MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Damien Season 1 Episode 9 - "The Devil You Know"

About the Show:

Damien Thorn (James Bradley) discovers that he is the Antichrist. He must confront his past and cope with the truth of who and what he is.

Stay Connected:

    

Television Network:
A&E

Genre:
Supernatural/Paranormal Drama
Horror/Suspense

Based on the film:

The Omen

Rating:

TV-14 V, L

Created by:

Glen Mazzara

Cast:

Bradley James - Damien Thorn

Barbara Hershey - Ann Rutledge

Megalyn E.K. - Simone Baptiste

Omid Abtahi - Amani Golkar

Scott Wilson - John Lyons

David Meunier - Detective Shay

Robin Weigert - Sister Greta Fraueva

   

   

See Full List of Cast on IMDB

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Watch the Full Episode

Episode 9: "The Devil You Know"

Synopsis:

Damien seeks Greta's help. Simone uses Veronica to get to Rutledge.

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*My Thoughts*

The only sensible one here seems to be Simone. You know, Kelly’s sister, the one trying to get the dying girl to a hospital, and get Damien some help. Although, pointing out that there is a nun from the Vatican wasn’t helpful in the end. The amount of drama that can be added to Damien is just endless. The two major parties consist of the those in the Church and Lyons Corporation i.e. Antichrist worshipers. There is so much free will to go around that it causes more stress on poor Damien. Exhibit A being Damien as a human being, B being Simone as a bystander, C being Detective Shay trying to enforce the law, etc. If a third major party were to arrive in the series to make things more complicated, Damien could lift off of the ground and go sky high.

I think this episode gets too supernatural with the moving tree roots and their accelerated growth. Spoiler if you’re introducing a friend to this series with this episode, Veronica dies in a painful, agonizing fashion. Because letting her bleed out was not enough. The demonic possession of tree roots to distort the body was a bit overdramatic. It would have been preferable to kill her in a less mystical way such as “accidentally” making her trip and subsequently fall into the deep dark forest, where her body will never be found. But I supposed that’s too tedious for the Devil.

Looking at Detective Shay’s position, his credibility as an officer is getting closer to hitting rock bottom. Not only is the Devil coming after him, but he’s losing reality, his badge, and possibly his family. If he had tried living a normal life, things wouldn’t be going downhill for him. As if that would happen. Detective Shay had his head on straight and a strong sense of justice, but you can’t fight a malicious entity that’s been around longer than humanity can fathom.

Although it has only been a few episodes and he’s already thirty, Damien looks like he’s grown… past denial. It can’t be helped. Trying to purify him and his soul, nun Greta’s assassination/exorcism looks like it’s made Damien embrace his demonic heritage. The demonic entities surrounding Damien had revealed themselves in that moment of desperation and exorcism. What has been seen, cannot be unseen. What Damien plans on doing must be withheld.

Until the next dark episode.

Watch a preview of Episode 10 (Season Finale) - "Ave Satani"

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Damien Season 1 Episode 8 - " Here is Wisdom"

About the Show:

Damien Thorn (James Bradley) discovers that he is the Antichrist. He must confront his past and cope with the truth of who and what he is.

Stay Connected:

    

Television Network:
A&E

Genre:
Supernatural/Paranormal Drama
Horror/Suspense

Based on the film:

The Omen

Rating:

TV-14 V, L

Created by:

Glen Mazzara

Cast:

Bradley James - Damien Thorn

Barbara Hershey - Ann Rutledge

Megalyn E.K. - Simone Baptiste

Omid Abtahi - Amani Golkar

Scott Wilson - John Lyons

David Meunier - Detective Shay

Robin Weigert - Sister Greta Fraueva

   

   

