Season 2 has begun! My intention is to write an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode right 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 208: “The Fox’s Lair”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Claire and Jamie call upon Jamie’s grandsire, Lord Lovat, in an attempt to elicit support. However, a visiting Colum MacKenzie has other plans, and Lord Lovat’s manipulations ensure that his own interests will be served.

My take:

Hello, Scotland!

Major plot points:

• Jamie and Claire return home to Lallybroch.
• Potatoes are very exciting.
• Charles Stuart has forged Jamie’s name on a document supposedly signed by his supporters, so that even unwillingly, Jamie is now a traitor.
• Claire and Jamie realize that the only way to still change the future is to help Charles to win, now that he’s landed on Scottish soil and the rebellion is underway.
• Jamie goes to seek support from his obnoxious grandfather, Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat. Ick.
• Laoghaire turns up! Double ick.
• The MacKenzies, led by Colum, are remaining neutral, but Lord Lovat finds a way to play both sides.

Insta-reaction:

Scotland! Scotland! Scotland!

Paris was pretty, but it’s lovely to be back in the Highlands. And I was really pleased with the new opening credits, which drop the French chamber music in favor of a warlike drumbeat and more bagpipes. Glorious.

It’s not clear how much time has passed for Jamie and Claire, but apparently long enough since the Paris trauma for them to have found their way back to a loving, romantic, and intimate relationship. Thank the gods and goddesses — no one likes to see these two at odds.

Claire and Jenny seem reunited as sisters, and there’s briefly peace and harmony at Lallybroch, with Murtagh and Fergus there as part of the family too. Sadly, the calm doesn’t last long, as Jamie is forced into the position of having to either stay and fight for Charles and Scotland, or flee and leave his entire family behind to face the certain destruction following Culloden and the Clearances. Not much of a choice. Jamie can never abandon his people or his home, so despite all of their maneuvering in Paris, Jamie will end up fighting for Charles after all.

Potatoes!

Lord Lovat is every bit as slimy as we’d expect. He’s mean to everyone around him and has no respect for women (which is actually putting it mildly — he’s abusive and it’s implied that he’s married at least two of his three wives by force). Lord Lovat (the Old Fox) only acts based on his own gain, so he tries to extort a price from Jamie for his support of Charles — he wants Lallybroch. Ugh, this guy is the worst.

Colum shows up for a visit too, and he wants them all to stay out of the Rising. Claire has an understandably tense reunion with Colum, given that she holds him responsible for her arrest (in season 1) and her trial as a witch.

The biggest surprise of the episode is the appearance of Laoghaire. Book readers know that she isn’t in book 2 at all, so it’s a break from canon to have her appear in this season. She’s come with Colum to Lord Lovat’s castle as Colum’s maid, and while there, she begs Claire for forgiveness, saying that she’s prayed to God, knows she’s done wrong, and repents of her actions toward Claire. Claire refuses to absolve Laoghaire, but ultimately agrees to ask Jamie to think kindly of her again in exchange for Laoghaire playing a role in gaining the support of Young Simon, Lovat’s son and heir.

I can hear the book fans screaming from here! First of all, let’s face it, no one likes Laoghaire. Okay, that’s putting it mildly. People HATE Laoghaire. She’s an awful little wench who almost cost Claire her life. So here’s a big difference: In the books, Claire never tells Jamie about the role Laoghaire played in causing her arrest. In the TV show, Jamie absolutely knows, and both Jamie and Claire blame her for Claire’s near death.

SPOILER FOR BOOK/SEASON 3!!!!

(I know I said already that there would be spoilers, but an extra warning can’t hurt.)

In Voyager, the 3rd book, the big reveal is that Jamie ends up married to Laoghaire during the years after Claire has returned through the stones. (I’m trying to vague things up a bit — it really goes against my nature to be spoilery!). This is super outrageous to Claire (and to readers), because Laoghaire is the evil little twit who almost got Claire dead… but Jamie didn’t know, or else he couldn’t have agreed to the marriage, we’re led to understand.

But now, TV Laoghaire has come and asked for forgiveness, and has made it clear that she still hopes Jamie will love her some day. In the “Inside the Episode” feature afterwards, the director implies that Laoghaire is included here in order to make things that happen later make more sense. I know, I know — readers are probably outraged right about now. But I guess the show’s thinking is that viewers could never accept Jamie marrying Laoghaire later on without at least seeing some act of contrition on her part.

You know what? I’m just not going to worry about it too much. I can’t get too worked up about it. Hopefully, this is the last we’ll see of Laoghaire this season, and now we move on.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

I’m super happy to be back in Scotland (obviously)… but I also have to admit that this week’s episode felt a little uneventful after the last few episodes in Paris. While there was political maneuvering and debate in this episode, there was a distinct lack of drama. That’s okay, I suppose — this truly is a bridge episode, moving up from the French court into the second half of this season’s plot, the actual Rising back in Scotland. This episode had to set the scene, get us back to the Highlands, and starting moving the chess pieces around. It did that, and now we’re ready to dive into the more military-focused back half of the season.

Remember, we still need to find out exactly why and how Claire ended up back in the 20th century at the beginning of the season!

And furthermore…

Was Jamie holding the baby at Lallybroch not the sweetest and saddest thing? I can’t imagine how heartbreaking it must have been for Claire to watch him with a baby in his arms, with their loss still so fresh in their hearts.

And of course, Jamie wearing kilts 24/7 is a win for everyone.

Season 2 has begun! My intention is to write an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode right 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 207: “Faith”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Claire is brought to L’Hopital des Anges where doctors try to save her life and that of her unborn baby. King Louis asks Claire to judge two men accused of practicing the dark arts — one an enemy, one a friend.

My take:

Major plot points:

• Claire’s baby is stillborn — a girl, whom Mother Hildegarde baptizes with the name Faith.
• Jamie is being held in the Bastille for dueling, a crime which could leave him locked up indefinitely.
• Claire’s only option for saving Jamie is to appeal directly to the King, which comes with its own cost.
• Claire learns that the reason that Jamie broke his promise and went ahead with the duel is because Randall attacked and raped Fergus at the brothel.
• Jamie and Claire visit Faith’s grave before leaving France to return to Scotland.

