The Exorcist – Safe as Houses

By starrymag | October 13, 2017

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

 

The second episode of “The Exorcist’s.  sophomore season took audiences on a dramatic international adventure. Here we uncovered conspiracies within the Vatican, suspected possession within one otherwise cozy foster home and followed our favorite exorcists as they try to charm their way out of the mysterious (and literal) ties that bind.

 

Father Bennett (Kurt Egyiawan) furiously scribble notes in a journal at his desk within the Vatican’s Office of Exorcism, too preoccupied to even sit down. His desk is disorganized and disheveled, adorned with photographs of the Catholic Church’s Conspirators scattered upon the surface. Surveillance photos of the infamous Brother Simon (Francis Guinan) are among those decorating the investigative shrine. Cardinal Caro (Philip Craig) enters Bennett’s office bearing news of the tribunal’s insistence on hearing Bennett’s findings as quickly as possible. Bennett, still in the throes of his investigation on church misdealings is hesitant to oblige, there is still much work to be done in order to substantiate his claims. Cardinal Caro states his position on Bennett’s side and suggests that the tribunal’s haste is deliberate.

 

Wasting no time, we witness Father Bennett standing before the tribunal as he is ridiculed for his claims that integrated demons have infiltrated the church’s ranks. The tribunal summons Cardinal Guillot (Torrey Hanson) into the room, who enters with the confidence of the devil down below. He taunts Father Bennett with a compliment, sneering as the tribunal continues to invalidate Father Bennett’s claims. Cardinal Guillot inquires on the validity of arthritis as a symptom of “integration,” a response that elicits laughter from the tribunal. Father Bennett is not as convinced as the tribunal and rightfully so. Still, Cardinal Guilot ups the theatricals by consuming what is supposed to be holy water. He blesses and drinks the holy liquid with no adverse effects. The underwhelming reaction stuns Father Bennett and audiences – leaving the tribunal with a renewed sense of disdain for the excommunicated Father Marcus (Ben Daniels) and those who associate with him AKA Father Bennett. The tribunal leaves us with one final question and that is where is Marcus Keane?

 

We found him! And he’s…tied up in the barn where we last saw him and Father Tomas (Alfonso Herrera) get their holy butts kicked by Demon Cindy (Zibby Allen), Jordy (Warren Christie) and his friends.  The men who beat and bound Marcus and Tomas are chatting in the corner, but quickly break apart to taunt the two priests once they are both roused back into consciousness. Tomas explains the futility of trying to reason with the men, something he’s been trying to do while Marcus slept off the consequences of his fisticuffs. It breaks off into an argument, something they’ve been doing a lot recently, especially after Tomas’ experiments in cerebral exorcisms.

 

Back in Washington we find foster father of the year Andy (John Cho) sealing off the mouth of the well that his children can’t seem to stay away from. He is joined by Rose (Li Jun Li) who has no interest in small talk, only in ensuring the safety of the children. The incident that occurred the night before with Andy and his gang of misfits is weighing heavily on all of their minds. How did a visually impaired child manage to make his way through the woods, at night, only to stand on the open well? These are the hard hitting questions our resident social worker has for Andy.

 

Andy’s house is no less lively in the morning than it is at night. Truck (Cyrus Arnold) is frantically trying to get into his shared bedroom to feed his beloved Morty. Shelby (Alex Barima) comes to the rescue and offers reassurances while Caleb (Hunter Dillon) has some “alone time.” They go downstairs to eat and are greeted by Verity (Brianna Hildebran) and two visitors bearing freshly picked produce; Colleen (June B. Wilde) and Russ (Timothy Webber). Russ mentions that the farm’s ewe is ready to give birth to a baby lamb and offers Shelby, who has expressed interest in it before, an opportunity to view the birth. They invite him over later in the afternoon to witness the miracle of life.

 

Jordy is now finally acting like the cop he is dressed up as and is interrogating Tomas and Marcus about their treatment of Cindy. He accuses them of drugging Cindy after his cousin (burly accomplice #1) witnessed Tomas buying supplies at the pharmacy. Jordy says one thing we can all agree on is that Cindy has suffered enough and reveals that she is now intensive care at the hospital. Marcus claims that the only poison inside of Cindy is the demon before the men break off into an existential debate on what God owes them. Tomas interrupts the argument by describing the church Cindy used to go to in explicit detail. Jordy resigns, admitting that Tomas’ vision was correct. Tomas continues by telling Jordy that the real Cindy is still at that church, waiting to be saved to the tune of an old Patsy Cline song. Jordy makes a final declaration, “She dies, you die.”

 

Caleb sits between Andy and Rose for what is clearly not a game of Monkey-In-The-Middle. Rose begins by asking why and how Caleb managed to get into the woods. She suggests that he wanted to hurt himself, but Andy quickly jumps to his defense. When Caleb’s absentee father is brought up, Caleb shuts down.

 

In intensive care, Cindy’s situation is growing bleaker by the second. Her body trembles on the hospital bed, the fluorescent lights doing very little to improve the pallor of her skin. Jordy leans down to talk to his wife, only to become startled as she releases a blood-curdling scream. The lights flicker, her shrieks echo and her pupils dilate – revealing the monstrosity within.

 

In what comes as no big surprise, Tomas and Marcus are still tied up…and still bickering. Tomas insists that his ability to get inside of Cindy’s mind if a gift from God. Incredulous, Marcus suggests that it is only the demon making him believe this in order to manipulate Tomas into being more receptive to evil’s embrace. Tomas is exhibiting some hubris, a sin that might come back to bite him later on. Marcus, catching on to this, warns Tomas of what happens when you let the darkness inside. This isn’t about jealousy, right? It’s about godliness.