See Full List of Cast on IMDB

~~~~~

Watch the Full Episode

Episode 8: "Here is Wisdom"

Synopsis:

Damien tries to take control of his fate, which results in a bloody confrontation. Simone and  Greta meet Veronica. Shay loses a witness.

~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

What does “here is wisdom” mean?

So, you’re telling me, the Antichrist has the choice to not be the Antichrist? Don’t lie to us, honey. This wouldn’t be The Omen’s child if he had a choice. Damien got that psychiatrist he’s been looking for but a little too late, as a real murder investigation surfaces and plummets. Charles proves to be more than an old roommate to Damien. He’s exactly what a religious fanatic is expected to be; amorous, faithful, diligent, and devout. Coincidentally, he helps Damien realize that he’s still human and can make better life choices.

From the beginning of the episode to the end, Damien appears in a select number of scenes and this episode lets us see what’s going on behind his back. Amani, as his best friend, would do anything rational to help Damien, Greta is doing her duty for God with Simone in tow, and Veronica turns out to be Ann Rutledge’s daughter. Who knew… So, the compensation supposition was false? When does the delusion stop? But to each their own. Rutledge is enraptured by Damien while Veronica wants to get closer to Amani instead. Too little too late, her fate is sealed.

On another note, Holy intervention can come to join the party. Since episode one, it’s always the Devil’s work. When Rutledge tries to destroy a holy artifact, this is denied whole heartedly in front of her face. She couldn’t bring herself to grant Damien’s death wish but someone else surely will. Greta has her guardian angels and this time, it’s Simone’s turn to witness death.

Throughout the episode, I noticed: people just don’t like locking their doors in Damien. No wonder strangers break in so easily. Veronica’s breaking into people’s houses, Detective Shay is busting down doors or walking right in. I think it’s all for the drama. The killer no one can catch is the work of the Devil but on the human side, everyone is just leaving a bloody mess and not covering their tracks. Especially scenes involving Detective Shay. A bloody interrogation room, demonic faces, “spontaneous” fires, Satan must work much harder if he wants Shay dead but it’s too early for that to happen.

In the end, 30 does not seem to be an ideal age for Damien… or perhaps anyone who needs to get their shit together. Psychological warfare with himself, people around him trying to manipulate his trust, demonic emissaries, and survivor’s guilt. As the Antichrist, why should we want him to live? Why do I empathize with a child born from evil? He really is a good person but he can’t run away. I can’t wait to see more of this religious struggle and can’t help but wonder which side will have the upper hand in the end. Or maybe this becomes a Hamlet series, where everyone dies.

Damien is such a thought provoking series because it doesn’t just focus on supernatural causes. The audience too has their own demons to face and we struggle with Damien to figure out our lives.

Until the next dark episode.

Watch a preview of Episode 9 - "The Devil You Know"

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Damien Season 1 Episode 6 - "Temptress"

About the Show:

Damien Thorn (James Bradley) discovers that he is the Antichrist. He must confront his past and cope with the truth of who and what he is.

Stay Connected:

    

Television Network:
A&E

Genre:
Supernatural/Paranormal Drama
Horror/Suspense

Based on the film:

The Omen

Rating:

TV-14 V, L

Created by:

Glen Mazzara

Cast:

Bradley James - Damien Thorn

Barbara Hershey - Ann Rutledge

Megalyn E.K. - Simone Baptiste

Omid Abtahi - Amani Golkar

Scott Wilson - John Lyons

David Meunier - Detective Shay

Robin Weigert - Sister Greta Fraueva

   

   

See Full List of Cast on IMDB

~~~~~

Watch the Full Episode

Episode : "Temptress"

Synopsis:

As Damien starts to unravel the conspiracy around him, it leads him to a beloved figure from his past and a confrontation with Rutledge.

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*My Thoughts*

Is it religious or is it a drug? I guess you can say it was both. If it wasn’t the work of Satan, then Damien wouldn’t exist. Our opening scene sends us to the hospital with Damien after his suicide attempt in the previous episode and from then on, it seems like he couldn’t be happier. He tries to continue a rational life without Rutledge in the way, things start going the way he wishes, and the strange occurrences are just orchestrated events, but the sad part is no one seemed to be on his side in the end.

Damien wakes up and leaves the hospital without any fuss but the scene was far too bloody for this episode to be peaceful; a foreshadow to the conclusion. Patients bleeding everywhere, blood being cleaned on the floor, this only seems natural for an emergency room, and the opening credits start by zooming in on a puddle of blood. Afterwards, Damien begins to take matters into his own hands by investigating Rutledge and even John Lyons. One is overly enthusiastic to be at his side and the other is far too calm at “handling” the other. He finds out he was drugged, had the 666 symbol tattooed in his hairline, and that his parents had died because of Rutledge. It was all too good to be true. Like she said in a previous episode, Damien is just trying to put the blame on someone else.