Insta-reaction:

There’s a little fake-out at the beginning of the episode, when we see Claire with a red-haired girl in Boston in 1954. So non-book readers maybe breathed a sigh of relief that Jamie and Claire’s baby was healthy after all and all that blood last time was just a scare?

Not so fast.

It’s a heartbreaker, plain and simple.

Claire’s baby daughter is born dead, and the scenes of Claire discovering the fate of her baby are simply wrenching to watch. The raw pain on her face is intense, and the entire episode focuses on Claire’s suffering.

The scenes at Versailles are painful to watch for other reasons. It’s all so very cut and dried and business-like. First, Claire must identify the black arts practitioner for the King, which ends with the Comte St. Germain’s death by poison, thanks to Master Raymond’s sleight of hand. Then there’s the matter of Claire’s payment to the King in exchange for Jamie’s freedom — the most transactional sexual encounter we’ve ever seen on this show. It’s awful in its matter-of-factness.

And then there’s the Fergus scene. I didn’t think the show would go there — I assume BJR’s rape of Fergus would be implied and left off-screen. Wrong. While no body parts are shown, it’s quite clear what’s going on, and it’s gut-churning. I’m shocked, in a way, that the little actor playing Fergus was put into those scenes, and can’t imagine how Tobias Menzies managed to carry out BJR’s part either. Just horrifying.

I’m keeping my insta-reaction brief. What can I say about such an upsetting and tragic episode? Claire suffers the torments of hell in losing her baby, and the scene of her rocking and singing to the dead infant is both beautiful and horrible.

Claire and Jamie’s reunion was painful as well. The hurt, the fear, the pain between them — it’s so brutal and brittle and emotionally raw. I’m glad that they joined hands at Faith’s grave at the end. Despite their loss and deep pain, despite the betrayals and tragedies, they’ll remain together and find a way forward.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

This is the end of the Paris portion of the season, and I’m glad! It’s been well-done, and full of gorgeous eye candy, but the heart of Outlander is in Scotland, and I’m glad they’re going back.

And furthermore…

The only momentary break in the tension for me during this episode was when we see Jamie’s face when he returns home from the Bastille. I get it, he was there for… weeks? months? Long enough to grow a scraggly, bushy beard that looks like a stick-on out of a Halloween costume kit. It was totally distracting — it did not look real at all, and kind of made me laugh before getting re-absorbed by the interactions on the screen.

But other than that — a powerful, memorable, painful episode.

Season 2 has begun! My intention is to write an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode right 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 206: “Best Laid Schemes”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Jamie and Claire use Claire’s medical knowledge to devise a scheme to stop a deal which could fill the war chest. When Claire learns Jamie has gone back on his word, the couple is met with dire consequences.

My take:

Major plot points:

• Claire and Jamie have made up after the big confrontation last episode.
• Jamie declares that he and Claire are even, in terms of saving one another’s lives.
• Jamie makes Claire promise to go back to Frank if he should end up dead at Culloden.
• Claire fears for Master Raymond’s safety, as the king is having practioners of the black arts arrested and executed.
• Jamie tells Murtagh the truth about Claire and time travel.
• Jamie and Claire’s plan to thwart Charles’s financial success actually works, although it’s quite complicated and involves much scheming and action.
• Jamie goes back on his word and duels with Randall.
• Claire appears to be miscarrying as of the end of the episode.

Insta-reaction:

NOOOOO!

Even knowing what will happen, I kept hoping it wouldn’t.

But let’s start at the beginning. It’s nice to see Claire and Jamie talking through their problems, rather than being permanently divided. Jamie makes clear that he’s honoring Claire’s request to spare Randall not because of any debt he owes her, but because he himself has a stake in Frank’s survival. If things go badly and they’re unable to stop the Rising and the devastation of Culloden, Jamie wants to be sure that Claire has a man who loves her to protect and care for her and the baby. He makes Claire promise to return to her own time and to Frank, if Jamie should die. Sob!

The plan to interfere with the wine deal between Charles and the Comte St. Germain is complicated, relying on Claire’s use of herbs to try to fake a smallpox outbreak on the ship carrying the wine. I actually prefer the TV version of this scheme to the book version, which is more drawn out and involved Jamie actually sailing on the ship from Portugal. The episode gets the job done, but in a more condensed fashion. The end result is the same – Charles is ruined financially.

Meanwhile, Claire is getting close to her due date and is sporting a spectacularly huge baby bump, but that doesn’t keep her from her work at the hospital. Hanging out with the society ladies — whose idea of social justice is getting the police to move poor people out of desirable neighborhoods so they don’t spoil the scenery — is upsetting to Claire, so she works at the hospital even harder, hoping to distract herself while Jamie is out on his wine adventure. Mother Hildegard is worried about Claire’s health and forces her to rest. Claire is having some spotting, which Mother Hildegard assures her is normal at this stage of pregnancy — but her face tells a different story.

Finally, Claire comes home to discover Jamie is gone. He’s left her a note of apology — he’s gone off to duel Randall after all. Claire rushes after him in the carriage, clutching her belly the whole time. This is not good. She arrives mid-duel, and doesn’t dare to cry out for fear of distracting Jamie and causing either his death… or Frank’s. Jamie wounds BJR in the crotch (okay, admit it, it’s awfully satisfying to see the blood pouring out), and Claire begins to bleed profusely as well. She screams out Jamie’s name just as the gendarmes arrive to arrest Jamie for dueling, and Claire passes out in a servant’s arms.

This is not good at all.

Damn. Even having read the book, I wanted things to be different.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

Beautiful acting all around. Claire and Jamie’s intimate moments are sweet, sensual, and loving. I adored the scene of Jamie talking to Claire’s belly. Hi, it’s me, I’m your dad! What a cute moment… tinged only by the knowledge that bad things are coming.

