The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Looks good... but boy, so FEW King stories translate well to the screen. I'm cautiously semi-optimistic. :D

Looks bad, that cops approach is ridiculous, the over dramatization thing they actors have in there face, don't often like crime investigation series with this elements. If I ever watch this it will be because of Ben Mendelsohn and because the story is by Stephen King, author of some adaptions that I like Carrie, The Shining, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Secret Window that I totally loved.

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

I agree with you on those adaptations. Some of the few good ones. But so many are a hot mess that I'm not sure which side this one will fall on. I recently watched yet another bad adaptation, In the Tall Grass. Kept thinking this would have been so much better on paper. :D

So... we'll see. Fingers crossed.

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Watched e1 last night and Ben Mendelsohn's lisp(?) is the star of the show. It kinda drives me crazy, but that's my burden to carry.


I enjoyed it, even with nothing extraordinary taking place. There is a lot presented and seemingly everything is figured out, so it was a different experience. My main gripe is the one reveal that kinda ruined things.

View Spoilers

WARNING: spoilers below

When the police are serving the warrant at Marty's Terry's home and the disfigured hooded figure is standing there. It made me think that no could see him, because it was just to obvious in the daylight with all the detectives detecting and stuff. Then I think about the little girl saying the man was talking to her and you didn't see anything.

When the police are serving the warrant at Marty's Terry's home and the disfigured hooded figure is standing there. It made me think that no could see him, because it was just to obvious in the daylight with all the detectives detecting and stuff. Then I think about the little girl saying the man was talking to her and you didn't see anything.

I would have preferred to not have seen the character and left things ambiguous. It doesn't really seem like there is a good reason for showing that, when we could have just let the mystery swirl a little more.

When the doctor asked him about medication I turned to my wife and said "Lispitor." And he said "Lipitor" right after and it was probably the best moment of my life.

Anyway, tons of thoughts about this one. Interesting that they're making some of the supernatural explanations so evident right away, maybe just because people are going to assume that stuff with Stephen King's name being attached, so there's not much point in doing the usual build-up to it.

The hooded figure seems to feed off of the rippling destruction of the act more than the act itself. There are several nods to Storm of the Century, too (maybe my favorite of King's stories), with the pigs and with Roanoke, though whether this is just King self-referencing, or teasing out bigger connections, is hard to say. The latter seems like something he'd do without ever being explicit, for that matter, even though he loves to have powerful and mysterious figures show up over and over, often with totally different names and forms, only to reveal in one of the The Dark Tower books that it's actually the same person.

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Dayton was early March, I believe.

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Watched the first 2 eps of The Outsider. I was reluctant because I'm not a horror fan. But so far it seems more of a crime thriller, which will have supernatural parts.

It's really a well done production. Ben Mendelsohn is first rate as the detective, as is the veteran Bill Camp as the attorney. It's a very strong cast. The story is well written, but what makes it for me is the excellent photography and the phenomenal music score, both of which set the feel and atmosphere.

I agree that the hooded character is so far a little questionable, especially since he's so obviously threatening that others would certainly notice the guy! And I'm assuming he's actually visible...;)

~Doc

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

After three episodes I'm liking this quite a bit. Actors are good and uncharacteristically for King, all of the adult characters aren't complete pieces of crap. For some reason, I've been getting serious Us vibes from the start (haven't read the book so I'm just guessing).

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

I've watched an episode a night and have really enjoyed this. Ben Mendelsohn has been great---a very nice complement to Bateman, I think. And the directing is getting impressive. Similarly to Ozark.
I dig it.

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

The other day at work I reached back to scratch the back of my neck and noticed there was a dry patch with little bumps. Did I inner monologue, "I'll do anything, just make it stop"?

Whether it's Bateman's aesthetic or my mental picture, I feel like I can describe Ozark and the Outsider with the same word.


Overcast.


Even if the shot is inside, everything "feels" grey and gloomy.

That's great. I'm definitely stealing that and calling them "Overcast dramas."

The transitions are always dynamic and smooth. Before one scene ends, the voice of the next one is already starting, effectively creating a sense of momentum but this feels more restrained and mature compared to Ozark's pacing. Or the use of lights (camera flash in the case of a transition in ep4, tonight). I'm also noticing really nice layering when framing a lot of compositions. Often times a scene starts with some out of focus object between the camera and subject. Loving the shallow depth of field and close-up crops. The shot of the mother stepping out of her house to drive off is gorgeous.

Or starting from odd points of view (from under a car as we hear action out of frame leading us into the scene; it's all so mysteriously curious). It feels as though we're in their environment rather than observing them through a screen. That can be overplayed but it all feels so natural 3.5 episodes in. As was the case for me, again, by referencing Ozark. Finally the soundtrack, I think, is just as soft and subtle as the lighting DD mentioned. Both really keep this tonal consistency that help glue all the scenes together. I am REALLY impressed by how all of this is working together.

