Can you describe the 1st episode of season 3 with 1 word? MD: Heartbreak.

Maril Davis, Executive Producer of the Outlander television show, gave fans a lengthy Q and A on Twitter . Season 3 is based on Voyager, the third and much beloved fan favored book in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Cast and crew have been hard at work in Cape Town, South Africa filming the seafaring and Caribbean shots for upcoming season 3.

 To simplify the chat content, I have created a transcript* of sorts.  Enjoy!

Events:

• I most want answered is do you ever entertain the idea of an Aussie fan event? MD:  Don’t personally decide where to do fan events but if it was up to me, absolutely! 🙂
• Do you come to Comic Con this year, and who comes with you? MD: I hope so. Not sure who else will be there yet.
• Will there be a premier for the opening of season 3 and where? MD: I assume there will be but we haven’t heard where or when yet. Also, a @Outlander_STARZ question.

Set Life:

• More babies and animals in coming series – a challenge or a delight for writers and production? MD: We love animals. And babies. Both are challenging for filming. Can’t shoot as many hours and they don’t listen!
• What has been the biggest challenge filming in SA? MD: the wind/weather has been a challenge. Specifically, while shooting on the boats.
• I read that filming on the ships turned out to be a challenge. Why was that? Seasickness? MD: It’s very windy in Cape Town and the ships are small. So not a lot of room for actors and crew.
• Best thing about filming in SA in 140 characters or less weather excluded – aaaand go! MD: the ship sets are amazing. The crew is lovely and it’s been a fun experience for our Scottish crew to get out of Scotland!
• What has been the most challenging aspect of working with the ships? MD: the wind and small space on the ships.
• Any anecdotes about working with @TobiasMenzies? Besides the obvious that he is a brilliant actor? MD: .no specific anecdotes but he has a great sense of humor. Just a lot of fun.
• How’s the cast handling the very different climate from Scotland? MD: They LOVE it
• Have there been any outlander bts loves, marriages or children been born yet? #askmaril (my husband and I met at work 12y ago).  MD: LOL. If there were, I certainly wouldn’t out anyone! 🙂 Not my place.
• Any seasick issues? MD: I do get seasick but I’ve only been on our gimbaled sets (sets that move mechanically) not out on water 🤢🤢
• Did you also have to create indoor sets in SA or were those built already? MD: Yes, we built sets in SA.
• Will there be turtle soup, yes or no? MD: Of course.
• How is work with @caitrionambalfe ? MD: She’s also great to work with. She and Sam are a lot of fun to be around.
• Are there more love scenes this season? Did not feel the love between JC last season. MD: Yes.
• We saw in the DVD extras @caitrionambalfe  kicking @SamHeughan . How often does she hit him on the set? MD: All the time.
• Can we have dressing rooms in Scotland like the ones here? Pretty pleeeeeeeeez (and food, wine and sun) (from Sam Heughan)? MD: Lol. NO! You’ll go back to cold, rainy Scotland and you’ll like it! Soak it all in now, Beav!
• How has the overall experience been in SA? Crew? Studio? MD: Fabulous. The crew has taken us in with open arms. And the studio space is fabulous.

About Production:

• Why do we in Belgium always have to wait so long to see a new season, they still haven’t aired season 2. So, season 3???? 2019??? MD: yikes. You haven’t seen S2 yet? Wish I had an answer for you. So sorry!
• S4- what is the first thing you do on a production level? E.g discuss story etc. MD: not sure exactly what you mean? On 1st day of prep? We sit down with all the dept heads and the director & walk thru the script.
• Are you looking forward to the challenge of casting the white sow? Will she feature when we get to Fraser’s Ridge? MD: LOL. Who doesn’t love a little piglet?? I think the challenge will be when she gets bigger!
• Is all of Voyager going to be covered in one season? MD: yes.
• Je Suis Prêst! If we do lose Murtagh at Culloden, how about casting the bearded & cheeky @LacroixDuncan as another character? MD: aside from Tobias playing two characters, I can’t imagine anyone else doing this. .not to say Duncan couldn’t pull it off. Just don’t think we would go there.
• What S3 episodes have been entirely filmed? MD: were through episode 310.
• Are you using pictures of the exterior scenes of the real Rose Hall plantation in Jamaica? MD: No
• Is everyone cast for season 4 now? MD: Almost (This answer was corrected later on. She meant S3).
• Will you move onto filming S4 soon after S3 filming ends or will there be a hiatus? MD: we’ve started prepping but won’t be able to start FULL prep until we finish S3. won’t start immediately but it will be later this year.
• With S3 winding down are you already preparing for S4? MD: yes. But full prep can’t start until we wrap S3.
• How long will filming in south Africa continue? MD: Couple more months.
• If the writer strike occurs in May, will there be an impact on the filming schedule? MD: I don’t anticipate any issues with S3 as we are almost done and scripts are completed.
• Will any of the shows in season 3 be a 90-minute treat to fans? MD: Not sure yet.
• Has location scouting begun for S4? MD: yep
• Are you happy with the progress made in #SA? MD: Yes. It’s been great. Love the sets.
• Are you still casting for S4? If so, how do you apply? MD: We haven’t even started yet.
• Been enjoying the casting news sooo much, but one person is missing. Have you cast Hal Earl of Melton? MD: Yes.
• An actor is doing so many shows at the same time, how do u work with that? MD: You just work it out and try to give them a heads up about when they are needed. The schedule is Always a jigsaw puzzle.
• When filming during a season do you ever do so with intent that scene is only for a future season scene, i.e. Flashback? MD: We never film scenes for future seasons but we have filmed flashbacks for later in the season.
• So who is in SA now? Is it Matthew B? MD: Yep. Show is in fine hands 🙂
• Are the South African focus pullers as good as the Scottish ones?!😉 MD: Lol. Have to plead the fifth here but we definitely miss you Chris!!
• Has @caitrionambalfe told you she wants Eddie to play Adso? Pretty sure we’re all campaigning for that! MD: Lol I hadn’t heard that but Eddie would have to come in and “audition” like everyone else!