Great moments for Fergus in this episode too. Is that kid the epitome of adorableness, or what? I loved the way the fateful moment in the brothel was done, with Fergus exploring the room with the red coat hanging in the corner. Never has a piece of clothing been so threatening! Ah, wee Fergus is just so precious.

Was Claire wrong to rush after Jamie? She couldn’t change the outcome of the duel, and was already experiencing some pain and bleeding before she even rushed off in the carriage. Would she have begun hemorrhaging anyway, even if she’d done nothing? It certainly looks that way, but dashing off like that was not a wise choice. I understand her emotional distress, but still, she must have known that her health and the baby’s health were already at risk. Oh, Claire.

Then again, I’m sure she sees it as Jamie’s fault, breaking his promise to her with no regard for their marriage or for their baby.

The truth about why he went ahead with the duel will come out next episode, I’m sure, but this is one more horrible moment that has the potential to damage the love and trust between Jamie and Claire. They spend so much time and effort worrying about other people — and the entire future of Scotland, for f*ck’s sake — that they seem to put their own lives and marriage on the back burner.

And furthermore…

Wasn’t Murtagh in fancy clothes hilarious? He’s the last man on earth to want frills and flowers. What was the point of his dressing up? Now that I think about it, I think the idea was to implicate Les Disciples, the band of aristocrats who carry out such thuggery as rape and theft for the sake of a thrill — so if Murtagh and the other men carrying out the wine theft were dressed in fine clothing, Les Disciples might be blamed. It wasn’t really clear during the episode, I didn’t think, but now I guess it makes sense. And anyway, it’s worth it to see Murtagh all fancy-like.

Final thought: I’m so glad Jamie finally brought Murtagh into the loop. He’s been operating on blind faith when it comes to  Jamie and Claire’s scheming, but he’s certainly more than earned their trust and deserves to know the truth about Claire and her time travel. It was a sweet moment between him and Claire, and I do love that he punched  Jamie in the face before being okay with the secret keeping.

All in all, another terrifically well-done episode!

Season 2 has begun! My intention is to write an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode right 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 205: “Untimely Resurrection”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Reunited, Jamie and Claire attempt to extinguish the fires; however, Claire is set off on an unexpected change of course. Jamie and Claire’s relationship is put to the ultimate test when the past rears its ugly head.

My take:

Major plot points:

• After the disastrous dinner party, Jamie, Murtagh, and Alex were all thrown into the Bastille. Jamie and Murtagh are released right away, but Alex has been accused of raping Mary.
• Claire tends to Mary, who informs her that she and Alex plan to wed. Alex, however, has been discharged from his employment with the Duke of Sandringham because of the scandal.

• Prince Charles has a new scheme for raising money, partnering with the Comte St. Germaine to make a profit from a shipment of port. Jamie and Claire discuss how to interfere.
• Claire knows that Frank’s genealogy chart shows that he is descended from Jonathan Randall and Mary Hawkins, so she realizes that she must prevent Alex and Mary from marrying, or Frank’s existence may be at stake.
• At Versailles, Claire comes face to face with Jonathan Randall, who looks remarkably healthy for a man who’s been trampled by cattle. He is slimy and disgusting and menacing as always, but gets humiliated by King Louis.
• Jamie challenges BJR to a duel, but Claire intervenes, which may be a fatal blow to her relationship with Jamie.

Insta-reaction:

Visually, what a stunner! The scenes at Versailles are color-saturated, with vivid greens and pinks and reds. Everything just pops, and it’s gorgeous. We finally see Claire in her floral brown ensemble that was featured so heavily in the season promos. She’s beautiful in it, of course.

So, another huge episode! Lots of moving pieces!

The episode’s opening scene looks like the morning after a drunken frat party — if only you had calm, quiet servants picking up the mess, the broken dishes, and the ruined furniture.

The title of the previous episode is explained — the attackers ran away shouting about “La Dame Blanche”, who is rumored to be a powerful witch… because Jamie spread that rumor himself. One night in the brothel, tired of fighting off the whores that Charles kept pushing at him, Jamie swore that he couldn’t touch another woman because he’s married to La Dame Blanche, who would certainly curse him somehow if he were unfaithful to her. Claire is horrified, especially in light of her witch trial at Cranesmuir, but Jamie says that it was the best he could come up with as an excuse to remain faithful without seeming unmanly. And anyway, there were drinks involved.

Poor little Mary is sure she’s ruined, but she still has the gumption to write a letter exonerating Alex. Good for Mary! I’m glad Claire is there with her 20th century outlook, so radical for the 1800s. Being raped does not mean Mary is ruined, and she has nothing to be ashamed of. And if the ugly, warty, older man she was engaged to no longer wants her? Well, Mary is probably better off anyway. Claire also assures her that most likely she isn’t pregnant, as Claire doesn’t believe Mary’s attacker had time to “finish”.

Here’s where I became angry — so angry! —  with Claire. Mary gives Claire the letter clearing Alex to deliver to the authorities, and Claire hesitates, considering throwing it in the fire. She’s sure that Frank won’t ever be born if BJR and Mary don’t get together, so she needs Alex out of the way. Claire does the right thing and gets Alex released, but then later goes into full meddlesome bitch mode. (My exact notes while watching the episode: “Claire, you interfering bitch!” I stand by it, even a few hours later.) She runs into Alex, and convinces him that he has nothing to offer Mary. He’s jobless, poor, and in ill health. What kind of life would that be for Mary. With the most sympathetic look on her face, Claire gets Alex to agree that Mary would be better off without him. How dare you, Claire???

So, the Versailles scenes. Like I said, absolutely a visual treat. Jamie and Claire are there so that Jamie can help the Duke select a horse, but he seems to be enjoying checking out Jamie a lot more than the horses, and makes one snide, double-edged remark after another.

