After viewing the deleted scenes on the Outlander Season One Volume One Blu-Ray DVD Release, I believe in the editing process as a win for viewers.

The walking through Castle Leoch of Murtagh taking Claire to meet Himself, the Laird, Colum MacKenzie for the first time went on too long. The Claire voice overs were distracting and I am grateful they were limited in the final versions. The alternate sequence of the wedding vows played odd as Claire was looking as if she would fall right to sleep standing at the altar.

Though all the deleted scenes had some insights and additional information for the viewer, they were not necessary for understanding the characters, themes, or falling more in love with the series.

Now to the Achilles’s heel of being a reader fan and a viewer fan.

The one very large exception, a VERY LARGE EXCEPTION to the editing is a glaring deleted scene. The. Honesty. Speech. That was sorely missed during the bridal chamber discourse between Jamie and Claire. Lo and behold it was shot and then cut. The sequence took all of a few seconds of screen time. I was crushed at first to see it, to hear it, knowing viewer fans know not of it’s existence. I said something out loud (likely of the cussy type. I honestly cannot recall what as I was so stunned at the moment) to the dear friend I was viewing with.  After a few deep breaths, I found hope. Perhaps it will be shown in a flashback when Claire is pondering to be truthful or lie to Jamie where keeping a secret is not an option.

Only time will tell as the second half of Season One is nearly upon us.

If you have the opportunity, I do recommend watching the numerous deleted scenes. Outlander edited to the proverbial cutting room floor is still Outlander and well worth the watch.