Courtesy of STARZ
Claire (Caitriona Balfe) continues to make enemies as the show goes on the road.
Let’s bitch it out…
There have been some complaints among what I assume are non-readers of the Outlander books that the STARZ adaptation is moving too slowly. It certainly has a leisurely pace compared to other historical epics such as Game Of Thrones, but that’s not really the point. I personally am not watching this show for action; I’m watching it as a character drama that just happens to be set in the past during war time.
‘Rent’, the show’s fifth episode and the first since the pilot to move outside of Castle Leoch, works because it offers both a history lesson and a strong dose of character drama. The history comes courtesy of the eighteenth century economic and political system as Claire mistakenly assumes that Dougal (Graham McTavish) is lining his own pockets when he collects the rent. It’s not until later that she determines he’s actually using the tour to raise funds for the Jacobite army (covered in a tidy bit of exposition courtesy of one of the show’s rare flashforwards). The way that the money flows is fascinating, yet still personal as Claire bristles with the mode of collection and its impact on the townspeople.
I appreciate how the show refuses to quell Claire’s feminist bent, even if she does appear extremely foolish to be so vocal and strong-willed among brutish men. Her refusal to back down makes her an endearing protagonist, even as it costs her the trust of Dougal and the other men whom she continues to rub the wrong way. It’s nice, then when she learns that the men are willing to defend her honour (and she can even win them over with a joke!) – it suggests the start of something of a turning point in her relationship with the MacKenzie men, at least until that humdinger of a cliffhanger, which will effectively seal her fate…next week.
Other Observations:
- I couldn’t help but feel that removing Jamie (Sam Heughan) during the house burning sequence is an effort to preserve him as a romantic prospect for Claire. After all, if he’s not there, then he can’t be seen as condoning that behaviour and therefore still falls into “good guy” category.
- The romantic relationship takes another small step forward after Claire discovers Jamie sleeping outside her room to ensure she doesn’t get raped. Aww chivalry isn’t dead (it’s sleeping outside).
- Ned Gowan (Bill Paterson), the MacKenzie lawyer who helps funnel the money, is a welcome new character. The introduction of an educated man offers a nice counterpart to the general oafishness of the other clansmen, so I hope Ned sticks around for a bit.
- There’s a telling flashforward when Claire and Frank (Tobias Menzies) discuss a particularly terrible battle that will claim thousands of Jacobite men and she stares at a MacKenzie tombstone. It’s a little bit too meta for my tastes because it kind of anticipates her time-travel…
- I couldn’t help but groan when Jeremy Foster, the English soldier from earlier, shows up right as Dougal questions her about her political affiliations. It’s a great cliffhanger…it’s also terribly convenient timing!
- Finally, since this is the first review I’ve done for the show, I’ll add the requisite mention about how absolutely gorgeous the scenery is. Who doesn’t want to drop everything and book an inclusive package to Scotland after watching this?!
Best Lines:
- Claire (mistakenly offering the wrong drinking salutation): “Bottoms up”
- Claire (resignedly, just behind the bar brawl breaks out): “Here we go.”
- MacKenzie clansman (explaining the origins of the fight): “We can insult you. God help any other man that does.”
Your turn: how are you enjoying the series so far? Are you enjoying Claire’s refusal to back down? Is Jamie being artificially constructed as an ideal leading man? Who will Claire side with in the cliffhanger (or do we even need to ask)? Sound off below.
Outlander airs Saturdays at 9pm on STARZ
I feel a little like an insider here, as I have read the books. But I will do my very best to avoid spoiler territory. 😉
The show doesn’t do a really great job in providing much context for why Jamie is using the name MacTavish, and why he stays out of sight at times. It is mentioned that he is a wanted man a few times, but what that actually means isn’t really well explained imo.
The McKenzies are taking a HUGE risk by sheltering Jamie, which is primarily being done out of love and loyalty to him as the nephew of the McKenzie, and because Jamie’s mother was very beloved to her brothers. If the English discover that they are hiding a fugitive of Jamie’s caliber, there would be series consequences for the entire clan.
The scene with finding the men on the crosses is intended to be a stark reminder of just how much danger Jamie is placing them all in just by being among them. If he is identified by the English, every man on that trip would be facing the same fate as the men on the crosses- which also explains the treatment of any suspected to be English sympathizers… rumor or not, it is a risk that they cannot afford to let go unaddressed.
It cannot be stressed enough that Jamie is deeply indebted to them, which is part of why Dougall has so few qualms in using him to stir up outrage among the Highlanders. Jamie himself is well aware of this, and that is why he addressed the issue with his uncle in as private a moment as is possible on the road.
Jamie is considered to be of noble birth- that is an important thing to remember. He is, by rights, a Lord and for the English army to flog him is a huge insult to the Highlanders as a whole. Those scars are MEANT to be humiliation- and ordinarily, a criminal of Jamie’s pedigree would never have been flogged, it was done specifically to snub and mock the Scottish. Dougall is exploiting that to garner support, something he feels entitled to do in part because he is risking his life sheltering his nephew.
Trying to fit all that context into the show would make it drag horrendously, so it has to be done subtly… which means it is often missed by anyone who doesn’t already have an interest in that particular time period and the politics involved.
Hmm…that’s really interesting. I can’t imagine the show being able to go into that much detail (in fact as an adaptation I’d expect it to find ways to condense that otherwise we’d never get anywhere), but it certainly offers insight into why Jamie puts up with it.
In regards to Jamie being artificially constructed to be the ‘perfect’ leading man… Jamie is far from perfect, as will become more evident as time goes by. Part of the reason he is appearing to be is because he is genuinely more trusting and fond of Claire due to her saving his life multiple times already. I don’t think it is too much of a spoiler to say that Jamie is also somewhat accustomed to a bold, outspoken women, as he is the youngest of his family, with a rather stubborn and bossy older sister. He’s also young enough that he doesn’t take Claire’s “more modern” demeanor as a slight to his authority- he’s not really used to having any 😉
It’s important to remember that, for the most part, the story is being told through Claire’s eyes- Jamie has been the kindest and most welcoming to her of all of the men; he reminds her strongly of the young soldiers that she cared for as a combat nurse; and in many ways, he is the only “ally” she seems to have in this era. When everyone else is alien and suspect, the handsome young man with the kind words is easily seen through rose colored glasses.