Do you find yourself obsessively gabbing on about Outlander to your friends and family? Wishing your Saturday nights included a living room full of people with whom to watch, discuss, comment, cheers, jeers and well, experience alllllll the feels? Dinna fash, Obsessenach – you are not alone.
Good news – we can get new family and friends pour ourselves a dram and, through the magic of technology, enjoy it together! Each Saturday at 9:00 p.m., we’ll be LIVE blogging the episodes to bring you a two-screen experience into the world of Outlander. Like the Outlander Cast podcast, it will be SPOILER FREE for non-book readers.
So get all your post-18th Century gadgets ready and settle in, because the best things in life should be shared with a buddy. Hi, buddy.
Now let the show begin . . .
[9:00 pm] Sigh. Episode number 5. This season is going way too damn fast. But the “previously on Outlander” sequence and opening theme never cease to have me giddy with anticipation at what this new episode will hold. My own weekly “brace for impact” moment.
[9:02 pm] Congrats to Outlander writer Richard Kahan, who logs his first major writing credit with “Untimely Resurrection.” Talk about baptism by fire, kid. We’re behind you, let’s do this. Side note: we’re headed back to Versailles according to the palatial saddle blanket in this title card.
[9:03 pm] Huh, Claire doesn’t seem to be taking issue with all the hired help now. And I don’t blame her about-face attitude. Imagine cleaning up that mess, five months pregnant . . . and with your husband in jail for the night. No thank you.
[9:04 pm] Four minutes in and “I thought my heart was gonna burst” at Jamie tenderly carrying a sleeping Fergus to bed, sent off with the most loving glance, touch and kiss between he and Claire. It’s a scene we all want so desperately play out repeatedly for them in the future. No spoilers here, folks, but I can dream.
[9:07 pm] “You did what?” – Claire, in a line that’s been spouted from wives for centuries and has zerotranslation issues. In this case, Jamie fought off whores in his lap by telling them his wife was a witch (a white witch, hence “La Dame Blanche”) only months after she was nearly hanged for the same label. And there maaaay have been “a fair amount of drinking involved.” Thankfully, it could lead them to uncovering who attacked them in the alley. Talk about a free pass, dude.
[9:09 pm] Talked about ripped from the headlines – initiation into the aristocratic gang involves raping a virgin. Deplorable. On another note, Murtagh’s unforgiveable remorse at being not able to protect the girls from attack and his admission of it to Jamie is now my favorite scene between these two [thus far] this season. And again I say, Murtagh needs a hug.
[9:11 pm] Is it me or does Rosie Day’s portrayal of Mary Hawkins, while tremendous, make you feel like you’re listening to the “Childlike Empress” from The Neverending Story? I keep waiting for her to yell, “say my naaaaaaaaame!” That reference might be limited to children of the ‘80s, so bear with me.
[9:13 pm] Talk about nurture . . . between Claire’s mentoring of Mary, especially in this bittersweet scene, and Jamie’s of Fergus, these two are primed and ready to make wonderful parents.
[9:14 pm] Oh girrrrrrrl, don’t you dare. That’s far too Wentworth BJR with the Sandringham letter of you and you’re better than that, Claire. MUCH better.
[9:15 pm] Per fellow writer Anne, drink, because we just got our first Bonnie Prince Charlie “mark me.” Actually, we got “mark me, James” in that effeminate voice, making it sound a tad too “draw me, Jack” Titanic for me. I half expected Charlie to side lounge in the buff on a daybed after that one. Try getting that image out of your head.
[9:17 pm] “Trusted” friend or not, Bonnie Prince Charlie has really taken a note out of the Frasers-with-their-servants playbook by just laying the whole plan out there for Jamie’s easily digestible consumption. Shameless plug: read Anne Hawkinson’s latest post taking issue with this very thing.
[9:19 pm] “Do not plague with me workman’s concerns” – Bonnie Prince Charlie, making me like him. Also, Jamie and Le Comte will meet to discuss particulars at Maison Elise. Prediction: the combined gorgeousness of the King of Men and Hottie McHotterson will be too much for that whore house to bear. It’ll implode, and dildos-for-rent will rain out.
[9:21 pm] I know Claire’s got a vested interest in ensuring the Randall family tree branches down as it should, but our preggo friend takes meddling to a whole new – and infuriating – level. Also, I don’t think we can offer enough praise to Suzanne Smith and the casting department for their discovery of how eerily similar Laurence Dobiesz and Tobias Menzies are – mannerisms, facial twitches and all. Seriously, Google an image or two of the actors. Fun party trick.
[9:23 pm] The brothel is safe, for now. But these two can continue to throw side eye, front eye and every other eye at each other until the end of time because . . . hell, do I need to spell it out?
[9:25 pm] You rub that belly, Jamie. All day long. That is all.
