Season 1 – The Outsider

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2:26

Jan 2020

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

75 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Based on Stephen King's best-selling novel of the same name, "The Outsider" begins by following an investigation which at first seems like it will be simple and straightforward but things change as it leads into the gruesome murder of a young boy by a seasoned cop. When an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case, it leads the investigators to question everything they believe in. The character of Holly Gibney from "Mr. Mercedes" is a major character in this series.

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Critics Consensus

Though The Outsider's slow burn isn't always satisfying, it remains watchable thanks to its excellent performances -- especially series standout Cynthia Erivo.

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Graeme Blundell

The Australian

Dec 16, 2020

Mendelsohn continuing his great work in TV, with another display of that distinctive brand of jittery intensity, as a Georgia cop who is faced with the grisly investigation, a particularly unpleasant and brutal murder of a child.

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Karl Quinn

The Age (Australia)

Feb 14, 2020

The Outsider pulls off a remarkable high-wire balancing act... It's classic King, this eruption of the otherworldly in the midst of Middle American normality.

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Roxana Hadadi

Pajiba

Jan 19, 2020

The whirlingly macabre, ruthlessly tense, and transfixingly spooky mood of The Outsider makes the mini-series a must-see this spring.

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Daniel Seddon

NME (New Musical Express)

Jul 13, 2021

4/5

Hopefully, The Outsider's Fincher-flavoured intensity and sharp acting performances will prove a winning combination for viewers.

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Fausto Ponce

Alta Fidelidad Magazine

Apr 26, 2021

The Outsider continues to hold us in deep suspense. [Full review in Spanish]

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Valerie Ettenhofer

Film School Rejects

Apr 19, 2021

It's King's oeuvre as we've never seen it done before, with moody camerawork, taut scripts, and what at first appears to be a complete genre shift for the Master of Horror.

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Danielle I

@DanielleB Sep 27, 2026

The Outsider is the kind of series that grabs you by the throat from the first episode and makes you want to keep pulling at the thread. It starts as a brutal murder investigation, but quickly becomes something much stranger, blending crime, grief, folklore and the supernatural without spoon-feeding you every answer. I loved how it constantly blurs the line between morality and immorality, human nature and something far darker, and makes you question what you’re actually looking at. The concept of El Cuco is fascinating because it operates by its own bizarre rules, and the mystery keeps evolving as you piece together what it wants, how it works and why it chooses certain people. It’s creepy without relying on cheap scares, genuinely disturbing in places, and packed with those "hang on… that explains THAT" moments. Absolutely gripping, properly weird and exactly the sort of series that rewards paying attention. 10/10 from me.

Johannes S

@RT64416087 Aug 28, 2026

Excellent production! Feels bleak, grim, and uncanny. Some things don't make any sense and there are questions. But, I can certainly recommend watching this series!

William R. P

@Ogn_Dulk Aug 25, 2026

It doesn't make sense

Takeachance H

@TakeaChance Aug 12, 2026

Great! Usually not big fan of Stephen King adaptations which have really cheesy dismounts. However this one kept the mystery going and audience guessing without the phony plot armor and cheese ending.

Jim W

@RT18625572 Aug 10, 2026

Very well done, albeit a tad slow. Easily my biggest beef? Too many scenes are so dark you cannot make out what's going on. Very annoying and it helped denigrate the overall experience.

Erin J

@erinjorgensenn Jul 11, 2026

Spooky. Eerie. Unpredictable. Supernatural. Unfathomable.

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J.D. Dillard

Director

Daina Reid

Director

Charlotte Brändström

Director

Andrew Bernstein

Director

Jason Bateman

Director

Karyn Kusama

Director

Episode 1

Aired Jan 12, 2020

Fish in a Barrel

When the body of an 11-year-old boy is found in the Georgia woods, detective Ralph Anderson launches an investigation into the gruesome murder; eyewitnesses and physical evidence point to local teacher and baseball coach Terry Maitland.

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Episode 2

Aired Jan 12, 2020

Roanoke

Ralph admits to being baffled by conflicting physical evidence; an unexpected tragedy throws the investigation into a tailspin; Glory tries to soothe her daughter Jessa, who says she's been visited by a strange man in her room at night.

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Episode 3

Aired Jan 19, 2020

Dark Uncle

Despite being on mandatory leave, Ralph continues to scrutinize the confounding circumstances surrounding the night of the murder; Jack has a hair-raising experience at a remote barn where key evidence and a mysterious substance have been found.

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Episode 4

Aired Jan 26, 2020

Que Viene el Coco

While retracing the Maitlands' recent family vacation, Holly pursues a possible connection to an eerily similar case and gains valuable insight from local former detective Andy Katcavage; Glory faces increased scrutiny in her daily life.

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Episode 5

Aired Feb 2, 2020

Tear-Drinker

After returning from an eye-opening trip to New York, Holly searches for clues at several locations connected to the Dayton case; Jeannie finds herself shaken by an unnerving incident at work and delivers an ominous warning to Ralph.

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Episode 6

Aired Feb 9, 2020

The One About the Yiddish Vampire

Holly presents her theory about the connection between two other child murders and the Frankie Peterson case; while Ralph remains skeptical, a more receptive Yunis suggests they start looking into Claude, the last person to have contact with Terry.

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Episode 7

Aired Feb 16, 2020

In the Pines, In the Pines

Holly tries to help a volatile but conflicted Jack, while their whereabouts are being tracked by Ralph and Alec; after she's confronted by gossip, Glory considers Howie's suggestion on how to secure her family's financial future.

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Episode 8

Aired Feb 23, 2020

Foxhead

Sensing something ominous afoot, Claude reconnects with his brother in Tennessee, while Holly, Ralph, Yunis, and Andy follow him in hopes of isolating the evil force and thwarting its next kill; a visiting family avoids a dangerous encounter.

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Episode 9

Aired Mar 1, 2020

Tigers and Bears

After obscuring their true purpose in town from local police, Ralph and Yunis interview witnesses from the cave festival, while Holly and Andy visit the scene; later, the group considers its next move as Claude deals with the weight of his role.

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Episode 10

Aired Mar 8, 2020

Must/Can't

The group finds itself in a climactic showdown in their last-ditch effort to root out El Coco.

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The Outsider: Limited Series Featurette - The First Two Episodes