Here’s my overview. You’ll need to listen to the podcast to get all my thoughts.
Jocasta shares her heart and difficult history.
Murtagh tries to sway her away from marrying.
Governor Tryon continues to cause trouble for Jamie and his loyalty.
Jamie has a crisis of pride and hurts Claire.
Claire hatches a plan that gets her 20th-century self in trouble.
Roger finally gets R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Jemmy becomes the heir apparent.
War with the Regulators is coming to pass.
Forbes is a very bad Hobbitses!
The opening credit with the creepy French mask and powdering provided excellent foreshadowing for the dandy Wylie.
Awkward stable makeup sex still leads back to sensibility.
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It all feels very Greek tragedy with the webs, spinners, and lies.
Claire is contemplative, hesitant, and pushed to discover how important a single patient was to her finding her way back to Jamie. The pursuit of penicillinand subsequent treatment of the Beardsley twinsare the catalysts for self-discovery as memories of her patient Graham Menzies and the aftermath of his unexpected death profoundly impacted her path as a woman, mother, and physician.
Jamie, as ever, a man of honor, duty, and blood defend his family from incursion, exposure, and ultimately chooses takes life as his webs of deceit fall apart when the Ardsmuir rolls arrive. His oath to his family is above any other oath to King, Governor, and country.
Roger’s insecurities get the upper hand yet again before he is wisely counseled by Claire, but not before he explodes on Brianna. In the end, he grows and apologizes to Brianna with a clear view for him moving forward.
Brianna, like her father, has her own webs of deceit thoroughly unravel as she is exposed by Roger and forced to tell the truth about Bonnet. Ultimately, her honesty and emotional vulnerability bring the two of them back together as a team with a future together.
And lastly, because of the manner of introduction, for now, and forever, Adso will be known as “Murder Kitty”.
Call or email me to share your thoughts and comments at 719-425-9444 or contact@adramofoutlander.com. Comments or messages may be included in the podcast or a written post.
In this podcast episode, you get a double offering, I discuss both 503 Free Will and 504 Company We Keep.
Roger is having incredible growing pains in the 18th century both in his relationship with Jamie and in his feelings of adequacy and fitting in.
Brianna is processing through her trauma and assault even more deeply now that she’s learned Stephen Bonnet is alive. Her fear is causing her to panic and not think clearly. In this, Marsali proves to be a friend.
The Beardsley home and property are ill-kept with several secrets within. Jamie and Claire discover a shocking truth when they try to free the Beardsley brothers from their indenture. In the end, they leave with the proper papers, a herd of goats, and a wee bonnie bundle.
Brownsville is rife with conflict, sorrow, adultery, an interesting broadsheet, and merriment.
Claire and Jamie make a profound decision that draws them closer together.
And as ever, love, foolish or wise, wins.
Call or email me to share your thoughts and comments at 719-425-9444 or contact@adramofoutlander.com. Comments or messages may be included in the podcast or a written post.
The Jamie Fraser, Murtagh (Regulators), and Knox (The Crown) storyline is compelling and showcases Jamie’s honor, duty, and loyalty. He’s made oaths to the Crown and Governor Tryon for the betterment of his people knowing he will turncoat when the American Revolution gets underway. Taking care of his people is of utmost importance and he’s willing to take a difficult and seemingly contradictory path (on the surface) to get there. His public person must outwardly support the Crown, while his private person is making plans leagues down the road to support the emerging Americans. He is a well-educated and philosophical man who strives to understand his friends and enemies. He is a political strategist who knows how to play a long game and visualize the ongoing chess board most would not understand. During the episode, he attempted to use his King of Men powers to persuade Knox to take another path, on lacking more bloodshed, but like Murtagh, Knox was able to justify his heinous actions that resulted in violence.
