Devil in Ohio review: Is the Netflix cult horror worth your time? 

Netflix's latest thriller Devil in Ohio has just landed on the streaming platform and Emily Deschanel is creating quite a stir, as is Madeleine Arthur. Created by Daria Polatin, the show is based on a novel by the same name written by Polatin herself.

Fraught with dark secrets, cult horror, and grotesque twists, Devil in Ohio is garnering quite a repute owing to the twisted angle that the limited series takes.

Drawing attention to the evils of religion and the extent it can go to, Devil in Ohio paints a pretty terrifying picture.

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Devil in Ohio makes an attempt to address serious themes

Devil in Ohio is an eight-episode limited series that narrates a sinister tale of a young runaway girl named Mae who is taken in by a kind-hearted doctor, Suzanne.

What started out as only a couple of days' affair extended over time, which affected not only the integrity of the Mathis family but also ended up endangering the lives of all its members.

Moreover, the twisted ending that the series concludes with makes us rethink who is the true evil in this story and what will ultimately happen to the Mathis family, who have gone through enough turbulence to tear them apart. Suzanne's act of kindness comes at a huge cost and it is left to be seen whether it pays off in the end.

In some respects, Devil in Ohio can be considered an attempt towards a thoughtful drama about trauma and what it means to belong.

The underlying tone of cult horror looms over the entire series, making a generic and cliche statement on the evils of religion, especially a cult (which may be interpreted as somewhat problematic). However, Devil in Ohio also harps upon more real threats to society - issues of trauma and belonging.

As such, the Netflix series could be perceived as a lost opportunity, failing to capitalize on the much more realistic threats that society faces today. The series has brought to light the traumas of childhood abuse survivors through the characters of Arthur and Deschanel.

It not only attempts to make a statement on childhood abuse as one of the biggest evils plaguing society, but also focuses on spreading awareness about underlying trauma, having awareness of it, and addressing it.

While deeper reading does lay bare these themes that have been taken up in the series, the demonization of cults and the generic figure of the detective, who goes against all odds to emerge as the hero in the story, does overshadow much of the more relevant themes that Devil in Ohio has tried to address.

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Madeleine Arthur is the undisputed star of the series

The opening scene of Devil in Ohio showing Madeleine Arthur frantically running through the corn fields in the dead of the night, barefoot and in a muddy white nightgown is probably one of the best scenes in the series. It sums up what follows in the series and gives a glimpse of Arthur's splendid work in the series.

Remembered from her role in Snowpiercer, Arthur has once again managed to win hearts as Mae. Something about her angelic face, which can turn demonic on cue, sends chills down the spine, re-establishing her as the perfect choice for the mysterious role of Mae.

Nothing more needs to be said about the other lead of the series, Emily Deschanel, who plays the role of Suzanne, Mae's doctor with whom Mae develops an unhealthy attachment.

Deschanel aces the role of a trauma survivor who is triggered by the condition and situation Mae finds herself in, and constantly tries to save Mae, which ends up being an expression of her unaddressed trauma from childhood.

The way Deschanel portrays the emotional vulnerabilities of Suzanne is indeed commendable.

The rest of the cast has also done an amazing job. Sam Jaeger plays the role of Suzanne's husband Peter, who is fighting his own personal battles while trying his best to be a good father and fill in for Suzanne's absence.

Xaria Dotson, Gerardo Celasco, Bradley Stryker, and Samantha Ferris also shine in their roles.

Although Devil in Ohio aims for a big twist towards the end, most of the series is pretty predictable. Mae's eerie character creates a lot of tension and anticipation, and somewhere along the line we do figure out that the ending is not going to be a happy one and Mae may not be as angelic as she pretends to be.

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But overall, considering the numerous factors playing out in the series, Devil in Ohio is a pretty entertaining watch. If you are looking for some cheap thrills and excitement, tune in to Netflix now.