What An Evil Spinoff Would Really Need To Be The Perfect Season 5 Replacement

Summary An Evil spin-off series is the best option for fans craving more adventures in the universe after season 4 wraps up.

Creators Robert and Michelle King have a successful track record with spin-off series and need to be involved in any potential Evil spin-off.

Maintaining the fusion of horror, comedy, and supernatural elements is essential for a spin-off to capture the unique charm of Evil.

Despite its popularity, high ratings, and critical acclaim, Paramount+ is canceling its supernatural series, Evil, with season 4 being its last. By now, it seems unlikely that an Evil season 5 will exist beyond the four addendum episodes tacked onto the end of season 4. This means that for viewers hungry for more adventures in the Evil universe, the most promising option is to hope for an Evil spin-off series.

Evil creators, Robert and Michelle King, haven't openly or officially stated whether they are exploring spin-off options yet. However, there is a lot of interest in the pair picking up a character from the current series and developing a new series around their new and different set of challenges. While a spin-off won't be exactly the same as the widely beloved Evil series, there are a few elements required to make it a worthy replacement for what could have been an Evil season 5 and beyond.

2:47 Related After Evil Season 4, This Spinoff Idea Is The Best Way To Continue The Story After the cancelation of the Paramount+ show Evil, the best way forward would be a spinoff series centering on the demon-hunting nun, Sister Andrea.

Creators Robert & Michelle King Would Need To Be Involved In An Evil Spin-Off

The Kings Already Have A String Of Successful Spin-Off Series

Robert and Michelle King have an impressive track record when it comes to spin-off series. The couple was behind the CBS legal drama, The Good Wife, which received a popular six-season spin-off, The Good Fight, and the currently airing Elsbeth. The Kings know how to create a believable universe with interesting and authentic characters, and drive their compelling stories with sharp dialogue.

For an Evil spin-off to meet the high standards viewers expect from the show, Robert and Michelle King would need to be involved in some way. With the Kings at the helm, the spin-off could take multiple directions. It could be like The Good Fight in a more traditional form of spin-off series. Or it could be more like Elsbeth where, as Michelle King told The Hollywood Reporter:

"It never occurred to me that we were doing a spin-off. It was a separate show, and it’s such a completely different world."

This is the great thing about Evil – like The Good Wife, it lends itself well to exploring a multitude of different angles and storytelling techniques. For example, if Ben (Aasif Mandvi) was the lead of an Evil spin-off, the show could focus on him and his sister, Karima (Sohina Sidhu) debunking haunted houses and spooky clout-chasing shows like Gotham Ghosts, where Ben met Vanessa (Nicole Shalhoub). The show has endless possibilities, and the Kings are the best at drawing out that potential and spinning it into television gold.

An Evil Spin-Off Would Need The Same Fusion Of Horror, Comedy, And Supernatural

Unlike American Horror Story, It Shouldn't Take Itself Too Seriously

One thing that has made Evil stand out from today's TV and streaming landscape is its masterful blend of genres. It effortlessly bounces from horror to comedy, gives depth to ideas that most horror writers only explore on a surface level, and it naturally uses humor to lighten often intense moments and give its characters more dimensions. Evil can then somehow weave these elements together into a compelling show that takes an even-handed view of the Catholic Church without hiding from its biggest criticisms.

For a spin-off to work after Evil season 4, it will need to blend these genres as it has in the current series. Regardless of its approach or lead characters, it should remain self-aware, and it shouldn't take itself seriously. This is arguably what has made American Horror Story stale, as each season forgets its universe rules, and takes itself a little too seriously. Taking Evil in this direction would destroy the show's legacy, and undermine its unique charm and clever balance of horror, humor, and the supernatural.

Cameos From David, Ben & Kristen Would Be Essential For A Spin-Off Evil Series

There Are Numerous Characters A Spin-Off Could Explore, But The OG Trio Must Also Appear

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It would be especially difficult for an Evil spin-off to not feature cameos from the core players of the current show. David (Mike Colter), Kristen (Katja Herbers), and Ben are so integral to the show working that a spin-off would feel a little empty without even a hint of them. Their chemistry and dynamic are central to the show's appeal, and their complete absence from a spin-off could make it challenging to capture the same magic.

Of course, an Evil spin-off series could focus on one of the trio and explore their lives before or after they all meet. A David spin-off might delve into his life before finding religion, and as a reformed sex addict, this could be a steamy new direction for the Evil universe. Conversely, a David spin-off could follow him after the Evil season 4 series finale. Assuming he survives, perhaps he's invited to the Vatican to join the Entity. This would take the spin-off in a more supernatural direction but opens some interesting options for Kristen and Ben to reappear in cameos.

There is a wealth of well-defined characters already in Evil that could be worthy of a spin-off. Some fans on Reddit have also suggested a spin-off with Kristen's four daughters, and a Leland (Michael Emerson) or Sheryl (Christine Lahti) prequel. However, there can never be a true replacement for Evil. It has been a one-of-a-kind show and its cancelation will leave many unsure what to do with their Paramount+ subscriptions.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter