No "Search" for Goodness in OUTLANDER

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This week’s episode of OUTLANDER on Starz is all about “The Search” for Jamie (Sam Heughan). Learning he has been captured by the British, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jenny (Laura Donnelly) set out to rescue their husband and brother, respectively. But rushing off without a plan could get Jamie into more dire straits than he’s presently in.

I like the arc of “The Search.” The episode begins with Jamie captured, and ends with the same. In the middle, though we do not see him, he is free for a time. However, Claire’s efforts to find him lead to him being nabbed again, or so we hear, which has to make her feel even worse than she already does, her actions resulting in the exact opposite outcome than what she wants.

It’s not all Claire’s fault. Jenny doesn’t have a plan, either, and having just given birth, she shouldn’t be out anywhere. She ends up heading home relatively early on, after a disturbing torture session, needing to return to nurse her child. Then, Claire’s second companion, Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix), comes up with the idea to make a reputation for themselves so that Jamie can find them. But Claire doesn’t just stick to his theory, introducing jazz music (highly amusing!) and trying to pay off a gypsy that is copying their shtick. That the gypsy ends up being helpful probably makes the whole thing a wash, at best.

Even with these setbacks, “The Search” is an entertaining episode of OUTLANDER. Jenny and Claire are still fairly new in their relationship, so it’s nice to see them bonding, even when it involves unwanted, painful branding. Murtagh is often around, but so little is known about him. Claire and Murtagh share one powerful scene this week that really helps flesh out his character.

In the end, though, it’s Clan MacKenzie that must help Claire rescue Jamie. First Willie (Finn Den Hertog) volunteers, then Angus (Stephen Walters), then the rest. Dougal (Graham McTavish) isn’t enthusiastic about the scheme to free Jamie from captivity, believing his nephew doomed, but he does allow his men to participate, so even if he’s not an asset, he’s not a strong detractor, either. Now we’ll just have to wait ‘til next week to see if they succeed, since “The Search” runs out of time before we actually get to the rescue.

A strange thing happens when Claire encounters Dougal in that he proposes she marry him. Dougal is obviously attracted to Claire, given that time he tried to rape her, but he never seems to like her very much. Why would he want her to be his bride? On the other hand, Dougal was in love with Geillis, who has much in common with Claire including being a time traveler, so perhaps he has a type that is not obvious to the observer. Or he just thinks he’s doing her a favor.

Claire is offended because, to her eyes, Dougal is leaving his nephew to die while trying to steal his bride, but I don’t think Dougal sees it that way. He is a practical man, and as much as he likes to fight for what he believes in, he’s not anxious to embark upon a suicide mission. I think if Dougal thought there were a decent chance to save Jamie, he would do so, and his dismissing the idea is purely because he doesn’t see a good way to make that happen.

Similarly, he seems to think he’s being noble by offering Claire protection, not trying to be an opportunist. Dougal is a man of his time, and I believe he is acting in what he thinks is a kind-hearted manner to a relation. Or, at least as kind-hearted as Dougal MacKenzie can get.

Not a lot happens in “The Search,” but it is chock full of compelling scenes, funny moments, and has great character development, especially for Murtagh and Dougal. That makes it a great episode in my book.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

OUTLANDER Gets Another Good "Mark"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Tonight’s OUTLANDER episode, “The Devil’s Mark,” could be divided into two parts. In the first, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Geillis (Lotte Verbeek) stand trial on the charge of witchcraft, with an execution all but certain. In the second, time travel secrets are spilled and Claire must make a very difficult choice about where she wants to spend the rest of her life. Both are quite compelling, and together, they make for a hell of an hour, more connected than they first appear.

At the start of “The Devil’s Mark,” Claire and Geillis, previously good friends, are on the outs, both blaming the other for the position that they are in. In truth, though, they’ve been keeping secrets from one another. Those secrets come out too late to do any good, but if they’d only confided more fully in each other earlier, they could have been better pals, and maybe a different outcome could have been reached.

See, Geillis is from the future, too; in fact, about twenty-five years further in the future than Claire. This is a huge bombshell that is telegraphed, but not enough that I saw it coming. Her dance in the woods, her knowledge of the supernatural; these things are clues to who she really is. She and Claire have something extremely important in common. Her vaccination mark leaves no doubt that Geillis is telling the truth when she confesses this.

