Damien is well worth it if you're willing to make the time.

spottyseal

Damien is a series that any self-respecting fan of psychological horror needs to be watching. While a bit light on the gratuitous violence and gore, it more than makes up for that with spine-tingling psychological suspense that keeps you riveted to your seat. Each episode gets more intense and sucks you in further, until you're not entirely sure which end is up. And you likely won't even care. Plus, there's the added bonus of flashbacks to Damien's childhood via clips from The Omen, something any avid fan will love.

The entire cast works in ways that may not seem apparent initially, but their combined chemistry gels with each interaction, particularly after the pilot, until you find yourself looking forward to the exchanges that result from any combination of the cast. Bradley James and Scott Wilson are brilliant in their respective roles as Damien Thorn and John Lyons respectively, and offer a nice undertone of familial connection in all of their scenes. Omid Abtahi (Amani Golkar) and Megalyn Echikunwoke (Simone Baptiste) offer a nice counterbalance in their chemistry with James. David Meunier brings an understated sense of balance and skepticism as the outsider cop, Detective Shay. Melanie Scrofano (Veronica Selvaggio) and Robin Weigert (Sister Greta Fraueva) round out what I consider to be the main cast, bringing their own elements of intrigue and chemistry to the mix. Even the guest and minor roles all have a part to play in the ultimate battle of good and evil. But the standout role goes to Barbara Hershey, without question or hesitation. Ann Rutledge is one of the most intricately layered characters I've ever seen, and weaves herself into every single thread of the tapestry that is this show.

Glen Mazzara and his creative team have brought the horror, the intrigue, and the humanity to this portrayal of the Antichrist in ways that I've never seen before. This show isn't a caricature or a comedy. This show doesn't rely on fantasy or sci-fi elements to convey the twists and turns of the storyline, nor does it utilize cheesy horror bits or comedic shtick. Sure, the deaths in the pilot could be easily figured out, but is it really a shock that a lot of deaths are going to happen around the Antichrist? The show is realistic and offers a fascinating "What if?" of the Antichrist happening in the world we live in currently. That they can so casually slip in the fact that there is an LGBT character in the universe of Damien, to the point that a lot of people may not even realize it, is one of the feathers Mazzara and his team can put in their collective hat.

The research that went into creating and maintaining this show points toward a level of intelligence that hopefully won't scare away potential viewers. Just as viewers don't need to have any knowledge of The Omen to watch this show; neither do they need any deep knowledge into the Book of Revelations or the early Christian Church. But for those of us who are interested in that sort of thing, this show brings the research and makes the tapestry of Damien that much richer and delicious.

I personally have been excited for this show since it was first announced over a year ago, and I have watched faithfully from the pilot, with multiple viewings each week as I try to find all of the breadcrumbs that I know Mazzara and team have left for us. It's renewed my interest in the religious subject matter, and it's certainly restored my faith in quality, intelligent television in an age of reality TV.

score 10/10

spottyseal 23 April 2016

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3457026/