Tag: Cynthia Erivo

Finally some of the mystery begins to unravel in this chilling episode of The Outsider. After Jack’s spooky encounter with “The Outsider” at the barn, he begins acting very odd, disappearing and doing random tasks literally to try to save his own neck. Holly begins connecting Terry to other similar cases in Dayton and New York. While investigating in Dayton Holly met a security guard named Andy Katcavage, played by Derek Cecil (House of Cards, Recount). He becomes a larger asset in this episode as Holly continues to connect the dots, all the while reporting back to Ralph, Howie and the gang. 

This episode is one of the creepiest thus far. I don’t know if anything can top the horror of Frankie Peterson’s crime scene, but this ep gave it a run for its money! One of my friends even described the episode as “devilish,” as it touches on some folk lore relating to the title of the episode. Without giving anything away, there is some disturbing imagery late in the episode as Holly digs deeper and deeper. Concurrently Glory begins to face more and more fallout from Terry’s death. Her kids have been “asked to leave” the school they attended, and Glory has an incredibly hard time trying to find a legitimate home schooler without any ulterior motives. The tragedy of her husband’s death is increased by the fact that people are hurling threats, in person, at both her and her children. While Howie and Ralph continue to stick up for her, her situation is clearly spiraling quickly.

Again, one of the things I liked most about the episode is seeing how Holly works. Cynthia Erivo does such a great job at maintaining all of these little, weird personal quarks that make Holly who she is. Her investigative mind is further opened up as she opens up more to Andy, who actually happens to be an ex-police detective, which I admit is extremely convenient as far as plot devices go. That being said, Andy is a genuinely nice character and Cecil brings a subtle, polite softness to the character.

This episode does a great job of finally inserting some of King’s classic supernatural characteristics, which causes some conflict between Holly and Ralph, as he is a skeptic. I think this episode is one of the best looks we will get into our villain’s mind, seeing how truly evil and depraved he really is. The groundwork for Jack’s role in the story really starts to be laid out quite succinctly. “Que Viene el Coco,” yet again, elevates the shows to new (or lower if you’d like) heights keeping the audience thirsty for more. Luckily the next episode is titled “Tear-Drinker,” so I think we’ll have plenty to drink, but I doubt we’ll like what we taste. Until next time, have a wonderful evening, and do make sure to check those windows are closed and the doors are locked.

Rating: TV-MA (Mature Audiences Only) for Adult Content, Adult Language, and Nudity
Running Time: 60 Minutes
Produced by: HBO

In “Dark Uncle,” we witness the fallout of Terry Maitland’s assassination. While Ralph is put on Administrative Leave and ordered to go to trauma therapy, Marcy, who will further be known as Glory (don’t get me started on this one), deals with the fallout tenfold. Not only has she lost her husband, who she believed to be innocent, but now she and her children begin to suffer as threats pile up against the Maitland family. Ralph, feeling terrible about Terry’s last words, “I didn’t do it, Ralph. I didn’t do it,” continues to investigate Frankie Peterson’s murder and Terry’s possible involvement. In desperation he turns to Howie and his research assistant Alec Pelley, played by Jeremy Bobb (Russian Doll, The Kitchen) to get to the bottom of the deepening mystery, who connect him (finally!) with Holly Gibney. Concurrently, Jack continues to prove himself to be somewhat of a jerk, and also has a chance encounter of eerie proportions at the barn crime scene.

Honestly, the show just keeps getting better. I remember reading The Outsider a few years ago, and I remember thinking that Stephen King has gotten extremely good at mystery novels, and the adaptation is a testament to his writing. The mystery element to the show is fantastic, keeping the audience guessing each episode. The supernatural elements of the show are slowly creeping into the light of day, creating an excellent combination of mystery, thriller, and horror. As The Outsider slowly unfolds, I am continuously reminded of season 1 of True Detective. The cinematography, editing, and chilling score really help elevate the show to fantastic heights.

In “Dark Uncle” Ralph and Glory have another confrontation and Mare Winningham finally gets some time to shine as the mediator between the two. The interactions between Ralph and Glory are just wonderful to watch. Julianne Nicholson does a fantastic job of playing the emotionally drained Glory. She is unrelentingly and unapologetically antagonistic, rightfully so, towards Ralph. Ultimately, Mare Winningham’s Jeannie has to play middle-woman between the two in order to get the answers Ralph needs for his investigation. The stand-out actor of the episode was Cynthia Erivo as Holly Gibney. Her portrayal was utterly intense and true to character. Holly is a troubled woman, who has a keen investigative mind, but also has severely crippling social anxiety/skills. Her performance leaves nothing to be desired, as she nails it on every front. I’m excited to see what her character brings to the table as the series unfolds.

The show is on track to be a great addition to HBO’s already stacked wheelhouse. Jason Bateman and the producers have done a fantastic job in adapting one of Stephen King’s scariest novels of all time. Even having read the book it’s exciting to watch the series unfold. It’s a testament to HBO for knowing what stories to tell and which cast and crew members to combine together in order to create the best possible product. I really can’t recommend this show enough, but make sure the kids are asleep, because this tale is way too scary for them.

Rating: TV-MA (Mature Audiences Only) for Adult Content, Adult Language, Graphic Violence, and Nudity
Running Time: 60 Minutes
Produced by: HBO