Meanwhile, Claire is invited for a stroll around the grounds with Annalise, Jamie’s former girlfriend from his young and wild Paris youth. She’s just as obnoxious as a rich and beautiful ex would be, insinuating all sorts of things about the Jamie she knew and how Claire has changed him.

And then, the big moment — Black Jack Randall appears, and the scene between him and Claire is amazing and horrible. Claire’s face shows so much — horror and disgust and absolute fear. She does NOT want Jamie to see him, so of course Annalise goes scurrying off to find Jamie. BJR is practically licking his lips at the prospect of seeing Jamie again. Not a shred of remorse for what he’s done — he sees this accidental encounter as destiny, a sign that fate keeps bringing the three of them into each others’ orbits.

There’s a fabulous bit when the King and his entourage come upon Claire and BJR mid-argument. Despite BJR’s elegant bow and manners, he’s ridiculed by the King and his flunkies, while Claire is treated with admiration and respect. Ha! I can’t think of any other circumstance where BJR would tolerate the humiliation, but he’d be dead — really dead — if he dared do anything in the presence of the King but take whatever is handed out.

Finally, Jamie sees BJR, and once the King is out of earshot, challenges him to a duel, which Randall accepts. Back home, Jamie is delighted. He’ll finally get his vengeance on the person who came so close to destroying him. Basically, Jamie sees it as a way to reclaim his manhood.

Claire is distraught. First off, dueling is illegal, and if Jamie is caught, he’ll be thrown into the Bastille for a good long while. Not to worry, Murtagh insists, he’ll have Jamie’s back and will make sure that doesn’t happen.

Unable to deter Jamie, Claire rushes out, then comes back to inform him that the duel won’t be happening. She’s sworn to the police that BJR is the man who attacked her and Mary, and he’s now being held in the Bastille.

Jamie and Claire have their most impassioned confrontation yet. He doesn’t understand how she can do this to him, when she knows how badly he needs to kill BJR in order to finally feel like himself again. Claire tearily confesses that it’s all for Frank. She needs BJR alive for at least one more year so that he can father the child who is Frank’s ancestor.

Jamie agrees to wait one year… but is shaking with rage and betrayal. Claire’s demand may have just put the nail in the coffin for their relationship.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

Wow. The ending scene is so intense that it’s hard to imagine Jamie and Claire being okay after this. She seems to have utterly shaken Jamie’s trust. He told her she had to choose Frank or him, and she chose Frank. Ultimately, she invoked his debt to her — she’s saved his life, and he owes her a life in return, and it’s Frank’s life she’s choosing as repayment. As a man of honor, Jamie has no choice but to accept the terms.

But it kills him inside — you can see it on his face, the rage and helplessness he feels. Once again, BJR is in his life and he’s unable to do what he needs to do to defend himself.

Ugh, I just wanted to shake Claire.

Of course, at this point in the story, Claire doesn’t have the benefit of the knowledge that readers of the series have, which is that events which are part of the historical record will happen no matter what. It gets into the circular nature of the time travel dilemma, which generally makes my brain hurt. But we know that Claire and Jamie’s machinations to try to stop Culloden will fail. Culloden is a fixed point in history, and it will happen one way or the other.

If she’d had that knowledge at this point, perhaps Claire might have realized that Frank’s existence would happen, with or without her interference. Again, book readers already know how, but seeing this disturbing scene between Claire and Jamie really drove home the awfulness of Claire’s actions. She needs to tend to Jamie! I know she feels horrible guilt over Frank, but she chose Jamie and needs to do what’s right for Jamie.

Claire insisting on protecting BJR for the sake of Frank’s future just makes me crazy. Plus, if she’d stopped to think about it, there’s the circular factor that seems to make Frank’s life inevitable. Claire came through the stones because she was in Scotland because she was married to Frank… so if there’s no Frank in the future, then there’s no reason for Claire to have been at the stones, so she wouldn’t be standing in the room with Jamie at that moment. Right?

Ouch. There goes my brain again.

I did love seeing how the King literally brought BJR to his knees. I wasn’t much of a fan of Louis when we first met him (sitting on the “throne” — not a good look for any man), but I was cheering “vive le roi!” during this scene.

And furthermore…

The preview for the next episode shows Jamie and Claire back to full-on scheming as a team, which was a weird juxtaposition with the closing scene of the episode. Let us have a bit of worry about the state of the relationship, okay?

And one final comment — it’s nice to see Jamie back in a kilt!

Season 2 has begun! My intention is to write an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode right 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 204: “La Dame Blanche”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Claire and Jamie throw a dinner party to derail investors in Prince Charles’ war effort. Meanwhile, Claire’s revelation that Jack Randall is alive sparks Jamie in an unexpected way as he and Claire struggle.

My take:

Major plot points:

• At Versailles, Claire is poisoned with bitter cascara and becomes quite ill. She suspects the Comte St. Germaine.

No, Claire! Don’t drink it!

• Jamie is attentive and caring. Claire finally confesses that Black Jack Randall is still alive, and Jamie is delighted. Now he can finally dream of revenge.
• Master Raymond takes Claire into his back room where his more mystical objects are hidden, including rune-carved bones that can tell the future. When Claire casts the bones and wonders about Frank, Master Raymond tells Claire that she will see him again.
• Jamie and Claire have a huge confrontation after Claire finds bite mark on his thighs. Jamie opens up about how he’s been struggling with the memories of his rape. The two finally make love again after all these months.
• Louise is pregnant, but not with her husband’s baby. Jamie and Claire realize that Louise is having an affair with Prince Charles.
• They plan a big dinner party with the goal of bringing the Prince and the Duke of Sandringham together, then causing a fall-out so that Charles’s funding will be in jeopardy.
• Mary and Claire are attacked in the street, and poor Mary is raped. She’s hidden away upstairs at the dinner party, but when she runs in fear, all is exposed, and there’s a big fight and probably an even bigger scandal on the way.

Insta-reaction:

Well, that was a surprise! I spent the last week wondering if and when Claire would share the news of BJR’s surprising survival, imagining a devastated Jamie falling apart or becoming so upset with Claire for hiding the truth that their marriage might be in danger.