Edit: maybe it's unfair I've compared this to Ozark. I assumed Bateman was directing. Looks like he's just a producer.

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I've just started this. And it is very promising. Great cast.

Yep, both of these were made clear in the last episode. Have felt very in-tune with this series and it's King tropes from the very beginning.

They've mostly gone there already but I'd expect a bit more of the "what if the things we've called Devils throughout history have just been these awful warlock things?"

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

This show is gonna finally get me to quit hoarding Dark s2.


What a great idea for a thread, "Why do I hoard TV shows?" .

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Loving it, wish I hadn't started it so I could watch it all at once.

Like True Detective Stephen King edition.

The cinematography is really impressive. I see they've had four different guys do episodes repectively: 3,3,2,2. I don't know who's done the first few, but they're top shelf. Makes me wonder if having several different photographers causes them to compete with each other for excellence.

Also there are two music composers, but they've both worked on each episode. The scores are very absorbing and really help set the tone.

There will likely be Emmy noms for photography and music; and probably Mendelsohn, directors and writers.

Hope the show keeps up the high caliber!

~Doc

Agreed. I was kinda taken back to discover some episodes were directed by different people. That's a first for me on learning of two composers too. The consistent quality says a lot about collaboration, trust, and ego for each episode to blend so seamlessly with each other without odd spikes here and there. Everything appears to be one director, one writer, one photographer, and one composer.

Really nice stuff all around.

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The look that Anderson gives when he looks at the boy's sketch? It is so obvious that his dead son is gonna tie-in, but how?


Has he seen the "I'm your boogeyman, I'm your boogeyman, dun-dun-duuhhh" before? Was it involved in killing his son (which I still don't recall them saying how he died) and somehow Anderson stopped the spiral out because of something he did by chance/intrinsically?

I assumed that the odd-looking sketch just reminded him of the Maitland girl's description of the man she's seen. And I really hope they don't tie in his son's death with this case (I personally hate the way how many books/films/series are written so that seemingly every event in the world is tied to its main character).

Still loving the show after four episodes.

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Well, I skimmed a bunch of these posts because I'm only up to episode 2. I'm delighted to say this does NOT feel like most other King adaptations. It's compelling so far. Unfortunately I watched the "behind the episode" bit at the end of episode 2, and King said a few things that really should not have been shown that early in the series. (It was deliberately an episode 1-2 BTS bit.) That irks me.

So now my dilemma is this: I typically prefer to read the book before seeing the movie. Almost invariably. I hadn't read this book yet, though I bought it the day it came out. So now... do I stop watching and go back and read the book, which wasn't really next up on my to-be-read pile? Or do I watch the series and then eventually go back and read the book, to see how it differs?

(sigh) First World problems.

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And I must have made my decision because now I'm in the middle of episode 4. :D

I learned with GoT to AVOID interview commentary between episodes, end-of-episode previews for the next one, and previous episode summaries at the start of a new episode.

They ALL SPOIL SOMETHING!!! lol

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Yarp.

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

THIS. YES. I was thinking it throughout every episode.

Season 1, of course. :D

There is only 1 season of True Detective as far as I'm concerned.

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So "the guy" was SO in the waiting room. Just so creepy.


What is the kick, the ketch :suspicious: . The thing that just keeps him from mowing people down, why does he make someone else do it? It's like he physically or "magically" can't do the acts himself, yet he he wields the ability to control people.

View Spoilers

WARNING: spoilers below

There is something about Ralph and that damn dead son. It was like he was a grief feast that set something in motion all these years back. We're gonna find out that Ralph was responsible for the son dying and yada-ya.

There is something about Ralph and that damn dead son. It was like he was a grief feast that set something in motion all these years back. We're gonna find out that Ralph was responsible for the son dying and yada-ya.

Enjoy it now friends. You know how this stuff goes, these planes are hard to land. 50/50 that the ending is unsatisfying.

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It's getting creepy now. It's like an entire mini-series of a single X-Files case.

I've watched the first 6 eps, and it's been enjoyable. The story is now steering full into the supernatural aspect.

Even though the overall premise is easy to follow, it's somewhat tricky to recall the interplay of the characters from week to week. I always wait to watch two at a time, so it's necessary to completely re-acquaint before every viewing.

The innovative music score really keeps the mood rolling.

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Yeah, we're definitely hip-deep in Stephen King territory now. And this is where I become more guarded in my optimism that it'll continue being as enthralling as it's been so far. Because I can smell around the edges, with Hoskins now transforming into El Cuco (or whatever), that it's going to veer into too-familiar King territory for his readers. He does the gross transformation thing well, with accompanied fear, panic, and despair in the person being taken over... but he does it too often. It starts to feel as if he takes a fascinating premise (how could the suspect be in two places at once?) and then gives it a deus ex machina explanation just because he's a horror writer and can get away with it.

