‘The Exorcist’: 5 Teases For The Killer Season Finale

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Jean Whiteside/FOX
THE EXORCIST: L-R: Hannah Kasulka, Alan Ruck, Geena Davis and Brianne Howey in the "Chapter Nine: 162" episode of THE EXORCIST airing Friday, Dec. 9 (9:01-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2016 Fox Broadcasting Co. Cr: Jean Whiteside/FOX

One of the best surprises of the fall TV season has been Fox’s take on the iconic film The Exorcist. If you were ready to write this ambitious and compelling series off as a pale imitation, you were sorely mistaken (the good news is the first season is available to watch on Hulu). Series creator Jeremy Slater’s story of a family ripped apart by the Devil himself has been full of great horror, fantastic twists and turns and does the original story (based on the William Peter Blatty novel) proud.

In Friday’s first season finale, mother Angela Rance (Geena Davis) is still possessed (or “integrated” as the Devil likes to say) and is holding her family hostage. Can Father Tomas (Alfonso Herrera), who has proven he may not be strong enough for another tussle with the dark one, save the day and rid the Rance family of the beastly presence once and for all—and also save the visiting Pope?

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Davis, Slater and Mousam Makker (who plays Father Tomas’s love interest, Jessica) offered up five teases for the finale.

1. You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet From Geena Davis
If you thought Davis was good playing the concerned mother with a surprising link to the original film, seeing her fully inhabiting the Devil has been a joy to watch. “The viewers had such a huge reaction when it turned out that I was Regan,” the Academy Award-winning actress says, “that they deserved big stuff to happen once I got possessed. Once I turn, they’re going to want fireworks. I’m thrilled that we were able to give that and that I got to do so much cool stuff.” Davis also said that she’s playing Angela at this point as not completely gone while the Devil has taken over. “She knows what the demon is doing but she’s impotent to do anything herself to impact things.”

RELATED: Geena Davis on The Exorcist’s Game-Changing Reveal

2. “Ferocious Battle” Is Coming
“It’s really overwhelming and as scary as you could possibly want,” Davis says of the finale. “It’s really a ferocious battle between the priests and this demon. You will find out for sure what happened.” Slater add that “it’s our biggest, most ambitious episode of the entire run. It’s by far my favorite episode we’ve done. Jason Ensler, who directed our amazing mid-season exorcism, came back to do the finale.”

3. Vindication for Father Tomas?
We’ve seen Tomas fail when he assisted Father Marcus (Ben Daniels) in the first exorcism attempt with Casey but will he prove himself worthy in this final altercation? And if you’ve been judging Tomas for his relationship with Jessica despite having taken the priestly vow of celibacy, Slater says to give the guy a break. “I don’t think you can forgive someone from straying from their vows for sex, but I think you can forgive it for love.” Despite that part of his life, Tomas will have some challenges in trying to save the Rance family. In fact, Slater states, “He’s the absolute last person you want in that room trying to save the Rance family but at this point he is their only hope.”

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4. Jessica Is Not Gone
Father Tomas and Jessica may have parted ways in last week’s episode but, Slater teases, “You have not seen the last of Jessica.” There was definitely more than lust between the two in their forbidden affair but, as Makker explains, “Jessica truly believes that they are meant to be together and this is the right thing. In Jessica’s mind Tomas can do God’s work and still not be a priest.” But will the Devil get in the way of any future happiness the two may have?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-ECo90Z3Hs

5. Cliffhanger or…?
While Fox hasn’t announced plans for a second season, Slater did say to expect the story to be wrapped up…to a degree. “I hate cliffhangers, just as a fan,” he says. “You’re going to get a beginning, a middle, and an end but that doesn’t mean it’s going to have a happy ending, but it will have an ending.” He added we could definitely see the same cast if the series gets a renewal. “The characters who survive and still have story left to tell, you will definitely carry them on into future seasons. There’s a lot more story left to tell once we hit the finish line.”

The Exorcist, Season finale, Friday, Dec. 16, 9/8c, Fox