Miraculous times leave residents stunned as Leeza visits Joe, and Father Paul starts experiencing serious side effects.

Mike Flanagan’s drama begins to reveal itself, and while it still may not be the experience many expected, there are at least some surprises and significant plot development.

The islanders have come to life following Leeza’s miracle – she can now walk again, and not just one or two steps. Others step forward, hoping that God will cure their various ailments, but Father Paul is playing it down, visibly affected by it. Much of the running time is spent debating the nature of faith, whether or not it should be taught in schools, and what an individual’s rights are to follow their religion or choice.

A lot of this religious discourse is very on the nose, more akin to a faith-based movie than a thriller, but the message is clear that everyone on the island is affected in some way. But the heart of episode three is Father Paul’s confession to an unknown priest. He tells Father Pruitt’s tale – the visit to a cave off the road to Damascus where he was attacked by a winged creature (an angel?). And then the big twist – Paul is Pruitt, as evidenced by a newspaper clipping on the wall showing what Pruitt looked like when he was younger.

In episode 4, Erin discovers via ultrasound that her baby is no longer in her womb, while Father Paul feels God moving around inside him. There’s much discourse around physical abuse, alcoholism and what happens after death, and then there’s scenes of Paul, now allergic to daylight, and the angel creature feeding off him. It’s a bizarre combination that’s still not quite gelling,

Verdict: While an improvement on the opening episodes, Midnight Mass can’t decide whether it wants to be a worthy exploration of religion and mortality in a small community or a schlocky vampire shocker. It’s a little of both. 6/10

Nick Joy