The Outsiders Episode 1 (WMC #2)

New show season is bringing lots of new shows to watch and its hard to decide which to go with, however Outsiders caught my eye by description as Sons of Anarchy crossed with Justified. Whilst I have seen neither, Sons of Anarchy fans still tell me to watch the show so I thought I would try out Outsiders.

The show is based around a family or tribe who live in the mountains near a small town and have done for years. They live off their land and occasionally raid the shops if needed. Their strength and history with the town protects their mystical nature but as a new leader waits to be appointed and eviction notices are served to the tribe trouble spills into both the town and the tribe.

I quite enjoyed it, I found it easy to relate for a very unusual reason that I will touch on in a moment but first a little context. I am a young, working class brit who has very little knowledge of anything any where near this kind of subject matter so it was very alien and unusual and I have to imagine highly fantastical. Which I actually really like. I think the show has the potential to step up where mythological tribe style shows fall down. Look at shows that have a similar plot at their inception like the wave of vampire shows that recently graced the silver screen. I would be sorely disappointed an surprised if Outsiders fell into the same romantic teen drama tropes.

There are a fair few compelling characters, all of which sit in a morally grey area, the history of the world seems deep and enticing and even some of the plain normal characters seem worth following. It's shot and acted as well as most high quality television you expect to see from HBO, FX, Amazon, AMC or Netflix, and David Morse puts in a fantastic performance, even if it is strange seeing him with all that hair...

For now at least Outsiders has caught my attention, it has the potential to be a great show and its refreshingly different enough despite being a little Sons of Anarchy, True Detective and maybe (hopefully not) a little True Blood...

Now to why I feel a little identification with it despite being a keyboard surfing nerd... I currently play a Half Orc in D&D with a group of friends and Outsiders are almost exactly how I would imagine a group of Ocs... but thats just my obsession...

Check out Outsiders!

X Files Season 10 Ep1&2 (Weapon of Mass Consumption #1)

Welcome to my new series! Weapon of Mass Consumption. Featuring all the television, movies, streams and general media that I consume in a week, its quite a bit...

The Truth Is Out There

Whilst many reviewers have looked to the return of the X Files as a rehash or missed opportunity so far I have to admit I am in strong fanboy mode. Admittedly the return to the X Files has had its clunky moments but in such a convoluted show, and the following movie, there would never be an easy clean way to re introduce the X Files.

And so we get some strong mythology (if not a little rushed) and what is setting up to be a kind of best hits from each type of episode; Mad scientist, monster of the week, comedy etc.

The first two episodes were great, the second shined as it wasn't bogged down with exposition and story set up. Mulder and Scully are back with all the conspiracy tied baggage in the world, every episode seems to hide a gut punch (generally about William), a great scifi centre and the badge/ torch wielding, paranoid madness of the original series.



So why are people complaining so far?

Well it seems to be mainly that in discussion, Chris Carter has discussed how now is the perfect time for X Files' return due to the distrust of government and the prevalence of surveillance, hacking and tracking. It sounded as though Mulder would be in his element theorising about a government that actually exists in the real world. Critics are confused by the immediate jump back to the same kind of paranoias as the original series when so many new things are out there for the show to closely critique.

The only defence I can give the show is that it has never been a specific critique of politics, for sure it has poked a little, and thematically its distrust of government is undeniable but it has shied away from 'real life' government, instead creating myth like bad guys of its men in black and the cigarette smoking man.

Either way I have loved the series so far and its ratings are making a strong case for another series to be made, perhaps when back story and set-up has passed the creative team may be a little morefree to engage in socio political tales. Would you want a more politics focused X Files? Or are you happy with mythology and monsters?