Why you should watch this under-appreciated horror series: The Exorcist
- Carla Davis
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
The first under-appreciated horror series that I wrote about for The Horror Lounge was The Following, which starred Kevin Bacon and premiered in January of 2013. Now we are moving onto another worthy horror series, The Exorcist.
The Exorcist series made its debut on Fox in September of 2016 (perfect timing, with Halloween on its way), and I will admit, I wasn’t super-enthused about watching it. But, I took a chance, and ended up being glad of that.
Though The Exorcist only ran for two seasons, it made a lasting impression on this horror fan…so much so, that I got both seasons on DVD. It ran on Hulu for a time, but when I last checked, it was no longer there.
In the series, Geena Davis and Alan Ruck are Angela and Henry Rance, who live with their two daughters Casey and Kat in Chicago. We are also introduced to Father Tomas, a local priest, and Father Marcus, who is a church-sanctioned exorcist reeling from the disastrous failed exorcism of a little boy in Mexico City.
When Kat Rance starts to behave oddly and strange noises are heard from the attic, Angela becomes convinced her daughter is possessed by a demon. Angela tells Father Tomas about her suspicions (Henry isn’t much help because he has suffered a traumatic brain injury), and he is obviously very skeptical at first. But he soon becomes convinced himself…except, it’s not Kat who may be possessed, it’s actually her younger sister Casey.
Poor Angela has to deal with the crazy goings-on in her home, as well as coping with the care of her husband, it’s a lot for one woman to deal with. Things move along nicely during the first four episodes of the season, and then came that fifth episode - that twist that let us know exactly how this series ties in with the original film. It was brilliant, and I remember turning to my husband with a giant grin on my face, saying, “I love this series so much right now!”
The second season of The Exorcist gave us a change of scenery
The dynamics between the two priests, the family drama experienced by the Rance family; all of it kept me enthralled, and I just didn’t know how they could match the vibe for a second season. But, match it they did, with an entirely different focus. Although the two priests returned, the main storyline involved Andrew Kim, who is fostering a group of troubled kids on a somewhat isolated island.
Social worker Rose shows up to make sure Kim is a suitable guardian, and becomes witness to the strange activity that starts to happen…activity involving the kids. Sadly, the series was cancelled after its second season, leaving an unresolved cliff hanger that viewers would never see the outcome of.
The Exorcist series was blessed with strong casts in both seasons, and is definitely worth watching. You can rent the entire series on Amazon.
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