Devil in Ohio is a TV mini-series about a psychiatrist, Dr. Suzanne Mathis, who shelters a young girl who escaped from a Satanic cult. The girl in question, Mae, was chosen by her family to participate in a horrific Satanic ritual.

Mae, terrified, decided to run away. Unfortunately, the past keeps plaguing her and she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. The series hints cleverly at some aspects of the cult – paranormal in nature – that could very well end up being true, and not just all in the minds of obsessed cult members. I thought that was a clever touch, and one of my favorite things about the show, to be honest. It always keeps the viewer guessing what is real and what isn’t.

Dr. Suzanne Mathis is played by none other than Emily Deschanel, aka Bones. Maybe it was because I just binge-watched three seasons of Bones while on pregancy leave, but I actually felt like I was watching yet another episode of Bones, although in a slightly scarier setting. There’s not that much difference between Bones and Dr. Suzanne Mathis personality-wise.

I liked the family that is at the core of these events: Dr. Mathis’ children, Helen, Jules and Dani, and her husband Peter. It was interesting to see the family dynamics change over time, and how each character thought they were doing the right thing (from their perspective). Mae’s family probably thought the same, except their deeds are slightly more horrific than coming home from work late or putting work above family time yet again – I’m looking at you, Dr. Mathis.

The story itself could’ve done with a few more creepy vibes, in my opinion, but I liked the pacing – not too fast, but not too slow either – and the characters. For a mini-series, it delivers most of what I was hoping for based on the premise, and it exels in some parts, like characterization. I saw this series getting a lot of bad reviews online, but I didn’t think it was too bad. It delivered what it promised: a short, slightly chilling but mostly thought-provoking series about a cult in Ohio.