‘Outcast’ episode 9 review: Megan’s untimely massacre of self

Tonight marked the penultimate episode of “Outcast” on Cinemax, and with that, we saw quite possibly the most horrific thing the show has done yet. Also, we saw what not exorcism movie could do: Create an emotional connection that led to so much pain.

Of course, we’re speaking here of Megan’s possession within the final minutes of the episode, which led to the terrible death of Mark in a depressing, painful way. You could just see the hurt as he begged for a chance, a way to get the real Megan back somewhere in here. It just didn’t happen. We’re not a comic reader, and through the kindness of others not spoiling anything, this is not an ending we anticipated. Therefore, watching it unfold was exceptionally painful, given that we kept hoping that there was some sort of way that we weren’t quite getting what we feared.

Elsewhere, we saw the needle move forward on other stories, especially when it comes to Kyle’s further failures with Allison and Anderson feeling more alone than ever within Rome. We saw the beginnings of a long-term payoff, and further reminders that this is a show where you cannot just turn things around within the span of an hour. This is reality, and within that, there is always a certain degree of flux where you expect to see matters change.

We have praised this show repeatedly for being brilliantly paced and well-acted, but that may not be giving it enough credit. Maybe it is due to its timeslot or being on a lesser-watched network, but through the stellar past few weeks this has become the most under-appreciated show on television. Sure, horror may not be a critically-acclaimed genre, but watch tonight’s episode and pretend like you were not horrified. We dare you. This was excruciating, and yet exemplary at the same time. Grade: A.

If you want to preview the finale for “Outcast,” be sure to head over to the link here right now! Also, sign up over at this link to get some other TV news on all we cover, sent right over to you via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: Cinemax.)