Want to relive Outlander Season 4 Episode 6? We do a minute-by-minute reaction to “Blood of My Blood.”
[8:00 p.m.] So good to see you again, friends! I see you still have the Murtagh honeymoon glow about you as well. I’d hate to wear it alone.
[8:02 p.m.] I do hope Jamie plans to wash his hands after that little title card number. Please let it be a nod to Willie and not an actual snake. One episode without festering skin wounds or death would be great. K? Thanks.
[8:03 p.m.] And just like that, old home week continues… enter Lord John Grey within the first seven seconds. I’m with Jamie, what the devil? We sure aren’t wasting any time this week.
[8:04 p.m.] “Virginia’s some way north, John.” Lord John Grey is every high school guy or girl who tried to roll by their crush’s house with an “Oh, you live here? I just happened to be in the neighborhood.” And Jamie is every said crush who gave a flattered smile in return, while also calling them out on it.
[8:05 p.m.] We agree, Claire – having Murtagh here has made Fraser’s Ridge feel more like home. Please stay awhile, Murtagh. We’ve missed your curmudgeon charm.
[8:06 p.m.] I’m trying to do some quick math, and would gladly accept help in doing so. Willie (err, sorry – William) was six when Jamie left him, but how old is this mulleted kid? 12? Early teens at most? If so, has it really been less than 10 years since Jamie left Helwater, made a life in Edinburgh, married Laoghaire, reunited with Claire, crossed an ocean to save his nephew, washed up in Colonial America and built a homestead on 10,000 acres of land? And here I felt pretty good about my productivity for getting out of my pajama pants today.
[8:08 p.m.] I can’t even sort through all the thoughts and feelings pin-balling around in my head throughout this scene – there’s Jamie trying to remain collected as his eyes emote all over an aged William, Claire piecing it all together, John’s pleasant surprise that Murtagh lived and, my favorite, Murtagh in the corner shooting a hearty WTF glance at it all.
[8:09 p.m.] Not pivotal to the plot whatsoever, but I’d love to know what’s for dinner. Also I hope this meal started with a blessing that gave thanks be to Outlander Costume Team God for all the wigged glory seated at one table.
[8:11 p.m.] While I love that Murtagh’s moved from trusty sidekick to outspoken leader, this would be when I’d encourage him to simply smile, sip on his wine and keep his mouth shut. We’d all prefer to see the Silver Fox live for more than a couple episodes.
[8:12 p.m.] The notion of taking a pee outside is preposterous, but doing so within five feet of the dinner table in full view of all other guests is considered high class. Noted for upcoming holiday gatherings.
[8:14 p.m.] “Fondly.” If I struggle to find it later, someone please remind me that Jamie just put my heart in my throat.
[8:15 p.m.] Claire has the same quizzical interest and follow up questions on how Google Maps routed John to Virginia through Fraser’s Ridge.
[8:16 p.m.] I just figured it out. It’s Christmastime and I’m on holiday movie overdrive, which has made me realize that Lord John Grey’s just pulled a Cousin Eddie with his unannounced visit. There’s a chance Claire might wake up with her head sewn to the carpet.
[8:17 p.m.] We’ve enjoyed plenty of Jamie learning about Bree through Claire’s stories, so I’m loving the flip with Claire getting to know Jamie’s son through his stories. And that she’s finally laying eyes on him for herself.
[8:19 p.m.] If I could have your full attention for a moment, Jamie – I’ve got some questions. Like how quickly can you get started on a guest cabin? Does Ian live inside in that cabin with you? Where does he sleep? Are he and Murtagh in a bunk bed together somewhere? So many questions. Because if I’m following this correctly, you and Claire finally feel you have some privacy now that you’re outside in a lean-to propped up next to the crapper. And that just ain’t right.
[8:21 p.m.] “Don’t worry about me keeping yer secrets… I’ve kept them, each and every one.” Murtagh’s promise is genuine, I’m sure, but there’s also a tinge of disenchantment in his words stemming from Jamie’s insistence that he won’t help Murtagh’s cause by leveraging his closeness with the man who once imprisoned them both.
[8:22 p.m.] I’ve heard of the men retiring to the study or parlor for brandy and cigars after dinner while the women remain, but this… well, this is new. The men remain inside the warm cabin to drink and play board games while the woman retires to the cold, hard ground outside. Neat. Snark aside, I love that time has passed and stations and circumstances in life have changed, but the chess board still represents a mere excuse for these two to share conversation, space and affection with each other.
[8:23 p.m.] You’re a good man, Jamie Fraser, with your priorities beautifully in check. #LifeGoals
[8:25 p.m.] Claire’s got one hell of a healing gig ahead of her – an uninterrupted week with the man in love with her husband, aided only by a friend formerly imprisoned by that man who now rests squarely on the other side of politics and the law from him.
[8:26 p.m.] There are 43 muscles in the human face, and this kid actor (Oliver Finnegan) has apparently committed to using every single one of them to bring us William.
[8:27 p.m.] “Have you ever seen such a glorious thing before, Sir?” Never. I’m not crying, you’re crying. Okay fine, we’re both crying.
[8:29 p.m.] I don’t know what the heck was in that tea, but let’s keep it coming. It’s clearly been brewed with honesty and candor. Devastatingly straightforward, as John labeled it, looks fantastic on both of them.
[8:31 p.m.] The dialogue in this scene is off the charts stellar, as is David Berry and Caitriona Balfe’s acting together. Word for word, look for look.
