked the personal side of things as well.
It doesn’t make sense. As soon as that boy tried to kill the baby, he should have been taken out of the house.
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