The Outsider Review: Roanoke (Season 1 Episode 2)

The smallest of clues leads to larger mysteries on The Outsider Season 1 Episode 2, “Roanoke.”

As a second episode, there’s a distinct feeling of the mysteries left by The Outsider Season 1 Episode 1, “Fish In A Barrel,” opening up, expanding them to even more complicated avenues. Gone are the days of Terry and potentially a doppelganger being the suspects, now replaced by a strange supernatural figure, a barbecue flyer, and a cut.

Terry’s death, so soon into the series, gives way to Ralph fighting against his own decisions and how badly he mistreated the Maitland family based off of the information in his possession at the time. Now that he’s in need of their help, he finds them less-than-enthused, and it allows for a deeper introspection into not only Ralph and his choices, but into the larger possibility of who could have done this violence.

The late night meeting between Terry and Ralph does end up providing a clue to not only their relative closeness before these events, but also plays at the goodness inside Terry. He sees the potential in others, which helps settle Ralph’s son as a positive memory before he died.

While some kind words do not fix Ralph’s significant loss, it’s a scene that helps focus on Terry doing a good deed while also providing a kind story of Ralph’s son as he still struggles with his grief and anger.

The moment of attack outside the courthouse comes as a little telegraphed from The Outsider Season 1 Episode 1, “Fish In A Barrel,” as Terry’s life is essentially over the moment Ralph has him arrested in front of a large part of the community; but instead of it coming from the angry fellow cellmate, the threat comes from the eldest Peterson boy, Ollie.

The suddenness of the violence is what makes the scene so impactful, at how visceral and fast the event occurs. Jason Bateman’s direction shows the incident a second time from a different angle, allowing the moment to breathe, but it still comes as a shock, just as hard as it is for Ralph.

Ultimately, Terry’s death is closure on one piece of The Outsider’s story and a beginning of another: Ralph’s attempt at redemption. The therapy session to deal with the shooting trauma helps shine more light on his feelings about his son, something he is very resistant to. He’s trying to shut off the most vulnerable, raw place in his life, an irony when his work is about getting people to reveal something to him.

Terry’s daughters appear to be a significant factor for uncovering more of the show’s secrets. The strange presence that troubles the youngest daughter is growing more prevalent, even leaving strange footprints in the bedroom (could the substance be similar to that found on the clothing in the barn?). With the memory of Terry’s cut, as well, their story may be integral to clearing Terry and finding the real perpetrator.

The introduction of Jack, another detective at Ralph’s precinct, shows that violence and rage exists in more than what the initial episode provided. Not only is he angry about his vacation being cut short, he doesn’t appear to take any dismissive comments well. The image of the boar ripped apart, presumably by Jack, has a similarity to how Frankie Peterson is found, leaving him as a curious new suspect.

That rage is also present in Terry’s father, as it turns out. The mention of his anger, along with the revelation that Glory and the girls did not visit Terry’s father with him, provides a clearer picture for another potential suspect. With the similar genetics, the van being left in Dayton (where his father lives), and Terry’s cut, there may be more to this visit.

The mysterious figure continues to appear, this time outside the courthouse and outside the Peterson home after the last member of the family hangs himself. This potentially could be the titular Outsider, this strange force that appears at painful moments.

With the direction of the case getting weirder, it’s a wonder if this Outsider is a supernatural force, and that he is the answer to all of these strange coincidences and occurrences.

One thing of note in regards to this figure’s appearance is that we get a better look at him in between the chaos and people at the courthouse, and he looks more disfigured than he does during The Outsider Season 1 Episode 1, “Fish In A Barrel,” as his features are not as pronounced then as they are now.

There’s also the final scene of the episode, with familiar clothing covered in a strange green-tinted goop in the barn, which is a strange moment to end on. There’s something bigger and less based on reality at play, and since it’s an adaptation of a Stephen King novel (without diving into book spoilers), there’s certain to be a little more than a base reality when it comes to how this all unfolds.

The Outsider Season 1 Episode 2, “Roanoke,” places the burden of truth on Ralph as he now finds himself on leave and without a prime suspect. The damage may be already done to the case, with the entire Peterson family collapsing and the Maitland family barely holding together. Even Tamika is more of less off the case, with her wounded leg and maternity leave.

But there is hope within Ralph as he intends to do the right thing and follow where these new leads will take him. Some may not believe in his intentions, but the show will hopefully keep him on the right track. He’s a complicated character, but now that Terry is gone, he is also by far the most fascinating, especially with the great Ben Mendelsohn at the helm.

 

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The Outsider airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.

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