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