I mean, once we're tossing facts and evidence out the window for supernatural legends, anything goes and he no longer has to explain anything to us.

See, now I let my guard down. Sorry. :D

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Ha! The guy/cop who went into the barn after everybody left, and who is currently transforming into, well, something else. :D

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It's still good. Getting conceptually little too similar with IT though. Almost like King decided to rehash his old ideas into new stories.

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Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

They're all good, but man, very little has happened in the last few episodes. This could've been eight episodes rather than 10, easy, though I assumed that would be the case given how much happened early.

I'm close to that but, surprisingly, I'm still totally good with the pacing. I kinda agree with DD on last week's episode too. Maybe these two could have been merged, but there's something mesmerising about it all that I don't get to the level of criticism I usually do with a lot of shows.

Like the opening shot of the bug to a waking and confused looking Ralph to the title graphic. That was just weird and neat!

Those shots of Ralph on the phone standing in a room framed by a doorway that's framed by another, closer doorway was really nice too. The shots are gorgeous. I can't get past that point to even begin to pick at anything serious really.

Man, I feel like somebody's trying to get into my head, into my house, in the mirror staring back at me :suspicious:


That song creates a moment, a sweet, sweet moment and BenMen pays it off. Kinda like e3s1 of Dark, well, maybe not that good.



Maybe the show is getting kinda sloppy, but I think the adrenaline rush to conclusion covers the warts.

sums it up well. thanks!

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I hate it when I get something in my eye. Who got a hankie?


Love story within a story mode.

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Totally agree with the rush/warts thing. This show managed to go from incredibly intriguing to incredibly rote. Very weird. It's clearly two episodes longer than it needs to be, and it crams way too much in the first couple of episodes. At first I really liked that because I assumed it meant a whole lot of story was left to come, but it turns out it was just really front-loaded and the rest was going to be padded.

I imagine there'll be some good moments next week, and maybe some cool revelation, but I'm way more certain of the former than the latter, and it's been treading water for 4-5 episodes either way.

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Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

The only way I can think of for that to make any sense is if they kill this thing and then Holly and Andy realize, duh, this isn't one-of-a-kind, there are others like it. Then they take their show on the road.

Which does not sound good, even though the season ending with that implication and never showing it sounds like a solid idea.

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How many episodes are left? one? two?

If there is going to be a season 2, I'd be more concerned with an uneventful cliffhanger. While I really liked how these last two episodes closed, I agree that they neither one held up to the standard the first half of the season offered (dumb brother, anyone? That was weak writing IMO). Still, I am enjoying it. I can see the creature getting away to continue the chase for a bit longer or the group discovering a lair that brings a new revelation by the end of S1, completely changing things for s2. Season 2 could add to the mix by filling out more of the creature's backstory introduced in the latest episode. Maybe they would give more of Holly's history that has been teased some. Or, go American Horror Story and show a completely different and unrelated community and time that this thing has terrorized, like maybe the town during the Spanish Influenza deaths.

I doubt any of that will happen, but there are options. While I busy myself hoping, I'll be picking up a few scratch-offs tonight after work. I feel lady luck is on my side.

Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

One episode left.

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Man, the last few episodes have felt like they're just trying to make it to episode 10 with something left... and then I watched the previews for that season finale (episode 10 next week), and I can't believe they're going to cram ALL THAT Into ONE episode.

Honestly, who was in charge of the pacing here?

Beyond that, around the midpoint the story started to feel like it's all Stephen King tropes piled higher and deeper. I can tolerate those things in his books because you get so much great in-the-character's-head stuff that is great fun when King writes it. But onscreen, the tropes quickly feel shallow, stupid, obvious, and predictable. Now that everyone's on board with El Cuco being real, let's just cut to the actual chase, shall we? (sigh)

Doesn't matter to me how lovely this or that camera angle is or this or that cinematography choice... if the story is looping in on itself and sounding like every other King book-turned-celluloid, then it's losing me. Let's see if it redeems itself in that final episode.

And there better not be a season 2. This has to wrap up with a nice tidy bow, or I'm going back to my original fears that Stephen King horror just doesn't translate to the screen.

But what about Mendelsohn's smoking? Doesn't that count for anything? So believable. That guy has definitely fired off a couple darts before. Arguably my favorite part.

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Mendelsohn's complete lack of eye contact keeps me on edge. :D
But yeah, I totally get and reluctantly agree with all the criticisms rolling out these last few days here. Things have drifted into writer's forcing poor decision-making into their characters a few episodes back. And while there are so many technical lovelies, those and the few episode highlights that there are do not make up for it (thanks, Austruck hammering that nail lol).

