Summary

• Stephen King disappointed by HBO's decision to cancel The Outsider, echoing sentiment expressed by author Linwood Barclay on Twitter.
• Despite show's initial success, lack of renewal for The Outsider Season 2 suggests premature end to characters and narrative potential.
• Insights from King himself reveal optimism for continuation of The Outsider, with planned scripts promising suspense and paranormal elements.

Stephen King recently voiced his disappointment over HBO's decision to cancel Ben Mendelsohn's The Outsider after just one season.

Linwood Barclay expressed his view that the series "SO deserved a second season" on X/Twitter. King himself, not shy about airing his opinions, echoed this sentiment, responding with a straightforward reply, saying:

Yes. It did.

This exchange shows a shared belief in the series' potential, stressing the sentiment that perhaps the narrative was cut short prematurely, leaving both its characters and its audience in search of closure.

The Outsider wove a compelling story around a seasoned detective, played by Ben Mendelsohn, and an eccentric private investigator portrayed by Cynthia Erivo. Together, they explored the eerie and supernatural elements linked to the murder of a young boy. The series also featured notable performances by Bill Camp, Paddy Considine, and Jason Bateman, who also served as a director for several episodes. Despite its initial success and critical acclaim, the show was not renewed beyond its initial 10 episodes.

Stephen King Held Hope for The Outsider's Continuation Despite HBO Cancellation

The Outsider was initially reported to be renewed for a second season at HBO. Despite the show's cancellation after just one season, King himself had expressed optimism about the series' continuation. In October 2020, he revealed that not only were additional scripts already in development, but they also boasted a "really great" blend of suspense and a "real spooky paranormal element," suggesting a rich vein of story yet to be mined. King said in one interview:

"Cynthia [Erivo] may get that time, because there's going to be a second season of The Outsider as soon as they can get the production going. And she's terrific, but she's more someone who is kind of almost on the spectrum; a little bit of a savant with the memory of license plates and cars and baseball. One of the funniest things is she knows who's won all these baseball games going back to the '50s , but she never watches."

This revelation came as a surprise to fans, especially given the differences between the book and its television adaptation—differences that King himself had endorsed. These changes might have contributed to the series' initial intrigue and subsequent struggle to secure a renewal. Adaptations often wrestle with translating literary narratives into visual spectacles that captivate the episodic television audience, a challenge that The Outsider met with a compelling, albeit abbreviated, result.

The decision by HBO not to continue The Outsider despite its potential for further exploration leaves an open question about the future of such adaptations on the network. HBO's history of crafting engaging and provocative television suggests that the decision may have been influenced by factors beyond the show's immediate reception, such as strategic priorities or shifts in viewer interest.

Although the prospects for The Outsider Season 2 seem dim, there remains hope. HBO has an ongoing relationship with King, evidenced by new projects like the IT prequel Welcome to Derry. This continued collaboration indicates that while The Outsider may not return, the appetite for King's unique blend of horror and mystery will persist in new forms.