Evil Season 4 Episode 11 Review: The Black Bluff

Critic’s Rating: 4.25 / 5.0

4.25

They said that the final four episodes would pivot dramatically, and Evil Season 4 Episode 11 didn’t disappoint in that respect.

As someone who loves a good time-travel storyline, I was ridiculously excited that Laura had visited from the future.

And then, like Kristen’s marriage and David’s Pastorship, it fell apart.

(Editor’s note: We do not have photos for the episode, so we are using old artwork. Apologies)

Breaking Stride Mid-Story Must Be HARD!

It’s hard to imagine writing a four-episode conclusion for any show off the cuff.

Trying to tie the events of Evil Season 4 Episode 11 to those of Evil Season 4 Episode 10 and earlier seems like a writers’ room nightmare.

There were so many threads left dangling from the story as it was told. Crafting a route to a satisfactory series finale required a quick course adjustment to address them all.

The larger arcs — what becomes of Timothy, charting Leland’s potential downfall, and exploring Kristen and David’s attraction — could only continue if pieces of the puzzle that built them were put in place.

“Fear of the Future” is an excellent course in changing direction mid-story. That doesn’t mean we have to like how it went, right?

Andy’s Downfall Continues

Leland Townsend, with help from Sheryl, crafted Andy’s terrible downfall. Sheryl scuttled her daughter’s marriage for her purposes, and I’m still not entirely sure what those were.

But the Andy we last saw in Evil Season 4 Episode 4 seemed committed to his family. Despite the trauma he suffered, he fought Leland’s directive to harm Laura. He left his family for their protection.

Is that the same Andy of Evil Season 4 Episode 11? I don’t think so.

It hurt my soul to see Andy in bed with another woman and even more when you remember that Kristen had doubts about her marriage she brushed aside to make things work.

Expediency must be at play here. Andy had to be out of the picture fast to move Kristen and David closer together before the series finale. This does the trick, even if it feels disingenuous.

Kristen’s Reaction to Andy’s Infidelity was PERFECTION

I am that girl who, when grievously wronged, will break everything I have that reminds me of that person before tossing it all in the trash.

Kristen’s reaction to Andy’s infidelity was very realistic. So often, breakups come with sadness and soliloquies but no action. In my experience, the reality is far different.

The need to lash out at things representative of what you’ve lost is overpowering. While those of us with those instincts attack objects, many others commit crimes of passion that have far different results.

Kristen has been half gone from her marriage for years, and part of her anguish was because of the concessions she made to stick with him.

Future Laura Arrives, Sparking Excitement, But It’s a Terrible Ruse

First things first. Anna Chlumsky was perfectly cast to pretend to be a future Laura. Based on that alone, it was easy to get lost in the excitement of a time traveler.

But then they tied the particle accelerator to the expedition, and it made more sense. Ben is still not right after being beamed, so why wouldn’t there be a wormhole generated in the next 30 years?

Ellie was intrusive from the start, which set me on edge. Kristen loved her, and she connected with the kids, but something wasn’t quite right. Could she have been the future Laura? All signs pointed to yes.

It was more diabolical than that. What was her goal? Andy shared a lot with her while they pumped away at the clinic, and she used it to great advantage. Did she believe Timothy might really be the Antichrist? How much of what Andy told her did he get straight from Leland? What does Andy believe?

Those are questions that will probably never be answered, but Ellie’s predictions didn’t ring false, and I won’t be surprised to see them all come to light before the finale.

Would I be the only person desperate enough to see the future that I would have fallen for her hook, line, and sinker? I admit it. Part of growing older that frustrates me is that I won’t know how things turn out after I die. That’s so unfair!

Kristen’s Demon Returns

Kristen’s sleep demon returned — or did he? Is that the same demon from Evil’s early days? He looked older and somehow different. Did she have more than one, and I forgot about it?