[9:27 pm] JENNY! Geez I miss that tough-as-nails lass. Also, I appreciated the explanation of how these spoons made it to France. I know I should have just let the sweet sentiment of this scene wash over me, but my logistical brain got stuck wondering how their mad dash out of Scotland included rounding up heirlooms to take on the boat.
[9:28 pm] “What you don’t ken, you’ll learn. We’ll learn, together.” – Jamie, locking up my favorite line of the night and reducing me to choked-up tears.
[9:30 pm] Talk about a game of “would you rather” – Claire’s choices for a small-talk companion are the Duke or the ex. Pick Simon Callow, every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
[9:35 pm] Holy. Shit. Eloquent, I know, but those are the exact words that escaped the hubs’ and my mouths at the same time. I’ve never been so ecstatic to see a maniacal villain alive and well, but in fairness, Tobias Menzies and his incomparable talent will do that to you. There’s so much to grab at in this scene – his blurred entrance, the sharply crafted dialogue, his pained grunts to remind us of the state he was in when we last saw him, his stalking movement over Claire like a predator to prey, his helping Claire to lodge her pregnant foot in her mouth in front of the king, and so on and so on. And I might have called my favorite line of the night too early, because this about sums up everything we’re all thinking: “Claire, you of all people. Surely you can step outside the passions of the moment and appreciate the sublime preposterousness of a universe that would guide us to a meeting at the French Court.” I’m going to need to watch this scene again and again, and it’s not even the one with Jamie laying eyes on BJR yet.
[9:38 pm] New Facebook status for Claire and BJR – “we are acquainted.”
[9:39 pm] Oh god, here it is. We’ve waited nearly five hours of Outlander for this reunion. Holding my breath until it’s over.
Never mind, I couldn’t. He touched him. You guys, BJR touched our Jamie.
[9:41 pm] Karma’s a bitch, ain’t it, Jack? Jamie can exact whatever vengeance he needs for healing, but King Louis making a uniformed BJR beg on his knees provides good healing for me. Though, be clear – I’m verra much eagerly awaiting this challenged duel. Side note: I’m so glad we got a redo on meeting Lionel Lingelser as the King Louis XV. When we last saw him, he was on the crapper. And that’s just not a way to show off his acting chops. He’s fantastic in this scene, and that’s saying a lot considering he’s going up against Tobias Menzies.
[9:44 pm] Knee porn. Thank you, kilted Jamie . . . and kilted Murtagh for that matter. Also, tonight’s Jamie Hair Watch – vintage Jamie is back.
[9:47 pm] “I thought we were here to change the future.” – Ouch. And well played, Jamie, as he processes Claire’s plea that, in this instance, they must keep the course of history so that Frank can live. Talk about an unfair loophole.
[9:49 pm] Sam Heughan OWNS this scene. Cait is no stale bannock, but this could definitely be an Emmys submission clip for Sam. Side note: Get their love theme out of this scene, Bear. It’s making me squirm.
[9:50 pm] Well that stung. Folks, the [second] honeymoon might be over.
[9:55 pm] Shout out to Richard Kahan – well done, sir. You were given no small feat in penning this fateful episode and you certainly delivered. Flawless? No, but damn close. Only a couple episodes of Outlander have been for me and, truthfully, no single episode of television ever goes without some hiccups. The dialogue in this episode, especially in key scenes, was incredibly sharp and fulfilling where it needed to be. Unequivocally, the great for me was the return of Tobias Menzies as Black Jack Randall. I imagine I’m not alone. You can hate Black Jack Randall, but you can also LOVE to hate him. And I do.
The kilt rating on this one is verra high, but question . . . why is it five minutes shorter than usual? Hmm, intriguing.
Thanks for joining this week’s two-screen Outlander experience!
What did you think of this episode?
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Thanks for reading! Please be sure to catch up on all live blogs from Season 2:
Episode 2.01: “Through a Glass Darkly“
Episode 2.02: “Not in Scotland Anymore”
Episode 2.03: “Useful Occupations and Deceptions“
Episode 2.04: “La Dame Blanche“
Episode 2.05: “Untimely Resurrection”
Episode 2.06: “Best Laid Schemes…“
Episode 2.07: “Faith”
Episode 2.08: “The Fox’s Lair“
Episode 2.09: “Je Suis Prest“
Episode 2.10: “Prestonpans”
Episode 2.11: “Vengeance is Mine“
Episode 2.12 “The Hail Mary“
Episode 2.13 “Dragonfly in Amber“
Episode 2.05: “Untimely Resurrection”
Episode 2.06: “Best Laid Schemes…“
Episode 2.07: “Faith”
Episode 2.08: “The Fox’s Lair“
Episode 2.09: “Je Suis Prest“
Episode 2.10: “Prestonpans”
Episode 2.11: “Vengeance is Mine“
Episode 2.12 “The Hail Mary“
Episode 2.13 “Dragonfly in Amber“
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