Wrong! Jamie was practically giddy with joy. This way, he has the dream of exacting vengeance for everything that was done to him. Just the thing to put a spring in a man’s step!

Of course, he’s not quite as healed as he’d like to pretend. When Jamie comes home from the brothel full of lust and covered with bite marks, Claire isn’t having any AT ALL. This is not okay, Jamie! He says that the whore in question was interested in “soixante-neuf”, but he swears that nothing happened… even though he was very turned on. He sees it as a plus that he rushed his horny self home to his wife, but she’s upset that he hasn’t touched her in months, and now it takes a trip to the brothel for him to find an interest.

This all leads, of course, to a deeper set of confessions, when Jamie finally articulates to Claire just how destroyed he is from the events of Wentworth, how his innermost core has been violated and he has nothing left. He goes off to sleep alone, but Claire follows him, reaches out to him, and they finally make love, reclaiming their passion and bringing their relationship back to life.

Meanwhile, lots of other stuff happened too…. see my notes above!

The look on Claire’s face when Master Raymond told her she’d see Frank again! That is NOT what she was expecting to hear — she just wanted to make sure that he’d be okay. She looked positively horrified, because there’s no way she’ll see Frank again if her life with Jamie goes as planned. Not happy news, by a long shot.

Meanwhile, I loved the shot of Claire examining a dinosaur skull, and Raymond describing his fascination with things from other times. Hello, can he possibly be more blatant? Claire, he knows you’re a time traveler! Maybe it’s time to explore what you two have in common besides the ability to recognize herbs by their smell.

Murtagh and Fergus have a very cute scene together. The little French pickpocket is becoming one of the family!

Poor Mary! A horrific experience, and then to be on display so publicly, so that her reputation is ruined and her shame is known by everyone. (Dudes, I’m not saying I think she has anything to be shamed by — but that’s the reality of the 1700s. Once she’s been violated, she’s seen as damaged. Stupid 18th century.)

Quite a dinner party. The setting and costumes are lavish, and the tension around the table was quite delicious.

It seems like every episode includes a shot of Claire in some sort of magnificent hooded get-up, walking up the stairs to visit the apothecary:

And it’s quite fun to finally see Claire with a full-on baby bump, which they somehow make look realistic even up close and uncovered.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

Would you want to be at a dinner party with Prince Charles and the Duke of Sandringham? Both seem utterly insufferable.

It’s been a while since I read Dragonfly in Amber (I deliberately chose not to re-read prior to the start of season 2), but I’d say that this episode contains a lot from the book, portrayed very close to the book events, even down to some of the dialogue. Quite fun, really, to see so many familiar moments and hear the familiar lines.

In the books, Alexander Randall is supposed to look so much like his brother that he can be mistaken for him. At first, i just didn’t see it in the actor playing Alex, but in this episode, I could get a family resemblance. Alex is so sweet and loving with Mary. Sigh.

A couple of “artifacts” turn up that, at least in the book, have more significance later on: The necklace from Master Raymond to Claire, which can detect poison, and the hanged man’s grease that Claire and Mary seem so grossed-out by in the hospital. Both should come up again within the next few episodes. And keep an eye out for a man with a birthmark on his hand!

And furthermore…

Claire and Jamie are incredible people, no doubt about it… but be glad you’re not their kid! “Lambert” and “Dalhousie” are their ideas of great baby names? Sheesh. Poor wee bairn.

Season 2 has begun! My intention is to write an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode right 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 203: “Useful Occupations and Deceptions”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Jamie’s days and nights are dominated by political machinations, while Claire finds solace in her healing skills. As their plan to stop Culloden progresses, the past threatens to derail their forward momentum.

My take:

Major plot points:

• Jamie is busy morning, noon, and night running around drinking and hanging out in brothels with Charles Stuart, trying to get close to the Bonnie Prince in order to learn his plans and perhaps find a way to stop them. And when he’s not doing that, he’s over at Versailles playing chess with the French finance minister.
• Poor little Mary Hawkins! Sex seems terrifying (and disgusting) to her, but luckily Claire is there for some sex ed.
• Claire realizes where she’s heard Mary Hawkins’s name before — according to Frank’s family bible, Mary Hawkins married Jonathan Randall (BJR) and is one of Frank’s direct ancestors.
• Murtagh manages to have a little fun with Suzette the housemaid.
• At the advice of Master Raymond, Claire begins volunteering at L’Hôpital des Anges, where she encounters Mother Hildegard (played by the fabulous Frances de la Tour), a nun whose musical talent comes in handy later on.
• Jamie’s new plan to undermine Charles involves intercepting his mail to read all of his secret correspondence and find out where his support is coming from — so he hires a young pickpocket to work for him. Fergus is adorable.
• Jamie and Claire finally have (probable) proof that the Duke of Sandringham is involved with the Jacobite cause, perhaps playing both sides.
• Claire has not told Jamie that BJR is still alive, and when she shares this information with Murtagh, he cautions her not to tell Jamie — but by the end of the episode, it seems that he must be told in order to avoid him finding out by accident. Claire has the opportunity, but for once Jamie is looking happy, and she can’t bring herself to tell him such awful news.

Insta-reaction:

Fergus! I love wee Fergus. It’s funny trying to picture this little cutie as a suave grown-up with a hook for a hand… but we don’t have to worry about that for several years yet.

Jamie and Claire have only been in Paris for a few months, but they seem completely comfortable now acting like lord and lady of the manor, dropping things for the servants to pick up and bossing people around. And do they trust Jared’s servants so completely that they feel free to discuss their plotting against Charles Stuart in front of them? Seems sloppy to me.

Trouble in paradise — Jamie and Claire are at odds for much of this episode. Claire feels useless doing nothing but dressing up and going to tea, but Jamie is pissed when Claire’s not home waiting for him once she does find something to do. Still, by the episode’s end, Jamie has grudgingly admitted that having Claire assist at the hospital is useful as well.

