On the premiere night of HBO’s The Outsider, I based my idea of the series solely on the trailers. I hadn’t read the book yet. I had just finished Doctor Sleep before seeing the movie and had thoroughly enjoyed recent Stephen King adaptations. The trailers gave me what seemed like police procedural with a hidden twist, starring Jason Bateman and Ben Mendelsohn.

The series starts that way. A child is victimized and brutally murdered, and Bateman’s Terry Maitland is the prime suspect. Mendelsohn’s Ralph Anderson is the officer more than happy to make the arrest. However, Maitland professes his innocence, even with his DNA at the scene. Then, comes the twist: video that shows Maitland in a different city at the time of the murder.

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This is where The Outsider slowly evolves from a taut crime drama into the suspenseful, otherworldy thriller you expect from a King tale. The series is powered by its complex script, thorough vision, and disciplined acting. Mendelsohn’s portrayal of the skeptical, emotionally-tortured Anderson is superb. A father who agonizes over the loss of his son while attempting to comprehend the potential supernatural element behind this murder.

As with most King stories, there is the “enhanced” character that bridges the gap between this world and the other, and that is Holly Gibney. Cynthia Enrivo (Harriet) plays Holly excellently, embracing the socially-awkward introvert with a unique intelligence amongst other gifts. With each chapter of this series, the tension builds at a steady pace, thanks to magnificent writing by Richard Price (The Wire, Ransom), Dennis Lehane (Shutter Island, Mystic River), and Jessie Nickson-Lopez (Stranger Things, Narcos: Mexico). Additionally, the direction adds a voyeuristic approach to each scene. That vision comes from a group of talented artists, which includes Andrew Bernstein (The West Wing) and Bateman himself.

I won’t dare say anymore about this series. The Outsider is more than worthy of your attention. It continues the fantastic run HBO has had in original content recently. Just prepare yourself for a tale that will lead you in areas you were not expecting–unless you read the book.

The Outsider is available for streaming on the HBO Go and HBO Now apps.

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