Season 5 is here! I’ll be writing an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode soon after viewing, to share some initial thoughts, questions, reactions — you name it.

Warning:

I may be talking about events from this episode, other episodes, and/or the book series… so if you’d rather not know, now’s your chance to walk away!

Outlander, episode 504: “The Company We Keep”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Roger leads Jamie’s militia to the trading post of Brownsville and finds himself embroiled in a bitter feud. Jamie and Claire arrive to find that Roger’s unusual strategy may have cost them the loyalty of the militia.

My take:

Major plot points:

• Roger leads the militia into Brownsville, kicking off a local feud.
• Claire and Jamie consider what to do with Fanny Beardsley’s baby.
• Roger has mixed results as a captain of the militia.
• Brianna suspects that Bonnet is around, and is scared to death.
• Jamie sends Claire back to the Ridge with the Beardsley twins to do some doctoring.

Insta-reaction:

Once again, I’ll keep things on the brief side.

This episode mainly takes place in the (dismal and depressing) town of Brownsville, founded and led by the Brown brothers, Richard and Lionel. We don’t know much about them at this point, but they don’t exactly come across like sunshine and roses. (And if you’ve read A Breath of Snow and Ashes, you’ll forgive me for feeling a deep hatred for them as soon as they appeared in this episode.)

Roger rides into Brownsville with the militia while Jamie and Claire are dealing with the Beardsley mess — and immediately starts getting shot at. One of the men in the militia, Isaiah Morton, has apparently “dishonored” Alicia Brown, and her father is having none of it. Because of their illicit relationship, Alicia Brown’s betrothal to a wealthy man has been called off, and the Brown family is not pleased. Roger makes peace by breaking open a cask of whisky and allowing Isaiah to be detained, which doesn’t sit well with all of the militia men, some of whom leave.

Jamie arrives to clean up Roger’s mistakes, berating Roger for not showing more loyalty to one of his men. He refers to Roger as “professor” rather than “captain”, which is a pretty serious Jamie burn. Poor Roger! But at least Roger gets in some good singing, so there’s that.

Meanwhile, Claire’s been caring for Fanny’s baby, Bonnie, but the baby obviously needs some mother’s milk. A local woman nurses the baby and takes a liking to her, and several of the women ask Claire if she’ll let them have the baby as their own and raise her. Later, drunk, Jamie asks Claire if she wants to keep the baby, since they never got to raise Bree together and he’d like to give Claire that opportunity if she wants it. She doesn’t, though — she loves her life with Jamie, and feels that the baby will be well treated in Brownsville, especially as she’s the heir to the Beardsley property.

There’s more drama around Isaiah and Alicia… the short version is that Claire and Jamie are suckers for a good love story, and eventually help them escape together, Jamie having created a diversion by setting the town horses free to gallop down the main (mud) road.

Roger is to travel back to the Ridge as Claire’s escort, along with Josiah and Kezzie, so she can take care of their infected tonsils. And after the surgery, she’ll rejoin Jamie and the militia once again.

Back at the Ridge, we get a few brief scenes with Brianna. After a trip to town, she finds a coin in Jemmy’s basket, and learns that an Irish gentleman placed it there. She fears that this means that Bonnet is around, and later has a small freak-out when she can’t find Jemmy. Marsali consoles Bree later and gets her to calm down and even smile again, but the show makes it clear that Bree’s fears are well-founded.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

It’s not every day that we get to see Jamie Fraser perform a Highland fling! What fun.

This was a very cute scene, and Claire was so obviously smitten. These two. So adorable.

Overall, “The Company We Keep” was another well-done episode, but Brownsville gives me the creeps. I liked the little character moments for Roger, Fergus, Marsali, and Bree, and even seeing a little more of Mrs. Bug was nice. On the whole, I’m enjoying the time with the Fraser clan this season, but knowing what a lot of the action pieces will center on makes me a little apprehensive about where the season is going.