But by the time she does, she is taking the fall for both herself and Claire in court, and Jamie (Sam Heughan) is escorting Claire away from the rioting mob. Claire can do nothing to save Geillis, and as far as Claire knows, she is once more the sole time traveler in the area. However, hearing Geillis spill her guts, in a fashion, makes Claire realize she must do the same, and Claire confides everything to Jamie.

Jamie, of course, is from this time, and has no reason to believe Claire other than his love for her. Even taking for granted that Jamie accepts some things beyond his comprehension, a product of the superstitious time he lives in, it’s a stretch for Claire to expect Jamie to believe anything she says. Yet, he does, fully and without question.

This proves how much love Jamie has for Claire. What is less certain is the love Claire has for Jamie. She’s fond of him, sure, and enjoys their sexy times, but she has not stuck her neck out for him in the same way that he has for her. In “The Devil’s Mark,” I think Claire finally realizes this. She may or may not be able to get home again through the stones, but by making a conscious decision not to try (or at least that’s how it appears), she does something monumental for Jamie, and the tears on his cheeks show how he feels about that.

Claire can be a bit of a jerk, and some may argue that she isn’t doing right by Frank (Tobias Menzies) to stay in the past. Frank loves her, and even if they aren’t particularly close at the time of her disappearance, given their long separation during the war, he isn’t ready to give her up. At the same time, there is no arguing that what Claire has been through with Jamie is significantly more dramatic, and the bond she has forged with the young Scot is probably quite a bit stronger than the one she shares with Frank. For now, anyway.

The fact that now is the time in which Claire makes this decision makes it much weightier. She has just barely survived a sham of a trail in which she lost a good friend. Claire knows what will become of the Scots, the MacKenzies and their ilk in particular, and she has no reason to think she won’t eventually suffer the same fate as Geillis or worse. Claire isn’t just choosing Jamie, she’s giving up safety to be with him. This is super important.

The trial itself is very gripping television. Despite Ned’s (Bill Paterson) best attempt at mounting a defense, something he says Colum (Gary Lewis) would disapprove of, the crowd is with Laoghaire’s (Nell Hudson) lies and the co-accusers that Laoghaire recruits. Until Jamie shows up and Geillis makes a false confession, things look dire for Claire, and it’s all the more frustrating because viewers know without a doubt that the charges are unfounded.

Except, from Laoghaire’s perspective, she might very well believe what she’s saying. After all, she thinks she has Jamie until Claire steals him away. Since Laoghaire believes in witches and can’t bring herself to accept Jamie’s rejection, she might justifiably think Claire is one.

Perhaps it’s good that this civilization didn’t last. As much as Claire might care for certain individuals she encounters and as sympathetic as many of the personalities portrayed are, society as a whole is lacking. Magic and religion rule the day, most people buying into things they are told by people no wiser and a great deal more crooked than themselves. The present has certainly not eliminated all of that, but it’s with a certain amount of (admittedly smug) superiority one can look back at how far we’ve come.

None of that matters in crafting a story, though, and OUTLANDER is crafting a doozy. There is no ‘typical’ hour for the program, “The Devil’s Mark” being as different as any other installment from the others. Its strength rests in the characters and the authenticity of the setting, both of which are done with the highest quality. OUTLANDER remains “must-see,” by far the best program on Starz.

Oh, and Dougal (Graham McTavish) will not be happy his love and unborn child are killed to save Claire. He may not know about the baby yet, but he’ll probably find out. Knowing that certainly provides a bit of a cliffhanger.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m . ET on Starz.

OUTLANDER "Pricking" Fans' "Thumbs" and Hearts

Article first published as OUTLANDER Review Season 1 Episode 10 By the Pricking of My Thumbs" on Seat42F.

A lot happens in this week’s Outlander on Starz, “By the Pricking of My Thumbs.” Each of the primary players has disagreements with others, and the fall-out from some of these conflicts will cause unpleasantness for some time to come. There is no denying that Claire (Caitriona Balfe) is a part of this time and place now, as she has been seamlessly integrated into history.

