“The Demon of Money” is the ninth episode of season 3 of Evil, created by Michelle King and Robert King. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Christine Lahti, and Andrea Martin. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons.

The assessors explore the vile evil of stock trading. Dr. Boggs (Kurt Fuller) gets a positive review for his first draft. Grace Ling (Li Jun Li) struggles to adjust to her new reality. Leland (Michael Emerson) takes matters into his own hands. Monsignor (Boris McGiver) does what he must to do good.

What I Like about “The Demon of Money”

The investigation of DF’s stock provides a strange but enthralling mystery, accurately pointed out as similar to The Ring by Ben. It’s an unsettling and tension-inducing procedural plot to connect “The Demon of Money” together.

Michael Emerson’s Leland balances a genuinely horrifying character with Evil’s campier execution to deliver a haunting performance. This season seems focused on restructuring Leland’s transformation as the series’ key villain, forcing him to balance against other potential threats.

I initially struggled to understand Kristen’s distrust of Dr. Boggs, uncertain of what finally convinced Kristen. “The Demon of Money” clears up this confusion completely after revealing his book. While it’s not directly shown that Kristen read the book, the evidence suggests this is the case. I won’t reveal why it’s so concerning, but I love that Evil doesn’t beat the strangeness into the viewer, trusting them to catch on.

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• Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi (Actors)
• Robert King (Director)
• Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)

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Evil: Season Three [DVD]

• Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi (Actors)
• Robert King (Director)
• Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)

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Monsignor delivers a moment of action for a character who often defines inaction. It’s an intense moment to see and a pleasant development for a character who plays a key role in the series. It also incentivizes a returning character.

Li Jun Li also pushes the boundaries of Grace Ling, possibly earning the right to claim this episode as her own. As a prophet-esque character, there’s often an instinct to dive into the mystic wisdom, but Grace seems burdened by her gifts and the pressure placed on her.

“The Demon of Money” remains a haunting episode of Evil, paying off many of the points built up in previous episodes. This episode pulls off most of season 3’s setup while delivering haunting moments.

Tired Tropes and Triggers

One can argue that “The Demon of Money uses the bury your gays trope. It’s hard to deny when there’s an admission of love just as death occurs.

There’s some effective bodily disfigurement within this episode, one example leaning toward body horror. These are the results of self-harm, but these actions remain off-screen. Viewers witness the results of the act, but the harm is relayed to the viewer well after the act

What I Dislike about “The Demon of Money”

The procedural plot will have a slight return in a later episode, but it reaches a conclusion that doesn’t satisfy the mystery. I wanted more of it, which is far from a bad problem but one to point out. Ultimately, the missed potential undermines the execution.

Ben claims The Ring is a B-film, which is rightly called out, but the claim can’t go unmentioned here. Regardless of one’s opinions of the adaptation, it’s hard to label the film as a low-budget B-film considering its 48 million dollar budget. For shame on that claim.

Final Thoughts

“The Demon of Money” brings viewers closer to the end of season 3, tying the loose plot threads to set up the season finale. With a haunting procedural investigation, this episode remains a unique example of what Evil offers. While some weaknesses appear and interesting plots drop, the episode lingers in the mind to haunt the viewer.
(5 / 5)

Anna (2013), also known as Mindscape, is a psychological thriller directed by Jorge Dorado. This R-rated directorial debut stars Mark Strong, Taissa Farmiga, Brian Cox, Saskia Reeves, Richard Dillane, and Indira Varma. As of this review, interested viewers can watch this film on VUDU, Hoopla, Plex Channel, Pluto TV, Roku Channel, Tubi TV, Amazon Prime, and more. Anna originally released in 2013, but it released in the US in 2014.

Struggling to return to his work as a memory detective, John (Mark Strong) pursues a new assignment. Anna (Taissa Farmiga) views John as her last chance to prove her innocence before she’s condemned to an asylum. As John searches through her memories, a tale of abuse and manipulation unravels.

What I Like about Anna (2013)

Anna earned three nominations but no award recognition. From the Sitges–Catalonian International Film Festival, it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture. The Goya Awards recognized Jorge Dorado with the 2014 nomination for Best New Director. Finally, Anna received a nomination from the Gaudí Awards for Best Art Direction.

Taissa Farmiga’s performance balances the line between suspicious and innocent, which is necessary for this unraveling mystery. It’s a delicate role, but Taissa Farmiga brings to life the material given.

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• Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved

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Anna‘s plot rotates around a new fringe science that’s slowly gaining traction. It’s less a dissection of this science and more a norm that Anna expects viewers to believe. It’s an interesting concept, though not unique. Still, it’s a nice additional dynamic to the mystery.

While not a horrifying film, it does deliver a mystery that keeps viewers engaged with enough hooks to add an extra layer before something gets stale. That mystery does linger in the mind in some respects but doesn’t haunt the viewer.

