Outsiders - S2E9 - Loyal to the Bone

Previously on Outsiders, “Healing”

So much to unpack in an episode right before a week off, but Outsiders is finally looking like the show I fell in love with last season.

Shay Mountain can’t catch a break. The coal company is playing dirty, literally. They send in crop duster to containment the Farrell’s crops and water supply, the latter of which causes a young boy to lose his life. G’Win, still healing and secretly pregnant, okays Big Foster’s plan to kidnap Haylie and bring her up the mountain for a sit-down.

Sally Ann’s birthday date with Hasil is interrupted by Big Foster, who wants Hasil’s help in snatching Haylie. Once again, Hasil is forced to choose between being their for her and the baby and helping his family. He promises to always come home to her, and the two have a new honesty policy in place (he finally admitted to being party to the prison break), but things are sure to get worse before they improve. Lil Foster is of little help as all he wants to do is drink and have sex with women who aren’t G’Win when he’s not having nightmares about his time in prison.

It’s particularly frustrating to see the negative fan reaction towards Sally Ann; claims that she’s not understanding and that she nags him. What these fans seem to forget is that she is not privy to all we are. There’s very little compassion for this young mother-to-be whose illiterate partner is wanted by the law and doesn’t have gainful employment while keeping his secrets. Sally Ann has been too accommodating. Still, after helping Big Foster, Hasil does come home as promised.

After a visit and a hug from Elon, who she mistakes for a young Breece, Ledda learns her cancer is in remission. This is the supernatural element that Outsiders continue to tease in small doses, and that’s fine if there’s a major payoff down the road. Meanwhile, Wade finally catches a break when an old high school acquaintance asks him out on a date.

Haylie’s situation goes from bad to worse. Gordon’s thievery leads to an email leak that leaves her and the company looking bad in the press. They may not be able to prove the breech was her fault, but it seems as though they’ve made up their mind she’ll take the fall for it regardless. This just before Big Foster and Hasil put her in the trunk of a car, and then Big Foster forces her up the mountain.

Something tells me her stay will be less than hospitable now that the Farrells have compromised food water supplies and they’re grieving the death of a child.