THE OUTSIDER (S1E7) “In the Pines, In the Pines”: The Search For Holly Gibney

Last week, Holly informed everyone — Ralph, Glory Maitland (Julianne Nicholson), Alec Pelley (Jeremy Bobb), Yunis Sablo (Yul Vazquez), and Howard Salomon (Bill Camp) — about what she found that would be relevant to the Terry Maitland case. Holly educated them on El Coco, the malefic entity that feeds on the grief of its victims, and she turned some heads and frustrated others. Overall, the meeting didn’t go down well. Nothing was quite as memorable as the cliffhanger we were left on. We were left to wonder about Holly Gibney’s (Cynthia Erivo) fate: will she be murdered by El Coco’s pawn, Detective Jack Hoskins (Marc Menchaca), or will she escape and finally convince Ralph (Ben Mendelsohn) of this supernatural evil?

It’s understandable how the seventh episode of HBO’s The Outsider could be perceived as filler. Not a lot happens in this 48-minute episode, but it gladly sets up what’s to come while still luring you in with puncturing suspense. I respect The Outsider, and how willing it is to take its time to establish the overarching story and what’s to follow, while also calculatedly getting under your skin. Whilst “In the Pines, In the Pines” is not an action-packed episode, it’s a polished filler episode that still feels rewarding.

In “In the Pines, In the Pines”, Holly Gibney Is Missing

“In the Pines, In the Pines” opens to a close-up of a bug floundering in the dirt, completely powerless. The bug’s an allusion to Holly, who is stuck in a car with a gravely infected Jack Hoskins. The question remains, will Holly escape from Jack? This is a question that’s left unanswered for some time, and the intrigue lingers because of this choice.

When the episode finally cuts to Holly and Jack in the car, the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Jack is fully aware of what’s happening to him. In fact, he reveals his neck infection to Holly, recognizing how he is suffering from the same esoteric infection as Tracey Hofstader. He even goes as far as to ask Holly if she knows why this demonic entity chose him. She responds by saying that the entity chooses hosts who are in pain, and Jack is no stranger to pain and self-loathing. It’s clear that Jack does not want to kill Holly and impede the investigation, but he’s being coerced to do so. I can only imagine how much agony the infection is inflicting. Through Marc Menchaca’s scarily subdued performance, Jack’s sighs of pain and dejected eyes are telling features that imply unimaginable pain.

When Holly and Jack stop at a gas station, Holly plans an escape. Holly goes to the bathroom without her phone, while Jack stays back in the car. Holly breaks the window of the bathroom, and she dupes Jack into thinking she’s fleeing out of the window but is actually running back to the car and driving away. It’s a successful plan. Little does Holly know, Ralph and Pelley are not far behind.

As Ralph grows increasingly worried about Holly’s abrupt disappearance, he contacts everyone who might have a slight idea of where she went. Howard suggests that Jack was the one who supported Holly’s loony observations, and Ralph and Pelley end up visiting Jack’s motel room. Unknowing that the mess and blood were from a wrangle with his dead mother, Ralph and Pelley assume the worst: that Jack has kidnapped Holly and schemes to kill her. They ping their location to the gas station where Holly escaped, and they find her phone smashed up into pieces. And because Holly is unable to check-in with Ralph, they’re still suspecting the worse.

Through all of this commotion, Glory Maitland (Julianne Nicholson) is ready to get back to work, or so she thinks. When showing a house to her first clients, they casually ask about the schools and the athletic programs the town has to offer. Thinking the couple has an ulterior motive (especially considering Terry was a little league baseball coach), she loses it. Glory is obviously not prepared to go back to work, but she needs a paycheck. After being constantly pressured by Howard to sue the police department, she finally gives in and gives Howard permission to begin the process. Then again, Glory’s storyline is not nearly as engaging as Holly’s.

Holly gets out of the whole Jack predicament unscathed. She makes it back to the Anderson house, but she appears out of nowhere. There were pieces missing from her journey back, or a lack of scene fluidity that would sustain the momentum. However, through all of the suspense, we do get another adorable scene between Holly and Andy Katcavage (Derek Cecil), who came to support her in any way he can. Hopefully, he doesn’t die.

In the course of this episode, Ralph begins probing his logical approach to the case. With the help of Jeannie Anderson, who delivers a forceful monologue on Ralph’s stubbornness, and how it’s getting in the way of the case, and Pelley’s eerie encounter he had in the woods as a child, Ralph begins contemplating the possibility that this threat is beyond rationale. Even his therapist shines a light on how there are things in this world we will never understand. That said, we can try to look at things from a fresh perspective.

There’s so much going on with our core characters, but we can’t forget about strip club manager Claude Bolton (Paddy Considine). When Holly divulges that Ralph knew about Claude getting scratched, similarly to Terry and Heath, Holly lets out her frustration about how he didn’t disclose that information at the meeting. If Claude really is El Coco’s next victim, it just got more complicated now that Claude has quit his job and fled town.

The Evil Lingers In The Latest Episode Of The Outsider 

“In the Pines, In the Pines” does a sensational job ramping up the suspense regarding Holly Gibney’s fate. And through the blistering tension, there lies a weighty discourse on a person’s willingness to wrestle with the inexplicable. When logic cannot work out a particular plight, are we foolish to believe the supernatural can play a role in the equation?

As always, Cynthia Erivo and Ben Mendelsohn are the standouts of the cast. Even if last week left Ralph angry at Holly, the fact that he still races to save her, really speaks volumes of his compassion and dedication. I don’t think Ralph is an unlikable character, he just has to get over his investigative tendencies and trust Holly because she has no reason to lie.

As I mentioned above, the evil lingers. Despite being in a seemingly vulnerable state, El Coco is setting its sights on Claude, and the self-deputized group of investigators must find him before the cycle continues. Will Ralph ever come around? Will Glory ever legitimately consider a supernatural cause? Are they getting out of this alive? How can this demonic entity be stopped when its power capacity is not wholly explained?

The Outsider Returns With One Of The Best Episodes Of The Series

The seventh episode of The Outsider is perpetually enthralling and stressful. Holly Gibeny’s fate hangs in the balance. Ralph’s ability to see things from a new perspective gradually widens. Glory Maitland is keen on condemning those responsible for her husband’s death through legal and financial means. And Jack’s obedience to El Coco is faltering.

There are only three episodes left in HBO’s slow-burn mystery-horror series, and anything can happen at this point. Still maintaining an immersive atmosphere of dread, a measured pace, and a lurking evil that hides in the shadows (and behind a hood), The Outsider is a genuinely horrifying Stephen King tale brought to life in our own reality (or at least it feels that way).

Are you all caught up on The Outsider? What are your thoughts on the recent episode? Let us know in the comments!

The Outsider is available to watch on HBO every Sunday at 8.