Kristen, Ben and David are hired to evaluate Eric, a seemingly psychopathic 9-year-old boy. Eric takes a liking to David, which leaves them hopeful they can curb his violent behavior. Also, Kristen is most affected by this investigation as she worries about her young daughters who lied about a horror game their grandmother, Sheryl, bought behind her back.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of CBS' Evil.
"Rose 390" was written by Davita Scarlett and directed by Peter Sollett
A person doesn't have to have children in order to be unsettled by Eric and terrified by what Kristen's children experience on their new augmented reality goggles. It ensures that this case hits Kristen in such a strong and personal way even though her family isn't under suspicion of demonic possession. She is much more sympathetic to the brutal reality this family has endured for two years now. They aren't strong in their faith. However, they see a potential exorcism as the only thing that may curb their son's behavior after exhausting so many other options. This behavior just keeps coming up with him. They have gone to numerous therapists who all reach a different conclusion. Kristen can asks her questions. David can do the exact same thing. However, they can't definitively say what's psychology and what's potentially demonic. The lines are incredibly blurred in this specific case. Kristen does belief that psychology and science can always offer something more that may ease the suffering this family is enduring. However, she doesn't stand in the way of those who believe their religion and faith may ease the situation in a more immediate way. She doesn't believe in it herself. She has yet to experience an exorcism alongside her team. But she has trust and faith in David. She sees him as wanting the same objectives as she does. This team has quickly become friends who care about each other. They want to form a consensus about what is plaguing the people of this community. They seek out these answers in the hopes of ending some of humanity's suffering. They are making a difference in people's lives. It may be more immediate and apparent than Kristen's prior work for the DA's office. However, there is so much uncertainty in the proceedings as well. The horror genre has long enjoyed playing up the possessed child trope. In reality though, it's a hard decision when it comes to a child being possessed. It is never as easy as the people examining want it to be. It would be simple if Eric refused to pick up the blessed rosary or pray to God. He does those things though. Of course, he still has a warped view of how those things can help him get what he wants. There is innocence present within him. As such, Kristen and David are hopeful that psychopathic tendencies can be curbed at a young age. It doesn't have to signal that this child is on a path to further trauma. He simply can't feel empathy or remorse. There is behavioral therapy that can help. But again, that can be a long and grueling process. David is there for Eric as a mentor who understands the love for graphic novels. It's a nice connection. But David still has to jump into the pool to save Eric's infant sister after he tries to drown her. That's absolutely terrifying. It confirms that an exorcism may be the only thing that can be done. It may not be an absolute cure for everything though. The family thought they could relax and enjoy some normalcy again after Eric took up prayer. Instead, it only made it more devastating when the latest accident almost leads to murder. Sure, Kristen once again doesn't get to experience an exorcism. However, she is distraught after learning the news that Eric is no longer amongst this family. He has left. The show leaves it a little unclear as to what happened. The family says he ran away. Others say he was the one killed to stop this cycle for good. Kristen holds her family tight as a result of all of this. However, she continually has to be worried about them too because her girls are being exposed to such horrifying images from such a young age. Her youngest believes that a scary creature is literally ripping her apart once she falls at the bottom of the stares. Moreover, it appears as if these goggles have been haunted and the other player keeps coming back. Kristen gives no credit to that assertion. But she still has to deal with her girls who lied to her but still seek emotional support after experiencing a truly terrifying sight.