[8:33 p.m.] It’s not as if we haven’t seen Jamie’s paternal instincts numerous times with Fergus and Ian, among others, but seeing him with his own son – teaching him and learning more about him in the process – is doing something altogether different and flippy floppy to my insides. This is a man that was born to raise a child in his/her presence every single day, and we’re a crowd that would’ve loved to have seen it.
[8:35 p.m.] William assuming Jamie will field dress his deer for him is just like when my six-year-old expects me to cut the crust off his sandwich. Still no.
[8:37 p.m.] Emotional outbursts from a tween/teen feel so incomplete if there isn’t a door to slam.
[8:39 p.m.] Is it me or does sickness look dreamy on Lord John? He finally has some color to his face, and who knew all that pectoral wonder was hiding under that clothed pomp and circumstance?
[8:41 p.m.] Y’ALL, THE TEA IS BACK.
[8:42 p.m.]
Claire the healer’s mouth: “You should stop talking; you need your rest.”
Claire the wife’s brain: “Shut your pie hole before I give your head a real reason to hurt.”
[8:43 p.m.] I don’t think Jamie’s slept soundly in 40 years without an ear out for caution, so I’m finding it hard to believe that this newbie-to-the-woods kid rustled out of that lean-to without Jamie hearing.
[8:44 p.m.] These Cherokee have to be thinking “Ah, Christ – you Frasers again? Every week with you people.”
[8:45 p.m.] “The boy is mine… his blood is my blood! …and we have the same awkward banged ponytail! See, we’re related.”
[8:46 p.m.] Yep, that boy might have the upbringing and refinement of Lord John Grey, but he is all James Fraser. And thank you, Outlander, for hearing my earlier plea and gifting us a week free of maim, death and dismemberment.
[8:47 p.m.] Okay so the tea is back again, but this time with a spoonful of empathetic honey stirred in for good measure. And it’s the perfect medicine for both John and Claire.
[8:48 p.m.] That’s rhetorical, right Claire? Because you of all people should know there is likely never a time when someone stops feeling all they have for Jamie Fraser.
[8:49 p.m.] I got used to seeing Claire saddled up against Jamie on a long, cold ride but I could get used to this too.
[8:50 p.m.] I know that guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days (thank you, Ben Franklin), but I’m still sad to see both this father-son camping trip and Claire and John’s ongoing little game of three truths and no lies come to an end.
[8:51 p.m.] Claire laundry listing health-restorative foods as an actual reply to John’s question about how he could repay her is proof that her verbal filter is a stronger grade than mine.
[8:52 p.m.] John laments that they have to leave and and I can barely hear it over Claire’s smile so laced with “Oh darn, leaving already? What. A. Shame.”
[8:53 p.m.] If I thought that Bob Dylan cover song playing while Jamie rode away from his son in Season 3 did me in (shameless plug for this post), it’s only because I had yet to experience this moment of Jamie tearfully watching his son do the riding away to Bear McCreary’s Willie theme. Gut me like the stag of your first kill, why don’t you.
[8:54 p.m.] Of all the things we’ve seen Jamie’s hands bare hands plunge into and tackle this episode (you know, snake in a toilet, fish with a tickle), this one suits him best.
[8:55 p.m.] TORRENT. OH PLEASE OH PLEASE PICK TORRENT.
[8:56 p.m.] Anyone else having flashbacks to Jamie’s gifting of his mother’s pearls and the key to Lallybroch? I distinctly recall having trouble breathing normally through those too. I love how the man seamlessly works gifts that remind him of his mother into sexy time with his wife.
[8:57 p.m.] I retract my previous statement about math. This is math I can get behind. Do math regularly, please. And also, get to building that guesthouse ASAP…
Closing Thoughts:
Another week, another old friend or two, another 60 minutes of compelling television. If Jamie promised Claire a thousand kisses with that gorgeous ring, Outlander‘s promising me a thousand emotions with the story lines of Season 4. I know I’m not alone in this. It just keeps getting better and better.
Confession: I’m a book reader, but wouldn’t put my right hand on it and swear by a vivid memory of every minute detail of Drums of Autumn, and that’s for the best. Every thing that comes at me feels comfortably familiar and warm, but still excitedly new. This episode illuminated that more than most, and celebrated my love for a beautiful hybrid offering of the book and TV storytelling. How else would we enjoy the delights of Jamie, Claire, William, Lord John Grey and Murtagh all in ONE scene?! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME.
The acting from all (even the kid held his own!) was as on fire as John’s pec-tacular fever, and I immensely enjoyed that we got an episode where we stayed put in one time, one setting with limited characters. I’ll cling to that as I fear we’re headed straight into drama and trauma (but with a clean-shaven Roger!) and I’ll long for this easy, breezy episode full of sharp dialogue, emotional relationships and no racing from point to point to propel a plot forward. It all felt like a blanketed hug on a cold, dreary night. Or like a soak in a fireside bath…………….patience, please. I’m going to need a minute……………..exhale.
Until next week, friends!
If you’ve missed any of our Season 4 episode recaps, you can catch up with them here:
Episode 4.01: “God Bless America”
Episode 4.02: “Do No Harm”
Episode 4.03: “The False Bride”
Episode 4.04: “Common Ground”
Episode 4.05: “Savages”
A complete library of recaps from Seasons 2-3 is also available here.
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