The Devil in Ohio: A Fallen Angel

The Devil in Ohio, Netflix’s newest suspense thriller, was created by Daria Polatin, who also wrote the book the limited series is based on.  One late night, a teenage girl (Madeleine Arthur) running from some unseen foe, is found on a highway in Amon County, a mysterious rural area of Ohio.  She is taken to the closest hospital, and it is revealed that she has some sort of wound on her back.  Dr. Suzanne Mathis (Emily Dschanel), the hospital psychiatrist, tries to earn her trust and is finally able to learn the girls name is Mae. But when the hospital wants to ship her off to Cleveland, since there are no foster care facilities nearby, Dr. Mathis decides to take her in to her own home.  This doesn’t go over super well with her husband and three daughters.  The family notices some strange things about Mae, as she begins to open to them.

I have only been able to watch the first episode even though, in true Netflix fashion, all eight of the episodes were released at once.  The performances, so far, are good with Emily Deschanel playing a much different character than what we saw in her long running television show, Bones. Here she plays a loving mother who feels the need to try to save everyone.  She is kind and tender.  Xaria Dotson as middle daughter, Jules, does a great job as the artistic loner who has a hard time making friends.  Madeleine as Mae does a wonderful job depicting a range of emotions.  At first, she is scared and traumatized, but when she begins to open up, we see a bit of joy and gleeful energy, while also having something creepy about her.

The production value is high with an interesting plot that pulls you in right away. The story flows well, never feeling forced or disingenuous. The characters all seem well developed, each with their own problems and issues that I am sure will tie into the central plot.   The exposition is handled well giving the audience enough information without it feeling rushed.  The cinematography is well done with some very nice imagery complimented by music that sets the appropriate tone of the show.  Overall, the first episode is strong with enough suspense and mystery to leave the audience wanting more.