‘Que Viene el Coco,’ the fourth episode of HBO’s thriller The Outsider, proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Cynthia Erivo hype is so very real.
For those who have not seen Harriet or Bad Times at the El Royale (like me), this would likely be your first time seeing Erivo in a major role. In just her second episode on The Outsider, Erivo has proven not only that the critical hype she’s received in the past deserving, but that her performance is absolutely the best part of this series.
On a whole, ‘Que Viene el Coco’ is a strong episode. However, the pace of the Cherokee Falls story is at a meandering, “wheels-spinning” speed. The arc of Jack Hoskins (Marc Menchaca) slowly being overtaken by a dark force is just that — slow. We continue to see him act cold and distant, and his odd move of dumping lamps and sleeping bags in the forest will hopefully be explained. We also continue the slow, and sort of monotonous story of the Maitlands being harassed by reporters and locals alike. Nothing in this part of the episode was noteworthy, outside of the first witness account of the man in the hoodie. Even then, it’s not exactly giving off a wow factor.
In all fairness to Stephen King and Richard Price (the series creators), this was likely an intentional storytelling decision. It may have been necessary to slow things down in Cherokee Falls in order to really pay a few things off in next week’s episode ominously titled ‘Tear-Drinker.’ That episode seems to focus more on evil coming to town in Cherokee Falls in a more intense and horrifying way.
Yet, despite this lag in the episode, ‘Que Viene el Coco’ is really about Erivo’s Holly Gibney. When it’s not focused on Erivo’s Holly Gibney, you’ll often find yourself wondering what Gibney is up to. This, of course, makes perfect sense. The story in which Gibney is currently entrenched is way more intriguing than what’s happening back in Cherokee Falls. She’s slowly but steadily uncovering a vast supernatural conspiracy at the heart of the series. This conspiracy is deeply rooted in demons and spirits, and frankly that’s always going to be a juicier topic to explore.
We’re also given a deeper look into her childhood, and we see a potential (and adorable) relationship with a local former cop Andy Katcavage (Derek Cecil, House of Cards) beginning. These moments all work together to effectively reveal the human side of Holly, which later helps to heighten potentially terror-infused scenes and makes us further invested in the mystery because we now have a character we truly care about. Erivo sells the terror and uncertainty of every scene with her eyes and posture. Her eyes are nearly paralyzed with fear, and her body is nearly hunched under the weight of the conspiracy. This allows us to feel everything Holly feels. Erivo is just so perfect at making you feel every scene she’s in. Truly, she’s become the MVP of the entire series.
The Outsider has rebounded from a messy third episode, and is starting to put gas to the simmering fire of the storyline. We’re investing in characters, and with each frame we grow more fearful of something that may jump out. The tension is building nicely, and next week’s episode has the potential to be an absolutely engrossing and terrifying nightmare.
The Outsider Episode 4, Que Viene el Coco is now streaming on HBO NOW, HBO GO and Hulu.
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