The Time
Episode 3 of Outer Range begins with Sheriff Joy stopping a robber in a corner shop. After cracking his arm and hauling the guy in the back of her car, he begins ranting about the real problems in town. Specifically how people have been going missing. It’s a nice way of foreshadowing what could be to come in this sci-fi series. Of course, the one person who is missing is Trevor, and Joy liaises with her rival in the upcoming elections, Trudy, as she admits to doing what she can to track him down. She’s not the only one though, as the Tillerson boys bemoan how there’s been no cell reception from Trevor’s phone from that night. They’re worried. For Wayne though, he’s dead-set on winning over the pasture and decides that Luke and Billy should go over and make Royal an offer. Specifically, £1 million to hand it over to him. Now, it’s unclear whether Wayne knows about the hole but it certainly seems that way given the lengths he’s taking to get the land. On his way to the ranch, Amy is picked up by Billy who uncomfortably starts singing again on the way back. This singing is both irritating and surreally funny. Another oddball in this ensemble is Autumn, whom we learned last episode has been scribbling the insignia found on the cliff-face for a while. Well, she eventually heads into town and picks up her prescription. Rhett finds himself coming under questioning that night though when Joy confronts him about the belt buckle. Remember the blood? Well, they’ve done some tests and found out it’s actually Rhett’s. He’s pretty suspicious when answering Joy’s questions, admitting he has no idea how it got there. Joy finally speaks to him later on at the station, promising that whatever happened is going to come out. “It always does.” She says. After riding a bull and urinating by the side of a police car, Rhett is taken downtown, where he eventually admits that he and Trevor had a scuffle outside the bar that night. He brushes it off as a simple fight and is adamant that he head back inside. Joy is suspicious over his story though, especially as lying does not look good. Royal eventually arrives to pick him up, driving Rhett home while also showing off the belt buckle that he’s pinched from lock-up. Interestingly, Royal drops the belt buckle in the hole later that evening. On reflection, Royal decides to start over with Autumn, wiping the slate clean with her. Royal asks about the accident she had as a kid, something Autumn explicitly mentioned last episode. She nonchalantly replies that she had an accident as a kid. She woke up in a hospital in Jackson and could only remember her name. According to Autumn, she pushed him in that hole to “see what would happen.” After probing him over what he experienced in the hole, Royal admits that he caught a glimpse of the future. Autumn is shocked but the pair shake on them keeping it all a secret between them. Interestingly, when they shake hands, Autumn’s stone necklace seems to change – as does the cliff-face behind her. It fades out of view and back again – something that Sherriff Joy and numerous other people notice. The latter sees townsfolk phone in to the station about. Amy heads up to the woods but she finds Trevor’s dead body lying on the grass. She hurries back to the house and warns the family, as Royal in turn rings Joy and reveals Trevor has been found.
The Episode Review
I’m all for a slow burn but Outer Range takes that to the extreme this episode, really slowing down and seeping into the character drama instead. While I don’t want to call this episode boring per-se, it does feel a tad long despite clocking in at 45 minutes. There’s really not a lot to report during the first 30 minutes or this episode, which is strange because the first 2 episodes set a good tone and tempo. However, the show more than makes up for that with the final 15 minutes which are absolutely bizarre and gripping. From that mountain disappearing to Trevor’s body being found in the woods, there’s no end to the weirdness this show is conjuring – and I am all for it!
