The demon tempts Tomas and uses Andy to take control of those on the island…

There are times when the contractual obligations regarding appearances in the credits work to the detriment of the storytelling, and the mention of a certain actor’s name in them this time round gives away part of the surprise that’s been well hidden during shooting. There’s a few coy shots that would have set the scene for that person’s reappearance before the full reveal… but seeing the name Hannah Kasulka straight after the titles tells you (or at least tells anyone who’s been following this show with any real interest) that Casey Rance is back.

A lot of people, myself included, hoped that the end of the first series might have led to Casey developing an interest in exorcism (and can’t you just see her being as kickass an exorcist as Mouse is?) but it’s not the Casey we knew from Chicago who’s present, despite all the trappings. It’s the demon taking on her form to tempt Tomas in what it thinks is the best way, showing him how life could be if he simply refused to continue down this path. Kasulka reminds us instantly how much of a presence she was in the first season with the way that she goes from the “real” to the demonic Casey, and the scenes between her and Alfonso Herrera are simply electric.

Meanwhile Andy manages to get hold of the other kids which gives them all some of their best material as they deal with the thing that’s inside their father. Alex Barima, Hunter Dillon, Beatrice Kitsos and Brianna Hildebrand are simply stunning in these scenes, going toe to toe with John Cho’s performance and elevating what could have easily have been a cliched situation into something much more – particularly when Li Jun Li’s Rose becomes the focal point of Andy’s wrath.

Verdict: Edge of your seat stuff that brings everything to the boil ready for the finale. 9/10

Paul Simpson