 

Rose lets herself into Andy’s bedroom as he does laundry to let him know she is undecided about Caleb’s safety under his care. Her first inclination is to believe that Caleb is intentionally trying to hurt himself, and that Andy is unable to see that. Going for the jugular, Rose suggests that Andy is unable to spot self-harm and depression in those closest to him, as he failed to do so with his late wife.

 

Jordy has decided to enlist the help of Marcus and Tomas after Cindy’s horrifying display at the hospital.  As they enter the healthcare facility, blood seeps into the carpets and screams bounce off the walls. They enter a room and spot Cindy trying to make a meal out of a fellow patient. “Sweet like stolen candy,” she hisses.

 

Father Bennett once again meets with Cardinal Caro, who reveals that the true conspiracy is one to cause an upheaval within the Office of Exorcism. The integration is larger and more involved than Bennett had guessed, but there are others like Caro who are still fighting for good – including a mysterious young woman that Bennett is instructed to locate and protect.

 

In a display of power and malice, Cindy recites Bible verses as she torments a hospital patient, biting his flesh and reveling in the taste of his blood. Tomas pleads with the demon, who slits the patient’s throat and flees – playing games with the clergymen.

 

Caleb is alone again. He bites into an apple, but finds it to be infested with maggots – never a good sign. Verity catches him gulping water directly from the faucet, but is unaware of the spoiled apple. He dismisses Verity, in no mood for her snark, and leaves the room. Elsewhere, on Russ and Colleen’s farm, Shelby assists the sheep as she gives birth. The ewe is demonstrating signs of obvious distress during her labor, causing the other animals in the barn to act out. At last, the ewe pushes her lamb out. Still in a gelatinous sac, the lamb mews and breaks through the thin membrane, revealing its horribly deformed face and body. This is no Lamb of God. Russ puts the creature out of its misery.

 

Caleb finds Andy and confesses (or fabricates?!) that he was with Verity and that she was the one who encouraged him to get on the well before she left him there, alone.

 

Cindy has found the hospital nursery and is cradling an infant in her arms, no doubt in attempt to further torment Cindy’s soul. Marcus begins to cite a passage, but the demon threatens to kill the baby in its arms if he continues. Instead, Tomas makes an appeal to Cindy’s soul as he sings the woman’s favorite song of comfort “Walkin’ After Midnight.” Together Cindy and Tomas sing until the demon is distracted and weakened enough to hand the baby over to Tomas. Marcus acts quickly, tackling the demon and breaking back into his exorcism routine.

 

Shelby traverses the woods alone now and hears the haunting sounds of invisible animals cooing and screeching as they circle him. What’s in those woods?

 

Andy knocks on Verity’s door to follow up on Caleb’s testimony. She confesses that yes, she did insist Caleb stand on the well, but not last night – not in the instance he claims she did. Andy is struggling with neutrality now, and accuses Verity of regressing back into her patterns of destructive behavior. Offended by his assault on her character, she demands he leave her alone. He obliges and finds Grace in the hallway.

 

Father Tomas and Father Marcus seem to have gotten their holy mojo back and are holding Cindy on the ground while Marcus prays. The demon, gaining strength, tempts Tomas. “Let me in and I’ll let her go,” it promises. Tomas tries to fight it, praying to the saints but he isn’t strong enough to fight the lure of the demon’s secrets. Tomas meets the real Cindy in a church. She is singing her song and Tomas makes his wait into the confessional booth to meet the demon. The demon reveals that Marcus is afraid of him, but can you truly trust a demon? It’s too late to find out – as the exorcism hits full intensity and Tomas is snapped back into the reality. At the same time, it looks like the real Cindy has come back home for good. Cindy appears to be safe, but Marcus’ relationship with Tomas is not. Marcus is terrified of Tomas’ abilities. Are they God-given or the Devil’s delight?

 

The tribunal is up to no good, pulling Cardinal Caro from his chambers as Bennett watches in secrecy. After witnessing more evidence on the Vatican’s state of demonic infiltration, he calls Marcus to warn him – it is time to go off the grid. Communication between the men will be nonexistent until Bennett is able to find Marcus, but only when the time is right.

 

After a night of conflicting stories, Andy finds Rose who is in the midst of writing her report on Andy’s caregiving. The protective foster-father tells Rose a half truth about the well’s lore and intent, a compromise. He isn’t completely lying, but he isn’t being completely truthful. Will this be enough to save his family? The tender moment shared between Andy and Rose will determine Rose’s recommendation on whether or not the family will be able to stay together, but it also reveals Andy’s ability to manipulate. Can she see through him?

 

Rose reopens the case file and makes the determination that no action is to be made until further notice. The kids are safe with Andy…or are they?

 

Father Marcus drives through the night with Tomas in the passenger’s seat and they’re headed to the state of Washington.

 

Andy watches the fruits of his labors as they settle into their nightly routines. Truck and Caleb together with Morty the Parakeet. Verity in her room, brooding.

 

Outside, he hears an ominous creaking. Once outside, he spots bloody handprints on the door. Behind him, Shelby stands with the dead lamb in his hands.

 

“It says in the bible that a lamb’s blood can protect the home. I didn’t know what else I could do. There’s something in the woods.”

 

…and really, isn’t there always something lurking in the woods?