The Exorcist

Great show, nothing else quite like it at the moment and such a shame that Fox has wielded the axe on a promising asset once again. I think i'll Boycott Fox shows in future to save myself the disappointment when they inevitably axe it.

This was great. I really enjoyed it a lot. Better than most crap.

8/10

I'm not going to start with comparisons to either the book or the movie. I read the book, watched the film and did that over 40 years ago. Enough has been said about both in prior reviews that it just doesn't seem necessary for me to go over ground that's already been covered be it good or be it bad. So I'll start as I mean to go on and address THIS story in THIS TIME.

Good storytelling is a rare and beautiful thing. Using effects to define your characters instead of characters to be there while you show off the effects is becoming as rare as really good storytelling. So letting a plot play itself out in it's own time instead of at a breakneck pace designed to please horror/action fans who want action and gore to define a story instead of characters and the events that have shaped them is becoming equally rare. As the implosion of Penny Dreadful made many of us aware, good storytelling, incredible characters & actors, beautiful sets and costumes, combined with action in service of the story still wasn't enough to save it from destruction. One that many of us are still hurting over.

So now we have Fox's The Exorcist... and after only one episode (which is all it took me for PD by the way) I know enough to be willing to commit myself to whatever amount of time has been given to this series in it's freshman season. Because, for me, the bottom line is that it's a really good example of good storytelling and it's nice to come back to worthy TV after running off to the solace of my bookshelves after the great debacle that was S/3 of PD.

I like the priests. I like that we're seeing signs that their backstories are going to be more fleshed out. I was appreciative of the nod made to the movie out of what was clearly respect and I especially like that the family involved is both diverse and will also have stories of their own to tell. So, in short, it already appears to me that The Exorcist plans to be an actual STORY; played out over a season and that it takes itself, it's characters and it's audience seriously.

Right now, that's more than enough for me. In point of fact, it's enough to guarantee that I'm going to be there throughout it's freshman season hoping against hope that it too has started as it means to go on.

The Exorcist is not a reboot of the original movie. It pays homage to it from time to time, but by season 2 it's on its own track. Ben Daniels as Fr Marcus Keane is simply sublime. His performance is a masterclass in acting from beginning to end. Alfonso Herrera grows into his role, just as his character, Fr Tomás Ortega does in his. Season one has Academy Award winner Geena Davis and Alan Ruck. In addition is the truly great performance by young actress Hannah Kasulka and the strong supporting role in Brianne Howey. Each episode slowly reveals the nature of the demonic possession. The demon is played with exquisite perfection by Robert Emmett Lunney. Kurt Egyiawan plays Fr Bennett who is protecting the exorcists from the Church officials. I don't want to say too much. Suffice it to say the entire cast of season one is perfect. The struggle is real. Season two jumps ahead 6 months with a slow build to reveal the evil. Soon situations come to fruition and Marcus and Ortega find themselves helping a social worker and a foster dad, played beautifully by Li Jun Li and the greatest performance to date by John Cho. Every child actor in this story is perfectly cast. It's as if they're a real foster family. The cinematography in this season and the special effects are remarkable and surprisingly stunning for network television. The music score is perfect. This season surpasses, if possible, season one. The story takes time to build as the expert writers help give great character development, something not often found in horror. There are no cheap jump scares. It's a slow build to perfection. The Exorcist was canceled by Fox and I think they simply couldn't handle the superb show. It's too good for network television. Hopefully one of the streaming services will pick it up. It is definitely bingeworthy and you're left wanting more, much more. Every aspect of The Exorcist is film worthy. Please watch this truly remarkable series! You won't forget it.

Most series don't pilot well. They usually lag out the plot or leave you struggling to follow along. That wasn't the case with The Exorcist. The plot is step-by-step easy to follow, but the show is very forceful--no lag, here. I am VERY impressed with this show.

Horror thrillers that air on television are usually fly-by-night and usually don't fair well among viewers. That wasn't the case with The Exorcist. This is a strong show with a strong plot, and is really well-cast. I had it's reel-you-in hooks and I was at the edge of my seat the whole time. One of my favorite scenes, though not scary, was the dining room scene where Katherine berated her dad's mental capacity, only to be chastised by Father Tomas. I LOVED that scene!

I won't publish any spoilers, even if I had any. I just wanted to post that I think this could potentially be one of the scariest shows on television. I'm a die-hard horror fan, and I can appreciate watching (in my opinion, anyway)one of the best horror remakes I've seen in a long time... And, at 58 y/o, I've seen a lot of horror! It isn't bloody-gory yet, but for me, that could well be part of its appeal.

Personally, I would've rated it a 10, but I noticed only five episodes listed. I hope that isn't so, as the first episode was really intriguing and five episodes do not equal a fulfilling season--it's more a tasteless tease.

KUDOS to everyone involved in the making of this show. It is very well written, cast, directed and produced. This is truly refreshing. My television screen was getting boring.