When good shows are suddenly canceled, it’s frustrating for the series creators and fans. No matter how well it’s doing, in terms of ratings, or social media chatter, it seems like nothing can keep a show safe.Robert and Michelle Kingare currently taking over popular shows on television and streaming. The husband-and-wife duo are creators and executive producers of series likeEvil,Elsbeth,andHappy Face,which have put them at the forefront of winning awards. The supernatural showEvilwas critically acclaimed andmoved from CBS to Paramount+in 2021. However, it was sadly canceled in 2024, and its final episode aired in August.
It seems thathigh praise and consistent viewershipare no longer enough to secure a renewal these days. Robert and Michelle talked to The Hollywood Reporter about how they can’t wrap their heads around the fact thatEvilwas canceled.
“I don’t f**ing understand whyEvilwas canceled; I still can’t. I lay awake at night wondering why it was canceled, and it all seems to come back to the new streaming model, which is, ‘We have enough. We don’t need more. There’s no place for your show. What can you say except that it was stupid. And I think the business is stupid,” Robert said.
Did Evil Need a Season 5 or Was It a Perfect Finale?
Though Evil was abruptly canceled at the end of Season 4, the series finale provided a thought-provoking and hopeful message for fans.
The thriller series follows three individuals from completely different backgrounds who are tasked by the Catholic Church to investigate possible supernatural events. It starsKatja Herbersas Dr. Kristen Bouchard (a forensic psychologist),Mike Colteras David Acosta (a Catholic priest and former war journalist), and Aasif Mandvi as Ben Shakir (an atheist).For four seasons,Evilcaptured its audience and critics’ attention. From the actors' stellar performances, the captivating characters, well-written plots, and the cinematography, it nothing less than top-tier TV. Robert King knew thatEvilwas a great show, and it was something he felt television truly needed.
“For a lot of TV writers, there’s an envy to be like movies, and I thinkEvildoes that.Evilis visually as dynamic as any show on TV. It was such a good marriage of so many crafts, both the monster creation and [cinematographer] Fred Murphy’s incredible photography; the real understanding of production design and how it impacts the moods of shows and so on; and then obviously the cast. It would be lovely if it got attention.”
Katja Herbers Loved Everything About ‘Evil’
There are many ways to identify whether an actor truly loves their role or not. From their mannerisms to how happily they reveal behind-the-scenes tidbits, when an actor believes they have the best role possible, they literally shout from the mountaintops.Evilstar Katja Herbers clearly enjoyed playing Dr. Kristen Bouchard on the thriller series, revealing previously howsad she was while filming the final episodes.
“I loved making this show, and I love the people we gotto make it with — not just the people in front of the camera, but also behind the camera. And it just felt like we had gotten a really bad disease diagnosis, and we were going to die. I was both extremely grateful [and sad] while filming. Just constantly, I was going, ‘Oh my god, I’m so grateful, and I’m so sad, and now I’m having such a great time.’ I was savoring every moment, while trying to do good work and stay focused. Those last four [episodes] were very different than our normal workflow, because it had a certain speed, because we made it for less budget. So I was going from one episode to another episode, sometimes within a day. Crazy, crazy ride.”
Source:The Hollywood Reporter
Evil is a Paramount+ original that focuses on a priest, clinical psychologist, and a contractor who investigate strange events such as demonic possession as they trace the origins of evil. Created by Michelle King and Robert King, the series tackles the line between science and religion while the team tries to determine if there are any scientific explanations for the supernatural events they experience.
