The Doldrums 309

Written by Shannon Goss

Directed by David Moore

Another excellent offering. I enjoyed it. Great flow and storytelling. I love how Yi Tien Cho aka Mr. Willoughby is being portrayed. It would seem being trapped on a small ship for months would help Claire and Jamie reclaim each other a bit more easily. Insecure Jamie is an oddity to me… For the rest of my thoughts, you’ll need to listen to the podcast .

Starz Synopsis: Claire and Jamie leave Scotland, sailing to the West Indies on an urgent quest. But when the superstitious crew looks for someone to blame after a string of bad luck, rescue comes from an unlikely source.

My Summary: They obtained a ship to search for the lost nephew, Fergus brings a stowaway, seasickness overwhelms Jamie until needles save him, Claire doctors those who need it, superstitious sailors create suspicions during weeks of windless standstill, the china man and Jamie win the day, the weather returns as does the passion, a plague ship commandeers Claire. The End.

Setup: Jamie and Claire have secured the Artemis, cousin Jared’s ship to take to the West Indies. Jamie will be the supercargo (a representative of the ship’s owner on board a merchant ship, responsible for overseeing the cargo and its sale). The ship Young Ian was taken on is the Portuguese flag, the Bruja (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhvFVpp6sDc). It’s late in the season for taking a ship, the seas will not be calm. Jared makes not of Jamie being prone to seasickness. Jared is upbeat about their ability to find Young Ian.  Jamie has sent a letter to Jenny and Ian explaining everything. They won’t get it until the ship is far from Scotland. Fergus is up to something. Jamie vows he won’t return to Scotland unless he has Young Ian with him. He’s a man on a mission. Superstition is high among the men on the ship. Women and redheads are bad luck. Enter Fergus with Marsali they’re hand fast. Stepdad Jamie is not a happy man about the surprise.  Marsali is a firecracker of a young woman. He refuses to allow Fergus and Marsali to consummate their marriage and puts Marsali in Claire’s cabin. Jamie’s in the doghouse with Claire now. Jamie also mentions the wind as being necessary to catching up to the Bruja quickly.

State of Mind:

Jamie is worried he’s being punished by God because he wanted Claire so much and needed the treasure to pay Laoghaire her hush money. Claire seems distant from Jamie and maybe questioning staying. He’s questioning whether they’ll be happy. He says he’ll take her to the stones if she doesn’t want to stay. He’s insecure in the state of their reunion. They haven’t settled in after the Laoghaire event or her wondering if they should be together on the cliff top. There’s tension and unease between them.

How it Played:

• They secure the Artemis from cousin Jared.
• They set sail after the Bruja to the West Indies after young Ian.
• Hayes and Lesley are the replacement bromance for Angus and Rupert.
• Fergus has a stowaway, Marsali, Laoghaire’s daughter.
• They are traditionally married through handfasting.
• Jamie is one angry stepdad.
• He and Claire, along with Marsali and Fergus will not be sharing quarters. King of Virtue is would seem.
• Jamie’s in the doghouse with Claire now too.
• His seasickness is in full swing. She treats with ginger tea.
• Claire treats an injury. The men believe someone didn’t touch the horse shoe for good luck.
• Claire scoffs at the superstitious ways.
• Claire’s invited to dine with the captain.
• Jamie tries to talk Fergus out of the marriage to no avail.
• Fergus claims he was cowardly in not telling Jamie about his courting Marsali. Like Jamie was in not telling Claire about Laoghaire.
• Jamie being a protective stepfather asks if Marsali knows all about Fergus’ past.
• He’s serious about Marsali having lain with no other woman or her since they began courting.
• Dining with the captain solo, Claire gets instructed on the superstitions and the power they hold. https://www.boaterexam.com/blog/2011/07/boater-superstitions.aspx
• Can you imagine Claire and Marsali walking around topless to calm the sea?
• Jamie is horrifically seasick.
• Yi Tien Cho tells Jamie he could lose his baws because of the excessive vomiting, but he has a remedy.
• Marsali’s trying to charm Claire, but the hoor ain’t biting that hook.
• The act doesn’t last long, Marsali’s true colors show. Yer a hoor.
• Indeed, the hoor should get the bigger bed.
• Claire pondering the bare bosomed bow. “My rack is finer.”
• Jamie is eating like his life depends upon it. Right as rain he is.
• Marsali knows everything. They’re asking for Jamie’s blessing.
• Claire is on their side. Jamie is stubborn as a rock.
• Yi Tien Cho doesn’t want to be forgotten, like the vanishing deck poetry.
• Time passes, Claire tends to injuries of the crew and makes medicines.
• There’s a rave in the galley.
• Claire happens upon Yi Tien Cho administering acupuncture.
• Jamie is trying to hail the mother ship with his face.
• Hurt her feelings? What?
• He thinks she would use it a fuel she doesn’t belong there if she knew her tea wasn’t working. I’m not loving insecure Jamie. Needs assurity she loves him.
• Claire’s giggle is adorable.
• AHA the doldrums. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/doldrums.html
• It must be bad luck. Someone didn’t touch the damned horse shoe.
• Jamie forgets the needles and freaks out the men.
• Spotlight on Hayes ? he must be the evil offender.
• When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore!
• In the great green room, there was a telephone and a red balloon? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yu_g5x3ZoQ
• Sniff we miss Bree too.
• Weeks with no wind. Danger rises. Water barrels have gone bad.
• How does he know to boil the rest of the water?
• The men are looking for the offender and want him overboard.
• The captain wants to give the men what they want. A death to feed the superstition. Keep order.
• Jamie will not allow it.
• Hayes is being singled out. He doesn’t remember touching it.
• Don’t do it Hayes!!!!!
• Testosterone poisoning and mob rule.
• Jamie to the rescue, with wingman Yi Tien Cho.
• Jamie doesn’t need that rotator cuff.
• To diffuse the mob Yi Tien Cho captivates with his own story.
• Claire shut up.
• Yi Tien Cho is laying it down.
• And he scatters his story to the wind returned. Mic drop.
• The weather returns with a vengeance, as does joy and fresh water.
• Jamie and Claire reignite.
• He’s digging her silver streak. Me too Jamie.
• Ah she coins him the king of all men if he were to praise her gray in the 2th century.
• Their back to each other.
• Oh, hell no an English Man o’War.
• That’s certainly not good fortune, English boarding your vessel.
• Pressing men was a thing. http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/british-navy-impressment/
• Wee bairn Captain Thomas Leonard of the Porpoise needs a surgeon. A plague outbreak on his ship.
• Claire scolds him for coming on board. Tsk tsk Mr. Leonard.
• Jamie doesn’t want her to go. She’s sworn an oath. And she’s been inoculated. She thinks it typhoid.
• He gets it. Ain’t no stopping her and her doctoring.
• Jamie’s finger tapping watching her go.
• Claire rubs her hands as she is upon the Porpoise., That’s her tell.
• I love the pickups on her skirts to shorten her layers for ease of movement.
• It’s a hellish scene. Shite and vomit.
• The Foleys must have had a blast.
• She surveys the ill.
• Claire thinks I’ll give you an action plan of protocols and procedures and will be on her way.
• Elias Pound sweet wee man boy.
• Yeah sure you’ll alert them she’ll be a little while.
• And buh bye Artemis. The Porpoise is going to Jamaica with Claire on it.
• Jamie is going to be pissed!!!!!

Episode Quotes: You’ll need to listen to find out.

What’s Coming up? Episode 310 Heaven & Earth

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