Evil Was The Spiritual Successor To An 87% RT Show That Also Got 4 Seasons, But Only 1 Had A Proper Ending

In more ways than one, Evil comes off as the perfect spiritual follow-up to another highly acclaimed supernatural show that boasts a Rotten Tomatoes score of 87%. However, despite the similarities between the two, only one got the opportunity to end its runtime on a conclusive note. Created by Robert and Michelle King, Evil first landed on CBS on September 26, 2019. After performing well both critically and commercially, the show moved to Paramount+ for subsequent seasons, where it remained till its fourth installment marked the end of its run.

What made Evil a standout in the supernatural genre and allowed it to garner a massive following in a short duration was its ability to walk on the thin line between science and religion with its storytelling. With each new arc, the show introduces a new mystery that plays with the conventions of horror but also manages to instill both chills and thrills in viewers. However, as unique as Evil‘s storyline might have seemed, it was not the first of its kind. Before it premiered on CBS, another highly acclaimed show dabbled with similar ideas and themes.

How Evil Was The Perfect Spiritual Successor To Preacher

Evil Came Out Right After Preacher Ended Its Run

Although Preacher and Evil do not have any direct narrative connections, Evil coincidentally premiered around the same time Preacher ended its four-season run. The almost-perfect synchronicity between the Preacher series’ ending and Evil‘s release made Evil the perfect replacement — or spiritual sequel/follow-up — to Preacher. Like Preacher, Evil masterfully presented a unique blend of psychological horror, dark humor, and social commentary that was as hilarious in some arcs as it was scary in others.

Unlike Preacher, Evil is not based on a comic book series. However, its original story beats feature a similar quest-like narrative where one or more characters are in the pursuit of learning more about their supernatural abilities and their place in the world. The two shows are also jampacked with religious symbolism and iconography, allowing them to explore profound themes revolving around humanity’s diminishing sense of faith and morality. With so many narrative intersections between the two, it is hard not to see Evil as Preacher‘s unofficial follow-up.

Preacher Got The Conclusive Ending That Evil Deserved

Many Plot Points In Evil Remain Unresolved After Season 4

Preacher season 4’s ending neatly wraps up its overarching storyline by highlighting how its three main characters meet a grim fate. Like every television show, it leaves a few loose threads and plot holes behind, but its finale feels satisfying and well-rounded. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about Evil season 4’s abrupt ending. Despite having a strong four-season run and consistently landing in critics’ good books, Evil was canceled after four seasons even though it had many more supernatural stories to tell.

The show’s creators, Michelle and Robert King, even had a few intriguing plot developments for season 5 in mind. For instance, they revealed (via TV Insider) that they wanted to expand on the court system narrative and highlight how “demonic it can be.” They were also going to satirize their own work from their previous shows like Good Fight and Good Wife to add another layer of “meta” and “self-reflecting” humor to the show’s narrative. Unfortunately, they never got to explore the full extent of their ambitious ideas with Evil, and the show never reached its natural conclusion.

Key Background

• Preacher is based on Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s comic book series of the same name, which was published by DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint.
• Upon skipping Evil’s into on Paramount+, a warning screen appears saying, “Skip Intro and You Will Be Haunted.”
• After purchasing its rights, Mark Steven Johnson first pitched Preacher to HBO. However, HBO canceled its production when Johnson refused to scale down its violence.