Claire’s visit to Master Raymond, while triggering her return to the medical field, also contains some random dialogue about herbs and their uses. But is it random? Claire questions why Raymond has a particular poison in his shop, and he responds that he lets his customers think they’re buying poison, while in fact he’s selling them non-lethal bitter cascara, which produces a dramatic and immediate effect — thus satisfying the poisoner’s need for vengeance, but letting the intended victim survive. Book readers may recall that this is put to use down the road… let’s see if the same is true in the TV production.

And as Suzette points out, rather saucily, to Murtagh, there’s nothing going on in the bedroom between Jamie and Claire. Jamie is still tormented by his nightmares and flashbacks, it would seem. Meanwhile, Murtagh is getting some! Good for Murtagh, and good for Claire for providing birth control.

The BJR issue is a thorny one. Early on, Murtagh advises Claire not to tell Jamie that BJR is still alive. If Jamie knew, Murtagh says, he’d head straight back to Scotland to try to get revenge, and would most likely end up imprisoned and then hanged. But once they realize that the Duke of Sandringham is involved and that they’ll need to try to get further information from him, Murtagh encourages Claire to tell Jamie the truth. If he encounters the Duke’s secretary, Alexander Randall, it’ll only be a matter of time before Jamie learns the news, so it’s better that he hears it from Claire and Murtagh.

It’s finally occurred to Claire that since BJR is supposed to wed and have a child in 1746, according to the historical documents, then Frank’s existence is in jeopardy if Jamie kills BJR before he can marry Mary Hawkins. If BJR dies without having children, then Frank will never be born 200 years later.

Another episode of great costuming. Claire’s yellow hooded cloak is so rich and expensive looking. She sticks out like a sore thumb out on the streets.

It’s great to see her back in the hospital later on, wearing a nurse’s apron and back to the business of dealing with yucky stuff. It’s funny to see how excited she is about having spent a day lancing boils and tasting urine. Oh, and the baby bump is finally making an appearance, if only briefly visible in a scene where Claire is in her shift for about half a second.

And then there’s Bouton! So even the animal members of the cast have to be ridiculously adorable.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

In some ways, this episode was fairly uneventful. There were no big dramatic moments, no stunning visual surprises, no major reveals. The chess game played by Jamie and Duverney is perhaps a good metaphor — the pieces were shuffled on the board in this episode, with strategy and countermoves — but chess itself isn’t all that thrilling from the spectator’s point of view (at least, it isn’t to me).

I’d be more interested in seeing more of the dynamic between Claire and Jamie and the state of their marriage (see below), given all of the pressure and tension, but this episode was mostly about the politics.

That doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the episode. I did. But while various bits were set into motion, not all that much new or different really happened.

Still, sometimes a bridge episode is necessary to get from one big moment to another. There’s a lot of maneuvering that still needs to happen. And there’s still the big secret hanging over Claire and Murtagh for now — whether or not to tell Jamie that BJR is still alive. Until that bit of information is out in the open, I don’t see how Claire will truly be able to face Jamie and be his partner.

And furthermore…

If I didn’t know better, I’d truly be worried for the state of Claire and Jamie’s relationship.

Claire and Jamie are both deeply unhappy in Paris, for different reasons. Claire feels useless as a society woman, life revolving around social visits, tea, and card games, until she gets back to using her medical skills. Jamie comes off like a bit of a jerk at first with his reaction to Claire’s volunteering — but after some thought, I have to admit that he has a point.

Jamie is a man who values honor and honesty above all, yet here he’s been forced into a life where his every moment is spent on deception and betrayal. He’s not a natural-born spy, and he feels degraded by the life he’s living. Yes, he and Claire chose this path for the greater good, to save Scotland and the Highlands from the terrible destruction that Culloden will bring. But knowing there’s a higher purpose does nothing to alleviate the dirt Jamie feels clinging to him on a daily basis as he lies, steals, spies, and hangs out in brothels — all things that Jamie would never do if he were able to be true to himself.

So when he slams Claire for being all giddy about working in the hospital, he’s not wrong. Jamie asks Claire, “When do I get to feel good?” And he’s right. They’re in this together, but Claire seems to have forgotten that Jamie is suffering from his actions just as much as she is suffering from boredom and inaction.

I’m not saying that she’s not doing good by working at the hospital. Clearly, she’s helping people. But she seems to have lost sight of Jamie’s struggle to carry out their mission and what it’s doing to his soul.

Add to that Jamie’s ongoing PTSD, their lack of sexual intimacy, and the looming hell that will break loose when Jamie discovers the huge secret that Claire has been keeping from him, and there’s definite cause for concern about the Frasers’ marriage.

But hey! Let’s end this insta-reaction on a happy note! How much did you love the scene between Jamie and Fergus? Probably not as much as I did!

Season 2 has begun! My intention is to write an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode right 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 202: “Not In Scotland Anymore”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Life in Paris is not without its trials as Jamie struggles to triumph over his past. A fortunate meeting with Prince Charles present opportunities, while the Duke of Sandringham’s presence brings complications.

My take:

Major plot points:

• Jamie seems to be suffering some serious PTSD. It’s implied that he and Claire have not been able to make love, since he’s tormented by nightmares and visions of his abuse by Black Jack Randall.
• Jamie and Claire seem to be fitting in pretty well in their new life in Paris, wearing fine clothes and rubbing shoulders with the upper class.
• Murtagh is stuck like glue to Jamie’s side, but yearns for Scotland.
• Jamie meets Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Stuart), and tries to convince him that the time isn’t right for an uprising. Charles makes clear that it’s God’s will that he reclaim Scotland for his father. Money will be the key to his success or failure.
• Claire has a new friend, Louise, who provides entry to the French court at Versailles.
• The Duke of Sandringham is in Paris, along with his secretary, Alexander Randall, younger brother of BJR. The Duke is nasty and slimy, and reveals to Claire that BJR is very much alive.