The hour begins with Jamie (Sam Heughan) petitioning the Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow, Amadeus) to clear his name. When Claire warns Jamie than the Duke and Black Jack (Tobias Menzies) are friends, Jamie then sets out to discredit Black Jack. However, it is Claire’s interference that eventually gets Jamie saved, and his own quips that land him in hot water again very soon after.

Watching Claire manipulate and blackmail the Duke is not pleasant. I understand that Claire is protecting her innocent husband against a corrupt system, but the coldness in her eyes is not easy to overlook. She does this with such ease and composure that it feels natural, not like she compromising her morals, and that’s why this is disturbing. Claire can be ruthless when she wants to be.

Jamie seems much more light-hearted. His feud with another clan happens quite by accident, as he trades insults with them after seconding the Duke in a duel. He isn’t trying to start a fight, and only defends himself as far as he must, never on the attack. Jamie is a good man, and his actions stand in stark contrast to Claire’s, making them seem like they might not fit together as a couple as well as they appear to in the opening scene of “By the Pricking of My Thumbs.”

For Jamie’s actions, Colum (Gary Lewis) sends him away. Colum doesn’t give Jamie a chance to explain, which can be overlooked given the other things on Colum’s mind at the moment. Still, despite Jamie’s name being cleared, the outcome is not at all what Jamie and Claire hope for, nor what the viewers would like to see. Our heroes have still more to overcome.

Colum is distracted because of the behavior of his brother, Dougal (Graham McTavish). Dougal has been having an affair with Geillis (Lotte Verbeek) and she is pregnant with his child. At first, it seems like Geillis is counting on fate to bring her and Dougal together, but after both of their spouses die, some begin to suspect foul play, at least on Geillis’ part. Colum sends Dougal away to try to minimize the fall-out to the clan, frustrated with the threat Dougal causes them.

I still think Geillis is a true friend to Claire. I don’t sense anything ill between them, even after Claire accuses Geillis of murder. Geillis’ romantic issues are hers, not Claire’s, and they remain friends, Claire even trying to help Geillis escape the law.

Unfortunately for the both of them, Laoghaire (Nell Hudson) isn’t so kind. When Claire confronts Laoghaire over what she’s been doing, trying to break up Claire’s marriage, Laoghaire not only admits to it, but pledges to keep up the fight. Claire and Geillis’ arrest for witchcraft at the close of “By the Pricking of My Thumbs” is Laoghaire’s doing, as she wins the latest round of battle. So I guess all three main women on OUTLANDER can be pretty bad.

Laoghaire cannot be triumphant for long. Jamie loves Claire, and whatever feelings he had or has for Laoghaire, he is an honorable and dedicated husband. Were Jamie to see what Laoghaire has been doing, he would not approve and it would kill any chance of the outcome she desires. I guess she thinks that she can get away with being sneaky, but that doesn’t seem likely.

Will Claire’s relationship with the Duke, tenuous as it is, get her and Geillis out of trouble? Or at least save Claire? If he is the one to sit in judgment over the girls, they stand a chance of getting off without too much trouble. Claire still has the dirt on him, and Laoghaire’s evidence is faked, so cannot possibly hold up to much scrutiny, even by old court standards. Claire has friends in the castle who will surely speak up for her. I don’t think this is a serious, lasting problem, dire as the situation might seem in the cliffhanger.

OUTLANDER certainly knows how to keep things exciting. None of what goes down in “By the Pricking of My Thumbs” is expected, at least not by those who haven’t read the book series, and drama keeps building. The characters are well-defined enough at this point to get a read on them, yet they still have hidden depths to be explored, such as when we learn about Dougal and Geillis’ affair. Even if not a lot happens in this hour, I come away satisfied and ready for the next installment, which sadly is a full week away.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

OUTLANDER Sails Through Any "Reckoning"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

“The Reckoning” picks up pretty much right where Starz’s OUTLANDER left off in its midseason finale last fall. Claire (Caitriona Balfe) is in the custody of one Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies), about to be raped. The episode, which is narrated by Jamie (Sam Heughan) for a change, begins with his daring rescue of his wife, which of course must happen. But Black Jack trying to rape Claire and make Jamie watch is actually arguably not the most disturbing thing in the hour.

