Television series

Evil

Name: Evil
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Supernatural
Released: 2019
Cast: Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Maddy Crocco

Supernatural mystery

Evil is a smart supernatural thriller that takes possession and miracles seriously without surrendering to either science or faith. Katja Herbers leads a forensic team investigating the Church's strangest cases, caught between rational explanation and genuine dread. Propulsive, atmospheric, morally complex—for people who want their scares thoughtful.

TVMaze rating

3.7

If you liked this

The X-Files1993

The DNA of Evil: skeptic-believer pairs investigating unexplainable cases, case-of-the-week structure building toward larger mythology, that same electric tension between rational doubt and genuine supernatural terror.

But The early seasons are dated in look and feel; some episodes are filler; the mythology gets increasingly convoluted by later seasons.

MINDHUNTER2017

Both are methodical procedurals about profiling darkness from the inside. Meticulous, morally unflinching, driven by character work and the slow pressure of obsession. That same sense of creeping dread.

But Slower burn than Evil. Two seasons, incomplete ending. If you need plot momentum every fifteen minutes, this will feel glacial.

Midnight Mass2021

Mike Flanagan at his best: supernatural horror that's genuinely about faith, doubt, and community. Gorgeous, terrifying, asks real questions about belief and sacrifice without easy answers.

But Heavy on atmosphere and monologue; light on jump scares. Bleak ending. Very long episodes (50+ minutes) that demand patience.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Evil

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Insomnia2002

Both are investigations where the real darkness is psychological and moral, not external. The mystery is secondary to what it reveals about the investigator.

A cop investigating a murder in Alaska during endless daylight. Christopher Nolan's most grounded film—about guilt, complicity, and the slow corruption of a good person. Same moral vertigo as Evil but achieved through exhaustion and daylight rather than shadows.

But Psychological rather than supernatural. No scares or mysteries to solve—just the steady erosion of someone's ethics. Bleak without catharsis.

The Exorcist1973

The foundational possession film. Unmatched sense of wrongness and dread. Genuinely terrifying without relying on gore, built on character and slow-burn certainty that something is deeply, impossibly wrong.

But Glacially paced by modern standards. The scares are psychological, not visceral. Some find it dated; others find that part of its power.

Supernatural2005

Fifteen seasons of two hunters investigating paranormal cases with genuine warmth between the leads. Less intellectual than Evil but more purely fun—monsters, mythology, character growth, and real affection between the core cast.

But Wildly uneven; later seasons lose focus. Bloated at 15 seasons. Can feel like a slog if you're not already invested in the brothers' dynamic.

Insidious2011

Restless, clever supernatural horror. Uses jump scares precisely rather than constantly. Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne are excellent, and the film builds genuine mythology within its runtime.

But Relies on sudden loud noises to terrify. The mythology in sequels collapses. Some find the scares cheap rather than earned.

The Haunting of Hill House2018

A family returns to a house that shaped their trauma. Beautifully made, formally inventive, genuinely sad. Supernatural mystery serving character grief rather than the reverse.

But The supernatural elements take a back seat to family dysfunction and sadness. Slow. Finale divides viewers on whether it earns its emotional weight.

Sinister2012

Ethan Hawke as a true-crime writer uncovering something genuinely cursed. Dread-soaked, formally inventive, one of the few modern horror films that builds genuine atmosphere rather than relying on jump cuts.

But Graphic images of family violence. Slow burn to ugliness. Some find it pretentious; it's definitely trying to be more than a scare film.

Constantine2005

Keanu Reeves as an occult detective working the boundary between heaven and hell. Stylish, pulpy, fun in a way Evil isn't. Tilda Swinton as an archangel. Gothic and weird.

But Significantly lighter in tone than Evil. Based on a comic, so it prioritizes spectacle over mystery. Plot is thin and the ending feels rushed.

Spotlight2015

Both examine evil within religious institutions and the gap between official doctrine and human cruelty. Both ask whether faith itself is a tool or a shield.

Journalists uncover systematic abuse within the Catholic Church. Methodical, collaborative, infuriating—the structure of investigation as suspense. No supernatural elements, but the evil is institutional and real.

But Procedural and slow. No action, no scares, no plot twists. If you watch Evil for the supernatural terror, this will feel like homework.