Little Demon Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Night of the Leeches

Little Demon Season 1 Episode 5, “Night of the Leeches,” finds the show picking up steam after a somewhat shaky beginning, hitting its groove to delightfully macabre results. 

That’s not to say Little Demon has had a rough go of it thus far. Like any fledgling series, it’s experiencing growing pains in terms of pacing, narrative, and character development. Frequently, we’ve seen glimpses of what this show is capable of, and “Night of the Leeches” paints a more intricate portrait of those capabilities. 

LAURA: [After slamming a demon’s head in the refrigerator door] I forgot about this coupon!

Perhaps one of the most amusing aspects of “Night of the Leeches,” and the show as a whole, is how nonchalant everyone is regarding Chrissy’s demonic powers and Laura’s witchy abilities. The average human in this universe is unfazed by the decapitation of a demon from the bowels of hell. This facet is refreshing.

“Night of the Leeches” gives us better insight into our three leads by putting their moral and emotional resolve to the test. Laura subjects herself to painful leeching in a bid to be the “normal” mother Chrissy wants, while Chrissy spends a day in Laura’s shoes, learning how hard her mom works to keep her safe.

Meanwhile, Satan realizes he doesn’t find joy in mindless killing anymore. During a blood-soaked murderous spree for Baka’s bachelor party, he refrains from partaking in the mayhem, saving humans from seemingly inevitable death. 

SATAN: I’m ready for another one of Baka’s bachelor parties where we murder dumb humans just for kicks.

So far, Little Demon hasn’t done much to subvert the “good versus evil” trope, but “Night of the Leeches” does just that. We now see Satan as residing more in the gray spaces of his eternal existence. The show humanizes him. Watching objectively villainous characters embark on nuanced yet ambiguously-tinged journies is fun.

Conversely, Laura isn’t exactly goodness personified. She’s quick to anger, frequently flying off the handle at any perceived slight. Her pride and ego cloud her judgment. Even her Antichrist daughter boasts a better grip on moral clarity. 

These character nuances are deftly explored in “Night of the Leeches,” making for an entertaining half-hour of escapism. Little Demon endeavors to dig deeper under the surface of our leading players, taking the magic and hellfire out of the equation to ground them in our reality. We can relate to them — even Satan himself. Here’s hoping the series continues to subvert character tropes with its wildly chaotic, sardonic flair. 

ERWIN: Ingest wet, scaled vertebrate. Don’t worry. Frat boys do it all the time.

“Night of the Leeches” is the best episode of Little Demon so far, brimming with surprising warmth (and not just from the flames of hell) while delving into the theme of identity and how we don’t have to fit the cookie cutter shapes society expects us to. It’s not laugh-out-loud funny, but it’s cheeky enough to make you appreciate the jokes, and the solid voice cast stands out as one of its strengths.

Stray Observations: 

• The fact that “finish watching Skins” is a legitimate entry on Laura’s to-do list among all the demonic-related things she does is hysterical. Is she tackling the original UK version or the pitiful, under-par American remake? If it’s the latter, that makes it all the funnier.
• Do you know what’s more terrifying than the most formidable, grotesque demon? PTA moms. 
• Chrissy’s lucky. Who wouldn’t want Laura as a mother? She’s a bona fide badass witch who nonchalantly slays hellish creatures daily.
• This series doesn’t boast nearly enough Darlene, and it shows. 
• Laura’s cheat for living off the grid is not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective. Be right back — it’s time to learn some spells. 
• If only anger leeches existed in real life and there wasn’t the significant possibility of them permanently overtaking your body…

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

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Little Demon airs Thursdays at 10/9c on FX, with next-day streaming on Hulu.

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