Category Archives: John Quincy Myers

Starz® Announces Season 7 for Outlander

Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe

March 14, 2021

Starz® has officially announced that season 7 of Outlander is a go! Filming for the long delayed season 6 began this past month in Cumbernald, Scotland. Covid-19 restrictions delayed the season 6 filming based on Diana Gabaldon’s book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes.

Season 7 will encompass the 7th book in the series, An Echo in the Bone. Matt B. Roberts will return as showrunner, with Sam Heughn, Caitriona Balfe, Sophie Skelton, and Richard Rankin all on board. Sony Pictures has picked it up as a 12 episode season. But don’t look for it to air before 2023. Season 6 will be possibly airing in early 2022.

Will the television series stay the course and cover all of Diana Gabaldon’s books? Diana is finishing up the latest book, Go Tell The Bees That I am Gone, the 9th book in the popular series, possibly early next year and may be timed for release when season 6 comes out.

Ron D. Moore, Maril Davis (Tall Ships), Toni Graphia, Jim Kohlberg and Andy Harries will be Executive Producing for season 7. It is not clear yet that Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe will produce again.

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Oliver Finnegan as Lord William Ransome

And could we see William Ransome in season 6? Since Stephen Bonnet’s demise was brought in early and in the books, that is where Brianna meets her half brother for the first time, since it the writers are now condensing some story lines, we may get to see young William surface in the season. Outlander has been keeping casting close to the bone this season.

An Echo in the Bone continues with Jamie and Claire Fraser deeply embroiled in the American Revolution. Jamie’s illegitimate son, William Ransome, is an officer in the King’s army with Lord John Grey searching for him. The book has some great plot twists I will not reveal, and as always, the Outlander writers room will possibly combine scenes from the following book, Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, to speed up the story line.

Even though the American Revolution actually spanned 7 plus years. Remember, just because independence was declared, it was fought for for many years. However, television series on this scale can rarely go through 10 seasons. There have been hints that the Outlander series will receive the same treatment as Game of Thrones, shortened to 8 seasons and writers taking the helm completely as Diana Gabaldon is just beginning the final book in the series. If you have been a fan, you know she takes a good 5 years average to finish each book, often times longer.

However, rejoice in knowing you will have at least 2 more seasons, and a possible spin off series to come.

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César Domboy, John Bell, and Kyle Rees

Diana Gabaldon’s Go Tell The Bees I am Gone will be Finished Soon

Outlander’s Renewed At Starz For Season 7 Ahead Of Season 6 Premiere

Outlander renewed for season 7! Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan returning

Outlander Episode Perpetual Adoration

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Finally, it’s a bit of action. We start this episode with a flash-forward, or back because time travel is relative, to Claire Randall in a Catholic church in Boston after Frank has died. She is sitting and observing a Eucharistic or Perpetual Adoration for a loved one. We surmise that it is for Frank, however as the story continues with time jump between 20th-century and back to the 18th-century, Claire travels on a journey of remembrance and starts along a path that brings her back to Jamie and her future in the past on Frasers Ridge. Hold on it’s another montage of past and present scenes with Jamie and Claire.

Changes of Plan in Hillsborough

Jamie (Sam Heughan), Fergus (César Domboy), John Quincy Myers(Kyle Rees) and the rest of the militia meet up with Lt. Knox who is frustrated as Governor Tryon has come up with a plan to flush out Murtagh Fitzgibbons. The militia meets up with some very annoying townsfolk who first take them for Regulators, and they’re having none of that. When Jamie straightens them out that they are the King’s men, they are still grousing and want nothing to do with them. Eventually, they lead Jamie to where Knox and his troupes are watering at an inn.

Lieutenant Knox informs Jamie that he is awaiting a letter from Ardsmuir where many of the men that have joined the Regulators served after Culloden, hoping for a prisoner Roll. Jamie continues his rouse of being loyal to the KIng and Knox confides in him that Governor Tryon has a new plan, to pardon the leaders of the Regulators, that if they disperse they will receive a full pardon. All but Murtagh Fitzgibbons. Jamie hands over the muster roll for the militia. Jamie becomes agitated. Knox informs him that he will continue the hunt for Fitzgibbons and that he wants Jamie to disperse his militia and then deliver the pardons to the leaders.

Later in Knox’s quarters, Knox remarks that he is fond of Jamie and starts to talk about meeting a fair-minded person and praising him. He receives the letter he has been waiting for. Jamie, uncomfortable and knowing what he will find, tells him that he will find his name among the prisoners. Knox is in disbelief, and when he realizes it is true, he chastises Jamie for being false. He notes that Murtagh has a surname of Fraser, and Jamie admits it’s his Godfather, and he could not betray him. Jamie points out that any man would support and protect his family.

