'The Outsider' Episode 8: The team embarks on a supernatural chase to stop El Cuco, the tear drinker
Spoiler alert for 'The Outsider’ Season 1
In the previous episode, we saw PI Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo) try to help Officer Jack Hoskins (Marc Menchaca) who has a blistering scar at the back of his neck, courtesy of El Cuco.
After she escapes his clutches, she tries to make her colleagues understand the possibility of the malevolent force killing children to prey on the grief of their families. Detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn), was searching for hardcore facts to realize that the tear drinker already has its next victim primed.
In this episode, titled 'Foxhead,' Claude Bolton (Paddy Considine) senses something off and makes his way to Tennessee to see his brother. Gibney, Anderson, Yunis Sablo (Yul Vazquez) and Andy Katcavage (Derek Cecil) are on his trail for only one reason — to stop the force that is plotting its next kill.
If you remember, Bolton, an ex-convict and manager of the Peach Crease strip club, ran into late Terry Maitland (Jason Bateman) or El Cuco impersonating Maitland, after the murder of Frankie Peterson.
Maitland was then arrested for the murder of Peterson and was later killed by Peterson's brother. During their brief encounter, Maitland scratched Bolton.
The previous episode saw Gibney lose it with Anderson because he was keeping vital and viable case information from her. She revealed that due to the scratch, Bolton is the next one who is infected and he needs to be found. Anderson, whos search for natural facts seemed to fail, has joined the supernatural party.
Officer Hoskins seems to be flying off the handle when he robs his own place of guns and his own car. His missing status and the fact that he kidnapped Gibney made him the target of an APB.
This is the first time we get a glimpse of El Cuco, who seems to have taken a human form, matching Gibney's speculation that it is transforming into Bolton. Hoskins, who is at the mercy of El Cuco, is tasked with one job — kill to feed the supernatural force.
Bolton meanwhile explains to his brother how he had to get out of the town because he felt if he didn't "something bad would happen." He reveals that he's unable to sleep at night and always feels as though someone is in the house or someone is trying to get in.
With Gibney having convinced enough of the team of El Cuco's murderous shenanigans, Gibney, Anderson, Yunis and Andy follow Bolton to Tennessee. The road trip brought for some bonding and the demise of broad boundaries to the beginning of possible friendships.
After meeting with Bolton, they find out that he feels as though someone is trying to get into his head, home and mirrors. Taking him into custody for his own protection, police now have tabs on him so they can vouch for his whereabouts.
This is to keep him away from being charged with a murder that his supernatural doppelganger is about to commit.
As Anderson struggles to understand an inhumane force, El Cuco seems to have already transformed into Bolton with his clutches on another young victim at a carnival.
After being caught, local police come in search of Bolton, but it seems as though El Cuco has been officially introduced to the world — now how do cops convince cops that the Boogeyman is real?
The episodes seem to be taking their time to show us the consequences of El Cuco's actions. People are slowly jumping on the obvious fact that a supernatural entity is responsible for the doppelganger murders of small children.
While we're excited to see where Hoskins and Bolton's stories diverge or merge, we hope we find out before the season ends.
'The Outsider' airs on Sundays at 9 pm EST (8 pm CST) on HBO.