Michael Emerson does not think that Evil should explore Leland's backstory. The supernatural drama series, which moved from CBS to Paramount+ in 2021, tracks psychologist Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers), as she s forces with Catholic seminarian David Acosta (Mike Colter) and technology contractor Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi) to examine paranormal activity. When audiences were introduced to Dr. Leland Townsend, he had stolen Kristen's therapy notes and began making alarming suggestions to her and David. As the show progressed, it became evident that he was acting with malicious intent, and in the Evil season 3 finale, it was revealed that he had used Kristen's missing egg as a way to bring a demon into the world.
While new details might be revealed Screen Rant's exclusive interview with Emerson, the actor shares that he enjoys the amount of exposure his character gets and that "it's good that he's obscure." He notes that Leland's history has not been discussed much and adds that it feels "more mythic." Read Emerson's comments regarding Leland's backstory in Evil below:
"No, I'm happy at the amount of exposure he gets, because the thing you worry about when you play a villain, or what is hopefully an interesting villain, you worry about overexposure. You're worried about the audience getting too used to them, or running out of material or angles. So I'm good, I'm happy with leaving them wanting a little bit more, that suits me fine. Yeah, it's good that he's obscure, he doesn't really have a solid backstory, which makes it kind of a mystery, and I'm all for mystery. No, we have never had a conversation like that. I don't foresee us ever really having one, unless somebody in the writers room decided to make it an important element in some future episode about where Leland really came from, or about some plot to expose his true background. It would have to be a pretty interesting biographical note, and hopefully, it would still be as mysterious as what we already know, or don't know. But no, we haven't talked about that, which is just fine. It makes it a little more mythic. I think it's good to think of him as not fully human, maybe. We'll have to see."
What's Been Said About Leland's Backstory
Evil chose to reveal some of Leland's background in season 1, when Kristen addressed him by his real name. Following a court appearance, he began threatening her, and she responded by calling him Jake Perry, much to his surprise. She learned that he was an insurance adjuster who moved to New York after getting divorced and later changed his name. Kristen dug deeper though, taunting him with facts about his high school experience and failed marriages as well. There have also been theories that Leland is not fully human, or that he is using his ties with demons to carry out his own plans, involving the recent reveal that he and another woman used Kristen's egg to have a child.
Emerson Is Right About Keeping Leland A Mystery
Overall, it does seem like a good idea to keep Leland's background a mystery, seeing as how he is a main antagonist in Evil. He seems to have a plan in place, that much is clear, but when it comes to motives and the bigger picture, the not knowing makes his character a more compelling villain. Over the course of three seasons, Evil has shown Leland playing games with Kristen, David, and others, such as letting them explore his apartment in season 2. The show has also observed his relationships with people like Sheryl (Christine Lahti).
It will be interesting to see if Evil attempts to give Leland any more of a backstory, but based on Emerson's comments, it seems like it is not necessary for his character. With his current plan in effect, and Kristen's disturbed reaction to learning of what happened to her missing egg, the conflict heading into season 4 has only gotten worse. The series has already teased what appeared to be Kristen's baby, and if its birth comes during the stretch of new episodes, it will be scary to find out what happens next. Those looking forward to learning what lies ahead for Leland in Evil season 4 can be sure to keep an eye out for the show's return date.
Source: Screen Rant