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‘Outcast’ Premiere Recap ‘A Darkness Surrounds Him’

Imagine, if you will, spending most of your life plagued by dark forces of unknown origin. From childhood, you are followed by entities out to only harm you, and the people who claim to love you. Crazy, right? Well, this is the life of Kyle Barnes, the main character in Cinemax’s newly adapted show, ‘Outcast’.

Originally a comic series from the mind of Robert Kirkman, ‘Outcast’ follows the journey of Kyle Barnes, and his uncanny ability to expel demons from someone possessed. But, this isn’t your mother’s Exorcist. Oh no, ‘Outcast’ is an entity all to itself.

We kick things off with one of the creepiest sequences I’ve seen on television in a long while. A little boy named Joshua watching a roach crawl down his wall. He’s not scared or grossed out; he’s more intrigued than anything. Actually, just take a second and check it out for yourself…

 

Gross, right? Well, it doesn’t end there. Joshua hears his mother and sister fighting, so he wanders downstairs and into the kitchen. He goes into the pantry and pulls out a bag of chips. He eats a few and accidentally bites his hand, which is a more tasty treat apparently. Just as his mother walks into the room, she catches Joshua snacking on his own fingers.

 

Welcome to Rome – “Wild and Wonderful West Virginia” – Where People Get Possessed

Things are getting weird in Rome, and it seems to be happening just as Kyle Barnes returns to his hometown. His presence, however, seems to unnerve most of the townsfolk and we quickly learn why. After being forced out of his house by his sister, Megan (by adoption), to get some air and groceries, he is met by stares and whispers of the patrons in the local Piggly Wiggly.

Why are they whispering? Well, one of two reasons. 1) Kyle Barnes grew up with an abusive and disturbed mother (or so they thought) and no one intervened; or 2) Kyle Barnes beat the crap out of his wife and kid and he is walking around free.

But what is the truth surrounding Kyle? Is he just a violent lunatic as his brother-in-law the cop seems to think? He is just a misunderstood man struggling with his current, sad, situation as his sister believes? Maybe a little bit of both. The truth as we know it… Kyle’s mother was possessed when he was growing up. When she wasn’t hitting him or locking him in the pantry, she was trying to kill him by devouring his soul. One day, he decided to fight back, and when he struck back at her, it affected what was living inside her.

She never fully recovered, and is currently in a catatonic state.

Kyle’s wife was a similar story. He came home from work to find his wife trying to kill their daughter. When he was finally able to get her off the girl, he realized that it was happening again. This though, it left him as the villain and unable to have any contact with his wife or daughter.

 

Kyle Meets Joshua and Reconnects with Reverend Anderson

Photo courtesy of Cinemax
Photo courtesy of Cinemax

 

Kyle hears about a local boy that is supposedly suffering as his mother did. When Kyle pays a visit the Austin family a visit, he find the Reverend already there making another attempt at an exorcism. Having known Kyle since he was a kid, and what really happened with his mother, the Reverend asked Kyle to try help him with the boy.

Let’s just say, round one didn’t go very well. The demon toyed with Kyle, telling him he knew about his past with his mother and how she would lock him in the pantry. Later, with Reverend Anderson asks Kyle how he was able to expel the demon from his mother, he simply said, “I hit her”.

Kyle and Reverend Anderson try again to help Jacob. After getting thrown around the room, and levitated in the air, Kyle goes with his tried and true method, hitting the boy multiple times. Before the demon flees Jacob’s body, he leaves him with the cryptic message, “The great merge cannot be stopped.” The black goo shoots up and splatters all over the ceiling, leave Kyle holding the small, bleeding boy in his arms as Jacob’s mother enters the room.

Super creepy, right?

 

 

If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out the full premiere episode of ‘Outcast’ and if you like comics, find the series in your local shop or at a variety of online retailers. This is one story, you don’t want to miss out on!

The next episode of ‘Outcast’ airs on Cinemax, Fridays at 10 p.m.

 

 

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