Time is running out for Cassie as the Salesman pressures her to close the deal. The Exorcist “Chapter Four: The Movable Feast” explains those multiple acts of evil outside the Rance household. Marcus King follows the list of names given to him by Father Bennett and Father Tomas steels himself to break the rules of the church.
A lot has changed since the bloody episode in the train. Police ordered Cassie to be held on a 5150 and Angela cannot visit her daughter or get her released until the 72 hour period is up.
We learn what Cassie was doing with that hair curler (they have found genital burning) and the resident psychiatrist asks about any family traits of mental illness.
Marcus goes to see the first name on the list, Mother Bernadette. The nuns under Bernadette are hardly welcoming and will not even let Marcus use their “nun’s bog” (toilet). Tired of waiting in the garden, he searches out the next name on the list, the Rego’s
The small murder tour guide company, complete with pre-recorded screams, follows a murder route in Chicago. After the tour, Marcus meets with the couple and they talk about evil converging on the city. It is not uncommon before a catastrophic event, they say, and the two also understand the significance of the Englewood murders.
Marcus finally gets a meeting with Mother Bernadette after witnessing her and the nuns performing an exorcism. Their technique differs greatly from the former priest’s methodology. There is no “coercion” in their ritual.
The exorcism they perform is all about love and forgiveness. After the meeting Marcus is allowed to participate in the ritual. He attempts to follow their procedure but falters. For a moment he slips into his old ways. However, a glance from Bernadette puts him back on track.
Switching back to forgiveness, he exorcises the demon. Marcus is rejuvenated. He now knows that there needs to be a blending of the two styles. He is now ready to help Tomas take on whatever is possessing Cassie.
Father Tomas gets his house in order and studies up on exorcism. He visits with Maria Walters, bringing his nephew, and asks for her help in bypassing Bishop Egan. She agrees to help but insists that he cash the donation check she gave him earlier.
As Tomas and Maria talk, his nephew finds her husband in another room. The boy is scared when terminally ill man reaches for him and Tomas cuts his conversation short.
It is difficult to see where Maria Walters fits in here. Something about the woman seems off. Is she an agent for “the other side?”
Later, the priest sets things in motion to have the check deposited. He also helps Jessica but stops short of resuming their affair. Marcus turns up with renewed purpose and the two men prepare the attic for the exorcism.
Cassie is released from the hospital when Angela finds the doctor messed up the 5150 procedure. She is brought home and chained to the attic floor.
At the start of this episode, Cassie is dreaming. In the dream, Angela is cooking breakfast. Her mother cracks open an egg and a black chick falls out. “That’s good luck,” murmurs Angela.
Cassie goes to the table and sees Henry and Kat already seated. Henry makes a reference to Kat being a swan and Cassie’s sister is dressed in black. The inference being that Kat is the black swan.
Just as the Salesman’s appearance is roughening as he interacts further with Cassie, she is seeing things through a skewed prospective.
The Exorcist is purposefully avoiding the more controversial scenes from the book. Leaving out the foul language and opting to replace the cross masturbation scene with the curling iron.
Oddly, the series has been hesitant to identify too literally (no pun intended) with its source material. For example, apart from a short burst of tubular bells early on, the show’s theme has gone instead for a choir-type approach.
There has been very little direct references to God or Christ. It is almost as if they plan to exorcise a demon without any help from the holy trilogy at all. Although to be fair the nuns and Mother Bernadette do invoke the name of the virgin Mary, but that really is it in terms of Christian involvement.
It will be interesting to see how the show will deal with the actual exorcism. Marcus has already decided to blend the two “styles” and one wonders if God is even included in the new, “improved” method.
The Exorcist airs Fridays on FOX. Tune in and see where this evil manifestation heads next.
Cast:
- Alfonso Herrera – Father Tomas Ortega
- Ben Daniels – Father Marcus Keane
- Hannah Kasulka – Casey Rance
- Geena Davis – Angela Rance
- Brianne Howey – Kat Rance
- Alan Ruck – Henry Rance
- Kurt Egyiawan – Father Bennett
- Deanna Dunagan – Mother Bernadette
- Muzak Makkar – Jessica
- Kirsten Fitzgerald – Maria Walters
- Robert Emmet Lunney – Salesman
Mikes Film Talk 