User Reviews

I will say firstly, that I was very confused by this final episode. Did anyone else catch that Holly asked "Who is Terry" when Ralph mentioned clearing Terry's name in the cave? I had to rewind and put the captions on just to make sure I heard that right. I found that odd since she was hired to clear Terry's name. It didn't seem to make sense, unless she was el cuco at that moment and that was their way of letting us know.

I also had a bunch of other questions. Why were they erasing any mention of El Cuco from the official story they were telling the DA? Why was Ralph's dead son at the entrance of the cave when they were walking out? Why didn't Ralph let El Cuco continue to change so we could see his original form?

The episode started strong with the shoot out but was anti-climatic and left me with so many questions

This episode was a good metaphor for the entire first season.

High action, devastation at every turn, the season's climax and confrontation between the diety and it's once biggest skeptic. The first part of this episode were extremely satisfying and made good on the anticipation from the end of last week's episode.

I felt as if the remaining portion of the finale dragged out and the closure I wanted to feel seemed a little emotionally underwhelming. The Lieutenant made an interesting point about the firefight resembling D-Day, and the trauma seemed to escape them fairly quickly. One would think that a show that relies on a premise where the laws of the natural world come into contact with a supernatural, shapeshifting, murderous figure would approach it with a greater sense of terror upon its wrath. Either this wasn't explored or explained enough at any point for me after consuming an entires season.

In regards to the cliffhanger surrounding Holly, my only question is HOW? I simply don't understand how El Cuco could reveal its many faces in one body after it was supposedly transferred to Holly's forearm.

This show was excellent at times and frustrating at others. I will watch Season 2, but I worry that a lack of source material will doom it like many other shows before it that tried to take its own creative directions.

Overall I've loved this series. Ben Mendelsohn is such a naturally gifted actor. I've become a real admirer of his acting based on this series.

This brings us to the last episode and how it went off the rails. Here are my issues.

1. The Seasoned Police Officer's behavior during the sniper scene was really bad writing. They failed to take proper cover. Running around in the open, failing to formulate a team approach, nobody considering running behind the cabin for cover or to flank the shooter. And after all the shooting and chaos the make up department didn't consider adding a single bead of sweat to the actors faces?

2. Rattlesnakes are reclusive and aren't going to go out of their way to attack a large human on top of a rock. Especially after already being relocated once.

3. Ralph and Holly stroll casually into the cave as If the "monster" they all fear is no threat. Ralph didn't even have his gun pulled when they were entering the cave.

4. The Monster, who was supposedly strong enough to try to eat them, didn't even try to escape or elude them the during the shootout. Which is very odd considering the monster is a master of being unseen and had spent the entire series moving from place to place, even when weak.

5. After the cave in, Ralph was the only person able to see the "ghosts" although the series had set Holly up as the character with the most uncanny abilities to detect the supernatural.

6. Holly seemed content to simply walk out of the cave with little interest in the demise of the monster after spending a series showing her as basically obsessed understanding the monster.

Overall the series ended with a fizzle. With little suspense and little mystery. The character's behavior was entirely inconsistent with the previous 9 episodes. Including the monster.

Overall a great series with a ho hum ending.

During the summer of 2018, I read Stephen King's "The Outsider" novel. Unfortunately, it was not one of my favorites in King's oeuvre. So when I heard that it was being adapted into a miniseries, I was skeptical of what it could bring to the table. What I found here, though, was a show that manages to transcend the novel and put forth a better presentation of the themes being espoused then even King's pen could accomplish. It also does so in a unique, almost quirky way that can perhaps only be described as "sneaky-good".

For a very basic overview, "The Outsider" opens with Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman), a seemingly fine, upstanding community member, arrested for the brutal murder of a young child. The arresting authority, Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn), believes he has such a slam-dunk case against Terry that he conducts a public arrest while Maitland is coaching Little League baseball. But then something strange happens: Terry is confirmed as being at another location miles away when the crime was committed. How is this possible? A man cannot be in two places at one time...right?! As the case deepens, helped in large part by private investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo), who is willing to believe in any possibility (supernatural or otherwise), Ralph is confronted with a monstrous presence that his cop-mind struggles to comprehend.

The reason why this adaptation eclipses the source material is actually pretty obvious: King's novel sets up a juicy mystery but then quickly pivots to the supernatural, creating a disconnect that is tough to recover from. Essentially, the mystery is so good that the resolution seems like a letdown. This version, however, weaves the supernatural elements into the proceedings from the very beginning, allowing for a much smoother transition from cop-story to monster-story. More balanced, in other words. As someone who experienced both book and show, I can pretty definitively say this TV adaptation is the better version of the material (and that's high praise coming from a zealous King supporter like myself!).

