Article originally published as OUTLANDER Review on Seat42F.
The latest drama from Starz is
OUTLANDER, premiering this weekend, although the first episode has
already been released publicly online. The series revolves around a
British nurse named Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe, Now You See Me),
who, while traveling the Scotish highlands with her
just-returned-from-World-War-II-husband, Frank (Tobias Menzies, Game of
Thrones), is tossed back in time two hundred years. Lost and out of her
depth, she is quickly taken under the wing of Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan,
Doctors).
While there are elements of time travel
in the story, obviously, OUTLANDER is much more a romance than science
fiction program. The primary dramatic thrust involves Claire’s heart,
which fully belongs to her husband, Frank. But now she is far away from
Frank with no way back in sight, so her affections might be tested,
especially when a charming man looks out for her. It’s essentially the
familiar love triangle, but with one party, who starts with the upper
hand, sitting on the bench for most of the game.
The love story between husband and wife
is well woven in the first episode, “Sassenach,” which spends much of
its running time in 1945, before moving back to the 1740s. As such, it’s
hard to get a feel for what exactly the show will be. That seems OK
because Claire is definitely the center of the tale and her character is
well-served in the pilot. Any other feelings that might bubble up are
sure to be gradual, and thus, audiences won’t have to worry about
getting whiplash from a fickle player.
In fact, all of OUTLANDER moves very
slowly. The first hour-plus is simply concerned with Frank getting home,
the couple reconnecting, and then Claire being separated again from her
love. While some series could have shown that in an opening scene or
act, OUTLANDER takes a full installment to do so. That will likely give
us some idea of the type of pacing to expect from the show, going
forward, which is glacial.
Yet, OUTLANDER somehow avoids being
boring. There is an ineffable, magnetic quality about Claire that makes
her easy to watch. Her happiness is the viewer’s happiness, and her
troubles concern us. Claire is easy to care about, and sucks us into the
story thoroughly. While this is not the type of genre of television I’d
normally be attracted to, a period romance, I found myself engrossed in
Claire’s journey, both emotional and physical, and I definitely want to
find out what happens to her next.
What I like most is that there are many
little, unexpected, charming bits. One such instance involves the lady
that runs a bed and breakfast that Claire and Frank stay at. She frowns
upon hearing their energetic use of the bed, making us think she’s a
prude. But when Claire and Frank stop goofing around and the creaking
switches to something more realistic, she smiles, dashing assumptions.
There’s also an amusing scene in which Claire is, more or less, labeled a
nymphomaniac, spun in a positive light. These sorts of things provide
the light touch that keeps the show from getting too melodramatic.
The setting is also beautiful. Who
doesn’t want to spend time in the Highlands of Scotland? It’s a lush,
green place that feels magical and old at its core. It’s the perfect
setting for a time-bending adventure, especially one with such romantic
notions.
The one complaint I have about OUTLANDER
so far is that Menzies has been tasked with a dual role, also playing
Frank’s ancestor, Black Jack Randall, in the 1740s. While some people do
resemble their forefathers to some extent, being identical to someone
many generations removed is exceedingly rare. I feel like TV shows make
the mistake of allowing one actor to stand in for multiple family
members too often, and it comes across as unrealistic and hokey. In a
show that takes such care with authenticity otherwise, this is a
disappointment.
Still, that’s a minor complaint about a series I really enjoy. OUTLANDER premieres Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.
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