Looks like religious faith continues to be the punching bag of Spike’s The Mist. Specifically, one of the Christian denomination because that’s the only one hip to desecrate these days. But never before have I seen Christianity denounced in a way that feels so forced and makes so little sense…which, come to think of it, makes it perfect for this supernatural horror show.
The August 3rd episode “Over The River and Through The Woods” sees a confrontation between Father Romanov (Dan Butler) and Nathalie (Frances Conroy) over her nature worship. Since they fail to agree on matters of faith, Father Romanov proposes a test for the both of them: they shall both walk through the deadly mist and see who is saved.
Pretty sure Matthew's line, “Do not test the Lord your God,” applies here, but who cares about accuracy when there’s a Catholic priest to show up? After all, it looks like the only thing that matters about being a Christian in this show is believing you are one and violently pressuring others to repent and convert.
Father Romanov prepares with prayer while Nathalie removes her clothes and walks outside naked (seriously). Outside they stand in silence until the priest is confronted by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the distance (super seriously). In a display of faith, Father Romanov says his prayers out loud against the figures until they fire an arrow through his heart and drag his body away, leaving Nathalie unharmed.
Warning: Violent content.
And just like that he’s gone, never to be seen for the rest of the episode. Yes, this is the show once again beating you over the head with its clear bias. Yes, it is blatantly disdainful of the Christian faith having Father Romanov (though he is no saint) killed by the Four Horsemen as he attempts to prove his faith through prayer. No, I do not have an explanation for why the Four Horsemen are there except for posterity. Never try to think long on The Mist’s rules since it will only make you angrier and more confused.
You know the priest is not long for this world going into a show like this, but when you cross the border into death by monstrous Biblical images dragging his body away while he's praying, I have to say…why? I’ve moved past assuming the writers have no idea what a priest was like to assuming they have an unreasonable blind hatred for them. Why else would they condemn a man of the cloth to a death with so little dignity? Is faith in any higher power other than the ones they create really so despicable to them?
I didn’t get an answer, and frankly, I almost don’t want one. Just leaving this show to the ash heap of history will do it for me.
