Evil’s Christine Lahti Always Believed Sheryl Would Prevail

As someone who spent years working on a groundbreaking television show that explored the depths of human psychology and the complexities of faith, I can’t help but reflect on how my perspective has evolved throughout the journey. I came into this project as an atheist, firmly believing in the power of science and reason to explain the world around us. However, working alongside a talented cast and crew that delved deep into the supernatural, I found myself challenged in ways I hadn’t anticipated.

Spoilers for Evil season four, episode ten, “How to Survive a Storm.”

Sheryl Luria has had a complicated relationship with evil, both figuratively and literally, since the start of “Evil.” In the first season, Leland Townsend (Michael Emerson), who worshiped Satan, made Sheryl dependent on his youth-serum injections. Subsequently, she joined forces with him at DF, a corporation dealing in real estate, social media, and cryptocurrency, where she followed demonic commands. However, the four-season storyline reached its tragic conclusion in this week’s episode. As Sheryl had foreseen two episodes prior, she met her demise at Leland’s hands. Despite this, she was able to bid farewell to her granddaughters and reconcile with her daughter, Kristen (Katja Herbers), before passing away.

As Sheryl, portrayed fiercely by Christine Lahti, nears the end of her life, she strives to make amends for past mistakes. Although she has been dismissive of religion, as evident in her conversation with Father David Acosta (Mike Colter) where she labeled his church as “such a patriarchy,” she arranges for her grandson Timothy, who is believed to be the Antichrist, to undergo baptism to shield him from harm. She advises Kristen to keep her daughters safe from Leland. In her final moments, she even requests Father Acosta to administer the last rites, a significant change of heart given her previous statement to him, “I don’t want your forgiveness. I hate you guys.”

Lahti found it difficult to bid farewell to Sheryl and her colleagues on the “Evil” set, yet she acknowledged the reason for their separation. “The series is titled ‘Evil,'” she explained. “I believe Leland will ultimately triumph.” However, she was taken aback when Michelle King, one of the co-showrunners, broke the news to her during a Peloton workout session. “I had just finished reading an article about Brian Cox being informed by the ‘Succession’ team that his character would be eliminated unexpectedly,” she recalled. “I thought, ‘What a distressing phone call that must have been.’ Then: ‘ring, ring.’ It was Michelle.”

As someone who has spent years working in the unpredictable world of television production, I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for actors who find out their characters are being killed off unexpectedly. I remember vividly the day before we received the tenth-episode script – the day when the rug was pulled out from under one of my colleagues.

Michelle King contacted me with regret in her voice. “Hello, unfortunately we have decided, based on the organic development of the story, that it’s best for Sheryl and for you, if we go in this direction.” I got the message.

In the final storyline of the series, Sheryl appears to represent various perspectives. She shares skepticism with Kristen and Ben. Towards the end, she expresses a desire for faith and wishes to receive her last rites. Did this shift seem genuine to you?

Sheryl finds it difficult to seek assistance, despite her requirement for help not only in having David perform the baptism but also in seeking forgiveness and comprehension regarding her own questionable past. She has made choices she isn’t proud of, many of which were motivated by a desire to shield her daughter and granddaughters. However, it’s important to acknowledge that isolating and draining one’s son-in-law’s fluids, even if perceived as an unengaged father and husband, is likely not the most effective solution.

“It’s unlikely.”

Towards the close, she deeply yearned for making amends with Kristen. This act brought her some solace. Additionally, she has forged a bond with David. I believe it was less about David’s forgiveness being greater than God’s and more about the emotional weight his forgiveness carried for her.

In the confession scene with David, Sheryl explains that Leland is too fearful to go to church, so she feels compelled to baptize Timothy. Yet, I’ve been pondering how religion can hold a deep and enduring pull for us, even if we’ve abandoned our faith. Could it be that part of her wants to baptize him out of a sense of duty or longing, regardless of Leland’s feelings?

After my mother passed away, the experience was deeply distressing. My father-in-law expressed his condolences by stating, “I’m sorry you don’t have faith during this difficult time. It would make things easier for you.” His words resonated with me. Although I remain an atheist, I couldn’t help but agree that faith can provide comfort and strength when needed. The sentiment left me pondering, perhaps there is some truth to it.

In a personal note, this episode airs on the eve of the anniversary of my father’s passing. Raised Catholic, but with a generally Christian upbringing in our household, his final wishes were for last rites and a Catholic funeral. Initially, I was taken aback, questioning if this aligned with who he truly was. It was intriguing to observe Sheryl experiencing a similar dilemma.

It occurred to me as well if the baptism had influenced Sheryl in some way. Almost immediately following Timothy’s baptism, the power was restored. He seemed like a completely different baby.

Was there a physical baby on set, or is that created in post with CGI?
We did some takes with a robotic little creature operated electronically by the puppet master. Then there were other takes where it was the actual child. We also had a dummy child that was so heavy. Andrea and I were both like, “We do not have to go to the gym for weeks after this.”

Sheryl had expressed her strong disapproval towards Leland regarding harming her granddaughters years ago. She believed he understood her warning. However, when she discovered his attempt on Lexis’ life, she was taken aback. It never occurred to her that Leland would go that far. Perhaps she underestimated him due to his past demeanor.

As someone who has been hooked on “Twin Peaks” since its original run in the early ’90s, I must admit I was disappointed when Sheryl Lee’s character, Laura Palmer, seemed to have met her final demise in the recent revival. I had held onto a glimmer of hope that perhaps she would return in some supernatural capacity, maybe even haunting Special Agent Dale Cooper or tormenting the elusive Leland Palmer.

As an assistant director with decades of experience in the film industry, I’ve seen my fair share of unexpected set disruptions due to strikes and other unforeseen circumstances. However, none have been quite as memorable as the one that halted our production during the shooting of a crucial scene involving Kurt Fuller and his demon character trying to kill us in my office.

Is it a good thing or a bad thing to have that time?
It turned out fine. I was just happy that we got to shoot those scenes. They could have said, Well, we can cut that and save money and just end the season this way. The good news was, not only did we get to shoot all this stuff from episode ten, but then, once they decided to cancel the show, they got to shoot four more episodes to tie up all the stories.

I’m a huge fan of your show and I’m eagerly waiting to see where the story goes next. However, my character has unfortunately met his end. Yet, if this series is going to resurrect any character within its unique narrative, it would be amazing if it was yours. Perhaps you could return as a new entity or appear in someone’s dream, fantasy, or nightmare. I’d even welcome the idea of becoming Leland’s greatest terror.

As a movie buff and an atheist, I’ve always believed that religious experiences can be explained through psychology. But working on this show made me understand and even envy the deep faith of some people. I used to see religion as a tool for patriarchy and the oppression of women. But now, I’m starting to think that there might be a God in every person, not just the version of God depicted historically as a white man or a deity with patriarchal values. I find myself leaning towards Buddhism, where everyone has the potential for enlightenment and connection to something greater than ourselves.

2024-07-26 02:55

Evil’s Christine Lahti Always Believed Sheryl Would Prevail

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