Eric is a nine year old boy whose parents believe he is possessed by a demon.

Davita Scarlett’s script for this episode is the show’s most insidious yet – and that’s in an instalment that doesn’t include Michael Emerson’s Leland in any way (not even when I expected it in the final scene with Mike Colter’s David). There are two distinct strands – the investigation of Eric and the apparent way that he starts to react favourably to David’s suggestions, and the use by the four little girls of a VR machine that seems to be linked to something far more than just a game – with neither really acting as respite from the other. As the tension rises in one, so it’s ratcheted up in the other.

The team are put through the wringer once again with each getting strong moments. Colter’s reaction as he realises exactly what it is that Eric has done, Katja Herbers’ final scene (made all the more devastating when you realise that as an audience member, you’re not entirely sure which of two things she’s breaking down over), and Aasif Mandvi’s confrontation with the eponymous Rose 390 will stick with you long after the credits have run. The four children playing the young girls also deserve praise, not just for their acting of the scarier moments, but also their interaction as a family – you believe them as siblings.

Scarlett also carefully places the viewer in the position of perhaps not agreeing with the actions that Eric’s family take, but understanding it – particularly if you are a parent yourself – and she’s rewarded with great performances from guest stars Michael Stahl-David and Heather Lind as the parents, and Luke Judy as Eric. I’ve not encountered Peter Sollett’s work as a director before, but he handles the horror and emotional moments very assuredly.

Verdict: Highly unsettling, well-produced drama. 9/10

Paul Simpson