Insta-reaction:

Another great episode! This Paris-centric hour is in many ways setting the stage for what’s to come, introducing a few key new faces and throwing in some lighter (okay, hilarious) moments to break the tension.

Charles Stuart comes across as a light-weight buffoon who thinks he’s fulfilling a higher purpose, but knows nothing about the practicality of life in Scotland, having never set foot there.

Master Raymond gets a brief scene here, but we’ll be seeing more of him. He’s pretty much exactly as I pictured him! I loved his shop, especially the taxidermy crocodile hanging from the ceiling.

Louis de Rohan is a treat. There’s no explanation of how Claire came to be friends with her so quickly, but she’s quite a hoot and it’s good for Claire to have a female friend who’s not secretly psycho (miss you, Geillis!). Mary Hawkins is just as gawky and timid as she’s portrayed in the book, and as for Alexander Randall, it’s too soon to tell. He doesn’t look as much like BJR as he does in the book, but that’s okay. It looks like this plot point will work itself out just fine.

This episode is our first full-on vision of the Paris look for the show, and it’s a stunner. Once again, Terry Dresbach has done a fabulous job with the costumes — including two key costumes that are iconic for book readers, the red dress:

and the swan dress (aka, the nipple dress):

Neither one disappoints. Beyond those, Claire’s look is just perfect, from her shopping outfit to her robe (I want one), and even her oddly stiff get-up with the tie around her neck.

Okay, let’s talk about the scene that really cracked me up — the waxing scene! Louise was hilarious. I loved how she hit the waxing dude every time he pulled off another strip. Claire’s reaction was priceless — but so was Jamie’s later on when he realized what Claire had been up to. His astonishment was too cute.

And speaking of Jamie’s reaction — how great was the look on his face when he first saw Claire in the red dress?

Just the perfect combination of being completely wowed by his wife and utterly scandalized by how revealing her dress is. She’ll need a bigger fan, indeed.

It’s terribly sad, of course, to see how much Jamie is suffering, and how he can’t rid himself of the horrible memories that plague him whenever he and Claire become intimate. Have to wonder whether they’ve made love at all since Wentworth. Kudos to Sam Heughan for his portrayal of Jamie’s pain. Even in little gestures, such as Jamie’s absent-minded stroking and cradling of his damaged hand, we see his vulnerability and the constant reminder of the damage done.

Finally, it’s great to see so much quality time between Jamie and Murtagh. Murtagh has shown us, over and over again, that his sole purpose is keeping Jamie safe. It’s a lovely relationship, and it was nice to see them having their equivalent of play-time, working on building up Jamie’s strength with a little friendly sword work. Looks like Jamie enjoyed it too!

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

This episode was a visual treat, and it’s fun to see the main characters all prettied up and adapting to their new setting (although in Murtagh’s case, not adapting very willingly — really, dirty knees at Versailles!). While there are lighter moments, the political intrigue has the potential for real danger, the nastiness of the Duke lets us know that the scheming may truly hurt Claire and Jamie, and the reveal that BJR is still alive is devastating.

Claire is left with the burden of knowledge about BJR, and we’re left to wonder what she’ll do next. Should she tell Jamie, knowing that this can only worsen his trauma and nightmares? How much more damage can Jamie’s psyche take? But can Claire hide this from Jamie, and does she have the right to do so? And what will it do to their relationship if she doesn’t tell Jamie, but he finds out that she knew?

On a different note — Claire should be about four months pregnant at this point. I’d imagine that we’ll start seeing a little baby bump in the next episode or so, but the pregnancy didn’t seem to factor into this episode at all.

I enjoyed the episode, and thought the acting and production were both terrific… but like Murtagh, I miss Scotland! If I had to guess, based on the episode titles, I’d say that we won’t get back to Scotland until episode 8. Don’t get me wrong, I’m finding Paris interesting and well-done, but the heart of the show is really in Scotland.

And further…

Last week at this time, the new version of the opening credits were nowhere to found online, but now they’re here! Alors, the Skye Boat Song, with a wee bit en français. Et voila!

Season 2 has begun! My intention is to write an “Insta-Reaction” post for each episode right 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 201: “Through a Glass, Darkly”

The official synopsis (via Starz):

Returning to her own time, Claire must reconcile her future with the life she left behind. Shifting back to 18th century, Jamie, Claire and Murtagh arrive in France, but learn that Paris presents its own challenges.

My take:

Major plot points:

• Claire is back! We open with Claire lying on the grass at Craigh na Dun. She’s back in the 20th century.
• The Battle of Culloden is 200-year-old history, and it ended just the same — with a British victory.
• Frank still loves Claire and wants a life with her, even after she tells him that she married and loved another man.
• Claire is pregnant with Jamie’s child.
• Frank’s conditions for a life with Claire: They’ll raise the child as their own, not the child of another man. And Claire must give up her obsessive research into historical records, looking for a mention of Jamie. She has to let him go. She agrees.

• Back in the 18th century, Claire and Jamie arrive in Le Havre, France. They intend to save Scotland and the Highland way of life by preventing the Jacobite Rising. Basically, they’ll be spies working to undermine Bonnie Prince Charlie.
• Jamie’s cousin Jared believes Jamie sincere in his desire to work with the Jacobites, and agrees to make introductions, while at the same time setting Jamie up to run his wine business and live in his home in Paris.
• Claire almost immediately makes an enemy of the Comte St. Germaine by publicly declaring a crewmember from the Comte’s ship to be infected with smallpox. Because everyone hears, it can’t be covered up, and the Comte’s ship and cargo must be burned, according to the law, in order to prevent an epidemic.

Insta-reaction:

Love! That’s the quick version. Besides being ecstatic that the show is back, I simply loved the unfolding of the story, the quality of the production, and the interesting spin on the plot.

The 2nd book in the Outlander series, Dragonfly in Amber (which forms the framework for season 2) opens with a scene that made book readers freak out and think they missed something or picked up the books out of order. The book begins in 1968, as a 40-something year old Claire arrives in Inverness with her 20-year-old daughter Brianna, soon after the death of her husband Frank. What? How is it 1968? What’s Claire doing in the 20th century? She just spent 20 years with Frank??? What the hell???