Yes, that scene is absolutely awful. Black Jack is a truly twisted individual, a cold-blooded exhibitionist and sadist who would kill Jamie while taking Claire against her will and probably take extreme pleasure from it. But we expect that from Black Jack. We know he’s a bad dude, and no one would think he’d do anything more civil than this.

No, “Reckoning” takes the aftereffects of this event and continues to make us uncomfortable with them. Claire and Jamie’s reconciliation is easy enough. There’s an ugly screaming match, but as soon as she realizes that his anger comes from a place of fear for her safety, she can forgive him. He’s a noble man who just wants to protect his wife, and she can understand that, as she is surely scared, too. The fight is emotionally raw and moving, and concludes with mutual forgiveness.

That doesn’t satisfy the clan, however, who are not her husband and are also put in danger. In modern times, a heartfelt apology and some fresh baked goods might be enough to get Claire back into their good graces, but that is not the way of the MacKenzie clan of past centuries. Instead, Jamie takes Claire upstairs and beats her bare bottom with a belt as punishment for her recklessness.

I find this scene even more disturbing than what Black Jack does. Not because of the clan’s reaction, which seems in character for those rough and tumble men, but for Jamie’s. He doesn’t offer Claire an out; he doesn’t try to keep her from harm. He thinks he’s doing her a favor, fighting her physically to be able to inflict the lashes, and enjoying her squirming in pain. This is 50 Shades, but without the sub agreeing to it.

I know I am judging Jamie through modern eyes, and I can’t help that. Because Jamie is so loving towards Claire, I forget he is part of that larger group and expect him to be better than them. It’s Claire’s resistance and anger, more than anything, that ruin this scene for me, and Claire seems perfectly justified in freezing Jamie out until he promises to never do it again, even threatening him with a knife during sex to even the score. Now, Jamie will be the man that Claire, I, and other fans want him to be, but he must be punished to get there, which has a certain sort of poetic justice, even if his chastisement is emotional, rather than physical.

“Reckoning” may understand what it’s doing to Jamie, and thus gives him a more respectable plot as well. Colum (Gary Lewis) is furious with Dougal (Graham McTavish) for collecting money for the Jacobites and confiscates the funds. The clan almost splits into civil war, with various members siding with one brother or the other. Jamie intervenes, though, and brokers peace as only an outsider can. This proves his worth to Colum, even if he won’t swear fealty, and shows Jamie’s level headedness that many of the Highlanders lack.

Lastly, Jamie gets a very cold welcome at the castle from Laoghaire (Nell Hudson). She has flirtation with him before he leaves and he returns a married man, so she has plenty of reason to be upset. However, she handles it poorly, offering herself up as a fling in the woods and planting bad totems in the couple’s bedroom. Thankfully, Jamie resists, though he does appear tempted by her charms, as many men would be. I’ve heard Scottish women have a temper and can be vindictive (a stereotype I know that does not apply to all of the group), but Laoghaire takes this to a terrible level. She isn’t going to accept the union anytime soon, which makes her a danger to Claire in the meantime. Let’s hope she doesn’t step up her stunts to the level of violence against our heroine.

Despite the scene I spend a great deal of this review discussing, or maybe even because of it, I do think “Reckoning” is a strong return for OUTLANDER. It gets us back to the characters, tells an unexpected, engaging story, and maintains the complex, beautiful tale told over the first eight episodes. I’m greatly enjoying the show, and think it has stayed true to form during its break.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

OUTLANDER At "The Wedding"

Article first published as OUTLANDER Review Season 1 Episode 7 The Wedding on Seat42F.

This week’s installment of Starz’s OUTLANDER is called “The Wedding.” It begins with a parallel look at both of Claire’s (Caitriona Balfe) big days – a courthouse quickie with Frank (Tobias Menzies), and a more traditional ceremony involving Jamie (Sam Heughen). But the majority of the hour is focused on what comes immediately after the wedding, and being that the audience of OUTLANDER is made up of adults, I think we all know what that means. I’m talking about S-E-X.

