By Faith Roswell
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Despite its untimely ending, I'm delighted that the supernatural drama Evil finally did justice to my favorite villain actor, Michael Emerson. Emerson has played several iconic villain characters throughout the 2000s, winning Emmy Awards for portraying serial killer William Hinks in The Practice, and the morally complex Benjamin (Ben) Linus in the TV series Lost. Emerson has also played the reluctant villain Zep Hindle in the Saw franchise, super-villain Cayden James in Arrow, and the scientist Siggi Wilzig in Fallout. Emerson's roles tend to be morally ambiguous, but Evil's Leland Townsend allowed him to play a different kind of villain.
Emerson has a distinctive, soft-spoken manner and tends to bring a nervous, twitchy energy to the antagonists he plays. Ben began as one of Lost's many villains, but throughout the series, he became more complex because Emerson's performance impressed directors so much that they wrote him a bigger role. However, the ending of Lost is still controversial, with Ben's villain status remaining unclear. As Emerson plays antagonists so well, I had hoped to see him play a true villain in Evil, and see his character meet a fitting ending. I was not disappointed.
After Lost, Evil's Leland Proves Michael Emerson Is One Of TV's All-Time Best Villain Actors
Leland Townsend's Ending Is Fitting, But Allows A Possible Return
Like his Lost character, Emerson has a talent for appearing harmless, even cowardly, and his role as Evil's root beer-drinking demonic psychologist, Leland Townsend, plays to his strengths. However, Townsend is different from other Emerson villains. His childlike demeanor makes him seem mischievous even when he is committing some of his more evil acts, including radicalizing Noah and hypnotizing Andy to kill his daughter. This is a dramatic difference from Lost's Ben, and the new traits Emerson brings to his Evil role proves, in my opinion, that he is one of the best villain actors of all time.
While I had been hoping for the evil Townsend to be killed by Kristen, his fate in the Evil finale means that he will be tormented forever...a fitting and satisfying ending for a human character that behaved in such a demonic way.
The ending of Evil season 4 sees Townsend being stuffed into a sack and put in the demonic cabinet in a silent retreat, which has left him alive, with the opportunity for Emerson to reprise his role if Evil is ever renewed for another season. While I had been hoping for the evil Townsend to be killed by Kristen, his fate in the Evil finale means that he will be tormented forever (or until he is set free,) which is also a fitting and satisfying ending for a human character that behaved in such a demonic way.
Leland From Evil Or Ben From Lost: Which Michael Emerson Villain Is The Best?
Both Lost And Evil's Endings Suit Michael Emerson's Characters
Ben from Lost did terrible things, including killing Locke and allowing his own daughter to die. Though he has been described as "loyal only to himself," Lost hinted that a higher power was at play and that the island changed him from a good character to something more ambiguous. While Ben is one of Emerson's best characters due to his complexity, I think the pure evil displayed by Townsend makes him the best Emerson villain since William Hinks in Private Practice. Evil's supernatural element gave Emerson space to show his range as a more unusual antagonist, and Emerson delivered.
In 2023, Emerson was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for "Best Supporting Actor In A Drama Series" for his portrayal of Leland Townsend in Evil.
The controversial ending to Lost left many plot points unresolved, focusing instead on finishing the redemption arcs for the characters. Although this choice received mixed reviews, Emerson liked Lost's ending, in which Ben chose not to enter the church with the others. This left his character open to more development, allowing Ben more opportunities to improve himself. However, Townsend was beyond redemption, and finishing his character arc in a way that gave him just punishment was essential. Evil's satisfying ending gave Townsend his deserved fate, allowing Michael Emerson to finish his time in Evil with that well-earned final scene.
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8/10
115 9.9/10
Evil
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
*Availability in US
- Cast
- Katja Herbers , Mike Colter , Aasif Mandvi , Michael Emerson , Maddy Crocco , Brooklyn Shuck , Skylar Gray , Dalya Knapp , Christine Lahti , Kurt Fuller , Marti Matulis , Andrea Martin , Patrick Brammall , Boris McGiver , Sohina Sidhu , Wallace Shawn , Peter Scolari , Brian D'Arcy James , Molly Brown , Fedor Steer , Ashley Edner , Danny Burstein , Chukwudi Iwuji , Euan Morton , Li Jun Li , Kristen Connolly , Brian Stokes Mitchell , Darren Pettie , Clark Johnson , Nicole Shalhoub
- Release Date
- September 26, 2019
- Seasons
- 4
- Network
- CBS , Paramount
- Streaming Service(s)
- Paramount+ , Netflix , Prime Video
