The Exorcist TV Series: A Reverential Sequel To The Horro...

Fox's 2-Part Horror Series Shows Hollywood Movies How It's Done

Alfonso Herrera as Father Tomas Ortega shining a torch in The Exorcist (2016)

By Guy Howie Published Feb 28, 2026, 8:31 PM EST After joining Screen Rant in January 2025, Guy became a Senior Features Writer in March of the same year, and now specializes in features about classic TV shows. With several years' experience writing for and editing TV, film and music publications, his areas of expertise include a wide range of genres, from comedies, animated series, and crime dramas, to Westerns and political thrillers. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Add Us On Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

In September 2016, Fox did what had previously been unthinkable by releasing a TV version of The Exorcist. Based on the 1973 movie generally considered one of the greatest achievements in the history of the horror genre, this series came after several failed big-screen attempts to produce a sequel worthy of association with the original film.

Although The Exorcist’s ending doesn’t really allow for a direct continuation of its story, there was always scope to spin its essential premise into a larger screen franchise. However, every new follow-up this landmark cinematic release surpassed the last for its desperately crass misinterpretation of what made the first movie so special.

That is, until a TV sequel came along, created by Jeremy Slater and starring Geena Davis, which finally did justice to arguably the best horror movie of all time. While nothing can match William Friedkin’s 1973 film, Fox’s iteration of The Exorcist is an inventive but suitably reverential successor to the original story.

The Exorcist TV Show Is A Perfect Sequel To The Original Movie

Father Marcus and Father Tomas holding out crosses with several people behind them in The Exorcist

Set at the time of its release, The Exorcist TV show is the perfect sequel to the original movie, in that it honors the spirit of Regan MacNeil’s horrifying ordeal. Rather than have a demon possess a young child, though, the TV series portrays an adolescent woman as possessed by the devil.

The initial slow burn of Casey Rance’s symptomatic behavior is exquisitely paced, before the real horror catches us cold. It isn’t just the story in Fox’s version of The Exorcist that takes after the original movie. It’s the stylistic approach to the horror sequences that evokes what we felt when we first watched Regan exhibit outward signs of demonic possession.

Hollywood Never Cracked The Code For Horror Reboots And Sequels

Michael Myers (Dick Warlock) holds his mask as his eyes are bleeding in Halloween II

It’s almost painful to say that many of the worst movie sequels of all time have been follow-ups to some of the greatest horror movies ever made. It isn’t just The Exorcist that’s been let down but the big-screen franchise it spawned.

Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre have all been subject to substandard sequels and reboots. Hollywood has never really managed to turn a great horror movie into a consistently impressive horror franchise, which explains why the likes of Jordan Peele and Mike Flanagan tend to prefer standalone film projects.

Perhaps it’s that the same scares are less effective the second time around, or the trappings of success set the bar too low for horror sequels. Either way, no one has yet managed to make a succession of equally brilliant horror movies in the same franchise.

The Exorcist's Cancellation Stills Hurts

Father Marcus (Ben Daniels) with a ghost behind him in The Exorcist

On the other hand, the TV version of The Exorcist seemed to have what it takes to expand its franchise in a meaningful way at long last. It was devastating news for fans of the show, then, when it was axed prematurely by Fox.

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The Exorcist was canceled before season 3 due to low ratings, but continues to have a cult following among horror fans. The series is well worth returning to a decade after its initial release, for some of the best visual scares in recent screen history.

This relatively unsung TV sequel to the original movie version of The Exorcist is everything you could want from a horror series. While it may have been cut short after two seasons, it’s still a superb 20 episodes of television that compares favorably with the best out there today on any streaming platform.

9.0/10

The Exorcist

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-14 Mystery Drama Horror Supernatural Release Date 2016 - 2018-00-00 Network FOX Directors Rupert Wyatt, Jason Ensler, Michael Nankin, Bill Johnson, Craig Zisk, Deran Sarafian, Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, Jennifer Phang, Louis Shaw Milito, So Yong Kim, Tinge Krishnan, Ti West, Meera Menon, Alex Garcia Lopez Writers Jeremy Slater, Adam Stein, Franklin jin Rho, Manny Coto, Ryan Drescher, Charise Castro Smith, Marcus Gardley, Laura Marks