Netflix Devil in Ohio recap guide: All 8 episodes explained

In need of a suspenseful thriller that’s easy to binge? Netflix’s latest series Devil in Ohio might just be what you’re looking for! The eight-episode drama stars Emily Deschanel (Bones, Animal Kingdom) as Suzanne Mathis, a psychiatrist who works at a hospital. When a young woman without a name and with a disturbing back scar shows up, Suzanne is determined to figure out what happened and how she can help.

But taking in this mysterious person might not have been the smartest idea, Suzanne soon learns. Mae (Madeleine Arthur), as she reveals her name to be, comes from a scary cult just a town away, and might not be ready to start a new life just yet.

Devil in Ohio is a fun watch and will leave you on the edge of your seat wanting to figure out the big mystery. Here at Netflix Life, we are breaking down each episode and explaining the biggest moments. Let’s start with the premiere, “Broken Fall.”

Devil in Ohio episode 1 recap: “Broken Fall”

The Netflix Original opens up with a scene showing a young woman running out of a cornfield wearing a white nightgown. It’s obvious she’s running from something or someone, as she tries to wave down drivers who go by on the road ahead. After the opening credits roll, we then get introduced to our main players. There’s Dr. Suzanne Mathis (Deschanel), her husband Peter (Sam Jaeger), and their three daughters, Jules (Xaria Dotson), Helen (Alisha Newton), and Dani (Naomi Tan).

Suzanne has to rush to the hospital after getting a call about a mysterious teen, the same one we see in the beginning of the episode running away. The young woman is very frightened and doesn’t want to talk, but right away you can tell she takes a liking to Suzanne. She trusts her almost immediately.

Over at the local high school, we learn that Helen is a popular kid who doesn’t really hang out with her younger sister Jules. And while Jules has a good friend in her classmate Isaac (Jason Sakaki), she typically keeps to herself. She’s big on photography and spends time in the school’s darkroom.

One exciting development for Jules is that she seems to have a crush on a classmate named Sebastian (Evan Ellison), the editor-in-chief of the school’s newspaper. They talk about journalism and photography, seeming to have a lot in common. Sebastian even asks Jules to contribute to a column in the newspaper.

For Peter’s part, he’s a former contractor who took on a major project by flipping a house. But despite all his hard work to make the place look fantastic, no one wants to buy it. This causes him a ton of stress as he tries to figure out what to do, and he’s not entirely truthful with Suzanne about it.

Back at the hospital, Suzanne comes to work and is startled to see a suspicious man (Bradley Stryker) she doesn’t recognize in uniform looking for the unnamed young woman. He says he’s the sheriff over at Amon County, and Suzanne sends him on his way without giving him any information.

Suzanne decides to take the young girl in after learning the hospital is ready to let her leave, and she finally finds out her name — Mae. There’s a few references to Mae having a scar or cut on her back, and when she shares her name, she remembers how she got it. Though we don’t see it yet, Mae remembers blood pouring down her as she lay on the ground. Whatever happened, it seems like someone purposefully inflicted pain on her. We’ll find out soon enough why that is.

Suzanne’s daughters are a little shocked to see Mae in their house, but Suzanne explains she’ll only be there until a foster home opens up. She doesn’t give Peter a heads up, and he’s pretty annoyed at her decision. The tension between the family members starts pretty much right away after Mae starts staying with them.

During dinner on Mae’s first night at the Mathis’, she offers to say grace. But she surprises the whole family when she she references “the ruler of Demons, our Lord.” We know Mae came from a bad situation, but this is probably the first time Suzanne realizes there might’ve been something actually evil going on.

A Detective Lopez (Gerardo Celasco) pays a visit to the hospital looking for Mae, introducing himself as the new guy on the force wanting a statement. We’ll be seeing more of him in future episodes as he works the case.

We then get a glimpse of Amon County’s Sheriff Wilkins’ home life, complete with an upside down cross in his trailer. If you didn’t know it by now, there’s certainly some type of Satanic practices going on in Amon County, and at the episode’s end we finally see what’s on Mae’s back. She pulls down her robe in the mirror to reveal a pentagram carved into her skin.

The episode ends there, leaving us with more questions than answers. But don’t worry — we’ll get some soon!