Evil

word of advice : spoiler lie in ahead for malevolent season 4 !

Summary

Leland is no longer as in control as he used to be , as seen inEvilseason 4 . Portrayed byPerson of InterestandFalloutstar Michael Emerson , the character was first introduced in the supernatural drama show as a professional competition to Katja Herbers ' Dr. Kristen Bouchard . As the show progresses , spectator quickly get wind that Leland is actually an expert in the occult and holds tie-in to a diabolic organization in New York City , keen on spreading evil and keep in line those around him .

InEvilseason 4 ’s story , Leland see himself knocked down a stick when his plans to contribute the Antichrist into the world blowback , as he is now leave with raising the baby on his own . Additionally , Christine Lahti ’s Sheryl is making major baron motion at DF , threatening Leland ’s place at the company , all while he tries to regain a grip over Kristen ’s genial state . With the walls closing in around him , Leland is in a fight for endurance as he finds his various system dilapidate around him .

The Paramount+ show Evil will soon conclude with a four - episode season 5 . There are many bare write up that need answers in the series finale .

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In plus to Emerson , Herbers and Lahti , the ensembleEvilseason 4 cast sees the return of Mike Colter , Aasif Mandvi , Marti Matulis , Brooklyn Shuck , Skylar Gray , Maddy Crocco , and Dalya Knapp , while also introducingGuardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3 ’s Chukwudi Iwujias David ’s new Entity coach , Father Dominic Kabiru . Managing to raise the stakes even higher for its core cast of characters while also delivering the dark sense of humor audience are used to , the show is outride on top throughout its final time of year .

With just a few episodes remain , Screen Rantinterviewed Michael Emerson to discussEvilseason 4 , his look on the show coming to an end and potential future , Leland ’s down helix in the young time of year , his thoughts on killing a certain major character and the hard-nosed effects required for another major killing .

EvilEnding With Season 4 Is “A Little Dizzying” For Emerson

Despite three acclaimed seasons on both CBS and Paramount+ , the decision was made forEvilto arrive to an endwith season 4 , met with not only disappointment from fans of the show , but also stars Katja Herbers , Andrea Martin and Kurt Fuller . Emerson is in the same boat as these co - whizz , feel thankful for getting to be part of the show and it being " dizzying " when he get a line of the " shorten close " . When asked about the future , Emerson remain unresolved to a revitalisation elsewhere , though also feel there may be one hurdle to this :

Michael Emerson : Well , it ’s a little dizzying to have an abbreviated ending kind of thrust upon you . But our writers made hay out of it , I think . And if you have to go out and four , this is a good four to go out on , because they made some material take place . And they did that seemingly unimaginable job of wrap up things up , but not too tightly . It ’d be fun [ to have a revival ] . I love the cast , I love the way the show is written . I like play my role . Like most thing in show byplay at this level , it ’s a question of economics . It would be sinful circumstance for another player or entity to pluck up and carry a show as advanced — and I ’m guessing expensive — as our show .

But you never know . Maybe there ’s some there ’s some man where it ’s formatted differently , possibly there ’s some way that it , I do n’t know , becomes a little swifter and meretricious to make . Maybe shorter episodes , maybe dissipate out , a alteration of narrative theoretical account . I do n’t cognise what that would be incisively . But , you know , I would n’t rule it out . It has been fun . I really have enjoyed play Leland Townsend , and well to go out and possibly leave them want more than to overstay your welcome .

Michael Emerson as Leland looking content and holding a large knife in Evil season 4 Interview header

Custom Image by Simone Ashmoore

Emerson Loves Playing Leland “When He Is Thwarted”

Evilseason 4 has delivered a number of twisting and turns for many of its characters , with Leland being one of the biggest ones as he finds his plans backfiring and his command spiraling . In reflecting on playing this side of the character versus one in control condition , Emerson finds he ’s really " happiest " getting to play Leland when " he is scotch " , as it allows him to dive into the " comedy zona " of the show :

Michael Emerson : Oh , it ’s well . I ’m happiest playing Leland when he is thwarted , when his plans are upset , when he gets a pie in the face , that kind of stuff . [ Chuckles ] Because , then , we really are in that comedy zona , and I just love playing around with that stuff . The grotesquerie of it , the absurd puerility of the valet , his slightness . He ’s such a infant about things , it ’s knockout to envisage that here is this showman and actor of terrible evil on the planet , and he ’s such a weenie .

Leland Killing Sheryl Is “A Notion That Is Still Dawning” On Emerson

One of the big twists surround Leland ’s bow inEvilseason 4 is his finally kill Sheryl with the help of a demon , bring their tenuous kinship to an conclusion after three seasons . In reflecting on her death and what it mean for the future , Emerson finger that it ’s a " notion that is still get through on " him , and he may not be " out of the woods " :

Michael Emerson : I gauge that ’s a notion that is still dawn on me . I make out at the last of that fight that a third histrion come into play and saves Leland . But I ’m still not certain how Sheryl leaves this living . But I guess it does seem a bit of a victory for Leland , in the short term , but he ’s not out of the forest . And finally , the effectual system has him in their hand . And maybe he ’s not the showrunner that he thinks he is .

