TV Show review
Review basis: 4 seasons, 50 episodes · through August 22, 2024
September 26, 2019 · 43 min · TV-MA · Ended
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Evil is a TV show about a skeptical forensic psychologist named Kristen Bouchard, a Catholic priest-in-training named David Acosta, and a tech expert named Ben Shakir. They investigate supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and other strange events for the Catholic Church to decide if science or something supernatural explains them. The series ran for four seasons and mixes procedural cases with personal stories and an overarching plot about evil forces. It includes episodes that directly address racism in police work and inside the church, drawing from real events like the George Floyd killing, and in season 4 the lead character Kristen explores her bisexuality in a focused episode.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Evil.
Woke representation / casting
The three leads feature a Black actor in the prominent priest-in-training role, a South Asian actor as the tech specialist, and a white female psychologist as the central protagonist and mother. David's racial identity ties directly into season 2 church racism storylines. The protagonist's bisexuality receives explicit focus in one season 4 episode with prior subtext hints. Casting stands out as diverse in a Catholic Church investigation context, with story emphasis on identity in places.
Woke political dialogue
Season 2 includes a police racism and corruption episode explicitly informed by the George Floyd murder aftermath, plus scenes of characters discussing racism inside the Catholic Church as an institution. Creators confirmed drawing from current events. These appear as case-driven dialogue rather than constant lectures.
Identity-driven story themes
The core premise and structure center on testing science versus faith and investigating the nature of evil through episodic cases with a larger mythology. Subplots touch on racism, sexism, and everyday "demons," and season 4 gives one episode focus to the lead character's bisexual experiences and seduction. These elements surface noticeably but remain secondary to the philosophical procedural format across four seasons.
Western institutional / cultural critique
The Catholic Church appears with bureaucratic flaws and internal racism affecting Black priests and parishioners, and one episode critiques police institutions post-George Floyd. Some coverage notes references to toxic masculinity. The series balances this with portrayals of sincere believers, faith as potentially real, and open questions about evil rather than consistent modern activist framing of patriarchy, whiteness, or core Western institutions as inherently oppressive.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant. This is an original series with no source material, established canon characters, or real historical figures being reinterpreted through identity or DEI-driven lenses.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Niche audience complaints on Reddit, Metacritic user reviews, and forums accuse the show of race-baiting, woke content, SJW elements, liberal cringe, and agenda-pushing, especially around the police/church racism episodes, diverse lead casting, and perceived messaging. These treat the title as advancing identity politics or left-leaning content. Complaints exist across multiple threads but stayed limited and did not spark broad mainstream controversy or organized pushback.
Creator track record context
Robert and Michelle King previously created The Good Fight, a series that repeatedly incorporated topical political, racial, and gender commentary from liberal perspectives during the Trump era. They applied similar current-events awareness to Evil, including post-Floyd storylines. Several writers including Aurin Squire and Davita Scarlett have backgrounds in politically or socially themed drama.
Production
