Evil season 1 premiered on CBS before moving to Paramount + for its second season. We discussed why the change was good for the show’s themes.
Evil Season 1 debuted in 2019 on CBS, but the supernatural horror series moved to Paramount + for season 2 and made the story even better than it was before. Evil follows David Acosta, a Catholic priest-in-training, forensic psychologist Kristen Bouchard and technical expert Ben Shakir as they investigate cases that are a cross between science and religion. While the show did well on CBS, it really caught viewers’ attention when it began streaming on Netflix last year. Considering content and topics Evil touches, the switch to Paramount + felt natural.
The series has always been dark, exploring what it means to be evil, systemic racism in healthcare, demonic possessions, and all sorts of terrifying things that often blur the line between the paranormal and reality. To that end, Evil is a unique show because it goes where other shows haven’t, combining its elements of horror with logic in a fascinating and deeply thoughtful way. On CBS, Evil I was indebted to the rules of broadcast television, which meant that certain things – sexuality, horror, darker themes, and language – had to be cut. That’s not a problem now that the series is on Paramount +.
When it comes to the show’s relationship to science, technology, and faith, it has long remained ambiguous. However, Evil Season 2 has been able to delve into these topics and new topics without much restraint thanks to its new streaming home. In fact, showrunners Robert King and Michelle King revealed the move was great for them precisely because they had more creative freedom on a streaming service. His artistic endeavors have certainly manifested in Evil Season 2 episodes. This season has been weirder, darker, a bit scarier, and yes, sexier than Season 1.
Leland Townsend, in particular, has become more of a weird antagonist than just a creepy one. Ben now has his own night terror demon who is arguably scarier than George and yet has a strange humor as well. In a recent episode, Evil covered the subject of racism in the Catholic church, and David began to question why he was not allowed to address the subject of racism as a sin in a sermon. It’s something that may not have aired if the show was still on CBS. Additionally, George is now narrating at the end of each episode, taunting the audience regarding upcoming stories in Season 2. The demon breaks the fourth wall by speaking directly to the audience and commenting on the plot and character dynamics.
Aside from being funny, the narrative suggests, like Leland’s ridiculous teasing, that Evil it’s a drama that doesn’t necessarily take itself too seriously. Would George have narrated the show if it was still on CBS? Uh, probably not. Ultimately, there are many benefits to having Evil on Paramount + – plus, each episode doesn’t have to be exactly 42 minutes long to meet network standards and commercial breaks, which is yet another perk. The series is bolder in season 2, now it can include more horrible elements, darker themes, and even more absurd moments and stories without straying from its core.
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