Review: Evil CBS S01E05 ‘October 31’

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Warning: Post contains spoilers

CBS series “Evil” drops in a spooky episode with the seasonally spectacular season 1 episode 5 “October 31.” As the name suggests, the show transpires on, you guessed it, Halloween night. “Evil” S01E05 begins with a “Ghost Hunters” parody cleverly named “Gotham Ghosts” intro narrated by Tony Pacuci. The case consists of Pacuci, alongside cameraman Dougie Martin, and scientist as well as resident skeptic Vanessa Dudley. It turns out Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi) holds a guest spot on “Gotham Ghosts” in a Halloween episode investigating a purported haunted strip club.
Since Ben has a prior engagement serving as a professional skeptic on “Gotham Ghosts,” Catholic Church assessor David Acosta (Mike Colter) calls medical advisor and forensic psychologist Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers) during a particularly challenging exorcism. “There was an assessment before you joined us,” David explains over the phone. “One that we approved for an exorcism, and now the monsignor is having second thoughts.” As such, David needs a new assessment. Kristen agrees, calling up her mother Sheryl Luria (Christine Lahti) for a last-minute babysitting session. Sheryl is on a date that doesn’t quite go as planned. Her original date shuffles off to the bathroom, and during his absence, the nefarious Dr. Leland Townsend (Michael Emerson) smarmily strikes up a conversation with Luria.

Kristen’s daughters Lila (Skylar Gray), Lexis (Maddy Crocco), Laura (Dalya Knapp), and Lynn (Brooklyn Shuck) are slated for a Halloween sleepover with their friends, including resident weird girl Brenda. But when Brenda arrives, she’s even more out there than usual. Brenda refuses to remove her mask, and when it’s her turn to tell a ghost story, it gets pretty dark with a tale of murdered parents and child abuse. Then, when Brenda’s mom calls the Bouchard household and reveals that Brenda is actually at home, Sheryl realizes that something’s amiss.

Upon arriving at the household to observe the exorcism, she’s greeted with a ghastly sight. The purportedly possessed, Caroline, is restrained, bleeding, and screaming in different voices. Initially, Kristen believes Caroline suffers from some sort of mental disorder. “Was she given a psych eval?” Bouchard wonders. “Bipolar 1. Schizophrenia. Dissociative identity disorder. Epilepsy. Five psychiatrists gave five different diagnoses,” David rattles off. Father Amara (Clark Johnson) leads the exorcism, and while Amara and David believe demonic possession is to blame, Kristen argues that there’s a scientific explanation. Thus, Bouchard summons her psychiatrist Dr. Boggs (Kurt Fuller). Boggs and Kristen concur that Caroline suffers from a mental disorder, not possession. Just as Acosta begins to doubt the supernatural, Caroline speaks of David’s vision involving three stars from Leonardo Da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi. Moreover, she mentions The 60, a mysterious and possibly demonic group connected to Leland Townsend.

Observations:

Admittedly, I’m a sucker for Halloween specials, but “October 31” is a juicy, spooky, seasonal romp. It’s one of the scariest “Evil” episodes, and seems to imply supernatural happenings. Still, I appreciate the continued ambiguity. Often, “Evil” episodes debunk any supposed otherworldly elements. But Caroline appears truly possessed. At least that’s what her comments about The 60 and recounting David’s visions insinuate.

A lot transpires in “October 31.” However, the episode never feels rushed. The exorcism ushers in a haunting vibe with grisly images. One of my favorite moments finds Dr. Boggs arriving and recreating a scene from the 1973 “The Exorcist.” It’s a neat nod to the classic horror flick which remains arguably the best possession flick to date.

The storyline with the kids is fun, creepy, but admittedly a bit of a cop-out. Although “Evil” isn’t above killing off kids and generally infusing pretty dark elements into its plot, chances are the kiddos aren’t getting axed. Or slain in any number of other gruesome methods. Sure enough, the Bouchard daughters emerged unscathed. Nevertheless, watching their innocent slumber party turn sinister is jolly good fun.

Kristen’s mom is a hoot. Watching Sheryl play strip poker over the phone with Leland is both hilarious and ominous. The sub plot featuring Sheryl and Leland flirting is likely to play a crucial role as the season progresses. Miraculously, “October 31” manages to cram in even more with Ben guest starring on “Gotham Ghosts.” Unsurprisingly, it’s all a hoax, but the faux ghost hunters show isn’t a total loss. Ben gets fellow skeptic and “Gotham Ghosts” co-star Vanessa Dudley’s phone number. Perhaps Dudley will assist in Catholic Church assessment in the future. Overall, “Evil” on CBS entry “October 31,” was all treat and no trick.