The debut season of “Outcast” was never a ratings juggernaut. However, over time, the series developed a large enough cult following that was large enough to inspire a season 2, albeit, one which premiered overseas before making its return to Cinemax this summer. A horror/drama hybrid that relies heavily on themes of possession and exorcism, all within the confines of an isolated small town, it swiftly establishes its eerie tone, a capable effort that further brings horror to television. It makes for the perfect companion to shows such as “The Strain,” “Supernatural,” and “Preacher.” Patrick Fugit (“Almost Famous,” “Wristcutters: A Love Story”) leads the show as Kyle Barnes, a character who after being exiled by his town is brought back into the throes due to the ongoing supernatural activity and his ties to it all.
We got the chance to speak with Fugit and executive producer Chris Black about the upcoming season, their interest in working with Robert Kirkman (“The Walking Dead”) and the appeal of the quiet cowboy.
What first drew you to the show?
Patrick Fugit: We were actually just talking about this and it’s a cool thing to remember, because when I got the material for the audition phase that I went through I was given a brief idea on the tone of the show and the genre, particularly how it was going to be about possession and horror and it only somewhat interested me. Then I read the sides and there was none of that; it was all character development. It was a very textured character scene and drama study. There were elements of humor and tragedy and sadness all in these couple of scenes. It was so fun to get into that headspace. It got me very excited because it was an acting job and I wasn’t just cast in this gig in a horror show. Instead, I got to do my job and be an actor. It was very rewarding for me.
Chris Black: The thing that appealed to me initially was the chance to work with Robert Kirkman. I was a fan of “The Walking Dead” and heard he was doing this new show and I was eager to meet with him and maybe have an opportunity to collaborate with him. Then when I read the script, it was everything that Patrick just said. It was a horror show but also not a horror show because it was also a small town ensemble and character driven drama. I got sucked into it as a writer as much as Patrick got sucked into it as an actor.
How was it working with Robert Kirkman?
CB: Robert’s great and he has a vivid imagination and allows you to come play inside his universe. He’s just a nice guy, really humble and very collaborative. He was not at all possessive of the material. His attitude was always “I created this comic book but it’s all of you who are responsible to turn this into a TV show.”
Have you come across many people who are deterred by the horror labeling alone? Because as you said, it’s more than just a horror series.
PF: I have friends and extended family members that are frightened easily. So they are the ones I get that general feedback from. I get the sense that if you’re not interested in horrific elements or the sort of tone of the show they probably wouldn’t be watching it and I wouldn’t be talking to them about it. A friend of ours who told me how much he doesn’t like horror but since I’m his friend agreed to watch the show, they ended up coming back with what I was initially excited by about the show. They thought it was scary but wasn’t horror movie gory and there were no jump scares, instead it was driven by character and cerebral tension.