Now three episodes deep, the common consensus I’m seeing across social media is that FOX’s “The Exorcist” is way better than anyone really expected it to be – and that’s exactly how I personally feel about it. The series, which is set within a world wherein the events of the original film happened (but are only referenced in passing), centers on two priests trying to help a family being terrorized by a daughter who’s possessed by a demonic entity, and it has thus far been both incredibly interesting and, against all odds, surprisingly fresh.
To its credit, “The Exorcist” seems intent on being its own beast rather than a retread of what we’ve already seen, but creator Jeremy Slater has had some fun playing around with what William Friedkin brought to the screen back in 1973. Remember that scene in the original where a possessed Regan masturbated with a cross? It’s one of the most deeply unsettling moments in the entire history of the horror genre, and Slater and his team gave it a modern day makeover in this past Friday night’s episode of “The Exorcist.”
In the Michael Nankin-directed episode, titled “Chapter Three: Let ‘Em In,” we saw that the possessed Casey Rance (Hannah Kasulka) has taken to burning herself with a curling iron per the insistence of a mysterious entity that is guiding her every move. Burns were seen on her neck and arm, but the real shocker came when Casey, well, she pleasured herself with the burning hot curling iron. Yes, they went there. They totally went there.
And Jeremy Slater was as surprised as we were that FOX allowed it.
Don’t listen to him, Casey. #TheExorcist pic.twitter.com/swAXEkYdBO
— The Exorcist (@TheExorcistFOX) October 8, 2016
“I’m still amazed by how much we got away with in this episode,” @jerslater tweeted on Friday night. “There’s a scene with a curling iron that may be a first for network TV.”
“I still can’t believe we got that on television. #FeelTheBurn,” he subsequently tweeted.
As for @hkasulka, she reacted to her own scene with a series of shock-faced cat emojis.
Yup. We were pretty shocked too, Hannah!
“The Exorcist” airs Friday nights on FOX.
