Outcast: The Damage Done review

This Outcast review contains spoilers.

Outcast Episode 7

Sooner or later the citizens of Rome, West Virginia must face the insidious evil army that’s forming within its confines and tonight’s episode of Outcast ramps up the timetable considerably. As families teeter on the edge of disaster, writer Nathaniel Halpern forces the characters’ hands in “The Damage Done,” compelling them to ignore the consequences and attempt to counteract the darkness that hovers over their lives.

With Remembrance Day taking place in the background, it’s clear that some feel the town would be better off had Kyle Barnes died in the mining accident that claimed the lives of 29 miners. However, it’s Reverend Anderson who commits spiritual suicide, leaving those in attendance wondering whether or not he’s lost his mind. Convinced that Sydney’s marking him reveals a weakness and fear in the man he publicly names as the devil, Anderson falls farther down the rabbit hole eventually challenging him to join their poker game. What’s a little gambling “when your day job is facing the prince of darkness.” It’s a good thing that Kyle’s regained his wits since Rev seems to be acting without knowing where he’s headed.

Nevertheless, Anderson continues to flounder and is in danger of losing his religious family, until Kyle steps in to save him from his Remembrance Day meltdown and reaffirms that they’re together in this battle. Now that Chief Giles is on board, they’re still outnumbered but moving in the right direction. However, the biggest stumbling block facing Anderson, Giles, and Kyle remains Sydney and how to “drag him out of the shadows, exposing him for what he really is.” How they plan to do that must still be determined.

Likewise, it was only a matter of time until Mark’s beat down of Donnie affected his family, and now that lawyers are involved and Mark’s been suspended by Giles, it’s left to Megan to save her family from drowning. Her desperation has been intensifying over the past few weeks, and it seems abundantly clear that she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to shelter her daughter from the rapidly approaching storm. How far will Megan be willing to go? Is she capable of killing Donnie, or will she accuse him of rape thereby mitigating her husband’s actions? Either way, her marriage hangs on by a thread.

Perhaps the most important development in “The Damage Done” involves Allison, whose daughter poignantly, though innocently, drives her mother to confront the dreadful truth about the details of the awful night that broke up Allison and Kyle’s marriage. Having blocked out what really happened, it takes Amber’s drawings of her mother to break down the psychological walls. “I don’t which face to draw,” the child tells her mother when asked why Allison’s face is blank in the drawing. But in Allison’s case the damage done may be irrevocable, and the sexual encounter with Kyle merely obfuscates the realization that she provoked the situation that landed her husband in jail, ultimately forcing him to leave his home in disgrace.

Of course, now we wonder whether or not Allison will pursue this revelation, admit that it was she that choked her daughter. Kyle merely did what was needed to be done to bring her under control. Nevertheless, when Kyle wakes up the morning after their lovemaking to find her gone, he’s understandably confused and fumbles about as he continues his search. In an episode replete with characters willing to stand toe to toe with their adversaries, what comes next sends chills up viewers’ spines. Kyle finds a hastily scribbled note that reads “Take care of our little light.” What has Allison done? The ominous nature of this scene portends much more than a mother simply leaving town and her husband and daughter behind.

We now wait to find out whether or not Kyle Barnes’ world will come crashing down upon him, or will he be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Reverend Anderson and Chief Giles in the struggle to save the town’s soul. With so many of Outcast’s main cast preparing to resolutely vanquish their foes, it remains to be seen what kind of impact Allison’s actions, whatever they may be, have on the fight to bring down Sydney. Given that “The Damage Done” could easily have functioned as a season finale, the fact that we still three hours of Outcast remaining is reason enough to rejoice.