But inconsistencies popped up midway through the episode. The Omen man can’t have a fairytale ending as things turn sour. The highest point of his happiness deteriorates in front of him as more deaths occur, once by his own hands and subsequent orchestrated events. I ask again, “Does someone always have to die in an episode of Damien?” The darker and more desperate side of his personality begins to surface as Rutledge appears yet again with bodyguards to tear Damien out of his investigation and everywhere he turns is another dead end. John Lyon begins to confront Damien along with Detective Shay and his closest friends begin to distance themselves from him, making the downward slope in this episode all the steeper.

In the end, it was all but a dream. We are taken back to the very first scene of the episode but instead of seeing the ambulance rushing to the hospital, we see Damien struggling and losing his mind. Well played director; you almost had me fooled. I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction and treatment of Damien after this episode but of course Detective Shay will be skeptical and crude in his investigation and we haven’t heard from Sister Greta Fraueva (Robin Weigert) from the Vatican in a while.

Until the next dark episode.

Watch a preview of Episode 7 - "Abattoir"

MARIAH's THOUGHTS on Damien Season 1 Episode 5 - "Seven Curses"

About the Show:

Damien Thorn (James Bradley) discovers that he is the Antichrist. He must confront his past and cope with the truth of who and what he is.

Stay Connected:

    

Television Network:
A&E

Genre:
Supernatural/Paranormal Drama
Horror/Suspense

Series based on:

The Omen

Rating:

TV-14 V, L

Created by:

Glen Mazzara

Cast:

Bradley James - Damien Thorn

Barbara Hershey - Ann Rutledge

Megalyn E.K. - Simone Baptiste

Omid Abtahi - Amani Golkar

Scott Wilson - John Lyons

David Meunier - Detective Shay

Robin Weigert - Sister Greta Fraueva

   

   

See Full List of Cast on IMDB

~~~~~

Watch the Full Episode

Episode 5: "Seven Curses"

Synopsis:

Damien's surprising connection with a war veteran leads him to a very dark place.

~~~~~

*My Thoughts*

Religious intensity just keeps increasing in Damien. He struggles so much to be normal and his stress only gets worse. This week’s episode doesn’t disappoint on the emotional side either. Damien starts the episode by trying to take care of post-traumatic stress disorder at a less than friendly hospital, probably due to Ann telling Detective Shay that Damien has mental instability. As the episode description says he befriends the father of the little boy he saved in earlier episodes.

The two hit it off pretty well but as per a Damien episode it certainly turns dark and real in a split second. Will every episode include a death? This week’s episode brings up topics of suicide and treatment of war veterans, making Damien much more than another horror series. Is our health system a joke or what? Despite Damien’s refusal to accept the fate this man has chosen for himself, Damien begrudgingly agrees to photograph his (possible) last moments. But why couldn’t Damien report this to the nurses or was this veteran’s conviction too strong, that it convinced him not to tell anyone.

The minor details included in the episode revolve around Amani, Simone, and Ann. The first thing to note is Ann’s particular fascination with Damien. It was revealed in a previous episode that she had a husband and a child that had died. Based upon that, it appears that her “overprotective” side or obsession with Damien is to compensate for the life that was taken from her. She must see Damien as her own child, especially since she was given the task to watch over him since he was put into Richard Thorn’s custody. Simone investigates him further and the religious significance of the happenings. And lastly, Amani, although Damien’s friend, needs time to himself and he seems to be getting very friendly with a female co-worker from the old firm Damien photographed for.

Thinking over what the war veteran was doing, should Damien kill himself as well? He mulls over the constant deaths around him, his own personality, his relationship to the few people he is close to, and then makes his decision. Damien tries to end it where it all began, his childhood home. But what Damien wants as a human being means absolutely nothing when you’re the son of the Devil. The hallucinations continue and Antichrist must not die until he has completed his purpose. The Vatican should act quickly, lest the world become an apocalyptic nightmare.

Until the next dark episode.

Watch a preview of Episode 6 - "Temptress"