History Series / TheExorcist

* EvilerThanThou: [[spoiler: When Simon and a Pazuzu-possessed Angela finally meet, Simon openly ''states'' that he's been preparing for Pazuzu's return. The demon's thanks? [[KneelBeforeZod Forcing him and the rest of the Friars to bow down]], while offhandedly [[KickTheSonOfABitch killing other members simultaneously]], as well as calling out Maria for being a SpoiledBrat. However, when Pazuzu leaves, that marks the point where they go about their own agendas.]]

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Season 2's demon stabing Harper's abusive mother who gaslighted her into thinking she was posessed.

It follows two very different priests tackling one family's case of horrifying demonic possession. Father Tomas Ortega (Creator/AlfonsoHerrera) is the new face of the Catholic Church: progressive, ambitious and compassionate. He runs a small, but loyal, parish on the southside of Chicago. He has no idea that his quiet life is about to change forever. Deep in the slums of Mexico City, another priest has found himself locked in a life-and-death struggle with evil. Father Marcus Kane (Ben Daniels) is a modern-day Templar Knight, an orphan raised since childhood by the Vatican to wage war against its enemies. Father Marcus is everything Father Tomas is not: relentless, abrasive and utterly consumed by his mission – and he constantly butts heads with his adversary within the church, Father Bennett (Kurt Egyiawan).

** [[IncestSubtext Every.]] [[{{Squick}} Single.]] [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Thing.]] about [[spoiler:Pazuzu/Angela's scenes with Casey and Kat]] in Chapter 9.

* ManOnFire: One appears outside a dinner where a group of Church officials and laity were discussing the upcoming papal visit. There was no apparent [[SpontaneousHumanCombustion source of ignition]].

A 2016 American horror drama television series based on William Blatty's 1971 novel revolving around a priest performing exorcisms on demonic spirits and [[Film/TheExorcist the film series it was based on]], the series is currently being released by [[Creator/{{FOX}} FOX]].

The series premiered on September 23, 2016 and aired for two seasons.

** Taken UpToEleven in Chapter 2 when [[spoiler:Casey unknowingly ingests holy water, throws up her dinner, and then pulls a ''huge live centipede from her throat''.]]

* NiceHat: Yes.

* AdultFear:
** In the fourth episode, Casey is committed to a 72-hour psychiatric hold. Angela and Henry are forbidden from even talking to her. Naturally, it's a nightmare for them.
** When Casey [[spoiler: disappears after the first failed exorcism at the house]] her parents were beside themselves, with Angela especially falling apart a little more each day.
** Kat was with another girl at the time of her accident. She's overcome both by grief for her girlfriend, and the great anxiety that would come with [[TruthInTelevision being queer in a religiously conservative household.]]
** The demon in season 2 has made a career of possessing parents and forcing them to kill their families.
** More mundanely, all the foster kids have had terrible things happen to them--from Verity's parents forcing her into conversion therapy to Shelby's mother being a drug addict who passed on her addiction to him to [[spoiler: Harper's Munchausen-by-proxy mother.]]

Caught in the middle of the two priests is the Rance family, who are members of Tomas' parish. On the surface, they're a normal, American family, but all is not as it seems in this household. The patriarch, Henry Rance (Alan Ruck), is recovering from a traumatic injury. Eldest daughter Katherine (Brianne Howey) has become a recluse who refuses to leave her room. Her younger sister, Casey (Hannah Kasulka), thinks she's hearing strange noises coming from inside the walls. And mother Angela (Creator/GeenaDavis) believes there is something in the house, a demonic presence, growing stronger by the day. Desperate, she begs Father Tomas for help, unwittingly setting the naive young priest on a collision course with Father Marcus. Separately, each faces an insurmountable task, but together they become the Rances' only hope against an evil force that has been mobilizing for centuries.

* IfItsYouItsOkay: It's strongly implied (and confirmed by Ben Daniels) that Marcus, despite being gay, was in love with his former protegée Mouse.

** The "Exorcist Twist", which is actually [[spoiler:shown to be ''[[RealityEnsues fatal]]'' rather than a scary gag]].

** The NeckSnap actually becomes a point of RealityEnsues as well: In the 1971 film, it was used for [[ExorcistHead horror effect]]. In this series, [[spoiler:It only leads to deaths, as seen with the boy Marcus was unable to save and even almost attempted by Casey when possessed by Pazuzu]].

* WorldOfCardboardSpeech: In the first season finale, [[spoiler: Pazuzu]] attempts to use Tomas' long list of failures to goad him into committing suicide. However, the sight of a cross reminds him of his faith, and he shares his realization that despite his flaws, he has never truly strayed from his faith.
-->'''Tomas''': These things do not make me weak. [[IAmWhatIAm They make me what I am.]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Pazuzu]]''': And what is that?
-->'''Tomas''': [[HeroicSecondWind An exorcist.]]