There’s nothing quite like a character you absolutely hate to watch. One who gets your blood to boil, and annoy you well beyond the normal conventions of the artform. Netflix’s Midnight Mass prominently features one such figure so horrible, nobody can dig up sympathy for them.
Despite being utterly ignored from the Emmys discussion in the face of overwhelming positive reviews, astounding direction, an interesting storyline, and brilliant performances, the series is revered within horror circles. Another entry into Mike Flanagan’s masterful horror filmography, it features maybe the ultimate encapsulation of a “Karen”.
Enter, Bev Keane. Portrayed with such poise by Samantha Sloyan, horror enthusiasts are currently working overtime to find any appealing characteristics within her hideously evil soul.
In a way, everyone has their own Bev. An utterly despicable and self-centered monster within their community who seems harmless, but is possibly the most banally evil person you’ll ever know. Especially common in small towns, and a theme which plays into a lot of New England horror stories.
It’s a testament to Sloyan she could make herself seem so awful, with her character called one of TV’s “greatest monsters” by one comment in particular. Great news for fans of Sloyan, who also has a role in Flanagan’s latest series The Midnight Club.
The evilest thing Bev ever did was something which puts her character well beyond the point of redemption: she killed a dog. The entire world knows from there you cannot be redeemed, regardless of how hard you try. Darth Vader murdered children, but we’re still okay with his redemption, because at least he didn’t kill a dog.
Midnight Mass is currently available to stream on Netflix.