The Stephen King Adaptation That Rivals True Detective

Although quite a few shows have been touted as worthy replacements for True Detective in recent years, only one seems to come close to perfectly capturing its first season’s brilliance. The show in question is also surprisingly one of the better Stephen King adaptations, and has only one season.

Almost every time a new crime thriller series features a standalone narrative about a compelling detective duo, audiences are inadvertently inclined towards comparing it with the first installment of HBO’s True Detective. While True Detective‘s seasons 2, 3, and 4, too, had their own appeal, the show’s season 1 remains unmatched in its brooding atmosphere, philosophical depth, and performances.

Owing to this, even though many shows are compared to it, only a few deserve to be mentioned in the same breath. However, one Stephen King TV show proves to be an equally enthralling addition to the crime thriller genre. It may not be as popular as True Detective, but it manages to fill the void left behind by the HBO series’ season 1.

The Outsider Was Far Closer To True Detective Season 1 Than Any Of Its Original Follow-Ups

Perhaps the biggest problem with True Detective season 2 was that, like its predecessor, it tried too hard to reinvent the crime thriller genre rather than stay true to what made the first season so compelling. The show’s season 3 was an improvement because it involved elements that made it reminiscent of season 1, but it still did not feel as groundbreaking as the opening installment.

True Detective season 4 was met with great critical scores, but it seemed too derivative of season 1’s best elements in its opening moments before it became something else entirely towards the end. Interestingly, a closer look at HBO’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Outsider highlights how it is more similar to True Detective season 1 than all other seasons of the show.

Like True Detective season 1, The Outsider does not shy away from unfolding like a typical police procedural drama. However, while its noir detective storytelling alone is quite compelling, it draws viewers in with an undercurrent of hinted supernatural horror. Its horror elements are never overbearing or forced.

Instead, they creep in suddenly and stay under a viewer’s skin long after each episode’s credits start rolling. Similar to True Detective season 1, The Outsider also promises to tell a well-rounded story in one installment without introducing unnecessary setups for a follow-up. There is also a hint of Lovecraftian horror in both The Outsider and True Detective season 1, making them equally gripping.

With so many similarities between The Outsider and True Detective season 1’s brand of crime thriller storytelling, it would be fair to call The Outsider a perfect replacement for the hit HBO show’s season 1.

The Outsider Had The Potential To Become A Worthy True Detective Rival

After The Outsider season 1’s critical success, production company MRC wanted to shop the series to other outlets after HBO declined its renewal. Unfortunately, the show’s season 2 never saw the light of day. Since The Outsider season 1 exhausts the story beats from its original Stephen King book, its second installment could have gone down the True Detective route and featured a new standalone story.

However, if it had taken the same anthology approach as True Detective, it is worth questioning whether it would have captured the same level of immersive storytelling that made its opening season work so well. Undoubtedly, though, like True Detective, The Outsider, too, had immense potential to grow into a full-fledged franchise.