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Evil

Evil

Some mysteries can’t be explained.

2019–2024Ended4 seasons50 episodes~45 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

Skeptical forensic psychologist Kristen Bouchard joins priest-in-training David Acosta and technology expert Ben Shakir as they investigate supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and other extraordinary occurrences to assess for a scientific explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Evil?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Evil streaming on Paramount+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Evil?

Evil earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Fell off.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Evil worth watching?

Evil's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all shows, from 55K ratings across 2 sources. 85% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of shows

82nd percentile among Crime82nd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)79th
Approval (how many liked it)83rd

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

77 /100

79th percentile of all shows

82nd percentile among Crime78th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

85% liked it

83rd percentile of all shows

79th percentile among Crime82nd percentile among 2010s
85% rated it 7–1015% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

98th percentile

54K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Crime98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 3% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The show is a well-acted, stylish mix of supernatural horror and psychological procedural that keeps the nature of evil ambiguous, but the constant shrieking and overlapping chatter of the four daughters is a near-universal irritant.

Fans praised

  • supernatural-science ambiguity kept intriguing
  • lead trio chemistry and performances
  • smart, original writing with dark humor

Detractors panned

  • incessant screeching of the four daughters
  • unresolved plotlines and abandoned arcs
  • character decisions increasingly illogical

What stands out

Acting80

lead trio chemistry praised; Michael Emerson's Leland singled out

Originality72

fresh X-Files-meets-religion premise

Atmosphere72

creepy, immersive tone with dark humor

Tension70

psychological dread and jump scares effective

Characters55

kids universally panned as overbearing; main characters become frustrating

Pacing55

episodic case-of-the-week drags into meandering arcs

Plot and storyDivisive50

unresolved arcs and abandoned threads frustrate both camps

Ending35

unsatisfying final season leaves many threads dangling

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 22 points higher than under-30s.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 14 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart

Episodes

4 seasons

Season 4 · 2024 · 14 episodes · 6.1 average across 14 rated episodes

  • S4E1

    How to Split an Atom

    May 23, 202456 minTMDB rating 6.4
  • S4E2

    How to Train a Dog

    May 30, 202455 minTMDB rating 5.8
  • S4E3

    How to Slaughter a Pig

    Jun 6, 202455 minTMDB rating 6.0
  • S4E4

    How to Build a Coffin

    Jun 13, 202459 minTMDB rating 6.0
  • S4E5

    How to Fly an Airplane

    Jun 20, 202446 minTMDB rating 6.4
  • S4E6

    How to Dance in Three Easy Steps

    Jun 27, 202459 minTMDB rating 5.7

Watch experience

What is Evil like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Wry, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
DreadTenseContemplative
Heaviest: late
Dry humor
Register
Wry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Playful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcOne continuous story
ToneThe show treats its supernatural cases with a blend of genuine dread and wry skepticism, never fully committing to either belief or debunking.
The rideThe series sustains a tense, dread-laden atmosphere while interspersing contemplative character moments; the emotional weight escalates as the overarching conflict deepens in later seasons.
StructureMost episodes follow a three-act structure: introduction of the case, investigation and mounting tension, and a climax that leaves the mystery partially open. The serialized arc is layered over this but the typical episode uses three acts.
Episode formatThe typical episode presents a new mystery or case for the team, while a season-long narrative arc involving demonic forces progresses.
Season formatSeasons continue the same overarching story and character arcs, building on previous events and relationships.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHaunting · 9% of shows
Why it leaves you this wayThe show's refusal to settle on a single explanation (scientific, spiritual, or psychological) keeps questions running in the viewer's mind long after an episode ends, while its creepy imagery and lingering unease leave a haunting impression.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Mystery
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% (this title) · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Investigation: A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).

8% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEach typical episode presents an unexplained phenomenon (possible possession, miracle, or curse) that the assessment team investigates, weighing scientific vs. spiritual explanations. The mystery drives the episode, often with no definitive resolution.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFaithSociety
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% (this title) · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10% (this title): Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% (this title) · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Society

Faith · 1% of showsIdentityJustice · 14% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe show explores the tension between scientific skepticism and religious belief, questioning the nature of faith and the existence of evil.
StanceThe show interrogates the clash between faith and skepticism, presenting both perspectives without settling the answer about the supernatural.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingContemporary New York City, where a church-backed assessment team investigates supernatural phenomena amidst modern institutions.

Content guide

Is Evil okay for kids?

TV-14

Evil is rated TV-14. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (60/100), sexual content at moderate (51/100), language at moderate (54/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (40/100) and frightening material at intense (66/100). Overall it is heavier than 73% of TV-14 shows.

Ratings in 23 other countries
  • UK18
  • Canada14+
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Austria12
  • IndiaU/A 13+
  • ItalyBA
  • LTN-14
  • MexicoB
  • MY18
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • PortugalNR
  • RO15
  • Spain16
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland12
  • Türkiye7+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 57% of all showsHeavier than 73% of TV-14 shows
Violence & Gore
Intense
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 63%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-14 show
heavier than 79%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-14 show
heavier than 77%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 60%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-14 show
heavier than 81%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material and violence.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Evil have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Evil?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Katja Herbers
as Kristen Bouchard
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mike Colter
as David Acosta
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Aasif Mandvi
as Ben Shakir
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Emerson
as Leland Townsend
Maddy Crocco
as Lexis Bouchard
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Brooklyn Shuck
as Lynn Bouchard
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Skylar Gray
as Lila Bouchard
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Dalya Knapp
as Laura Bouchard
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Christine Lahti
as Sheryl Luria
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Kurt Fuller
as Dr. Kurt Boggs
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.

More like this

What are shows like Evil?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Evil include The Exorcist (2016), Grotesquerie (2024) and Unsolved Mysteries (1987).

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