Critic’s Rating: 4.65 / 5.0
4.65
As Evil Season 4 Episode 9 drew to a close, Kristen, David, and Ben enjoyed some time together when a storm began raging outside.
They had no idea what evil that storm would rain down upon them, but by the end of Evil Season 4 Episode 10, they knew the real fight against Leland Townsend had only just begun.
Characters on Evil have been in danger many times. As an assessment team, David, Kristen, and Ben stare in its face regularly.
But Sheryl’s dance with the devil‘s cohort brought everything to a halt.
Ultimately, Leland’s love for knifeplay was the least of Sheryl’s worries. Baptising Timothy and scuttling Leland’s plans in a public display forced his hand to match her audacity with his own.
Related: Inside ‘Evil’: Kurt Fuller on Dr. Boggs’ Wild Ride and What’s Next for the Hit Show
Fortified with frightened souls who saw him cut down The Manager and feast on his heart, Leland wanted to end Sheryl, and no Kevlar suit was going to stop him.
Sheryl was not fighting alone anymore, though. David had mastered his remote viewing capabilities to the point where he could step inside and control another human being. That seemed like a pretty cool trick until Leland did the same to David.
Father Dominic should have been more forthcoming about Leland. He just wandered into this world in which our fearless trio has been battling the man on some level for years.
Holding back Leland’s background with The Church was irresponsible and unnecessary. Telling David to steer clear of Leland when the man has been tormenting Kristen and her family was never going to work.
Father Dominic would have to be senseless not to realize that if David had the opportunity to stop Leland, he would take it. He was reckless with his handling of this, and it’s hard not to hold him partly to blame for Sheryl’s death.
Nobody knew just how massive of a threat Leland was until now. Well, the audience did, and Sheryl got the idea, but the others have brushed it aside more often than not.
Sure, it’s always been on the periphery, but like Kurt Fuller said when we chatted this month, it’s like these folks’ memories are wiped periodically.
Perhaps it’s the only way you can survive such trauma. Your brain has to take control and temper thoughts that would otherwise drive you mad.
Every time Kristen has had to tell her girls to keep records of Leland’s activities, months go by when she’s unfamiliar with how they interact with him.
I do have a question about Leland’s past, though. Just how deeply buried was the secret of his connection to The Church that we didn’t learn about it when he infiltrated the place?
Related: Evil Season 4 Episode 10 Recap: How to Survive a Storm
He was welcomed as an apprentice of sorts to learn about God before he was summarily cast out after a mini-tribunal. Didn’t anybody bother telling the parish about his previous education? He worked with The Entity, for goodness sakes. Shouldn’t that have been important information to share?
He was trained the same way David was taught, which could be why he easily manipulated people like Dr. Boggs. Was he mentally controlling Boggs? And if so, why couldn’t he do the same with Kristen to get her to do his bidding with Timothy?
There are many plot threads untangling with this revelation, but with only four episodes to go, we just have to roll with it. Maybe it will be explained, or maybe it was going to be explained in further seasons. That is no longer a possibility.
So, we’ll discuss what we can now. That brings us back to Sheryl.
It’s hard to imagine what must have been going through Sheryl’s mind as she tried to fight Leland alone. She knew he was going to kill her, and she prepared for it. She would go down fighting, but she knew the odds of success were against her.
As you know, I’ve struggled with whether Sheryl was with or against Leland for most of this season. Part of that is due to Christine Lahti’s layered portrayal. Sheryl wanted power. She wanted agency. But inviting Leland and his strange ways into her life did more harm than good.
She was comical in her pursuit of a dangerous man, which is also partly to blame for my inability to believe she had changed.
Kristen made it clear many times that if Sheryl stuck with Leland, their relationship would suffer, so when the rubber met the road, Kristen wasn’t interested in hearing Sheryl’s side, and since we all love Kristen, our loyalties were with her.
Still, once she was committed to it, Sheryl pulled out all the stops for help. She visited David in the confessional on Evil Season 4 Episode 8 and now Dr. Boggs for assistance. As soon as she handed him the letters, it was clear she would not make it out of this alive.
Sheryl had the upper hand with Leland and would have prevailed if not for hesitating for a witty remark for her prey and a demon who took advantage of that mistake.
Leland couldn’t have bested Sheryl without help, which offers some solace that perhaps our team will ultimately defeat him once and for all.
Related: Andrea Martin Reflects on Her Journey From SCTV to Evil’s Demon-Hunting Nun
But hope springs eternal, and when Sheryl was in the hospital, I really thought she might pull through. Losing Sheryl on the precipice of the end is heartbreaking.
And I’m not going to lie: when she died, I cried. Sheryl Luria is a character for the ages. She’s unforgettable. And although there were few words between them, what transpired between mother and daughter as Sheryl was taking her last breaths was beautiful.
So, Sheryl did her part, but will it help or harm our team’s efforts against Leland?
Don’t let Leland and Leslie’s arrests give you any hope that Leland will be down for the count. Nobody can let their guard down.
Being behind bars means nothing when you can enter minds like Leland can. Perhaps David can help the others understand what it feels like to have your mind controlled since he’s experienced it already.
Something tells me they will let their guard down because baby Timonthy has entered the building. Kudos to Katja Herbers for the look of utter amazement on her face when Kristen opened the door.
I thought Leland might have given the cops information about how she killed LeRoux and that she’d soon be in the cell next to Leslie.
Do you think Leland’s capture will put them at ease just long enough to lose sight of his goals? Or will David and Sister Andrea keep pushing the narrative to ensure they don’t lose focus?
Sister Andrea sees the demonic activity in Kristen’s backyard. She even saw The Gray Man (a great nod to the Mothman), a harbinger of doom. Something bigger is coming.
Related: 13 Television Characters with Evil in Their Veins
Through various interviews, I’ve learned that the next four episodes surprised those involved. The season might switch course quickly, and that’s OK.
As much as I want the show to continue with a Hail Mary pass from Netflix, reality seeps in to remind me just how rare that is. We need a satisfactory conclusion. If Evil is saved, I have faith in Robert and Michelle King’s ability to bring it to life successfully.