What's weird about "The Outsider", however, is that it would be very easy to call it "slow" and not be wrong whatsoever. It features an odd, fits-and-starts type pacing that won't be for everyone. Yet, despite that odd philosophy, the show also covers tremendous ground in just ten episodes. As strange as this sounds, the show covers a lot of topics but does so in a laconic, simmering fashion that almost tricks the viewer into thinking not much is going on (when in reality a great deal is). When the final episode's credits roll, viewers will be amazed by how different the show has become from the first offering.

What really helps this cause is one of the strongest ensemble casts I've ever witnessed in a show. I won't go into each individual here, but suffice it to say that there isn't one among them who doesn't give a solid performance. In very little time, viewers will almost certainly be invested in all the character arcs. Also, much like fellow HBO shows "Sharp Objects" or "Big Little Lies", "The Outsider" takes risks within its storytelling format. It will often start an episode with a scene that seems completely incongruous to the proceedings, but then circle around to it as the episode progresses.

Overall, "The Outsider" was a show that completely snuck up on me (especially considering my middling attitude about the novel) yet ultimately became an anticipated Sunday-night viewing. While the pace and style may perplex more action-oriented viewers, I'd suggest at least giving this one a chance. Its quirky style might just grow on you.

Sadly, an underwhelming climax to a show with such an incredible start. My wife and I looked forward to Sunday every week and many times during the ladder half of the season we would catch ourselves dozing off midway through. While the direction and tone of the show is so captivating, it needs to be concise in its storytelling or else it feels very drawn out. The long, out of focus shots worked perfectly early on when we are desperate to understand what's going on. But it works against the show when it's just a character in their house slowly walking around. Sadly, the shows trajectory took a big hit when Jason Batemans character died and they could never get that excitement back. Then when we knew the "monster" of the show, there was little left to get invested in other than it being killed. And when that finally happens, it's portrayed in a way that is so anticlimactic that as a viewer, you're left thinking something is wrong. That they didn't actually kill the monster, but that they killed the real Claude. But that isn't the case. El Cuco never makes a stand in the end, he is shot, crushed by rocks, and gets his head smashed in. And the falling action which was the remaining characters getting their stories straight was written so convoluted that it's hard to follow. Rian Johnson recently said that a twist should always feel like a roller coaster and not a math equation. Well the dialogue during those scenes felt a lot more like the ladder. But I would say, the first 3-4 episodes are so incredible that it's worth watching. I wish Jason Bateman could've directed more of the final episodes.

First off, I feel sorry for all of you who waited week for week for this. I'm glad some of you still enjoyed it, but having just binged it over two days, I can say 100% that this show and with how its more quiet style of suspense and character drama/study goes and the way they dive into the myths and the history of the murders piece by piece etc., it's just meant to be watched back to back and not with weeks in between. Horrible choice, clearly not meant for the story. I can see too why a lot of you would feel like not a lot happened, but watching it all unfold one after another I honestly think so much happened especially looking back upon it, and I don't think this show would've been anything but rushed if they changed the pacing, cus this type of story demands a slower pace and attention. That's just how it goes, guys and girls. Maybe not for you, but that's how it goes.

Now to talk about the ending, I'm not sure what it means that Holly got scratched. I doubt that it means the "el cuckoo" or however tf you spell it returns through the scratch at least in full form, now that would be weird. BUT. Are you all forgetting that the dad to the son who was almost kidnapped got scratched too? Blood was running down his arm and all. I'm sure they didn't include that and the interrogation scene where he didn't mention it for nothing - so in a second season, I'm sure there'll be some big kinda thing about the dad and Holly having a relation to that el cuckoo, perhaps cuckoo will find his way back through them somehow. Like, I dunno? Why are you looking at me like that.

I will say that it was weird that they smashed the monster though. The explanation to how the original family's dad would get cleared was absurdly easy and then there is the fact that 1) they don't know if there are more el cuckoos and they just smashed the possibility of helping future victims, and 2) there is literally an innocent woman in prison! Did they forget this? They could have helped her. And god knows if this monster has been mentioned in all cultures throughout history...well maybe what do you think there is only one of them walking around and it's only in America! Lol. I'm surprised Holly didn't stop him from smashing it. But I guess it is true that it would be dangerous to hand all the pieces of the monster over to scienticists and it would get complicated too in many unwanted ways by trial and people and stuff, so what do I know. Maybe just don't smash his face or something.

