Critic Reviews

Outcast is a creepy, unsettling treat—and one of the strongest TV debuts of the year.

Outcast is incredibly visceral, both in its scenes of demonic possession and in the punch-happy tactics of the titular amateur exorcist. But it's also a tense, meditative psychological drama about trauma, redemption and belief, with nuanced performances throughout and a grim but arresting visual style that is not without flashes of humor.

Terrifying and transfixing, Outcast is a horror fan's dream come true, packed with chills and thrills that only serve to accentuate the surprising potency of its dramatic vision.

This slow boil approach yields poignant, aching performances from a cast that includes the late Reg E. Cathey as the morally solid chief of police, the extraordinary Philip Glenister as the town’s combative reverend, and Brent Spiner, loading his outwardly pleasant demeanor with a foul malice.

Outcast is beautifully composed cinematically, with a conveniently nearby woods providing an extra layer of creepiness. By the end of the initial four episodes, a spellbinding hook has been set, with the mythology enticingly unfolding amid week-to-week new vistas in exorcism.

The cast and the emotional back story in Outcast are compelling, and so is the growing sense that Kirkman is using his tale of demonic possession--based on his own “Outcast” comic book series--as a broad allegory of domestic abuse. Behind the predictable trash-talking demon with beady eyes, there’s an interesting drama about facing what haunts you.

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.

Fugit depicts Barnes with the scraggly desperation of a starving, wounded animal. With his poignant portrayal securely holding each hour’s center, Outcast quickly mutates from a creepfest into a tragedy about doubt, coping and human frailty.

Fugit is great as Kyle, the character around whom Outcast pivots. You've got to believe this guy is real to buy into the series, and the Utah native delivers a performance that makes the series work.

When more and more possessions begin to pop up in Rome, a series of events that Kyle believes is directly related to him, he is partnered with a priest, Reverend Anderson (Philip Glenister), and the series becomes an equally fascinating contemplation of the basic usage and worth of religion.