Evil Review: Vatican III (Season 1 Episode 7)

Evil Season 1 Episode 7, “Vatican III,” is next level terrifying as it showcases the insidious evil of male entitlement. 

From the chilling opening sequence to the gasp-inducing reveal about David’s father, the episode elevates our interest, our attachment to the characters, and our blood pressure. 

Evil is a one of a kind program that masterfully combines traditional genres while subverting some of their elements.

Horror, comedic, and crime-thriller elements are all given reverence and genuine attention. Heck, we even get romance (I saw that flirting Ben and Kristen, and no one can deny your chemistry, David and Kristen)!

Annaleigh Ashford, hot damn. What a performance!

Her portrayal as possessed woman Bridget Farwell is sublime. 

It is intense and doesn’t hold back the nasty. Really, it doesn’t hold back anything. 

The contrast between Kristen’s calm and direct demeanor and Howard’s manic and distracting demeanor heightens the impact of the performance. 

The only time Bridget softens and seems to peek out from Howard’s control is when Kristen mentions Bridget’s miscarriage. When Kristen admits her own loss and her own pain, we see the evil fight to stay in control. 

That is the power of empathy, it casts out evil. 

Given Ashford’s ferocious delivery, it is remarkable that it also manages to be delicate. There is an elegance to her movements that wonderfully accompanies the violence. 

It is a fully realized role, but it is never over the top. There aren’t hints of the comedic or satirical. 

Even with the multitude of voices that clearly are an altered version of Ashford’s own voice, it’s not campy. 

The show is carefully building the case that even though evil appears ridiculous, it is real and we should take it, in all of its many forms, seriously.

Bridget’s storyline ends rather unceremoniously. My only criticism of the five-star episode is that we aren’t given a check-in with Bridget after her arrest or release.

Her mindset, including whether or not she will likely remain under the coercive control of her husband, is intriguing and feels very relevant. 

Perhaps Bridgette will appear on future episodes as the Evil-trio investigates the demon tree.

The B story on “Vatican III,” bolsters the idea that the Demon Tree presents: evil is coming at us from all around. 

The coffee-shop rejection of young Sebastian is eerily relatable.

Most of us have been on both sides of this equation at some point in our lives. It can be easy to mistake friendly for interest, especially when part of the other person’s job is to be friendly. It can also be difficult and uncomfortable, scary even, to reject a customer’s advances. 

The universal nature of the experience Sebastian and the barista go through helps to make it powerful, even though it’s not directly connected to the main plot and characters. 

What I really appreciate about this storyline is how there is room for compassion and empathy for Sebastian. He didn’t start off enraged and entitled. 

He is hurt and confused.

He is radicalized by an evil man who convinces him it is just to turn his hurt into punishment. Leland is a demon, so his influence works fast. Sebastian seems to be seriously contemplating murder as he is egged on by his incel community.

There could be such demons in our real-world who purposefully take advantage of hurt people, people like Bridget’s husband and Sebastian, and coerce them into believing they are entitled to control over others. They come to believe they deserve God-like oversight of the world, including who lives and who dies. 

That is abjectly horrifying. 

The romances on Evil aren’t the only slow burns. The level and depth of scary content are also building, episode by episode. It is a ginormous testament to the talent on the show that is also laugh-out-loud funny and visually complex. 

We have enough evidence to determine that Evil is the best new show of the year. 

Confessional

• Evil really turned Fleabag into a verb, “Fleabagging,” and I simply can not thank them enough. 
• The way Ben looks at Kristen makes my heart race. I’m going to need some blood pressure medication from this show, aren’t I?
• The Demon Tree gives off some major ALIAS/Rimbaldi vibes.
• The protective instincts David has towards Kristen, folks, that’s amore.
• Can you imagine learning one whisper of the horror your wife has been facing and NOT rushing right home?! What is up with this husband? If Kristen isn’t sharing anything, what is up with their marriage?
• Okay, okay, the funky recap graphics at the beginning of the episode are growing on me.
• This episode straight-up gives me nightmares. 
• The reveal about David’s dad is so delightfully surprising! It is painful to have to wait another week to learn more.

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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