Michael Emerson and Mike Colter join CBS pilot Evil

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

We'll have to wait until the pilot is completed and screened for network executives before we find out whether or not Robert and Michelle King's show Evil will be turned into a series, but it's sounding very promising so far.

A couple weeks ago, Westworld's Katja Herbers signed on to star in the pilot. Since then, Mike Colter (Netflix's Luke Cage) has closed a deal to co-star, and now the project has found a great actor to play a potentially villainous character: Michael Emerson (pictured above), who has played memorable roles in SAW, Lost, and Person of Interest.

Evil follows 

a skeptical female forensic psychologist (Herbers) who joins a priest-in-training (Colter) and a blue-collar contractor as they investigate supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and other extraordinary occurrences to see if there’s a scientific explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work.

Emerson's character is a fellow named Townsend, 

a seemingly kind and trustworthy man with a twinkle in his eye and an appealing manner, however, outward appearances couldn’t be more deceiving. An expert witness for the defense in a mass murder case, Townsend may actually be an agent of evil who spurs his followers on to acts of unspeakable violence and murder.

Yeah, I can definitely imagine Emerson bringing that sort of guy to life in an effective way.

The Kings are executive producing Evil with King Size Prods. president Liz Glotzer, and Robert King will also be directing the pilot.