The great "Outcast," debuting this Friday, June 3rd
on Cinemax, grapples with questions that religion and fiction have been asking
for centuries. Why do we consider it so essential to define the forces of good
and evil? Do we blame tragedy on the devil and good fortune on a higher power
because we're unable to accept the idea that either could be arbitrary? What
exactly did innocent people do to "let the Devil in"? And how do we put true
evil, especially when it shaped our childhood, behind us? Finally, how do we reconcile
our feelings about what's right and wrong in a world that doesn't often
dispense justice in appropriate ways?

Clearly, this is not simplistic genre programming. Adapted
from his book by Robert Kirkman ("The Walking Dead"), and with film-caliber
production values from top to bottom, "Outcast" is complex, daring television,
reminiscent of shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "The X-Files" in one
beat (there's even an "I Want to Believe" poster like the one Mulder had in the
hero's bedroom) and then echoing dramas about redemption and tragedy like
Sundance's "Rectify" in another. The team behind "Outcast" sometimes fumble a
bit in terms of presentation and pacing, but that's rare enough to be forgiven—and
likely something that gets worked out over time. "Outcast" uses a structure
often employed by horror fiction and filmmaking to examine the nature and
purpose of evil, and its role in a world of genuinely good people.

Its central good person is Kyle Barnes (the fantastic
Patrick Fugit), a man who has seen the face of evil up close. Kyle is not like
you and me. When he was a child, his abusive mother would lock him in a closet
and beat him. And it happened overnight. She was fine one day; she was a
monster the next. It turns out she was possessed by evil, and Kyle, who will
later be referred to by another possessed man as "The Outcast," had the power
to drive the devil from his mother, leaving her in a vegetative state. Later,
something similar happened with Kyle's wife (Kate Lyn Sheil) and daughter,
forcing him to be apart from his family, and turning him into a loner. Only his
sister Megan (Wrenn Schimdt) supports Kyle, doing what she can to keep him
sane.

In the premiere, deftly directed by Adam Wingard, Kyle joins
forces with a local religious leader named Reverend Anderson (Philip
Glenister). The good preacher, played with a perfect degree of world-weariness
and religious fervor by the "Life on Mars" star, knows that the story of a
local boy named Joshua is not a typical one. The devil is inside that boy, and
Kyle has the power to free him. While Kyle and the Reverend essentially become
a demon-fighting duo, Megan's husband Mark (David Denman), a local policeman,
notices himself that something is afoot at the Circle K, even if his superior
(the fantastic Reg E. Cathey) tries to keep him in the dark.

"Outcast" is about two men who have lost their families to
evil. While Anderson devoted his life to fighting the devil, Kyle has been
dragged into his position—and the relationship occasionally reminds one of
Buffy and Giles, albeit with much higher stakes. Much of the reason that "Outcast"
works can be traced to the soulful performance by Fugit, who grounds the
insanity of it all in something that feels real, and he's balanced on that side
of the ledger by great work from Schmidt, especially in later episodes when her
dark past is revealed. The whole cast is strong, especially guest turns by
Brent Spiner, Grace Zabriskie, Lee Tergesen, and others in later episodes.

The production values are also notable. Atticus Ross ("The
Social Network"), Leopold Ross & Claudia Sarne contribute a score that is
among the best on TV, setting a tone from the remarkable opening credits, which
almost play like an overture for the world-skewing insanity to come each week.
Cinematographer David Tattersall's ("The Green Mile," the "Star Wars" prequels)
contributions can't be underestimated too. The show has a visual language that
is missing from too much TV—even that we call "Peak TV"—that both sets it apart
and makes it feel part of a legacy. 

"Outcast" isn't telling a new story so much
as telling an ancient one in a new way. When Anderson notes that the pain
and heartache that Jesus relieves, he does so by suffering himself, it can
really be considered the theme of both the adapted book and the
show. How much suffering can one take when they're the only one who can take it? "Outcast" is a Cinemax drama about possession, sacrifice, cruelty and
Jesus. In other words, it's not your typical summer show, but it's one you
really shouldn't miss.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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