Devil in Ohio

I think Netflix marketing messed this up; the book it's based on is a very melodramatic YA novel about a self-obsessed "misunderstood" 15-year-old girl. The material is a very silly idiot plot. Netflix, by centering Emily Deschanel, has framed this as an adult horror story, and it just isn't. So people are furious at all the teen drama. But, well, it is a teen drama.

The script aligns with that context; people exclusively make stupid decisions. In the book, Mom and Dad's dysfunction was understandable through the lens of their teen girl child. When the adults are the main characters, it doesn't work. Dad refuses to consider an offer on his debt-hole property because his wife suggests the person? Psychiatrist Mom can't possibly at all be qualified, the way she acts.

The book is mediocre teen drama, fairly faithfully adapted. The perspective is off, and the marketing matches.

Not bad viewing for a silly light horror mystery. As a teen series, it's pretty good! Very few scary or gory bits (like, one jump scare? A photograph or two of a cut on the cult girl's back?).

The battle between good and evil often comes down to each person's perception. Experiencing abuse can have unpredictable results on those perceptions. Perceptions form our reality regardless of their accuracy. The characters in this series have their own personal demons to try and manage while dealing with a looming threat brought about by a stranger entering their life with a significantly dark past.

Based on what's been produced on Netflix lately, this show is actually pretty decent. It's not some super-deep writing masterpiece that's bound for glory, but it's worth watching if you're looking for something different.

It definitely wasn't what I was expecting from the trailer- it's definitely like a lifetime movie that's been dragged out to 8 episodes with a high budget! Now, I'm not saying that's a bad thing in the slightest, but you have to know what you're letting yourself in for! It's cheesy, overly dramatic at times but it's definitely entertaining! It probably could have been cut down to 5 episodes and would have been slightly better! It reminds me of the Apple TV show servant with regards to the cult aspect! Had the same sort of ominous vibe- just wasn't as well done. I can't complain, kept me entertained all evening!

Give it a go- see what you think!!

Devil in Ohio was a show I watched on a whim. It sounded interesting and I do enjoy supernatural shows and true crime shows. It starts off strong enough with a fairly open story about a girl who escaped a cult and made it to a near by hospital. From there the first few episodes do a descent job at setting up what could be a really great and interesting pay off. The problem is, that pay off never comes. Instead the characters flatten out, become awful versions of their initial appearance and make flat out stupid choices that will leave you thinking the last half of this show was either not finished when shooting or written by some different from the first half. To top it off, the ending is underwhelming to a level that made me regret giving this show time in the first place.

After checking the rating, I was I initially turned off by it (anything under 6 on IMDB is questionable) and just skipped over the show. After a night of not being sure what to watch, I thought I would give it a go. Again, with the low rating, my expectations were rather low as well. It surprisingly entertained me and kept me interested. I personally like that they showed less of the actual cult, as those scenes were the worst in my own opinion, but I could see how going into the show based on the synopsis alone would set your hopes high. Go in with an expectation that matches the rating, and you'll be pleasantly surprised and have you a decent show to get through.