‘The Exorcist’: 43 Years Later, Still Horrifically Good

Last Friday, Fox aired the series premiere of its creatively titled Exorcist spin-off, “The Exorcist.” When the show’s creation was first announced in May of this past year, much debate arose regarding whether or not the series would do the original 1973 thriller justice. Nearly three million viewers tuned in to find out that although the original film is apparently unbeatable, the new series did a decent job of trying.

The show presents exactly what one would expect from a 2016 version of the exorcism phenomenon: A woman hears noises in her home, jumps to conclusions and declares a demonic presence, and ultimately contacts a sexy young priest to save the day. Although this premise seems stereotypical and predictable for a horror series, the episode’s execution renders it continuously intriguing.

The premiere is entitled “And Let My Cry Come Unto Thee,” an unusually long name that doesn’t really say much of anything. Its plot centers around Angela (Geena Davis), who suspects her daughter’s demonic possession and seeks help from Father Tomas (Alfonso Herrera). Rather oddly, every female character seems to flirt with Herrera at one point throughout the 45-minute span, which gives me a feeling something unorthodox will occur in the episodes to come.

One element of concern is that the mood remains pretty constant throughout the duration of the episode. Every frame is relatively dark and gloomy and showcases an element of eeriness typical to the horror genre. If I had a dollar for every time one of the actors flashed a smile or sported a bright color, I would have about two and a half dollars. This choice is not entirely detrimental, however, as the ever-present gloom creates a perpetual feeling of suspense.

Additionally, the plot of the show escalates at an unusually speedy rate. Within the first 20 minutes, Angela ends up in Father Tomas’s office talking about the presence of an evil spirit, even though we had only been shown about 30 seconds of potentially demonic behavior by then. This fast-paced nature is a refreshing change from other horror TV series, however—“Pretty Little Liars” is on its seventh season and has yet to get to the point. Plus, it makes me feel as if a lot is going to occur this season, as if the show is heading towards something great.

The acting is rather weak. However, the plot is so simultaneously perplexing and enthralling that I don’t even mind. In one scene, a black crow violently crashes through a window prior to a commercial break, and the occurrence is literally never addressed again, as if it had never existed. At that point, Davis’s ability to convincingly scream is the least of my concerns. From where did the crow appear? Is it hurt? Why are people acting like this is normal? However, as “Insidious: Chapter 3” has taught me, sometimes horror isn’t supposed to make sense; sometimes one can find comfort in such confusion.