I actually thought the TV show opening was a clever way to both startle the audience and give a context for what happens in the season. Claire wakes up on the grass between the stones at Craigh na Dun, as her voice-over tells us that she wishes she were dead. As she wanders down the road in her sturdy Scottish gown, a car pulls up behind her and the driver asks if she needs help.

What follows is a reminder of just how fantastic Caitriona Balfe’s acting is. Claire has an absolute melt-down on the road, asking the befuddled driver what year it is and who won the Battle of Culloden, then collapses in sobs as she hears that the British won after all.

The reunion between Frank and Claire is affecting and dramatic. Frank has never given up hope, is still madly in love with his wife, and wants her back, desperately.

I know fans, especially book fans, tend to have an anti-Frank reaction, and I get it. We love Claire and Jamie together. We don’t want to see her with Frank. But that’s the story, and while their reunion and resumption of their marriage happens mainly off the page in the book, discussed but not shown, for purposes of the TV production, it feels important to see how Claire resumed her life with Frank.

I’ll admit, though, that I have a hard time understanding why Claire would want to pick back up with Frank. Yes, she loved him in the past, but that was a long time ago. Jamie is, and always will be, the only person who truly owns her heart. Just look at Frank and Claire’s faces when they first see each other: Frank is practically shining with love. Claire is confused, alarmed, unsure — but there’s no hint of love in her face.

Still, I suppose it makes a sort of logical sense. It’s 1948, and Claire is pregnant, without a place, a home, or a cent to her name. She’s completely displaced, and deeply in mourning for the man she loves. She has no reason to doubt that Jamie died at Culloden, so there’s nothing left for her in the past. In the 1940s, Jamie has been dead for 200 years, yet she’s carrying his child. She owes it to Jamie to stay healthy and create a life for this child. Frank is offering her a home and a family, and is a man who desperately loves her and wants to be a father. What are Claire’s other options? In today’s world, she wouldn’t need him quite so much, but then? Being with Frank and raising a child with him seems like the only way forward, and she does care for him, even if she loves another man.

Other takeaways from the 20th century scenes:

Wee Roger is absolutely adorable. I love how he’s included in these scenes, just so we’ll remember later on that we know him and he matters.

Frank burns Claire’s 18th century dress, and it made me want to scream! He’s a historian, for Pete’s sake. Donate them to a museum! Those things are valuable!

On a more serious note, when Claire first sees Frank approaching her, she recoils in horror as she sees Black Jack Randall’s face instead. So how is she to move forward and build a life with this man, when every time she looks at him she sees the man who tortured her husband? Seems to me like an insurmountable obstacle. Add to that the fact that Frank seems to have inherited a bit of his ancestor’s capacity for rage and violence. Sure, Frank keeps it in check, but every once in a while it comes out. Claire looked truly frightened by Frank’s reaction to the news of her pregnancy — and the fist he made and the way he loomed over her were no joke.

Okay, when the episode shifts back to Claire and Jamie, my mood improved by about 100%. I can’t help it. They make me swoon.

There’s a terrific scene-change as we see Frank reaching a hand to Claire to help her off the plane that brought them to America, and as Claire reaches out, it’s Jamie’s hand she’s taking to descend from the ship that carried them from Scotland to France.

Claire and Jamie are wonderful together, and Murtagh is right there with them, the faithful, devoted protector. I’d hoped for a few moments of peace and rest for Claire and Jamie — but of course, since I’ve read the book, I knew that wasn’t actually to be.

Here’s where I had a bit of trouble with the TV production. After Jamie’s horrific experience at Wentworth Prison, they escape to the abbey for a few days’ recuperation, then immediately board the ship to France. It can’t be more than a week that has elapsed. And immediately, Claire urges Jamie to jump right into plotting to change the future.

At least in the book, we knew that more time had gone by. After Jamie’s escape, they sail directly to France and he spends a couple of months recovering at the abbey before they start planning their next moves.

So watching the episode, I was almost annoyed with Claire. The man has just been through hell. Give him some time to rest! Maybe take it easy, go for walks in the countryside, ease him back into feeling like himself again. Fine, there isn’t really time — if they want to stop the Jacobite rebellion, they need to act now. Wheels are in motion, so it’s now or never. But still — I was wishing that Claire and Jamie had even a tiny breather to find a way back to health and happiness before all the intrigue and danger kicks in.

I thought the explanation given in the episode for Claire’s plan was excellent. Claire tells Jamie about the disaster that Culloden will bring for the Highland people, and Jamie’s response is to question why they should try to stop the Rising, rather than working to help it succeed. A very good question, and an approach that would feel much more honorable to Jamie. It’s simple, though: Claire’s knowledge of the past and the history of the Rising is surface-level, at best. She doesn’t know the specifics of why the military campaign failed or have enough details about strategy or tactics to be able to pinpoint what they’d need to do differently in order to change the outcome. Given all that, the only option is for ensuring that the disaster doesn’t happen is to prevent it from ever beginning.

Insta-reaction wrap-up:

Thumbs up! The fact that the show is able to offer surprises even when the source material is so well-known is a huge credit to the production team. The construction of the episode gives us a sense of what’s at stake this season — the future of the Highlands as well as Jamie and Claire’s relationship — and lets us know from the outset that something tragic is on the way. Of course we all hate that Claire has left Jamie  and returned to the 20th century, but as the season unfolds and we see why and how that happened, we won’t be able to shake off the knowledge that a dark end is coming. Talk about setting the mood!

I’m thrilled to pieces (obviously) that the show is back. This looks like it’ll be an amazing season, and I simply can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.

And further…

The opening credits — that amazing version of the Skye Boat Song — have been revised for season 2! The images have changed, and the song itself is altered to include a portion in French. I haven’t found the video of it online yet, but I’ll share it as soon as I do!