In the poignant opening scene of "Evil" Season 4, Episode 8, titled "How to Save a Life," Sheryl (portrayed masterfully by Christine Lahti) steps into the hushed sanctity of an empty church, her steps echoing against the solemn silence. Refusing the customary holy water and offering a respectful nod to the crucifix, she makes her way to the confession booth, where David (Mike Colter) awaits. Their encounter, however, veers from the conventional, as Sheryl confesses not sins but fears – the looming threat of Leland's vengeance for her failed assassination attempt.
Sheryl, her voice laced with vulnerability, reveals a lifelong skepticism towards divine power yet acknowledges the church as the sole refuge Leland dares not tread. She entrusts David with a dual request: to safeguard Lexis, the enigmatic "John the Baptist of the Antichrist," through Kristen's watchful eye, and to administer the baptism of Timothy, the Antichrist himself, the very next day. Her plea, tinged with a palpable sense of shame over past deeds and disillusionment with the Catholic Church, is met with David's solemn agreement, and she departs, leaving behind a charged atmosphere.
Back in his quarters, David's respite is short-lived as Father Dominic (Chukwudi Iwudi) rushes in, his demeanor fraught with anxiety about the impending darkness descending upon New York. The priest presents David with a bizarre assortment: a Danish pastry, a cigar cutter, and a formidable dagger, prompting a universal question from David – "How do you procure such items?" Father Dominic dismisses the inquiry, urging David to concentrate on the objects at hand and disclosing fresh coordinates for a remote viewing session. The vision, if successful, promises a glimpse of a red painting.
David, initially hesitant, finds himself engulfed in a vision that threatens to blur the lines between reality and imagination. He sees Kristen, entering her bathroom and disrobing, but quickly dismisses it as an Analytical Overlay – a lingering thought intruding upon his psychic pursuit. Father Dominic offers a solution: by naming the objects within the vision that are rooted in David's actual life, they will dissipate, allowing clarity to emerge.
Seeking clarity himself, David embarks on a jog, returning home to find a surprise party in full swing, complete with strangers serenading Tyler (Sean Patrick Thomas), a man who seems to exist solely within the confines of David's Analytical Overlay. The illusion shatters with a knock at the door, revealing Kristen (Katja Herbers) and Ben (Aasif Mandvi), bearing a cake to celebrate David's birthday. Each Bouchard daughter's artistic touch is evident in the cake's quarters, but it's Lexis's contribution that captures David's attention – a vibrant red section, a testament to her favorite hue and a subtle nod to the mysterious forces at play.
As they sipped their drinks in camaraderie, David unfurled his vision to his captivated friends. Kristen, edging eerily close to David, mused that perhaps his vision was but a reflection of his yearning for a "normal" life beyond the priestly confines, imagining himself as a PR maven in the bustling borough of Brooklyn. Though Brooklyn was never mentioned, it felt inexplicably fitting that Tyler's narrative played out in its streets. Ben's attempt to suggest an early departure for him and Kristen was promptly quashed by Kristen's enthusiastic opening of yet another canned margarita, sparking a spontaneous rendition of The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go," the trio's bond growing stronger with each chorus.
Meanwhile, Leland (Michael Emerson), engaged in a sinister enterprise, watched as a pentagram was meticulously painted onto his living room floor. Just as the ominous Manager (voiced by Kevin Chapman) and two henchmen bearing a manger appeared at his door, it was clear that a demonic ritual was imminent. Leland's futile attempts to pacify Timothy, the Antichrist, continued to provide comedic relief amidst the looming darkness. In desperation, he summoned Leslie (Molly Brown), who, at Sheryl's insistence, steadfastly refused to relinquish Timothy until dawn's light.
David's subsequent remote vision of Tyler painted a grim picture: the man sat with his wife (Roslyn Ruff), consumed by grief over the loss of their son. Her plea not to lose him further was met with Tyler's solemn reassurance of his desire for their family's eternal unity. But as soon as these words left his lips, the truth became all too apparent as Tyler's hand reached for a gun hidden in his desk, contemplation etched on his face as he weighed the option of a murder-suicide. David's heart raced as he begged heaven for intervention, and just as Tyler's finger hovered over the trigger, aimed at his beloved daughter, a simple act of affection from their dog – a lick on his hand – jolted him back to sanity. With a heavy heart, he resecured the gun and exited the room, the mounting tension in the scene perfectly mirrored by the crescendo of the soundtrack.
Father Dominic, however, remained unfazed by David's distressing AOL revelation, urging him to redirect his focus onto the totems. Ignoring the urgency of David's most vivid vision yet, Father Dominic insisted that their priority lay in the impending evil looming over New York. David, resolute, believed he was destined to intervene, convinced that Tyler's intentions amounted to nothing less than evil itself. He pleaded to uncover the man's identity and save him from his dark path, his determination unwavering.
Remarkably, David's earnest plea for assistance from Sister Andrea met with a shocking response as she promptly evicted him from her quarters, dismissing remote viewing as mere "magic tricks." Amidst this unexpected turn, I couldn't help but chuckle at Sister Andrea's uncanny ability to identify David solely by the rhythm of his knocks. Nevertheless, as David fervently explained his mission to prevent Tyler's tragic suicide and the loss of his family, Sister Andrea imparted a mysterious solution: the Heavenly Chord, a harmonious blend of FGAC on the left hand and GCDE on the right, played simultaneously. This enchanting melody granted David the ability to willfully revisit his vision of Tyler's room, though the precise image of his mail eluded him. Yet, he discerned a poignant detail—a drawing of an angel cradling a lamb, a tender creation by Adina (Miche Braden) featured in "The Angel of Warning."