Tastes, teasers, trailers:

• How soon until our next teaser? MD: LOl. That’s a question for @Outlander_STARZ.
• When will we see BTS photos of new cast? MD: you saw a BTS shot of Marsali (@LlaurenLyle) & Fergus (@CesarDomboy) during the Instagram takeover.
• Who is Jamie hugging in the teaser trailer???? MD: LOL Can’t tell you.

What Maril Thinks:

• Did you read all Outlander books? If yes, which was your favourite? MD: yes, I’ve read them all. Outlander and BOSAA are my favorites.
• Do you already have a favorite quote from s3? MD: Yes. It’s in episode 303. A Claire line. Can’t tell you now but remind me after it airs.
• We all have our favorite characters although we love them all. Which one is yours? MD: aside from Jamie and Claire my next favorite character is Young Ian.
• How much do you miss the Scottish weather? Be honest… MD: not at all! 🙂
• How is work with @SamHeughan? 🙂 MD: he’s okay. 😜 just kidding. He’s great to work with.
• Maril as a book fan, is Voyager coming together as you’d pictured it in your head?  MD: Yes. I really love this season.
• Are there any parts from the first two books you love that didn’t make it into the show? MD: first thing that comes to mind is the initials carving. Was disappointed we didn’t do that. (I agree!)
• What are you looking forward to filming the most/see this season? MD: Print shop comes to mind!
• What character are you very excited for the fans to see in S3? MD: Young Ian, Marsali, Fergus, etc. The list of great characters is ling. they are all fabulous.
• Do you have any plans to go off exploring while in SA? MD: I’d love to. I’m not in SA at the moment but when I go back I hope I can explore a little!
• Have you had any chance to do any “touristy” things in SA?  If so, favorite thing so far? MD: Sadly, no. When I was there before I was really lame! Didn’t get out on the weekends like I should have.
• Do you ever have to pinch yourself as you watch favorite scenes from the book come to life on set? MD: It IS very exciting. Very lucky to be involved!
• What is the Maril Davis secret for surviving ✈️lag? Does heading E or W make any difference? MD: There is no secret. But flying back to LA is always easier for me as you’re gaining time.
• Did you keep any souvenirs from S1 or S2? If so, what were they? MD: We don’t get to keep props BUT I do have one of the Lallybroch paintings hanging in my Scotland office.
• Hey Maril I’m headed to Scotland this week, any advice? MD: Get a car and drive up into the highlands.
• Any chance to see you in a cameo on S3? MD: Definitely not 🙂
• How did @TheMattBRoberts get you started with Outlander? MD: He recommended the books to me because I was looking for something to develop.
• Lots of good whisky in SA to keep @SamHeughan Happy? MD: The wine is pretty amazing in SA.
• From Catriona Balfe, Who would you say is a) the best tennis player b) the best singer and c) the most punctual of all your actors? MD: Oh jeez. A) me B) you C) Bouton
• Are you working on any other projects right now? MD: Yes, we are shooting a Philip K. Dick anthology series.
• What has been most rewarding or surprising for you in bringing Outlander to screen? MD: The friendships that have been formed due to Outlander.
• If @SamHeughan is Beav, what’s your endearing name for @caitrionambalfe ? Caitriona Balfe adds, Eh yes what would that be ..???? MD: Sister sledge, you don’t need an endearing nickname 😘

Commentary:

• Did Maril picture Sam and Cait when she read the books now and she said Yes. I know I do. I absolutely do now as well. I’d absolutely love to listen to Maril and Matt on a panel just as much as the cast. MD: Awww, thanks!
• I may have a new ❤️❤️#DavidBerry our Lord John Grey. @TallShipProds is there a clause saying hire the nicest people ever!! MD: We certainly aim to hire and cast nice people. David is lovely.

That’s a rap to the chat! To reads the tweets directly, go to Twitter and search #AskMaril.

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Video is property of Starz. Other images are wiki sourced. Click image for attribution. Featured Image by Matthew B. Roberts. 

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*Without changing the questions or answers, typos and punctuation have been corrected.