Fingers crossed for a solid finale.

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Re: The Outsider (HBO series)
 

Welp, every concern I had down the stretch and heading into this finale ended up being applicable. There wasn't really anything else waiting in the wings, just a standard confrontation. The whole thing was incredibly front-loaded.

Good show overall, but man, so much potential, just sort of peters out.

Did you watch through the credits? I agree with everything you typed above, but I still enjoyed it well enough. Funny though as I would expect to be disappointed given my usual reactions to HBO runs that start strong and kind of thin out halfway through (GoT, Carnivale, John from Cincinnati, etc.). I really think having Bateman to pull me in and Mendolsohn anchor the series were both very smart choices, else I do not think I would have been nearly as invested. Likely as a result, I would be more critical of it now (and it deserves some criticism). Back to my first sentence, I felt that was very unnecessary.

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Yeah, I saw the scene at the end. Not sure it added much. The jump scare was silly.

It's still a good show. I enjoyed it well enough, too. It's just nuts how strong it started and how little it did from there. Tons of unrealized potential there. Also, while I can appreciate these incredibly well-made, well-acted prestige dramas, there's getting to be enough of them (though HBO is top tier even in that regard) that I'm starting to want the story to match it, or at least come closer than this did.

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I don't want "find the others, the source of evil, this is where it began" story-lines. They all but announced s2 with the opening "s1 finale of the Outsider. Who knows if Watchmen gets s2, but if not, that is a perfect example of wrapping it up.

What a lack of imagination for the "final confrontation". El Coco is just an animal that likes to eat sweet kids :suspicious:

I know that extreme situations call for extreme measures, but a couple of cops, an ex-con, two moms and a voodoo priestess are all gonna fabricate an alibi/story.... Give. Me. A. F'n! Break. So lazy.


Let's get back to Jack. You finally decide to bite the bullet? Meow? Not earlier? That's convenient.

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Ugh. Based on the strong opening episodes, I chose to watch the show rather than read the book.

I made the wrong choice. :( I have no doubt the book would have been better.

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I enjoyed it. But yes it was a weak ending, a bit muddled and unoriginal.

Holly is the new beast yes? She asks 'Who's Terry?' - I mean what's that about? Of course she knows who Terry is.

Plus, she has a scratch on her arm - why would they show us this? If that's a red herring it's a poor one. Then again, Ralph also had a scratch on his face but it wasn't made a big deal of.

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Re: "Who's Terry?" A writer on the show clarified that she meant that it was important the creature's existence not get out. Like when someone says "this never happened" and the other says "what never happened?"

Makes sense - Ralph's reaction didn't really let us know that though. It could have been done better.

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Agreed, I was pretty confused in the moment. The eventual explanation was my best guess, but I was pretty far from sure.

It's particularly goofy given the whole stolen identity thing.

Deserved a better finale, it was True Detective S1 level good at times.

Episodes 1 to 8 -
Episode 9 +
Episode 10

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Who's Terry, she said; and she smiled in her special way! Terry, she said; ya know i love ya....

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That's how it should have ended. I mean if there's going to be a mid-credit take.

You're being generous with those last two scores. :D

That's a really awful earworm. Thanks for nothing. :D

https://media1.tenor.com/images/4db3...86da/tenor.gif

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I finished watching it. Like others I enjoyed the episodes at the beginning. The end was needlessly stretched and without any mystery.

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I personally thought it started great but the middle and ending were somewhere inbetween OK and poor.

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I am not remotely sad at the thought of this ending. I guess it might be interesting to see HOW they extend it, but yeah, I'm not sure it ended well and it doesn't seem like a good candidate to keep going.

Havent read the thread because I dont want anything spoiled, but I took the bait and started watching this Stephen King story. Ive read alot of King, to the point where I can see his patterns of storytelling, and 9 out of 10 times he writes a gripping tale that just wilts at the end leaving me feeling gypped.


Just finished episode 5 of this series, yeah its great, but the scariest dread im getting is will he deliver all the way to the end? Ill be back.

Finished it. Just got done reading the thread too. Honestly from how disappointing past ending to King projects can be, this one wasnt as bad. Meaning it wasnt good, but not "as bad", I guess thats somehwere right underneath "fair to middlin'", only Holly would know.

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I'm considering giving this another watch. Mostly, I want to pay more attention to the framing and camera work, timing, focus, aperture, etc. Like a technical study? I don't want to think much on the story, as this will be my second or third time through. So I don't think I'll miss anything that I've not already caught there. Anyone interested in commenting on that angle as I go along?

I'm not committed to any time soon, but I keep meaning to do this and only seem to put it off. I thought this might be a good prod.