Following an episode that really picked up the pace of a somewhat slow season, The Outsider’s penultimate episode held absolutely nothing back. Not only did it help set up for a tense climax, but it teased us what one of the best cliffhangers of the season!

Spoilers Ahead – You’ve Been Warned!!!

After we saw El Cuco attempt to replicate its brutal M.O. last week, “Tigers and Bears” picks up the next morning as the police attempt to question Claude (who was seen by witnesses the night before).

However, Ralph and the others are able to back up the alibi of the real Claude, as was their plan. With the knowledge that El Cuco is on the move, they shift into high gear and try to figure out a way to kill it.

This leads to them converging on the system of caves, while we see via series of flashbacks how the caves were first closed (and even a glimpse of just how long El Cuco has been at it).

However, El Cuco isn’t entirely unprotected as Hoskins awaits at the entrance to the caves with a rifle, and begins taking shots at the group in one of the most exciting TV cliffhangers in recent history (even if it was a little derivative of Breaking Bad’s final season).

The Calm Before the Storm

While there was a lot happening plot-wise, this episode truly shined in another area. As the Cuco hunting team prepares for this final mission, each character wrestles greatly with their own beliefs and fears.

Claude faces his own mortality while Ralph finally accepts that he fully believes in El Cuco, and is now ready to face it. We even get an enlightening scene with Glory and Jeanine, where Glory tells her that while she doesn’t believe in any of this, she respects the belief.

It may not seem like much, especially compared to everything else going on, but it’s the moments and scenes like this that build strong character development, and distinguishes this series as great rather than just good.

The Best of King

Between the countless novels and adaptations, Stephen King has established a great many tropes, of which there is even a drinking game.

And while we may have seen similar setups in It and Salem’s Lot, it’s a lot of fun to see a diverse group of characters (who normally wouldn’t interact), converge together to fight a supernatural force.

The season may have been a slow burn to this point, but the last two episodes (and hopefully next week’s season finale) have definitely been worth it!

What did you think of this week’s episode? What do you hope to see in the season finale? Let us know in the comments below! And for more reviews, rankings, and other fun horror content, follow Halloween Year-Round on Facebook and Twitter!