The Exorcist – Chapter Two: Lupus in Fabula Review
By James Gisante
The Exorcist continues to creep and disgust but is still light on scares in the show’s second episode. There were plenty of moments that might have viewers looking away from their screen but it will have more to do with a sensitive stomach than any real fear. While this might disappoint some horror fans it could prove to be a successful way of maintaining the weekly tone of the supernatural show.
Not a lot may have happened with the Rance family this week but the demon’s presence was felt as it’s hold on Kasey continues to grow stronger. From scaring Angela with a rather pervy late night encounter to then causing Kasey’s lacrosse opponent’s leg to snap on the field, this demon is starting to get bolder. Despite not much headway being made with the Rance’s demon troubles, some steps were made by Angela to try and reconnect with her daughters and hopefully some of the family drama will dissipate moving forward. One aspect that will hopefully be addressed more directly in the future is Mr. Rance’s (Alan Ruck) brain injury. Last week Henry was barely able to function and this week he was nearly without incident. This might be normal for someone dealing with his level of brain trauma but without proper explanation it may start to feel like a confusing plot device.
Benefitting the most this week were Father Tomas and Father Marcus as they officially joined forces after Tomas’ pleas to get the Rance family some help were ignored by the church. We got to learn a lot about the priests and what their lives were like before they answered the call to serve and what that means for their mission ahead. Both men have to deal with their pasts before they’re ready to move forward; Tomas trying to understand his feelings for Jessica, the girl who got away, and Marcus discovering that his past exorcisms have made him well known amongst the dark forces they’re preparing to battle.
Adding another thread for the show to follow, the episode finished in gruesome fashion as a family was butchered in their own home and then harvested for their organs in just one of several attacks. With one of the attackers being a homeless man who harassed Kasey earlier in the episode, it’s unknown what the connection between these murders and the demonic possession will be just yet but the shocking ending gave the episode a much needed shot in the arm. Up until now the story hasn’t seen much of a steady flow other than Tomas and Marcus dealing with their issues so the mystery of these attacks will surely be a great kickstarted for the dangers ahead.