Claire doesn’t fall into bed with Jamie immediately. This all happens quite quickly, and she’s still wrestling with the notion that she’s cheating on Frank. He may not be alive in this time, but he very much exists in the era Claire belongs to. Her goal is to get back to him. She doesn’t want to be spoiled when she does so, and she sees wedding Jamie as making her a bigamist.

It’s a shame Claire feels this way. Jamie is extremely earnest and sincere. Through flashback, Jamie tells Claire of the trouble he went to in arranging the perfect ceremony. Claire admits to drinking heavily in the hours leading up to the marriage. This is not a perfectly balanced couple, the affection being given in a very one-sided fashion. He gifts Claire his mother’s cherished pearls, and she gives him nothing, not even giving up Frank’s ring. Jamie is a good man and he doesn’t deserve a spouse who is not fully committed to him.

Yet, is Claire’s hesitation really her fault? She definitely cares for Jamie, and she enjoys their three love-making sessions in “The Wedding.” If she didn’t marry Frank, she’d be free to love Jamie, and it’s easy to imagine her doing so with all her heart. Her hesitance is not about Jamie himself. A night of talking and being together (and imbibing even more alcohol) is plenty enough to lower her defenses and allow her to give in to the feelings she harbors. It’s just a crappy situation.

The reason Claire goes through with “The Wedding” is to protect herself from Black Jack Randall (also Menzies), who is determined to learn her secrets, even through violent means, if necessary. Claire marries Jamie for protection, and he willingly steps forward to offer a safe haven. This does demonstrate some level of love between them, whether it’s fully sexual or not, and the wedding has to happen.

All of this begs the question, who will Claire choose: Frank and Jamie? If she has the opportunity to return to her time, will she? “The Wedding” certainly seems to indicate so. Even after coupling with Jamie, she still refuses to let go of Frank’s ring. Her gaze at both hands bearing a band does show a bit of conflict, but all of Claire’s actions in OUTLANDER point to her going back to Frank. This will mean abandoning Jamie and hurting him deeply.

Might there be a time when Claire’s allegiances shift? Will she stay in the past long enough to get to a point where she values Jamie ahead of Frank? I haven’t read the books, so have no prior knowledge of what’s to come. But it seems to me that, given time, she might not want to go home so desperately, though that time is not now.

Marrying Jamie does make Claire more valuable and accepted by the other Scots. We see several of them make efforts to prove their loyalty to her, and while they may be acting because of what Jamie means to them, it’s clear this community now extends to Claire as well. Nothing else she has done up to this point will ingrain her in with the MacKenzies as much as marrying Jamie does.

Dougal (Graham McTavish) remains the enigma, though. He seems sort of happy for the bride and groom, offering Jamie uncle-ly advice. But he makes a serious pass at Claire later. The drunken assault a few weeks ago is clearly not a one-time thing, and Dougal harbors some sort of attraction towards Claire. Since Claire keeps shutting down his advances, will he give up, or will he go to a darker place to get what he wants, which seems to be Claire’s body?

Fans of the romance element of OUTLANDER, and it’s a major part of the show, will surely love “The Wedding” because there is lots of sex and some real intimacy between Jamie and Claire. Fans of character development should also be happy with this entry. People who watch for the action or the time travel might be disappointed, but those are lesser things as far as OUTLANDER is concerned, so this week serves the majority of the viewership pretty well.

Only one episode left before the hiatus! OUTLANDER’s mid-season finale airs next Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

OUTLANDER Review Season 1 Episode 6 The Garrison Commander

Article first published as OUTLANDER Review Season 1 Episode 6 The Garrison Commander on Seat42F.

This week’s installment of Starz’s OUTLANDER is called “The Garrison Commander.” Picking up where last week leaves off, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) is escorted back to the Red Coat base, finally no longer subject to the Scots’ whims. But among her ‘own people,’ she finds things do not go as smoothly as she hoped, and she’s soon caught in the middle of the warring sides. Picking which one to back is not an easy decision, contrary to what Claire may think.

“The Garrison Commander” starts with Claire forced to answer a question. Is she with Dougal (Graham McTavish) by choice? We know she isn’t, but admitting that would lead to certain death for Dougal, a man Claire has just made peace with. For this reason, it’s to no one’s surprise that she doesn’t say she’s a prisoner, though her vague answer doesn’t exactly clear Dougal of wrongdoing, either. It just allows him to escape being arrested for now.

