So I would like to try and review more than just movies, and I believe HBO’s The Outsider, which is one of Stephen King’s (The Shining, It) most recent novels, is a great place to start. The first thing I want to note is how well adapted this series is already turning out to be. Aside from a few characters’ names being altered, the show is almost a shot for shot recreation of the book. I’m sure that is partially due to Stephen King being getting a screenwriter credit, according to IMDb. He shares this duty with Richard Price (The Night Of, The Wire) who has a good relationship with HBO, working on many of their most acclaimed projects. Together they have written an impeccable show based on a despicably horrifying novel.
In The Outsider, Detective Ralph Anderson, played by Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Captain Marvel), investigates a grisly crime scene. A local 10 year old boy, Frankie Peterson, is found mutilated and violated in the woods, and all the physical evidence leads to one person: local baseball coach, Terry Maitland, played by Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Ozark). The only problem is that there is also physical evidence which shows Terry was over 60 miles away on the day and time that Frankie was horrendously murdered. Ralph Anderson, with the help of DA Bill Samuels, played by Michael Esper (Ozark, Ben is Back) hopes to convict Terry with this terrible crime. Meanwhile Terry’s wife Marcy (or Glory?? They’ve called her both, so it may be a nickname), played by Julianne Nicholson (I, Tonya, Black Mass), and the family lawyer, Howie Gold, played by Bill Camp (The Night Of, Joker), hope to clear Terry’s name.
For the sake of entertainment, I’ll leave it at that, but the story gets crazier and crazier, and all of that has been played out on screen. The opening scene of the show sets the bar for the absolutely gorgeous cinematography we are going to get over the 10 episode limited series. Set to Mozart’s hauntingly beautiful “Piano Concerto No. 23: II. Adagio,” it builds up the suspense, slowly revealing the indescribably grotesque crime scene. As for the score of the series, it is dark and sinister, composed by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans (Boy Erased, Enemy).
Jason Bateman is an executive producer in addition to starring, as well as directing the first two episodes. “Fish in a Barrel” really demonstrates Bateman’s excellent direction. Every second feels necessary, with nary a wasted second. Jack Bender (Under the Dome, Mr. Mercedes) is the other primary executive producer, who clearly has plenty of time playing in Stephen King’s demented sandbox, and he is also going to EP for the upcoming mini-series for Stephen King’s latest novel, The Institute. I am loving the direction this show is going and the introductory episode does a great job at setting the tone for the series going forward.
Rating: TV-MA (Mature Audiences Only) for Adult Content, Adult Language, Graphic Violence, and Nudity
Running Time: 61 Minutes
Produced by: HBO