Murtagh, unlike Jamie, yet like Knox, allowed himself into supporting and stirring violence while justifying its need and use. Murtagh’s darkness was revealed in the opening minutes and remarkably he understands Jamie’s position and what he is trying to accomplish. After the quick and shallow introduction of Hunter and Husband, I believe Murtagh is a dead man walking, at the very least he is heading to Canada or into the wilds of the West. Murtagh is a seemingly unmovable force and I cannot envision a place for him after the fight with the Regulators comes to an end.
The Ridge
This is where the miss of the hit and miss comes in for me as a viewer at least with Claire. Roger, Brianna, and Marsali are fantastic.
My new term for Claire Fraser this episode is “Clairrogance.” She’s over the top and out of touch with her culture on the Ridge n the 18th-century. Her arrogance under the guise of wanting to help those in her sphere rings false. It’s too fervent, too rash, and how after spending two different jaunts into the past does she lack sensitivity, understanding of her audience, and what ails the people of that time? It makes no sense for her to seem obsessive and “playing God” as Brianna so aptly put it.
She’s performing an autopsy but is sure no one will find out. So, who is going to uncover her disturbing foray into the human body, Mr. Farrish, who is supposed to be buried? Is she trying to get burned at the stake? She already knew what killed the man, and comes to the 18th this go-round being a skilled surgeon. She doesn’t need a cadaver for Marsali to apprentice under her, she needs Marsali to attend clinic appointments and emergencies to learn. Again, it rings TOO MUCH. This episode makes me like Claire a little less. Brianna acts like the mother trying to get Claire to see reason in what she’s doing.
Roger, on the other hand, is feeling insecure and cannot seem to find a niche outside of singing, and acting as minister on the Ridge. He has little valuable skill and doesn’t feel the all-encompassing family love Brianna is so connected to. To highlight his inability, he and Brianna go shooting and he cannot hit a tree or a wild turkey. To top it off, Claire cannot find any reason for his poor shooting. (Ahem, book readers understand my annoyance here). He thinks he wants to go back to the 20th-century but until they know whether Jemmy can hear the stones, they cannot even consider it. Who’s baby is it anyway?
Brianna is struggling with the aftermath of learning Bonnet is alive. She’s sketchy him over and over. A face dark and the image of trauma. Roger accidentally finds the sketches and is concerned.
Stephen Bonnet is alive and well in Wilmington. He’s a free man and doing business with those in Aunt Jocasta’s circle. In the episode, he reveals himself as a vicious and wicked man of drive and darkness. He is a father and is going after what is his.
A couple of mentions, we meet Mrs. Bug, Husband, and Hunter in a flash during the episode, so this tells us they will be back and have some importance in the future.
I’m hoping Claire is not portrayed this way for the rest of the season, or it’s going to be a difficult watch during her storylines.
Otherwise, it’s looking good.
See you on the other side of E3!
Call or email me to share your thoughts and comments at 719-425-9444 or contact@adramofoutlander.com. Comments or messages may be included in the podcast or a written post.
Visit Outlander Starz on social media, like or follow: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and the official website. All photos are the property of Starz/SONY PICTURES TELEVISION INC.
The people of Fraser’s Ridge, friends, and family gathered to celebrate the wedding of Roger MacKenzie and Brianna Ellen Randall Fraser. The big house was almost complete. Memories were shared and made, drinking games, feasting, dancing, romance, threat, treachery, bonding, politics, oaths, and a release of oath all happened in the two days lived onscreen.
Season 5 Episode 1 is the strongest opening episode only behind Season 1 Episode 1. It was written with the deft hand of Mattew B. Roberts leading the writers’ room. It inhabited the spirit of the written word and achieved an adaptation that stood beautifully on its own with well-crafted storytelling that requires no external explanation.
From storyline references, character development, foreshadowing, costuming, hair, acting, music, variations of emotion and tone, all the way to the set design, no elements are left wanting.
This season is looking to be a spectacular ride.
Call or email me to share your thoughts and comments at719-425-9444orcontact@adramofoutlander.com.Comments or messages may be included in the podcast or a written post.
Visit Outlander Starz on social media, like or follow: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and the official website. All photos are the property of Starz/SONY PICTURES TELEVISION INC.
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