New Crime Series The Outsider Dubbed 'Stephen King Meets True Detective'

It looks like HBO and Sky Atlantic's new 10-part series, The Outsider, has been a firm hit with those that have already seen it - many of whom are already putting it right up there with other popular crime hits like anthology series True Detective.

The show is based on a Stephen King book and stars Jason Bateman (who also directs) as little league baseball coach Terry Maitland, alongside a cast including Ben Mendelsohn, Julianne Nicholson and British actor Paddy Considine.

An official synopsis reads: "This dark mystery follows a seemingly straightforward investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy. The crime, however, leads a seasoned cop and an unorthodox investigator to question everything they believe to be real, as an insidious supernatural force edges its way into the case."

Adam Chitwood, the Deputy Editor of film website Collider, said that The Outsider was a 'stunning showcase' of Bateman's talents, saying he agreed with Collider contributor's Tom Reimann in his assessment that it was 'True Detective meets Stephen King'.

"Watched the first 3 episodes of HBO's 'The Outsider' and @startthemachinewas bang on in his review: it's 'True Detective' meets Stephen King. Genuinely chilling and thoroughly engrossing.

"The first two eps are also a stunning showcase of direction by Jason Bateman."

And he wasn't the first person to make the same comparison; ESPN's Mattero Bonetti thought the exact same.

"The Outsider on HBO is awesome," he tweeted.

"True Detective meets typical Stephen King creepiness. Definitely recommend it."

HBO

Many others also said the programme reminded them of the anthology crime drama - which has starred the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn - with one viewer saying: "It feels sooo much like True Detective but way creepier.

The show has even already had the seal approval from the big man himself, Stephen King.

High praise, indeed.

The next episode of The Outsider will air on Sky Atlantic on 27 January at 9pm. You can also catch up with all episodes so far on NowTV.

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, HBO, Sky

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman