Stephen King Says This HBO Max Adaptation Blew His Mind – “It’s the perfect winter’s tale”
I love a single-season series. A bite-sized binge that doesn’t require a long-term commitment. I think of such an endeavor as the televised equivalent of a weekend fling. It’s a one-and-done ordeal where you’re free to get in and get out without having to discuss the future. If you share my appreciation for a no-strings weekend binge, I have a series recommendation that I think will be right up your alley. It’s a Stephen King adaptation enthusiastically endorsed by the author himself. I’m talking about The Outsider.
The program is an HBO original that ran for a self-contained 10-episode arc in 2020 before succumbing to the Cancellation Bear. Now, the program is available to stream on HBO Max.
Like the King novel on which it is based, the HBO series chronicles a seemingly simple police investigation that proves anything but when a mysterious supernatural presence presents.
King is usually pretty good about objectively critiquing adaptations of his work, so I take his enthusiastic praise for The Outsider at face value. You can see exactly what he has to say via the X (formerly Twitter) post below:
King isn’t the only one who connected with the series. Critics and fans alike found ample merit in the program. The Outsider is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a critical approval rating of 91%, with the audience score not far behind at 82%. Many who weighed in seem to appreciate that the series stays largely faithful to the source material. Plenty of supporters have also called attention to Jason Bateman’s deft direction of the first two series episodes as well as his textured performance as a little league coach accused of murdering a young boy.
Richard Price developed the series for television and served as the showrunner on the project. Even though the inaugural season adapts the King novel on which it is based in its entirety, Price was reportedly eager to expand the premise into a second season with King’s blessing. Alas, HBO declined to renew the program despite strong ratings.
If you’re ready to experience this atmospheric series for yourself, you should make your way to HBO Max and give The Outsider a shot.
That is just about everything that we have for you, for the time being. Be sure to stay tuned to Dread Central in the near future for more enticing recommendations from your favorite creators in the genre space.
Categorized: Streaming News
