‘The Outsider’ Season 1, Episode 8 ‘Foxhead’ Review: Hunger

Figuring out how The Outsider operates is step one. At this point, the investigation team knows how it operates and generally believes its strange existence as real. Step two, however, is finding and containing it. The search for the true killer takes the team to Cecil, unsure of what to expect. Meanwhile, the unsuspecting brothers find themselves in the middle of the mess.

On Sunday’s episode of The Outsider, Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo) takes the team to Cecil to follow Claude Bolton (Paddy Considine). Unaware, Claude visits his brother, Seale Bolton (Max Beesley) after a long period of separation. Elsewhere, Jack Hoskins (Marc Menchaca) drives the creature around as it reaches the final days of its transformation.

Enslaved

At this point, it becomes too late for Jack to try to fight the creature. It has become too strong for him to resist. Also, Jack completely gave up his will and accepts the creature’s control over him. Throughout the episode, the creature relies on Jack to hunt for him. It asserts dominance over him by hurting him through the wound or by physically attacking him. Grief plays a powerful role in their relationship and the creature has made full use of it. Jack is in so much grief that he blandly accepts his fate and goes as far as killing a man for the creature, too.

Bolton Brothers

Perhaps in an effort to bring more substance to Claude’s character, the show introduces his brother, Seale. Seale, much like Jack, has anger issue problems. However, the main difference between them is that Seale actively tries to manage his anger. Unlike Jack, Seale goes to Anger Management Therapy and is open to talking about it with Claude. Also, we have a glimpse of what kind of family Claude and Seale grew up in. Their anger issues stem from their parents. Despite these things, Claude’s character is not too prone to rage. The local cops unexpectedly detain him but as time passed, he even becomes friends with them up until Seale shows up, angry. Without the context of the show, Claude easily can be the 40 something who retired from a decent job, looking to settle down in a quiet neighborhood.

Davidsons

If there is anyone who could be more unsuspecting than Claude, it would be the Davidsons. For them, everything seemed normal at first. They go to the annual Cavestock Festival in Cecil just as they have for 15 years. Mike Davidson (Jeffrey Pillar) and Deb Davidson (Susan Williams) bring their grandchildren, Sam Davidson (Michael Banks Repeta) and Wanda Davidson (Maddie Nichols). To them, the festival reached a different point of being mundane. That is until Wanda watches some stranger try to walk away with Sam. Thankfully, the crowd notices the commotion and a man blocks the stranger who later runs away in fear. Indeed, Mike was bored but this definitely was not the amusement he wanted to experience.

Disbelief

Since the last episode, Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) has trouble wrapping his head around the situation. Unlike Yunis Sablo (Yul Vazquez) and Andy Katcavage (Derek Cecil), Ralph still tries to find a logical explanation to this case he is obsessed with solving. Yunis merely wants the case to be over while Andy believes in his [probably] girlfriend, so that makes Ralph the only person who went to Cecil with reservations. Alec Pelley (Jeremy Bobb), on the other hand, initially was afraid. The thought of heading out to Cecil made Alec reminisce about his Iraq patrol days. Despite these things, both disbelieving characters have a change of heart. On Ralph’s end, Holly’s talk with him had an effect on his outlook. Alec, on the other hand, could not stand thinking of himself as a coward so he drags Howard Salomon (Bill Camp) along with him.

Just as the team cramps inside the Bolton family home, the local police arrive. Holly is right. The creature is here and now is their only chance to stop it.

‘The Outsider’ Season 1, Episode 8 ‘Foxhead’ Final Verdict

The Outsider has a not-so noticeable change of scenery. Here, the team and the creature transfer to yet another remote town. A child almost falls victim to the almost fully-formed fake Claude. Luckily the team has prepared for this and is ready to vouch for Claude’s innocence and perhaps follow the creature’s trail. Despite this episode nearing the finale, it manages to substantiate for Claude’s lack of backstory. Also, it creates a horrifyingly beautiful sequence of a man [Jack] blandly accepting his doomed fate. At the same time, it finally shows the creature as vulnerable. Although some aspects of its abilities remain unknown, we can be certain that the creature is no God. Sure, they will have one hell of a fight, but they are likely to defeat it.

The Outsider continues Sunday, March 1st with ‘Tigers and Bears’ at 9/8c on HBO.