Kristen, undaunted, insisted they seek Adina's insight directly. To their surprise, Adina had neither the drawing in her possession nor any knowledge of its whereabouts. Meanwhile, Sheryl, driven by the urgency of Timothy's—the Antichrist's—need for baptism that very night, contacted the church only to find Father Ignatius (Wallace Shawn) at the helm. Her determination unbroken, she refused to accept defeat from the bewildered priest and set forth towards the church, where Sister Andrea initially attempted to deter them.
Sheryl's words were direct and unwavering: Timothy, the Antichrist, bore Leland as his father, and his baptism was imperative for that very evening. Sister Andrea's instincts piqued, she lifted the blanket to reveal a child imbued with a demonic aura, a chilling confirmation, if not definitive, of Timothy's dark destiny. This revelation was all the justification she needed to grant them entry and proceed with the baptism.
The baptismal scene unfolded with breathtaking intensity. Amidst a sudden power outage and frozen pipes, unseen forces seemed hellbent on thwarting the ceremony. "You will not defeat us," Sister Andrea declared, her resolve unshakeable. In a display of extraordinary resourcefulness, she seized a mop bucket and raced outside, holding it aloft to capture the deluge, harnessing nature's bounty to defy the odds. Sister Andrea, once again, emerged as the epitome of heroism, her actions echoing with an otherworldly grandeur.
As the ominous cries of the Antichrist infant echoed, reminiscent of a prehistoric dinosaur's wail (though admittedly, my familiarity with such a sound is purely speculative), Father Ignatius embarked on the sacred ritual of baptizing Timothy amidst a bucket brimming with blessed rainwater. Suddenly, the doors burst open with a gust, and Father Ignatius turned to Sheryl, querying if she renounced Satan and all his nefarious deeds, along with his hollow promises. Sheryl hesitated, her silence stretching into an eternity before she affirmed her rejection.
Swiftly thereafter, Father Ignatius inquired about her belief in forgiveness, and Sheryl's response was instantaneous, filled with conviction. With that, the baptism was solemnized, and the very air seemed to shift. The lights flickered back to life, the tempest abated, and Sister Andrea's vision transformed, no longer beholding a demon but a cherubic Timothy.
Sheryl, overcome with emotion, requested a photograph of Sister Andrea and Father Ignatius cradling Timothy, along with the baptismal certificate. She retreated to Leland's apartment, where she pinned both to the door, a defiant gesture reminiscent of Martin Luther's bold stance. "Like Martin Luther, you bastard," she muttered, her eyes blazing.
Father Ignatius, having recounted the extraordinary baptism of the Antichrist, presented David with a new case, but David begged for a reprieve until dawn. Father Ignatius's curiosity piqued, he inquired if Father Dominic's predicament was the reason, and upon David's nod, he cautioned him with a stern warning, his distrust of Father Dominic palpable. Personally, I find myself in complete accord with Wallace Shawn's every utterance, but that's beside the point.
The baptism had wrought a miraculous transformation in Timothy; he was now a bundle of joy, smiling and giggling, devoid of any trace of tears. Leland, his expression a mix of disbelief and frustration, approached his apartment door, Timothy in tow. His gaze fell upon the baptismal certificate, and beyond it, the photograph capturing the tender moment between Sister Andrea, Father Ignatius, and the infant. Leland's outraged shout, just before the screen faded to black, resonated as one of the season's most poignant moments. He teetered on the brink of suffocating Timothy with a pillow, but a text from the Manager intervened, averting the impending tragedy.
David strategically enlists the aid of Kristen and Ben in a daring mission to purge his remote visions of AOLs (Anomalous Objects Linked to the Occult). As he vocalizes the enigmatic items materializing in his ethereal sights, his companions, armed with their keen memories of David's past, echo the objects' names, triggering their dissolution from his vision. This unconventional strategy proves surprisingly effective, with each acknowledgment echoing the disappearance of yet another otherworldly entity.
Amidst this strange odyssey, a particular object captivates Kristen's attention—a yellow tome titled 'Feeling Your Way Through It,' a tome on depression that she instantly recognizes as Dr. Kurt's prescribed reading for his patients. This revelation prompts Kristen to inquire about a patient named Tyler, only to be met with the impenetrable wall of medical confidentiality. However, fate intervenes when Dr. Kurt's subsequent session happens to be with Tyler's grieving wife, a chance encounter that ultimately unlocks a door to the truth.
Armed with the slenderest of clues, Kristen, David, and Ben tail Tyler's wife, their pursuit culminating in a confrontation with Tyler himself. David, recalling a desperate plea for divine intervention during one of his remote visions, reveals to Tyler that it was God's voice he heard, a revelation that shatters Tyler's composure as he confesses his sinister plot to end the lives of his own family. In a poignant embrace, Tyler pledges his unwavering devotion to his loved ones' redemption.
Meanwhile, in the confines of Leland's apartment, a sinister ceremony unfolds, attended by the DF stockholders as they gather for the Antichrist's ritual. Father Dominic's ominous totems—the Danish, the cigar cutter, and the dagger now circulating among them—form a chilling tableau. As each participant slices their palms, their blood seeps onto the floor, surrounding Timothy's manger in a macabre ritual. The climax sees a veil torn from a painting, its eerie red glow completing the triad of totems and aligning with the coordinates Father Dominic had imparted to David, foreshadowing an ominous convergence.
This episode served as a thrilling tapestry of suspense, with the baptism stealing the spotlight amidst the tense Tyler sequences and the heartwarming camaraderie among the trio. Father Ignatius' skepticism towards Father Dominic adds an intriguing layer of complexity, while Sister Andrea and LeConte's doubts about remote viewing further undermine the latter's credibility. As the pieces gradually fall into place, anticipation builds for the sigil-infused spectacles that lie ahead in the upcoming episodes, promising a thrilling conclusion to this enigmatic narrative.
