Streamlined | Evil on Voot Select, achieves that rare, elusive horror-comedy alchemy

The bazillion streaming services, now available in India, have catalogues that run the gamut from Grade-A to middling to unwatchable. With Streamlined, we plumb the depths to unearth hidden gems that instill enough enthusiasm to want to pass on the recommendation.

A white police officer claims to have been possessed when he gunned down an unarmed Black man. An Amazon-like company overburdens its delivery personnel with such soul-crushing work they turn into the living dead. A priest who claims to be possessed is really just an online gambling addict. A social media algorithm targets its users with content that grows more and more negative, distressing and concerning. The socio-cultural anxieties of our modern world manifest as demons, ghosts and monsters in Evil.

When the trio of investigators at the centre of Robert and Michelle King’s excellent horror comedy are looking into possessions, infestations, miracles and other paranormal activities, they are probing into the fears lurking behind everyday rituals in America: systemic racism in police departments, dehumanization of blue-collar workers, and women being denied their bodily autonomy. Acting as vehicles for a lot of the contemporary evils is technology in all its pervasive and insidious forms. Demons in the show converse in the same language as we do: memes, online games, cryptocurrency and misinformation. The loose monster-of-the-week format provides its writers a ton of leeway to expose real-world horror through a procedural series. The resulting patchwork is creepy, affecting, sexy, and, most of all, diabolically funny. Yet, despite being the most engaging horror series for the last three years, it hasn’t quite ridden as high on the cultural radar as it deserves to.

Aside from using the horror genre to paint razor-sharp portraits of our tech-reliant society, Evil also serves as an inquiry into the nature of faith. Key to this is the dynamic between the central trio, an unholy trinity caught at the intersection of belief and rationality. Katja Herbers brings scepticism as forensic psychologist Kristen Bouchard. Mike Colter embodies the believer in Catholic priest David Acosta. Aasif Mandvi plays the devil’s advocate as the tech consultant Ben Shakir, a lapsed Muslim of Indian descent. The Catholic Church hires the three to assess unexplainable phenomena, debunk or confirm their demonic/angelic origins. Each looks at the world differently. What David perceives as a demonic threat, Kristen may diagnose as a psychological disorder and Ben may point to plumbing troubles. Some cases can be explained away with one of scripture, psych textbooks or tech; some can’t be explained even with all three. The ones that resist easy explanation are important because they make the trio just a little uncertain of their own once strongly entrenched ideas. Evil accepts the fact that not all of life’s mysteries can be solved.

Even though Kristen, David and Ben may not have race or faith in common, the three are still respectful of each other. There isn’t a hint of judgment. Their contrasting beliefs are what lends their banter an edge. Watching the show, some of the contours might feel familiar to those who grew up watching The X-Files. Bouchard and Acosta share a platonic relationship, while still sustaining a will-they-or-won’t-they tension a la Mulder and Scully. Herbers is the MVP: she can be sassy, vulnerable and take-no-prisoners tough as she is also a protective mom of four young girls, who must battle their own demons, from body-image issues to internet perils to a Big Bad Wolf eager to lead them astray. The show’s Big Bad Wolf and overall Big Bad is Leland Townsend, played with trademark sinister aura by Michael Emerson. Leland is a sociopath who could be working for Satan or deluding himself into thinking he is. But there is no doubt he is the evil behind a lot of the sinister schemes at play. Serving as the counterpoint of spiritual goodness is Sister Andrea, the nun played by Andrea Martin, a character which also helps the show explore gender inequality and unfair treatment of the dedicated female servants of the Catholic Church.

The show really gets into its stride in Season 2, shifting gears between comedy and horror like a well-oiled machine. The episodes get gnarlier, funnier and much more inventive. Take for instance how the episode titles are imagined as pop-up bedtime story books. Though starting from scratch is best advised, Season 2 Episode 4 “E Is for Elevator,” which takes the characters to a sub-basement of hell, makes for a good gateway episode for the still-reluctant viewer. It emphasises the dark appeal of the show, while also capturing the relationship dynamics and comedy that make the show such a devilish delight. For those looking for an illustration of its formal brilliance, “S Is for Silence” is a great advert. The gang visit a cloistered monastery to investigate a miracle, but must do so without talking and without electricity. “I Is for IRS” is a clinically constructed procedural, examining how religious outfits take advantage of their tax-exempt status. The just-concluded Season 3 is equally ingenious, strewn with terrifying cautionary lessons against clout chasers, cryptocurrency and cults.

The writing is flawless, the banter is funny, the scares are potent, the characters are finely drawn and rootable, and all the monsters are brought to life with some creepy practical effects. Evil has just about everything that Friday nights were made for. Continuing its upward trajectory, the show has grown more eccentric, captivating and rewarding with each season into the most original horror series across TV and streaming. It achieves that rare, elusive alchemy that merits evangelical advocacy. Let the power of Evil compel you to stream it now on Voot Select.

Prahlad Srihari is a film and music writer based in Bengaluru.

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