The Outsider Season 1 Episode 7 “In the Pines, in the Pines” Recap and Review

Episdoe 7 opens up on woods close to a river and a beetle who is flipped on his back. Ralph rises from bed and Andy packs a bag. Ralph is clearly unsettled as he begins to pick up and put away the drawings of El Coco. Jeanie has taken a chair outside and put it in the trash. Ralph thinks its bullshit. They briefly discuss Holly leaving so early. Jeanie is a little worried about her. They are having issues.

Howie is taking notes as his pencil breaks. He is frustrated as he picks up the phone it is Gloria. Just touching base with him. He tries to talk to her about suing and she demurs. She is headed back to work. They need the money. She is a real estate agent and the kids are worried people will be mean to here.

Ralph is walking through the house. He sees a picture of a wound on the back of someone’s neck.

Holly is driving and she knows something is up. Jack’s neck is gross. He turns on the radio and the first thing we hear is a fire and brimstone preacher. Holly wants to know how far the barn is. He then tells her he believes in the devil. Something out there that is VERY bad. It functions like a religious conversation but really its a conversation about cosmic horror. He wants to know how long the evil has been around. Maybe since the big bang. Jack shows her his neck and says he is just like the other ones. Holly says she is going to help him but he needs to help her help him. He gets a pain in the neck and tells her to turn in.

Ralph is trying to get a hold of Holly. He then calls Jack looking for her. He is starting to get anxious. He then calls Howie. He then calls Alec.

Maybe you all can help me out. Someone is skipping town and there is a heart felt goodbye between him and his employer. Oh shit it’s Claude I just didn’t recognize him in the light.

Jack asked her how many shrinks does it take to change a light bulb. The answer, one but it really needs to want to change. Glory is showing the home and discussing the attributes of the house. The couple she is showing keep looking at her funny. She snaps and tells them she is Terry Maitland’s wife and gives them shit about how they are acting. Its a tough situation.

Alec and Ralph pick the lock on Jack’s door. Things are a mess. The apartment is a total disaster and they put an APB out for Jack. Mentioning he is armed and dangerous. Now Alec picks the lock on the door. They call Howie who says they are probably on a play date. Alec mentions that the apartment is covered in blood and shit gets real for everyone.

Someone is trying to call Jack. Holly asks what HE has made him do for him (El Coco). Some food, some supplies is his answer. She wants to know why Jack allowed Holly to come to the meeting yesterday and seemed so interested. He replied he was looking for answers.

Now Jack is at Tamika Collin’s house. They talk outside of the house and Jack tells her that he thinks he has taken Holly. Ralph mentions Tamika and Ralph arguing at the baby shower. Tamika is very vague. He then asks if she is holding out. She mentions she is transferring to computer crimes. She can’t handle the day to day of “the horror show”.

Now Alec and Ralph are at the strip club. They are inquiring about Claude. The owner tells them he left and they get a call from the police. They have pinged Holly’s phone. Holly’s phone and Jack’s phone are together. They leave to catch up to the two of them.

Holly pulls over and tells Jack she has got to go to the bathroom. She mentions she is on her period. They find a gas station. He keeps her phone. She goes to the bathroom and is looking for a way out. Its sealed up pretty tight. She breaks a window which alerts Jack who runs to the back. She then runs out the front and escapes in the car. Not before Jack tries to shoot her. She drives away but he seems to have taken both cellphones.

Alec and Ralph are talking about Jack’s weird behavior. They both comment he is bad dude but his behavior is still way out of character. Alec tells a story about how he got lost in the woods one time and two hunters found him. He mentioned he heard something call his name twice. It scared him to death being a really tough kid. Sounds like some Wendigo bullshit to me.

Glory is in trouble with her boss. She tells Glory that the couple may sue. Her boss tells her she should sell her house and move. Her boss sounds a bit of a twat. She promises if she sells to get her top dollar. She tells Howie she wants to sue. The PD, the district attorney, the court grounds, lots of other people too. She is getting her money.

Alec and Ralph are where Holly got away. They find the cell phones. Ralph and Alec can’t find the car or either one of the people they are looking for. They are completely lost. Jack is sitting on a log crying. He puts a gun in his mouth but cannot force himself to pull the trigger. He is obviously in some pain. He shoots up in the air. and lays on the ground. Holly has driven back to the gang. Holly describes Jack, including his wounds, the fact that he was in pain and that Jack kept saying the devil made him do it. Holly says once they let the devil in the only relief will be death. They want to know where Jack is. She mentions wherever the El Coco wants him to be.

Jack is trying to flag down cars. A truck stops for him. He climbs in. Yunis shows Holly a picture of Claude. She has never seen him before. Andy shows up to support Holly. Yunis tells Ralph that Holly knows something and that Jack wants her dead as a result. They argue about finding answers versus making sense. Yunis mentions sometimes answers don’t make sense. Jack gets off the truck in town.

Ralph and Andy are talking about including Andy in the investigation. Holly and Jeanie are pissed that Ralph has withheld information about Claude being scratched by Terry. They are big time mad and tell him he is getting in the way because he wants things to make sense. Later he is talking to someone about being an imposition and that he will be there in an hour. Ralph is pretty miserable as he looks for answers where there may not.

Ralph is talking to his psychiatrist. He asks him about the concept of the god and the devil. About good and evil. The doctor doesn’t believe in that but believes in science. Ralph seems WAY less convinced of the science angle. The doctor asks him what is going on. Ralph says he is having trouble dealing with stuff. The doctor wants him to be specific. Ralph can’t. The doctor mentions there are some things we don’t know and probably never will.

Holly is dreaming about running away from Jack and this time she doesn’t have the keys and he shoots her. She wakes up screaming.

Some Things to Chew On.

1. Talk radio sucks and is the devil. 
2. This is straight up cosmic horror. There is lots of good stuff to explore.
3. After Alec’s story time to start researching Wendigo.
4. This episode really hit duality hard. Science and Faith. Good and Evil. Dark and Light.
5. Lots of dream references in this episode and in the show. Maybe time for a dream science deep dive.

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