Things I loved about the show:

• The score! Excellent, consistent and perfect mood throughout the whole thing
• The myth. Very interesting way to play up on something we all know and have heard about. Terrifying representation, although like all monsters it got less scarier the closer you got. But the suspense and danger helped out on that and also quickly coming to care about what happens to the different people, so cool!
• The characters. Iconic, well-developed, well-realized, full of healthy relationship dynamics (something you rarely see these days, especially represented in television, this is like first time I seen a whole season where all the drama came from outer sources and not in the relationships themselves, incredible and GOOD!), everybody had their quirks and dimensions and not one single stereotype, so that was amazing
• The suspense. Much like Sharp Objects, this has gotten horrible comments about its lack of suspense and plot, and I just don't think it's right. This is very much a character driven story, and maybe that's just not your thing. Then you could've stopped by like episode 3 when you found that out and had given it more than a fair shot. But don't go into it blaming the story for working its way around the characters and plotlines when it's you yourself who is not into that type of story that is being told. I said the exact same thing about Sharp Objects, and you just can't appreciate this if you expect it to be or deal with it as a high-drama with frequent action and a cop show, or whatever, when it's much more of a character study and character drama that is exploring the supernatural and the natural. If any of the scenes had been cut out, I truly believe it would've missed a good moment with the characters adding not only depth but subtext to the character and the plot and the theme, which was the goal. That's the type of story this is, like Sharp Objects. It was very well-written and well realized in that.

I thought myself that it was very suspenseful throughout the whole thing as it with the mood-setting score and cinematography would lurk around and you never quite knew how things would turn around. I was quite surprised by how many got killed off in the end, such as the lawyer whom I thought should have still been around to help, Holly's boyfriend whose death was terribly devastating they were so innocent and real with each other, and several of the other characters just went off like that with a bang. The brother too, ouch. Seeing the guy return to his brothers House was painful. I really appreciate what the show is trying to say about loss and the unexplainable though, making us look at it again - especially in this time where so many of us are atheists or questioning this and that. Interesting to see it be played with with such powerful moments and dialogue and scares. Surprisingly good hunour as well. When it was there, it really hit it.

• The style/cinematography. Honestly, it was both gritty and realistic in light and very visually striking. Many gorgeous symmetric and hypnotizing shots which makes it easy to get lost into the world. Loved it.

All around great experience with The Outsider. I think it's highly underrated here in the reviews section and very misunderstood as well. You know what's devastating? How many people sat through 10 1-hour episodes feeling bored through every single one of them. LOL. Sorry guys. I'm glad at least the show's rating is at a well-deserved 8.2, hopefully only to turn up higher, and I hope that lots of people who are into this type of story would watch it then so we can get a season 2! I'm dead excited (pun intended) to see where we would go.

Yes the showdown against El Cuco is low key, it was like that in the book too they just changed the way it gets taken out due to circumstances involving Holly and the Hodges trilogy which appear to have not happened in this show. In the book there was no big fight scene and no real answers about its origin are given because El Cuco himself doesnt even know, he doesn't even know if there are others like him in the world. Also people appear to think it should have taken more to kill it, why? Yes the whole show and book they don't even know if it can be hurt let alone killed but they try anyway. So once the El Cuco thing is done in the first half the rest is about what's next for all the characters and seeing Terry cleared of the murder.

The Outsider started really well with the whole investigation leading us to different places and mindsets, not knowing what to believe. The thriller/spooky association was a great mix and discovering about this "thing" got me hooked. But since a name is put on it, the audience got nothing more to discover. It eventually turn into a simple thriller about finding Claude/NotClaude that grunts and roars and is everything but menacing. This show started extremely well and ends like a regular Criminal Mind episode, without too much work.

I normally would write but those who have written reviews clearly didn't have the patience or savvy to listen to what was actually going on in the episode. The show doesn't end with the credits...very well crafted and great ending to a superbly written and acted series.

HBO delivered again! And it appears obvious many of the people leaving negative reviews never read the darn book!!! I was intrigued the entire series.. about what El Cuco was, is, etc..

This episode is good, despite the real goof in the storyline: caves don't collapse because of loud noises, mines do. Having the hero unable to shoot the monster because the cave will collapse is pretty silly. it's the kind of failed plot device that King is known for because he refuses to do the proper research when he's writing. In 'Salem's Lot, he had a character bragging that his .410 will stop an elephant, when a .410 is a very small bore shotgun, relatively weak as shotguns go. King is a genius but lacks the proper discipline, even at this late date in his career, to research his subjects.

This series should've been 6-8 episodes for sure. Tons of filler. There were great moments and I liked the idea of the entity, but the finale kind of ruined the mystique and horror of it. Not only did we not learn any further information about El Cuco, the finale established that he really wasn't anything to be that concerned about, as he was killed easily about 30 minutes in.

The remainder of the episode following El Cuco's death was uninteresting. We've been force fed the fact that Ralph was slow to believe and Holly was quick to believe, so the final scenes between the two rehashing this fact were just overkill.

The show really does not need a second season. The story has been told. If this wasn't a very hyped up HBO production, it would be rated where it needs to be on IMDb, about 7.5-7.7.