Cinemax’s Outcast
Season 2, Episode 10: “To The Sea”
Directed by Loni Peristere
Written by Chris Black

* For a recap & review of the penultimate Season 2 episode, “This Is How It Starts” – click here
Again from the pulpit, Reverend Anderson (Philip Glenister) leads his flock and gives them hope once more. Or does he? He starts ripping pages from the Bible, calling them bullshit. He preaches finding the enemy, destroying them and their evil influence.
At the same time, those at the Lighthouse are preparing their own rituals, led by Simon Barnes (C. Thomas Howell) with his son Kyle (Patrick Fugit) watching on.
Anderson: “Devil or not, evil exists.”
There’s something heavy brewing in the air, though I’m not sure what exactly. A showdown’s coming, one way or another.
Kyle catches up with his father after all these years, talking of how his mother, how he didn’t want to leave a stain on the family. He hoped leaving meant the demonic possession and all that mess would pass him, leave him be. There’s certainly no love lost, as there was never much in the beginning. Kyle feels abandoned, and rightfully so. Now cult leader daddy is back, a head full of plans.
What about Megan (Wrenn Schmidt)? Well, she’s being taken care of by Dr. Ken Park (Hoon Lee), held in a locked room. The demons are going to need that baby of hers, to help them with whatever’s meant to come with the Great Merge. But apparently no one like them has carried one to term. A new frontier.
Simon talks with Dakota (Madelyn Deutch) about the coming Merge. She’s under the impression that only the “pure” will remain afterwards. Although she isn’t struck with confidence in the way he speaks, not now. Either way, they’ve got weapons and other needed items stockpiled in preparation.
Poor Byron Giles (Reg E. Cathey) is still reeling from the loss of Rosie, trying to figure out where he’ll put her body. His old pal Anderson offers what comfort he can in such a harsh time. He’s ready to fight a war, and Giles suggests they start with the list Rosie compiled of the possessed in Rome.
Under the watchful eye of Blake Morrow (Lee Tergesen), Megan and her daughter Holly exist in a prison. Mom does her best not to freak out or act suspicious. She ingratiates herself and her daughter to Blake, acting friendly, building trust. However, he knows this is all a ruse, threatening brutal violence if she tries doing it again. Yikes.
In the woods Dakota finds others from her cult cutting down trees. She says that Simon’s “lost his way.” Yet nobody else seems ready to believe her, still trusting in the power of their beacon prophet. At the same time, Simon and son go looking for Junkyard Bob (M.C. Gainey), who’s definitely surprised to see his former buddy. Then Kyle finds out Amber and Allison (Kate Lyn Shiel) were taken from their motel. Moreover, dad shows his son a few tricks about his own powers; the powers they share alike. He advises not rushing into anything, but to take the time, use his power, and he’ll locate his family.
Park goes to see a woman in a fancy house. She apparently has a power like Kyle and Simon and Amber, grabbing the doc by the hand as the black veins bulge and throb around his hands and his face. Sidney was actually protecting Kyle and his daughter, as they’re able to bring about the Merge. Now? It’s Park’s job.
Simon: “They hate what makes us human”
With all the shit Helen caused back in the day, Simon remembers there were 9 beacons; only 8 were found. So, this means there’s someone left out there who may be capable of helping them in their latest journey. They go visit Bob’s sister Emma (Laura Gardner), her husband Martin Pruitt (Mark Jeffrey Miller) – he’s not in good shape, they did a number on him years before. Martin holds a key to helping them stop more demons, unfortunately he’s as close to a vegetable without being one as he can get.
At the police station, Byron picks up ammo and weapons. He and the Rev have picked up the people on that list, the demonically possessed. They’re all transported to the station – a “Holy War” has begun, Giles tells one of his former officers. The remainder of the congregation helps pull them together, like God’s army. Dakota turns up to speak with Anderson, who’s not particularly keen on working with her. But it seems she’s taking a turn.
“Like water drawn to the sea” the Barnes men are pulled back together. Later, they receive a visit from Emma and Martin, to hopefully aid in whatever’s headed for Rome. A group of them all head together into the forest.
Simultaneously, Blake is having flashes, visions of Kyle and people in that same forest, as he plans on taking Megan and her daughter elsewhere. Then Park turns up, finding Blake tearing the place apart – neither he nor Megan want to be part of his experiments. This puts the two possessed men against one another until the doc uses a Taser to drop Blake, and outside Megan manages to flee in the car.
In the woods, Kyle, Simon, and the others gather. A storm comes together overhead. Also returning, finally, are Amber and Allison; Kyle’s dad was holding them for safety. Together, all those beacons with their power align and concentrate their faith on the demons of Rome. Suddenly a light opens in the darkness, a bunch of the beacons cut their throats and Simon cuts Martin’s open wide. WHOA! Simon tells his boy their blood will help seal the darkness.
And now Kyle offers himself up for sacrifice. Grandpa says they also need his daughter, too. Interrupting the madness, Giles and Anderson show up with their people; even Dakota fights with them. A massive fight breaks out, as Simon tries putting the knife to his son’s throat. A wild sequence, perhaps the craziest of the whole Outcast series!
When Kyle comes to, his family is safe. But things aren’t going well, many are infected with the darkness again and going absolutely mad. This is the start of something even worse than before, something scarier.
And guess who woke up?
Mama Barnes, after all these years.
Sadly, Cinemax has officially not renewed Outcast. Very sad, especially considering the developments of this season finale. Maybe some other network will pick it up, though Father Gore’s not going to hold his breath. It was great while it latest.