Another surprising maturation in Leland ’s electric arc is that his actions have finally drawn the tending of the potency , as he is contain thanks to incriminate evidence that Sheryl left Kristen before her death . As he now infix the sound system and must fight to become a free man , Emerson tease that it may be loose than audiences expect :

Michael Emerson : Well , I think it ’s in all probability not Leland ’s first encounter with the American legal system . So , I intend he has ideas about who has the upper hand in a courtroom . I think he ’s number on the cavalry swooping in to save him . I do n’t have it away what the nature of that cavalry would be , but he ’s expecting assistance from some twenty-five percent .

Leland Killing The Demon Manager Was A Surreal Experience For Emerson

Amid some of his plans break , and being let go from DF , Leland elected to domesticise a sense of magnate by killing the demon manager during a game - changing introduction . In speculate on film the sequence and what it signify for the future tense , Emerson humorously recalls it being " pretty gross " to have to play Leland consume the director ’s middle , while also believing his character has n’t thought of the long - term ramifications of killing him :

Michael Emerson : It ’s moderately gross , and you have questions when you go in , like , " All mightily , what on the button is this heart ? What is it made out of , and what am I actually move to be set in my back talk ? " You desire to get all that sort of cleared up before they say action . But , as ever , they had beautiful , convincing prop , and some of these convincing airplane propeller have lilliputian secret chambers or crack in them that could contain food stuffs logical with human phthisis . And then you just take it from there . [ Laughs ]

Yeah , I do n’t do it how high-pitched [ he ’s think ] . He has scored point with a gang that value fleet , vehement and fucking action . So , that ’s okay , it ’s like the Colosseum , it ’s like gladiatorial . I think the interview has a favorable impression of him , but then , what is his true nature ? He ’s not a true demon , is he ? These are some of the foggier parts of the chronicle of Evil , so I do n’t lie with what it ultimately win . It buys him metre . Let ’s say it does that . It does n’t get him any stemma in the actual world .

Custom image of Katja Herbers in Evil

Image via Paramount+

Leland’s Backstory Reveal Was “A Surprise” To Emerson (& Makes Him “Seem More Dangerous”)

One of the most alone factor of Emerson ’s tenure as Leland has been the very niggling shared about the role ’s backstory , withEvilseason 4 spend one of the biggest bombs yet that he antecedently school to be part of the Entity , and has like ability to Colter ’s David Acosta . Emerson come back learning of this twist as being " a surprise " , as he had not had discussions with Divine Robert and Michelle King about these plans in the past tense , but teases severe consequence :

Michael Emerson : That was a surprise to me when I read the playscript that you ’re describe . I thought , " Oh , wow . " Because it had not occurred to me , nor had anyone spoken to me about it . I guess once I heard it , I thought , " Oh , all right . Well , that makes sense . " And then , also , it kind of darken the portrayal of him , and it establish him seem more grievous .

AboutEvilSeason 4

In malefic season 4 , Kristen , David , and Ben remain to assess cases that involve wayward technology , possessed pigs , demonic oppression and infestation , a dancing muse conjured by aver witches , and an evil relic . Throughout , Leland attempt to lure Kristen into produce a infant Antichrist who was conceive with her ovum . David is recruited by the Vatican ’s secret service of process to “ remote view ” , a extrasensory ability to see the unobserved for notice evil . Ben is remove by an ion light beam , causing him to see visions of a taunting jinn until he discovers an unusual solution to banish it . last , all three realize they only have a few week left to value character because the parish has resolve to dissolve the team due to a lack of funds . This culminates in one last confrontation with Leland and the 60 families that make up Evil in the modern world .

Check out our previousEvilseason 4 interviews with :

Modern episode ofEvilseason 4 breeze Thursdays on Paramount+ .

Leland Townsend (Michael Emerson) screams to silence the voices in his head in Evil Season 4 Episode 10

Image via Paramount+

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Cast

Evil is a psychological secret serial that travel along a skeptical forensic psychologist , Kristen Bouchard , who team up up with a Catholic non-Christian priest - in - breeding and a technical school expert to investigate supposedly supernatural incidents . The series delve into complex themes of religion , skill , and the nature of immorality through its deep layered narrative and quality development . The show stars Katja Herbers , Mike Colter , and Aasif Mandvi .

Michael Emerson as Leland looking shocked in a prison jumpsuit in Evil season 4

The girls are at the hospital to bid farewell to their beloved grandmother, Sheryl (Christine Lahti) in Evil Season 4 Episode 10

Evil Season 4 Episode 11 Leland (Michael Emerson) in orange jumpsuit in courtroom handcuffed to other prisoners

Leland Townsend (Michael Emerson) is about to eat the manager’s heart in Evil Season 4 Episode 9

Leland Townsend (Michael Emerson) is wielding a poker, controlled by David’s influence in Evil Season 4 Episode 10

Headshot Of Katja Herbers

Headshot Of Mike Colter

Evil