Outcast (2016) | A SXSW TV Pilot Review

Setting a television series in the world of the occult has always been a dicey proposition. Not because the demonic world is not ripe with expanded possibilities, but because it’s a confounding task to land soundly on a storyline that could span the course of several years. Leave it to Robert Kirkman (‘The Walking Dead’) to pounce on a world that – at first glance – would seem finite, yet there is so much more here than meets the eye.

‘Outcast’ centers on distraught recluse, Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit). For reasons we discover as the pilot nears conclusion, Kyle has led a troubled existence and now – estranged from his wife, child, and human beings in general – spends his time isolated in his own castle of solitude, chowing on cereal with a questionable expiration date. Some in town see him as a hero, while others see him as a dangerous menace. Unfortunately, Kyle barely sees himself at all.

Everything changes when a young local boy appears possessed by a similar evil that consumed Kyle’s own mother as a child. This development convinces him that it might be time to depart seclusion, and finally face his figurative and literal demons head on. With the prodding of his best friend, Megan (Wrenn Schmidt), and the help of Reverend Anderson (Philip Glenister), Kyle comes to realize there is much more at play here than he ever suspected, and this is more personal than anyone could ever comprehend. By the end, we in the audience are left needing these answers RIGHT NOW – the mark of a well-constructed pilot.

For me, every pilot that wins me over has to have that singular moment where I stop and think ‘YESSSSS!’, either some puzzle that needs to be solved or some scene that blew me away – and ‘Outcast’ creator Kirkman and director Adam Wingard (‘You’re Next’ and the brilliance that was ‘The Guest’) crank it up to 11 as they create what is sure to become the most controversial moment in TV this year. Sure, ‘Game of Thrones’ has killed major characters as frequently as I pop Tic Tacs and torture is as common as dragon sightings, but neither compare to what I’m talking about. The cajones it took to pull off a specific exorcism – I won’t spoil what happens like so many already have – brought about the kind of fist-pumping, ‘HOLY SHIT!’ elation that you almost feel ashamed of an hour later.

Almost.

It’s not cheap shock and awe, either. Kirkman is often lauded for his gore and disdain for allowing us to become too attached to any one character, yet ‘Outcast’ feels like a completely separate entity. Similar to Kyle himself, this series is isolated from that dire world of zombies and tragedy. There is an intriguing story at the heart of this series, these are characters I can get behind, and – unlike Rick and the gang – I felt like there was a glimmer of hope and resolution in the not-too-distant future.

I would love to wax poetically on some of the finer story points and possibly expand on where I think this tale will head, but if the devil is in the details for you, go pick up Kirkman’s comic the show is based on. I don’t want to know just yet, I’m loving the discovery too much. Instead, I want to kick back and watch this deranged Ghostbuster tackle the ominous horror that has surrounded him throughout his entire life.

If this show represents what it means to be an ‘Outcast’, count me in.