Written by Tim Minear
Directed by Sheree Folkson
Michael (to Cordelia): "How can any of you defeat me when I've already won?"
Four episodes in and it was time to shift the focus. Everyone has wanted a witches vs. Antichrist season and with this episode alone, it's what we're getting. Despite being revived at the end of the previous episode, there's surprisingly little focus on Mallory, Dinah and Coco. Instead, it's Michael who takes centre stage and this episode is all the better for it.
Cody Fern proved himself to be a revelation earlier this year with his performance in The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and if that didn't convince, then this episode should do as we got to see Michael not living with Constance but instead a Satanist, presumably called Miriam Meade and again, delightfully played by Kathy Bates. Despite having a penchant for poisoning her husbands, Meade genuinely cared for Michael and also facilitated his dark side and he in turn felt genuine affection for her.
Michael's dark side not only attracted the law (who arrested him for a murder he probably committed) but also the Hawthorne Boys Academy. Yup, people, we've got Warlocks and four rather distinctive ones with Ariel (Jon Jon Briones), who bailed Michael out of prison to tap into his magical potential along with John Henry Moore (Cheyenne Jackson), Chablis (Billy Porter) and BD Wong in an unnamed for now role.
I've been properly wanting to see a male coven since the third season and this episode didn't disappoint as the group put Michael through tests that he passed with flying colours while also having to deal with the misandry of the coven, led by Cordelia, Zoe and Myrtle. It seems the male equivalent of the Supreme is the Alpha and in that warlock school there are undoubtedly mostly Betas, so I'm not shocked that Ariel and company saw Michael as the Second Coming to challenge Cordelia.
Speaking of Cordelia - she's still as fabulous as she was the last time we saw her and I loved her lamenting about failing to rescue Queenie from the Hotel Cortez, with Michael managed to do with little effort along with scooping Madison out from her own personal hell. I also quite liked the brief return of James Patrick March and the fact that he didn't even attempt to challenge Michael when the latter came for Queenie.
As for the rest of the episode, things ended still in flashback mode with Cordelia fainting at the sight of Michael with Madison and Queenie in tow. I did find it interesting that Queenie and Madison went to Cordelia without Michael trying to stop them at all. Just what is his playing at here? As for everyone else, they're still dead for now and we had some flashbacks hinting at Mallory's potential as the next Supreme. Or a possible girl crush for Zoe. We'll have to wait and see.
- In flashbacks, Michael was intentionally styled to look similar to his father, Tate. Present day Michael needs a freaking haircut.
- Dinah clearly is aware of being a witch. This episode made that more obvious by her refusal to get involved in taking out Michael. I'm assuming Andre might have some powers as well if he's revived.
- Sheree Folkson who directed this episode, also directed one of the worst episodes of Doctor Who. You can google which one if you like. Tim Minear who previously wrote for Angel also managed to get a Buffy reference in this one.
- Chronology: Not long from where Forbidden Fruit left off. Standout music: Portishead's Glory Box during that final scene.
Easily the best episode of the season so far. Could It Be Satan? hit the heady heights of some of the best moments of Coven and with some fantastic zingers from the likes of Michael, Cordelia, Madison, Myrtle, brilliant flashbacks, music, character bits. Everything about this episode was seriously on point.
Rating: 10 out of 10
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