If you’re looking for something fresh to binge on Netflix in December, there aren’t a lot of options. What audiences are looking for is something that’s an established show with a library of episodes that hasn’t quite broken out yet. The best option in December is Evil, the CBS supernatural thriller that became a Paramount+ original. The first two seasons of Evil are already on Netflix, and season 3 will be added on December 31. That’s more than enough time to catch up on the 26 episodes that are currently streaming.
Evil does have a fan following, but its profile was lowered — along with its episode count — when it was shuffled off to be a streaming exclusive. It’s not the first Paramount+ show to migrate to Netflix, at least temporarily. And it could be very effective counterprogramming this holiday season. But if you need an excuse to strap in for a few exorcisms, these are the reasons why you should watch Evil on Netflix in December.
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It’s a modern-day version of The X-Files
You may recall that Fox brought The X-Files back for two short seasons starting in 2016, but that revival never recaptured the zeitgeist that made it a cultural phenomenon during the ’90s. The problem with that show is that it didn’t change with the times. Conversely, Evil is very much a show of the present, although it maintains The X-Files‘ themes of skeptics versus believers.
Instead of the FBI, the team on this show work for the Catholic church and they regularly encounter seemingly unexplainable events. Evil is more than just an abstract concept in this series, and it haunts the main characters even when they aren’t working on investigations. One of the key advantages that Evil has over its predecessor is that it feels less like the writers are making it up as they go along. There’s a story that plays out over four seasons that rewards long-time viewers, as well as fans who pay attention to the details.
The main characters are compelling
To keep The X-Files analogy going, there are two Scullys on this team: Dr. Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers) and Ben Shakir (The Daily Show‘s Aasif Mandvi). They’re the skeptics to David Acosta (as played by Luke Cage star Mike Colter). David is a Catholic seminarian who is studying to be a priest, and he’s also a true believer. But even his faith is tested by what the team experiences.
A lot of the show revolves around Kristen, as she has deeper connections to the supernatural events than she initially realizes. Because of who she is and what she represents, Kristen can’t simply wash off these cases when she’s not on the clock. That plays into the show’s overarching storyline. Similarly, Ben is a man who holds on to his rational side for as long as possible. He’s an atheist who was raised to believe in Islam, and he’s not looking for a new belief system.
Three can be a crowd, but this mixture of characters gives Evil the balance it needs. Sister Andrea (Andrea Martin) is a late addition to the cast on the side of the believers starting in season 2, and she’s really enjoyable to watch because she can actually see demons and she’s not shy about confronting them.
Michael Emerson plays a great villain
After a long stint on Lost established him as a performer, Michael Emerson had a more heroic role in Person of Interest for a few seasons. But with Evil, Emerson got back to his roots with his most sinister character to date, Dr. Leland Townsend. There’s something almost snake-like about the way Emerson plays Townsend, and it’s just so easy to dislike him… even if he wasn’t in league with malevolent demons.
Townsend is a constant presence on the show and essentially Kristen’s personal nemesis. Their confrontations add a lot of drama, especially early on when she reveals that she knows a lot more about him than he suspected. Regardless, Townsend’s obsession with Kristen plays out over the show’s four seasons, and there are no depths he won’t sink to in order to achieve his goals.
And as much as he hates Kristen, Townsend has an even more antagonistic relationship with Sister Andrea. Adding these personal touches only makes Townsend a better villain.
The story comes to a satisfying conclusion
One of the big knocks against The X-Files is that the story ran out of momentum when it was clear that it wasn’t going anywhere. Evil may not have had the same long run that its predecessor did, but it carried its momentum through to the end with a largely satisfying story and a conclusion. That’s more closure than The X-Files ever gave us.
As noted above, Evil season 3 is hitting Netflix on December 31, and it stands to reason that season 4 will follow in 2025. But if you don’t want to wait for the conclusion, all four seasons are still on Paramount+ as well.
Watch Evil on Netflix.