The Outsider (1×04) Que Viene El Coco Review

For our review of last week’s episode of The Outsider, click here.

Synopsis: While retracing the Maitlands’ recent family vacation in Dayton, Ohio, Holly pursues a possible connection to an eerily similar case and gains valuable insight from local former detective Andy Katcavage. Meanwhile, Glory faces increased scrutiny in her daily life, and Jack’s behavior grows progressively more erratic. (HBO)

Over the first three episodes of The Outsider, we have heard rumblings that Maitland’s case was not the first and that there may be something bigger at play connecting it all. This new episode pretty much confirms this while promising an even darker path over the remaining episodes and of course expect some more weirdness.

Que Viene El Coco starts with Hofstadter and a woman having breakfast at a diner. Meanwhile. Gibney filled in Anderson on her findings so far. Hofstadter’s case was eerily similar to Maitland’s. She then followed a nurse from the nursing home until she got pepper sprayed by her (because they thought she was a reporter). Once brought inside, Gibney learned that Hofstadter was on vacation at the time of the murder he was accused of while the police found plenty of forensic evidence pointing to his guilt.

When the nurse saw Hofstadter, he was unlike himself as he was quiet and there on a day that he wasn’t supposed to be (implying that he was a double). He slipped and collided into Maitland (who also slipped) upon exiting his father’s (who was also one of his charges) room (leading to the aforementioned scratching incident). Upon this news, Anderson wanted to take another look at the Maitland videos to find the scratch. Meanwhile, Gibney found a way to speak to Maitland’s father who appeared unhelpful until he confirmed that the Hofstadter who saw him was not him.

Gibney went back to the former detective she spoke with last week’s episode, a man named Andy Katcavage (Derek Cecil). He offered to get her information in exchange for dinner (there was a connection there). Katcavage confirmed that the Hofstadter case more or less followed the same trajectory as the Maitland case. Because of this, it was clear that something might have happened to Hofstadter. It may have happened while he took a trip to New York City. From there, Gibney learned of yet another similar case involving a woman named Maria. She had supposedly agreed to meet Hofstadter for breakfast but changed her mind though the opening sequence contradicted that (implying that that woman was her double). They would get intimate ending with him getting scratched. Maria appeared to know who may be responsible but she was afraid to share any more information.

The kid who stole the Maitland van came forward to tell the truth about the person who took the van. He drew a picture of the same hooded figure we’ve seen countless times before. Meanwhile, a woman who watching Gibney at the prison slipped her a note and they later met. She offered help so Gibney could understand what’s at play, a boogeyman known as El Coco who can take human form. El Coco takes children and feeds on the grief of those who are left behind (Maria’s father and uncle were murdered weeks after she was arrested).

Continuing from last week, Hoskins continued acting strange and was distracted for whatever reason. Meanwhile, Glory caught a reporter posing as a prospecting tutor for her children and kicked her out (and was not thrilled about it). Things got worse once she was called out while at dinner with Salomon (Anderson also happened to be there and took care of it).

The episode ended with Gibney doing some research on the boogeyman and El Coco where she found a hooded figure that shared a striking resemblance to our hooded figure.

How far back does El Coco go and will he strike again? One would assume that he would. While Mendelsohn has carried the first 2 episodes, Cynthia Erivo has done the same if not more these last 2 episodes. The Outsider has been an incredibly tense watch so far and it will be exciting to see what happens next.

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.