HBO's The Outsider - True Detective by way of Stephen King

[EmpireOfTheClouds]

So tonight, the first two episodes of The Outsider aired on HBO. Discuss it here.

I watched both, and am very impressed so far.

I picked the book up from the library back in September and though it started slowly it didn't take long to get engaging.

I love the cinematography; the overall sepia look had some Roger Deakins vibes. I actually loved too how the night time scenes looked like they were filmed at night but you could still see what was going on... unlike a certain other HBO show from this year...

As far as how it holds as an adaptation, it's damn good. I do think the "runaway kid with a van" subplot was kinda clumsily adapted but they still acknowledged it in a way that was important to the plot. Further more it's quicker paced than I expected, to say the least.

 

[frozenrunner]

I'm deeply annoyed they didn't get Justine Lupe to play Holly Gibney in this when she's doing such a perfect job playing Holly on Mr. Mercedes. But muh diversity.

 

[HollaGemini]

Im about to watch it now. Please please please dont be woke.
Havent read the book but Im starved for entertainment recently.

 

[EmpireOfTheClouds]

Im about to watch it now. Please please please dont be woke.
Havent read the book but Im starved for entertainment recently.

It's not, don't worry.

I'm deeply annoyed they didn't get Justine Lupe to play Holly Gibney in this when she's doing such a perfect job playing Holly on Mr. Mercedes. But muh diversity.

Haven't seen Mr. Mercedes. It's definitely on my list, though

 

[HollaGemini]

It's not, don't worry.

This is really good.

 

[frozenrunner]

Haven't seen Mr. Mercedes. It's definitely on my list, though

Season one is legitimately one of the greatest things that's been on TV in, like, a decade. It's flawless: cast/performances, direction, music, scripts, etc. The base concept might be old hat, but everything else is shockingly great.

Season one covers the first book of the trilogy. Season two jumps ahead to book three, and it gets two episodes in before the writers make a huge plot twist mistake (because they didn't do the groundwork to set it up in season one)... and, sadly, that mistake tarnishes the rest of the season/show. It's still excellent TV, but they fucked up.

Haven't seen season three yet. I understand it covers the second book... If only they had done the books in order, season two's plot blemish on the series might not have been so bad.

Anyway, complaints aside (because they messed up my favorite show in years), it's good stuff. At least watch season one.

 

[Dom Cruise]

I hate the casting of Holly, I’m not even familiar with the character outside of The Outsider but she's distinctive enough that changing the race completely changes things, it's an all too obvious case of modern political correctness. (what do you MEAN the entire primary cast is white? we can't have that!)

The book is really good though, King may have a bad case of TDS but it's impressive that someone his age who has been doing what he does for as long as he has can still output quality at that level.

 

[Bush did USS Maine]

I liked the book, definitely will have to check this out

The first two episodes are indeed really good.

 

[HollaGemini]

Episode 3 is out. I wont post spoilers.
Watched, still pretty good, its getting better as a show.
Nice catch OP, this is a decent series.
Very little if any political pandering.
Anyone know if they stayed true to the characters?