SDCC 2019: From Lost and Luke Cage to CBS' Evil

Are human beings inherently evil? Can we be redeemed? Michael Emerson and Mike Colter have certain opinions of that.

The Lost and Luke Cage alums met up with SYFY WIRE at SDCC to talk about their new CBS TV series, Evil, which follows a psychologist, a priest, and a contractor as they investigate supernatural phenomena. They also brought up things you'd normally bring up over your morning coffee — you know, like demonic possession, salvation, and a (hypothetical) Lost reunion.

Evil attracted the actors because of creators, writers and executive producers Robert and Michelle King (think BrainDead, The Good Wife, and The Good Fight).

"I liked the idea that here was a TV series that had a horror element because I miss that on TV sometimes," Emerson confessed.

When you get a glimpse of something that is definitely not of this earth creeping over sleeping children, you realize what Emerson (Leland Townsend, the contractor) is talking about. Colter (David Acosta, the priest) is proof that the stars of one show can be fans of another. He had always wanted to work with the Kings because he was previously into The Good Wife and The Good Fight, and also because he thought his character in Evil was awesome.

"[Acosta] just wants to find out the truth, and I think that's what makes this character complex and sort of interesting," said Colter of the priest-in-training who he believes is definitely "not brainwashed." Emerson's character is just as obsessed with revealing what is really behind incidents whose perpetrators are suspected to be something other than human. The thing is, he approaches it through the eyes of someone who is convinced of the fundamental evil of humanity. This is something the actor admitted to really having fun with.

Watch on if you want to find out about that fantasy reunion and how both actors got themselves into detention in high school. Detention is evil.

This article was contributed to by Elizabeth Rayne.