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Season 5 is here! I’ll be writing an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode soon after viewing, to share some initial thoughts, questions, reactions — you name it.

Warning:

I may be talking about events from this episode, other episodes, and/or the book series… so if you’d rather not know, now’s your chance to walk away!

Outlander, episode 503: “Free Will”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

The growing Regulator threat forces Jamie, Claire and Roger to embark on a mission to raise a militia.

My take:

Major plot points:

Roger and Brianna say good-bye

• Claire continues teaching Marsali about medicine and experimenting with mold.
• Jamie and Claire set off with Roger and other men of the Ridge to put together a militia.
• Josiah Beardsley’s twin Kezzy shows up, and Jamie and Claire learn about their history.
• An awful scene at the Beardsley property ensues. Yuck.

Insta-reaction:

I’m going to keep this brief, because it’s late and I’m tired…

One of the most disturbing scenes in The Fiery Cross takes place in this episode. It turns out that Josiah Beardsley, whom Jamie had already invited to settle at the Ridge (since he’s a skilled hunter), has a twin brother, Kezzy. The boys’ parents and siblings all died on the Atlantic crossing when they were only two years old, and the boys were indentured to Mr. Beardsley, a cruel master who worked them hard, beat them, and kept them starving. Kezzy was boxed so hard on the ears by his master, repeatedly, that his ruptured eardrums have never healed. leaving the boy deaf.

Jamie decides to buy the boys’ indenture, so he and Claire leave the militia in Roger’s hands and head to the Beardsley farm, which appears to be deserted. A suspicious Mrs. Beardsley opens her door, informs Jamie that her husband is dead, and shuts the door in his face. But Jamie needs the indenture paperwork to prove that the boys aren’t runaways, so he persists. When he and Claire go inside the house, there’s a horrible smell. Eventually, Claire finds the emaciated — but living — body of Mr. Beardsley upstairs in the loft. He apparently had a stroke a month prior, and his wife has left him lying in his own filth, feeding him enough to keep him alive, and torturing him. It’s so awful.

Claire, being Claire, insists that they take care of the man and tend to his (disgusting) wounds. His wife, Fanny, goes into labor suddenly, and with Claire’s care, gives birth to a healthy baby girl, who clearly is not her husband’s, as she’s biracial. Fanny describes the horror of being married to this abusive man, who killed each of his four previous wives and who would likely have done the same to Fanny if he’d been able.

In the morning, Fanny is gone, leaving the baby, the deed to the Beardsley property, and the indenture paperwork for Claire and Jamie. There’s nothing to be done for Mr. Beardsley. Jamie finally gives him a choice, and asks him if he wants Jamie to end his life. He blinks once, for yes. Claire, waiting outside with the baby, hears the gunshot.

That’s the main part of the episode, and it’s disturbing and creepy, as it’s meant to be.

Marsali working on her knife skills

Elsewhere, Claire continues to try to grow her own penicillin, teaching Marsali basic principles of medicine and how to conduct a scientific inquiry. Roger — Captain Mackenzie — leads Jamie’s men in his absence, adding more men to the roster of the militia.

Claire confides to Jamie that she wants Brianna and Roger to go back to their own time, where they’ll be safer. It’s obvious that Jamie finds this idea upsetting, although he concedes that they would in fact be safer there. Add to this the knowledge (which Jamie shares with Claire) that Stephen Bonnet is alive and in the area, and it’s for sure that Bree isn’t safe, and most likely, neither is her family.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

Kudos to Outlander for casting Bronwyn James in the role of Fanny Beardsley. She’s fabulous in Harlots, playing a very different character who’s also named Fanny. I’m just sorry that we won’t see more of her.

This was a well-done episode, even though the focus on the Beardsleys meant we were in that disturbing place for most of the episode. As always, Claire and Jamie are a dynamic duo, rising to the challenge, and always so clearly in love.

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