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August 1, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Screen & Stage • Series

The Outsider

The Outsider is an American television miniseries that premiered on HBO in 2020.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

The Outsider is an American television miniseries that premiered on HBO in 2020. Based on Stephen King's 2018 novel, it follows a murder investigation in Georgia that becomes a supernatural mystery.

What it is

The Outsider is a 10-episode HBO miniseries developed by Richard Price. It blends crime drama with supernatural horror, adapting Stephen King's 2018 novel of the same name. The series aired from January 12 to March 8, 2020.

The story

The story begins with the discovery of an 11-year-old boy's body in Georgia. Detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) leads the investigation, which gradually reveals a supernatural element that challenges the team's understanding of reality.

Cast and production

The principal cast includes Ben Mendelsohn, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Mare Winningham, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson, Yul Vazquez, Jeremy Bobb, and Jason Bateman. Richard Price developed the series for HBO, and it was produced as a single season.

In short

  • Adapted from Stephen King's 2018 novel.
  • Centers on the murder of an 11-year-old boy in Georgia.
  • Blends police procedural with supernatural horror.
  • Aired for one season on HBO in 2020.
Canadian angle

The series aired in Canada on HBO Canada, and Canadian viewers have also encountered it through HBO-branded streaming and broadcast services.

Quick questions

What is The Outsider?
The Outsider is a 2020 American HBO miniseries adapted from Stephen King's 2018 novel of the same name.
How many episodes does it have?
It has 10 episodes.
What genre is it?
It is generally described as a crime drama, mystery, and supernatural horror series.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outsider_(1968_TV_series)
    Supports: Shows that another TV series titled The Outsider exists, helping distinguish the 2020 HBO miniseries from the 1968 series.
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8550800/
    Supports: Premise, cast, format, original release year, and genre information for the 2020 miniseries.
  3. Apple TV — https://tv.apple.com/si/show/the-outsider/umc.cmc.36xhg3s1f9mdbqivyqon4fn5v
    Supports: Synopsis, cast list, and identification of the series as a 2020 drama based on Stephen King's novel.
  4. HBO — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNDKWr3Xmjk
    Supports: Official trailer confirming the HBO release, premise, cast, and that the series is based on Stephen King's novel.
  5. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_outsider
    Supports: Genre, network, original release date, and high-level synopsis of the series.
  6. HBO Max — https://www.hbomax.com/shows/outsider/77c92a27-f409-45fe-9747-4ca2455cd952
    Supports: Official series description, episode count, release year, and cast.
  7. TV Guide — https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-outsider/1000553814/
    Supports: Season count, network, genres, and basic synopsis.