Tired Tropes and Triggers

Despite Anna not depicting these moments, sexual assault remains a recurring element of the film. Little remains conclusive, with some suggestions that these are false allegations. Furthering this point, the film depicts Anna as a manipulator and flirt when some incidents suggest she’s a survivor of assault.

Derogatory language might upset some, but these remain brief moments. The use indicates a particular character’s immaturity, but I’ll raise the point regardless. Furthering this line of analysis is a moment where a bullied character is implied to be gay, but it’s likely just an insult.

While not inherently a trigger, this new field of science earns the claim of being somewhere between forensic science and lie detector tests, a massive gap that anything can fit in. It makes everything subjective when the film wants to claim absolute evidence. I can’t help but wonder what exploring that unreliability might look like, but that’s not this film.

What I Dislike about Anna (2013)

The biggest deal breaker for some is this concept of a teen mastermind. I won’t go into details about the mystery, but I am often fatigued with this idea of a teen femme fatale. While Anna gives enough mystery, it’s an overused trope.

Mark Strong’s performance delivers on the material, but John seems so easily manipulated for someone who does this as a profession. While out of practice, I don’t understand why he believes or doesn’t believe information. If Anna depicts John as overly critical or gullible, the film will have a more consistent character.

I assume there remains an understandable reason for the name change, but Anna appears as a common title for a film, spinning a series of some recognition. Mindscape also earns some recognition and competition, but it’s a more memorable title than a single noun name.

Final Thoughts

Anna provides an interesting concept and mystery, but many shortcomings hinder the execution. Viewers eager for a psychological mystery with a drop of sci-fi, Anna delivers an engaging story. However, the market does provide competition, making it a tough film to recommend. 
(3 / 5)

“The Demon of Parenthood” is the eighth episode of season 3 of Evil, created by Michelle King and Robert King. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Christine Lahti, and Andrea Martin. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons.

The assessors investigate cursed toys in a terrible attack against commerce, but Ben (Aasif Mandvi) has a finger on the potential issue. David (Mike Colter) receives another task from the Entity. Kristen (Katja Herbers) learns more about her missing egg. Leland (Michael Emerson) invites Dr Boggs (Kurt Fuller) to the darker side of spirituality. Sheryl (Christine Lahti) takes her granddaughter to work.

What I Like about “The Demon of Parenthood”

I enjoy the espionage aspect of the Entity, pushing David to questionable grounds as he navigates what’s right against what’s demanded of him. While this plotline doesn’t reach its full potential, this episode highlights one of the more interesting opportunities of this idea. The Entity consistently interferes with the procedural case, possibly covering up abuse to support its objectives. This episode highlights this dynamic to perfection.

Kristen gets pulled in multiple directions, forced to question her trust in David, and faces a unique horror after learning about her missing egg. While I won’t dive deeper into this issue for this review, it’s safe to say this episode belongs to Kristen, and Katja Herbers delivers.
Her unsettling night terrors suggest an intuitive understanding of some of the manipulations around her, highlighting these moments to the viewer by proxy. Beyond these meta moments, the execution of these night terrors remains pleasantly unsettling.

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Evil: Season Three [DVD]

• Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi (Actors)
• Robert King (Director)
• Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)

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Evil: Season Three [Blu-Ray]

• Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi (Actors)
• Robert King (Director)
• Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)

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Among a constant trail of failures, Leland lingers in the background as he puts pieces together for his master plan. We don’t see the full scope of his vision yet, but the suspense it builds for future episodes earns its place. I’m interested to see how these plots will evolve, even if Leland’s luck seems to turn sour. Perhaps it’s because of this dynamic that the tension works so effectively.

With a shocking moment tied into this episode, “The Demon of Parenthood” creates one of the more haunting episodes. However, the greatest accomplishment in the episode is what it establishes for the future of the series. While not all these points follow through by the end of Evil, it’s still an episode that ripples across the show’s progression.

Tired Tropes and Triggers

Without diving into too many details, spousal abuse and murder occur in the episode. This abuse might indicate a demonic influence, but such points remain speculation. 

A severed body part and some gore stand out in this episode. It hardly earns enough attention from fans of gory horror, but the squeamish should tread carefully toward the end.

What I Dislike about “The Demon of Parenthood”

Many dropped ideas seem genuinely interesting, building to some potential development that receives little payoff. Missing these opportunities will never feel satisfying. While some changes are understandable, it creates holes in the narrative. For example, Dr. Boggs’ dark seduction slows in pace, becoming implied or withheld from the audience soon after “The Demon of Parenthood.” These experiences often adapt the concept of evil that the show seeks to bring to life.

Sheryl’s compliance with Leland’s plan still seems underdeveloped as a concept, especially with how far she takes it in this episode. While later episodes add a different perspective, I can’t help but feel these are retcons or concepts not thoroughly thought out.

Final Thoughts

“The Demon of Parenthood” progresses the plot and delivers some genuinely haunting moments. While a retrospective assessment does note many missed opportunities, the episode stands up beyond these missed opportunities. 
(4.5 / 5)