The dog days of summer have arrived and, by now, you’re ready to soak in another incredible series to beat the heat. If that’s the case, look no further than HBO’s critically acclaimed series, “The Outsider: The Complete First Season” on Blu-ray, which hits the streets on July 28th, 2020.
Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel of the same name, “The Outsider” is a high-intensity drama series focusing on a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a local boy. [Spoiler-free overview ahead!] When the body of 11-year-old Frankie Peterson’s is found mutilated in the Georgia woods, police detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) sets out to investigate. All of the eyewitnesses and physical evidence of the event point to a popular high school teacher/ Little League Coach, Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman). While the case initially appears to be rather open and shut, Detective Anderson remains baffled by the emergence of contradictory evidence that places his suspect at a different location a neighboring city, at the time of the murder. The seasoned law enforcement veteran, who is still reeling over the recent death of his own son, turns to an unorthodox private investigator Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo) in hopes that her uncanny abilities may shed light on the mysteries surrounding the case.
While adaptations of the legendary Stephen King’s work will ALWAYS spark debate amongst dedicated fans, HBO’s TV adaptation of “The Outsider” is undoubtedly one of the best. Masterfully Adapted for television by Richard Price (The Color of Money, TV’s The Night Of), the series manages to stay remarkably faithful to the tone of original novel while successfully mixing in a handful of new characters and elements, which never detract from the overall story being told. Building on an already rock solid foundation with the source material, the series’ true strength lies in the hands of its powerhouse cast, which features Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson, Yul Vázquez, Jeremy Bobb, Marc Menchaca and Jason Bateman. Bateman continues his winning ways, both in front of and behind the camera, serving as executive producer and director of the first two episodes. Ben Mendelsohn and Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo are the true standouts in the series, turning in the type of performances that make the viewer immediately seek out their previous work. You won’t be disappointed!
“The Outsider: The Complete First Season” Blu-ray Edition features all 10 exhilarating episodes from Season One and also includes over 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes bonus content including the all-new featurette titled “El Cuco. The Baba Yaga. The Outsider.” This previously unreleased featurette allows viewers to dive deep into the real-world origins and supernatural abilities of the being at the center of “The Outsider” with compelling insights from the creators and cast.
The Verdict: “The Outsider: The Complete First Season” Blu-ray Edition is the perfect way to watch the series. The hardest part will be waiting for the highly anticipated second season!
Check out the trailer for the series and the full details on the Blu-ray release below!
BONUS FEATURES:
• EL CUCO. THE BABA YAGA. THE OUTSIDER – All New Featurette
• Invitation to Set
• Stephen King and The Outsider
• Jason Bateman and The Outsider
• Adapting The Outsider
• Analyzing Holly Gibney
• The Outsider: Inside Episodes 1-10
10 ONE-HOUR EPISODES
• Fish in a Barrel
• Roanoke
• Dark Uncle
• Que Viene el Coco
• Tear-Drinker
• The One About The Yiddish Vampire
• In the Pines, In the Pines
• Foxhead
• Tigers and Bears
• Must/Can’t
Jason Price founded the mighty Icon Vs. Icon more than a decade ago. Along the way, he’s assembled an amazing group of like-minded individuals to spread the word on some of the most unique people and projects on the pop culture landscape.