At first, Claire is relieved to be with the English. After all, those are the countrymen she is descended from, and assumes they will allow her to travel home. This does appear to be the case] until she lets her political opinions slip out, defending the Scots with whom she’s been living. This makes sense for her character, as she has sympathy and affection for those that have been kind to her, and she understands their case. But it makes her seem treasonous to the English, which helps with the necessary plot device of lengthening her stay in the past, hurting her character’s goals.

Thus, Claire is as much a prisoner among the English as she is with Clan MacKenzie. Be careful what you wish for, because the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, to borrow two trite but true phrases. There is to be no quick return home for her, and she needs to decide who will help her best.

The English do present opportunity, but unfortunately Claire is left in the hands of Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies). Had she stayed with the other officers, wary as they may be of her, their properly-taught etiquette would likely have them escort her back. Instead, Black Jack is a merciless monster who questions Claire roughly to find out her true loyalties.

OUTLANDER does a neat trick for an extended sequence in “The Garrison Commander” as Black Jack supposedly reveals his side of the story of Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) beating. He makes Claire feel sympathy for him, and by extension, while the viewers, especially Claire-Jamie shippers, may not forgive his actions, one might not think Black Jack completely lacks a heart. Yet, his pretense of regret is an act, one meant to encourage Claire to let her guard down, and is quickly cast aside when it doesn’t work. Black Jack is as villainous as ever, which actually works for the character, revealing cleverness, if not complexity.

Once more, this is an example of how the series is very firmly told through Claire’s point of view. We only know what she knows, and we really only see what she sees. It’s an interesting and surprisingly rare thing, to tie an entire show’s perspective to one character, but it also makes for intriguing television, where perception may not match reality. I like this element of OUTLANDER and hope it stays so consistent throughout the course of its run.

It’s Dougal that saves Claire from Black Jack and offers her a way to stay with the Scots, who may restrict her freedom, but do not bodily mistreat her the way Black Jack does in the stomach-turning kicking scene. This involves marrying Jamie, which would make Claire Scottish in the view of English law. Should she go through with it? “The Garrison Commander,” as in the end of last week’s episode, doesn’t answer the hanging question.

There is a big segment of the audience that will welcome a Claire / Jamie marriage, even if it is done for political, rather than romantic, reasons. Jamie is kind and open to the idea, but Claire is nowhere near ready to take him to bed, let alone give him her heart. I like that OUTLANDER makes their marriage a plot device rather than the culmination of feeling because it not only goes away from the traditional path of love, but provides further complications to their being together, the exact opposite of what we think of marriage in the modern day. OUTLANDER remains well-written, and I think the marriage will happen, opening up the door to new possibilities and dynamics.

“The Garrison Commander” isn’t fast-moving; only a few things happen in the hour. Yet, it is compelling all the same, and the characters are very authentic. I am fascinated by the semi-modern versus archaic attitudes, as well as the way it all seamlessly flows together. This is another excellent installment of a terrific series.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

OUTLANDER Worth the "Rent"

Article first published as OUTLANDER Review Season 1 Episode 5 Rent on Seat42F.

In this week’s installment of Starz’s OUTLANDER, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) sets out on the road with the clansmen, intent on using her time away from the keep as an opportunity to escape. That is, until she pays attention to these folk and learns more about then. Similarly, my first instinct is to dismiss “Rent” as a slow hour that doesn’t get to much, but the more I consider the events, the more I realize the importance of revealing politics, history, and the implications of time travel.

In the first part of “Rent,” Claire witnesses the payment of taxes as expected, but then sees Dougal (Graham McTavish) collect more coin the evening after, leading her to suspect he is skimming money for his own greedy purposes. Dougal seems content to let this impression stand. However, the more Claire hears, even in the nearly-incomprehensible Gaelic, the more she realizes that Dougal’s motivations are not selfish at all, but a collection to fund just rebellion. The Scots want to restore who they see as the rightful heir to the throne.

The way “Rent” plays this out is very interesting. Like Claire, we don’t understand Dougal’s words, as the Gaelic in OUTLANDER is not subtitled. The show is told through her point of view and we must rely on her conclusions, even if they don’t line up to reality. The show has us thinking ill of Dougal and the others until Claire discerns the truth, and like her, our minds are immediately flipped by the greater understanding.

