TV Show Review

TV Review: OUTCAST: Season 2, Episode 9: This is How it Starts [Cinemax]

C. Thomas Howell Outcast This is How it Starts

Outcast: This is How it Starts Review

Cinemax’s Outcast, season 2, episode 9, ‘This is How it Starts,’ came with its fair share of big endings. This was another good preview of how the whole series could end; but whether this was actually the beginning of the end, I can’t say. It would be frustrating to think this just another step, in a very long dance to the end; but it would be very frustrating if it turns out that these – some of the biggest steps of the series – will be to a number that has no end.

Megan’s (Wrenn Schmidt) rating of her accommodations likely went down, a handful of stars, after a brush with a more divine planned parenthood experience. The ratings likely went down further – for both her & Rev. Anderson (Philip Glenister) – once her ‘savior’ was brought up, and the reception went cool.

Okay, so the Blake Morrow (Lee Tergesen) situation put Dakota’s (Madelyn Deutch) cards on the table. I knew she couldn’t be perfect; but I’m still giving her some benefit of the doubt. The Liberated Legion: maybe not so much.

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As for Blake – he not only remained the most interesting villain of the series, so far, but also brought the most insight to what the Hell has been going on.

No more cryptic Sidney (Brent Spiner) sashaying, no more Dr. Park (Hoon Lee) putsch – we finally got some solid reasoning for why the Kreepy Kids will inherit the show. That, and a satisfying throw-down (just ’cause he’s interesting, doesn’t mean I actually like the guy – somebody kick his ass, already; I liked his hostage/ accomplice).

So, Amber (Madeleine McGraw) alert. With a better grip on her powers, than her dad – and a better grip on the situation, than her mom – it was only a matter of time before someone came knocking on their out-of-town door. Timed, of course, so that it would be up to Amber to decide whether to let the right one in.

Go on, Amber. You know you’re not supposed to….

As for the heavy that Blake replaced: Sidney caught a brief break (I’m assuming the kid providing camp security never saw the 2nd Die Hard – never be nice to some “Mister Falcons”), before catching one to the leg. The upgrade to Blake’s seat on the plane came a little more at Sidney’s expense than I had expected; but while I appreciated this additional sign of finality, to the series, it did signal a formal introduction.

The specter of Kyle’s (Patrick Fugit) father, Simon (C. Thomas Howell), finally came out of the shadows, as the official voice of the Liberated Legion. Besides giving the rank-and-file Legionnaires some collective backbone, for a change, it also meant another breaking up of the band. Simon sez the Rev is out of the band, y’see.

Not that Anderson got all shaft – turns out the regular church-going variety had been literally praying for him to get bounced back onto their pulpit (“Mr. Anderson! Welcome back!”). I guess with everyone getting a whiff of something apocalyptic in the air, Anderson’s Neo prospects may seem good enough to have made the band ousting worthwhile.

On the bubble would be Giles (Reg E. Cathey), I guess. After a good run, as Team Bad Touch’s axe man, he had sort of stepped out to do his own thing, with Rose (Charmin Lee). That duet (Guns & Rosie?) actually raised the kind of Hell Team Bad Touch was supposed to be doing; but it looks like the showrunners decided to grow Rosie a conscience – along with a healthy fear of being compromised.

The former left me considering Rose’s action as somewhat selfish, all things considered. What Giles had to say about it, however, put a pretty dignified spin on it, regarding the latter. Useful sentimental moment; useful scene.

Given everything that has been allowed to happen, while Team Bad Touch waded through its own in-house drama, the constant in-and-out to its roster just seems like a needless drag. I’m hoping Simon has more to say than just what flavor of Flavor-Aid is going to be passed around – Dakota’s future now hangs on him, and we may be running low on interesting characters to root for.

Leave your thoughts on this Outcast This is How it Starts review, and this episode of Outcast, in the comments section, below. Readers seeking more TV show reviews can go to our TV Show Review Page, our TV Show Review Twitter Page,  our TV Show Review Facebook Page, and our TV Show Review Google+ Page. Want up-to-the-minute notification? FilmBook staff members publish  articles by Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and Facebook.

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Sam Joseph

Sam is an Avid consumer/observer of Geek culture, and collector of Fanboy media from earliest memory. Armchair sociologist and futurist. Honest critic with satirical if not absurdist­­ wit with some experience in comics/ animation production.
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