Snorting Sheryl’s ashes made me giggle, and since she was mainlining brain matter and whatnot from humans, it was vindication for her misdeeds — even if it was just a figment of Kristen’s imagination.

His role as the devil on Kristen’s shoulder never tires, and I hope he’s got more advice for her as the final three episodes unfold.

Hoisting himself on the edge of Kristen’s bed with his bucket of popcorn when Ellie arrived to kill Timothy was so meme-worthy. I hope someone brings that to life!

Leland’s Behind Bars, But Not Down for the Count — Yet

I don’t think being behind bars is enough punishment for Leland, but it was fun seeing him so defeated. The marching band played on, and he got punched in the face. What’s not to love?

Either DF or The Sixty paid for his attorney, which brought David Carroll Lynch into the picture. He’s got that same vibe as Michael Emerson. They both pick roles just off-kilter enough that you eagerly anticipate what’s up their sleeves.

Richard Kind is more of a traditional funny man, but his addition ensured that the courtroom scenes were almost entirely played for laughs. We also knew that neither of these actors would be without a point.

Lynch looked like a combination of a Stooge and Hitler, so it wasn’t surprising that he was a demon in disguise. But what will come of the judge? My bet is on a bigger purpose ahead.

Will Leland successfully manipulate Dr. Boggs into doing his bidding? I’m not so sure. Boggs has made great strides in following the straight path, but he may pay with his life.

It all depends on how Leland fares with his trial — and beyond.

Leland Townsend on Evil — (Elizabeth Fisher/Paramount+)

Ben’s Tinfoil Hat

Ben’s particle accelerator saga still needs to be addressed. This seems like a story that was going to play out over the long term. Will they be able to make sense of it with three episodes remaining?

People love short seasons but with a show with as many interwoven details as Evil, there is a greater chance for dangling threads. We don’t want Ben’s brain to be a dangling thread.

Karima noticed it casually. I would have been either freaked out that my normally sane brother was sporting the hat or laughing my ass off that he had fallen for a conspiracy theory.

Will this be a purely scientific explanation? Do we want it to be? I like the idea of Ben falling away from his purely scientific nature, but maybe that’s just me.

The Black Bluff

There is so much to discuss here. First off, was anyone else shocked that the assessors’ salaries came out of Parish coffers? I thought The Entity was footing the bill. They way they demand David’s time, that’s the least they could have done.

David has done so much for the Vatican, and in return, he’s treated to The Black Bluff — turning over the parish to him just before the shutter the doors.

His first duty was to fire his friends and close the assessment division. The Vatican wants to fire up a call center for all your exorcism needs. That’s rich. We’ve got Reddit and YouTube for that, thank you very much.

David’s personal commitment is well beyond the Church’s expectations. Like Kristen with her marriage, he straddles the inside and outside worlds of the Church, with one foot in both worlds.

If they push him just enough, they may lose the best thing that’s ever happened to them.

Kristen and David Are Smoking Hot

Where there is fire, there is smoke. Yeah, that’s not how the phrase goes normally, but with Kristen and David’s worlds going up in flames, moving closer staunched the fires for a smoldering connection that made my skin tingle.

If everything Ellie said came from Andy, then he was aware of the tension between Kristen and David. Earlier this season, he confronted Ben, thinking he had a thing with Kristen. Was he just fooling himself?

Ellie imagined the divorce sending Kristen and David to her office, and she was right. Their hug and the moments after they separated, lingering together face to face, was pure electricity.

During Evil Season 4 Episode 10, they admitted their desire for multiple lives to carve out space for each other. Now, as their lives capsize, they’re growing closer to a reality with the two of them together.

While Ben ordinarily does not address the elephant in the room, as time grows nigh and his friends’ futures look less steadfast, he can’t help himself. Why God, he wonders to David. Why not Kristen when they seem so right for each other?

Evil Season 4 Episode 11 fast-tracked the possibility that Kristen and David’s partnership is what comes of all of this evil. If we’re getting a happy ending, that one looks pretty bright.

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