What is the writer’s purpose in doing this? Is it to point out how often preconceived notions are wrong? Is it just a clever storytelling device? Or is it the way to brilliant craft a compelling hour of television so that viewers are not only drawn into the tale, but learn something about the world and themselves through it? Most likely, it is a combination of all these things.

Dougal and Claire’s new friend, a lawyer who counts the money, are content to let Claire believe they are criminals because they are more afraid of what she will do if she knows the truth. They don’t want her to think they are treasonous against the ruling monarch, just in case she should be re-united with the Red Coats and tell on them. This makes sense, allowing her to misinterpret, even if it casts them in a bad light, to protect themselves.

That’s a sign that they don’t trust her. Why should they? She came into their midst, a foreigner who often doesn’t see eye-to-eye, and they don’t accept her as part of their group. Yet, over the course of “Rent,” this begins to change. Once Claire sees their true intentions and respects them for it, they respect her. The clansmen fight for her honor, whether they believe in her or not, and she is able to join in their risqué jokes.

Which brings us to the climax of “Rent.” The English soldiers come for Claire, knowing she may very well be being held against her will by the Scottish clan. The episode ends without revealing whether or not Claire will stick up for Dougal et al, but I think it’s pretty obvious that she will, even if she has to lie about whether or not she’s a prisoner. After all, by now she understands them and is growing fond, even perhaps of jerky Angus (Stephen Walters). Surely she would not say anything to risk any of their lives?

We see Claire try to protect the clan this week as she talks to her new pal about the rebellion they are collecting for. She knows it’s doomed to fail and fears for their lives, but voicing her suspicions just make them all more wary of her. They don’t know that they’re on the losing side, so they see her warnings as threats or an attempt to undermine their determination. Claire wants to help, but it isn’t seen that way.

This is one of the inherent problems with time travel. Even should Claire seek to preserve the past, something many a person may do when finding themselves back in time, she really has no sway. Her motivations seem more to save lives than worry about the time stream, which makes sense, given her character. But there’s no good way for her to prevent ill from befalling them. Unless she could get them to believe she came from the future, a seemingly impossibility that she wisely doesn’t even attempt, she can do nothing to stop their coming demise.

The one person Claire may be able to confide in is Jamie (Sam Heughan). They grow closer this week when he sleeps outside her door to protect her. He’s far too gentlemanly to come inside, even when she offers, but the charge between them is obvious. They are definitely destined to be a couple, though there’s no rush on that, since Claire is still very much in love with her husband, Frank (Tobias Menzies), even though he won’t be born for nearly two centuries. Still, the seeds are more than planted and we see it growing here. And Jamie will probably believe Claire when she inevitably gives him her entire narrative.

“Rent” uses Frank sparingly, with just a couple of key flashbacks (flashforwards?). I still think OUTLANDER would be better without including Claire’s time in the 1930s and ‘40s, as the story could be told without it. However, at least this episode doesn’t make these too large a part of the proceedings, only using them to emphasize a few points.

Overall, “Rent” gives us a lot to think about, and thus is a worthy entry for a series that is fast becoming a favorite of mine. While it may start slow, the second half ramps up its importance, and the hour ends up being a pivotal one in the season-long arcs. The cliffhanger ending makes me wish we didn’t have to wait seven days to find out what happens, but at least tonight’s viewing is quite satisfying.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

"The Gathering" A High for OUTLANDER

Article first published as OUTLANDER Review Season 1 Episode 4 The Gathering on Seat42F.

This week’s entry of Starz’ OUTLANDER is called “The Gathering.” As all of clan MacKenzie gathers to pledge their allegiance to Colum (Gary Lewis), Claire (Caitriona Balfe) plots her escape. If she can map the castle and its guard patterns, might she be able to find the stone that could possibly send her home again? There’s a lot of uncertainty and plenty of obstacles standing between the out-of-time nurse and her home.

Claire is smart, but she is still out of her depth. This becomes clear as, despite all the precautions and planning she does, she still puts herself in a no-win scenario, as Jamie (Sam Heughan) tells her when he catches her by the horses. She’s lucky it’s Jamie, who kindly escorts her back to the keep, rather than just about anyone else, who wouldn’t look so favorably on the prisoner making her escape.

Jamie isn’t really part of the clan, though, as you may remember. He’s staying with his uncle, Colum, to hide out from the English that are after him, but he doesn’t quite belong to this group. His own outsider status, combined with his obviously-growing feelings for Claire, likely influence the way he handles the situation.

Claire’s bumbling puts Jamie in danger. He is hiding in the stables to avoid making his own pledge to Colum, knowing that if he fails to do so, his countrymen will kill him, but if he does swear allegiance, he’s next in line to be laird, putting his life in danger from the current heir, Dougal (Graham McTavish). It looks like a no-win scenario until a brilliant Jamie deftly sidesteps both scenarios, making everyone reasonably happy and keeping his life, at least for now.

Jamie and Claire seem well fit together. They both aren’t quite where they belong, and they both have enough wits and luck about them to keep them alive, though in a precarious position. This definitely plays into their bond, and should serve them well as they only fall more in love, as they surely must.

After failing to escape, Claire reluctantly goes along on a boar hunt, where she ends up watching Geordie (Bryan Larkin, Running in Traffic) die after being gored. I’m actually surprised more isn’t made for Claire’s outspoken distaste for the hunt itself. I assume this is because the others realize she has seen death caused by violence before, earning her a pass women unaccustomed to such an experience wouldn’t get. Claire’s life has given her the weight to make judgment in such matters. Thankfully, she doesn’t gloat when proven right.

Geordie isn’t the most important focus in his own death scene. Instead, OUTLANDER shows us Dougal and Claire holding him as he dies, united in purpose at last. Douglas gets more complex this week in multiple scenes, including a semi-touching moment during a game between him and Jamie. A failed drunken rape of Claire reinforces the view many viewers hold of him as a selfish leader whom the people would not be well served to have rule over them. But watching him Geordie, and then the regard he gives Claire after seeing her in action, tell a different story. Perhaps he’s just a man of his time, hardened, but not evil. I look forward to seeing where they go with him next.

Which brings us to the conclusion of “The Gathering,” in which Dougal asks Claire to accompany him as he travels around the land. Well, asks may be too mild a word, as she surely has no choice in the matter. This may afford her a better opportunity to get away, not being so closely guarded now that he trusts her at least marginally, but it also may keep her to her current fate more strongly, as she can’t seem to resist helping anyone that needs it, even delaying her flight to give Laoghaire (Nell Hudson) peace of mind, and she will definitely be encountering those who could use her help.

Something interesting I caught in “The Gathering” is a reference to The Wizard of Oz. This is intriguing because the previous episode also alludes to the story. Claire is very Dorothy-like, having been swept away from her home and regarded somewhat suspiciously by the locals because of her ‘magical’ skills. Is OUTLANDER taking a convenient parallel and exploiting it for modern audiences, or will they make long-term use of it, drawing more connections between Dorothy and Claire?

Though, one does wonder a bit how Claire is so familiar with the film, quoting it to Laoghaire, which came out during the war she just escaped, and wasn’t highly popular in its initial release. She doesn’t seem the type to indulge in such fantasies during her gritty reality.

“The Gathering” lacks many flashback scenes with Frank (Tobias Menzies) that have been so prevalent in previous weeks, but that’s a good thing. We know Claire’s history well enough now, and more appearances by her husband tend to just drag things down.

The other cool thing in OUTLANDER this week is the introduction of a rival for Mrs. Fitzgibbons (Annette Badland), Iona MacTavish, who is played by Diana Gabaldon, the author of the OUTLANDER books. She may not be an actress, but she is great in the role, and although only billed as a cameo, I find myself hoping she’ll be recurring. Producer Ron Moore also makes a cameo, but in a much smaller capacity.

“The Gathering” is probably my favorite episode of OUTLANDER thus far. It is fun and exciting, with a healthy dose of suspense and character development. It’s the first week the show really seems to know what it is, and now that the setup is established, begins to play with the players and their relationships. If the rest of the season is as good as this week, consider me firmly in the fan camp.

OUTLANDER airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.