Knox wants Jamie arrested and Jamie overpowers Knox, chokes him until the life goes out of him. He strips Knox’s boots and makes it look as if he has been abed, then burns the Ardsmuir prison rolls and sets the room ablaze. He makes sure the room is alight and then exits out the window and onto the roof, while landing in the alley, he meets wee Adso, a grey stray kitten. He then finds Fergus and rushes out to see that the soldiers have pulled Lieutenant Knox from the flames and that he is dead. He, Fergus and the rest of the Ridge Boys leave town.

Meanwhile, Back on The Ridge

Claire and Marsali are elated, Claire has a Eureka moment as she has finally found the mold that is penicillin in her bread experiments. She and Marsali then must prepare a mixture to assist in taking out the Beardsley twin’s tonsils with. And somehow Claire has procured a syringe because it looks a bit different than the one she brought back with her, and gives Kezzie a shot of penicillin. There is a graphic surgery moment with plenty of blood and cauterizing to make Lizzie squirm. Claire feels quite comfortable playing God.

Let’s not forget the ongoing trials of Brianna and Roger. Roger is rummaging about and comes upon the black diamond that Bonnet gave Brianna when she visited him in jail. He recognizes it as one Bonnet had used in playing a game of cards he had cheated at with Roger on the ship bringing Roger to the colonies. He knows it is Bonnet’s and confronts Bree. He is angry that she has kept a secret, not confided in him, her husband. Brianna explains what had happened at the jail, she had inferred the child might be his to give him peace, that Bonnet had given her the stone. She said she had taken it for Jemmy, for a way back to the future if things went wrong. Roger, with his two big insecurities of not meeting Jamie’s expectations, and the bigger one of whether or not he is Jemmy’s father, is affronted (he seems to be so at least once in every episode he is in). He storms out and camps overnight away from Brianna and Jemmy.

The next morning, he encounters Claire off to rummage about for herbs. She senses things were not good at the cabin. He confides a bit in the conversation with Bree and Claire gives her sage advice about marriage. It’s something that takes time and is to be worked on. Claire gives advice on honesty being the best policy. Later he returns to Brianna and apologizes for being upset. She confesses that Bonnet is still alive, that she heard it at the wedding, and confides in him about the coin found in the basket, Mrs. Bug having an Irishman admire the baby, what her fears are. All things she probably should have told him before. They really have to work on the trust thing.

The question is, will Roger ever get beyond whether Jemmy is his son and make him his son, as he has sworn? Will he and Brianna ever get on the same page as parents?

Perpetual

Claire flashbacks/forward on a patient, Graham Menzies. It’s one of the ones that has always trouble her, the loss of a patient when you do all the right things, in this case, doing a penicillin reaction pretest. The procedure was followed, it seemed clear, however, the man died from a reaction to penicillin after surgery. What should have been a routine procedure, ended in the patient’s death. Claire is remembering what went wrong with the gift of penicillin, reflecting as she tries to bring a boon to medical care into the 18th-Century. Somehow this playing God is going to backfire.

Impetuous Pirate

One of the few books references this episode. Go ahead, SQUEE! We find Claire in the lounge at the hospital, and Joe Abernathy comes in to chat with her. Joe asks her what is up, is it something to do with the mystery of the Scottish man she hinted at. Claire mentions the loss of a patient. It’s the thing that always niggles a true physician, the one you tried to save. The one that really should not have died. The patient was a Scotsman, who had lived in Boston since the War. Joe and Claire talk about patients, and that lost love that Claire had.

The flashbacks are all about Claire reminding herself of the road that leads to getting back to her true love, Jamie Fraser. The path that made her realize she was not whole, she had followed her promise to Frank, and after raising Brianna with him, she could go back to the man she truly loved.

If she had not had a patient, who had succumbed to penicillin anaphylaxis, and talk with Joe Abernathy about going back to Scotland, and talking to Brianna about going to London as Frank wanted her to go. Then reconnecting with Roger at the wake for Reverend Wakefield, then finding out that Jamie survived Culloden. She would not have taken the chance of going through the stones, finding Jamie again, and finally having a home with the people she loves on Frasers Ridge. It was all connected.

Adoration and a Gray Fuzzball

When Jamie finally returns to the Ridge, he has much to talk to Claire about. However, as he is getting ready to confess to Claire, the wee cheetie, Adso, makes a noise. He gifts Claire the gray kitten he found in Hillsborough to take care of the mice in Claire’s surgery. We come to a full circle of the perpetual adoration, of Claire and Jamie’s love, and how Claire found her way back to him.

Please tell me more about Adso!!
Next on Outlander, Jamie must deal with Governor Tryon after the Lt. Knox affair. Jocasta is getting married. Claire gets really angry.

At Jocasta’s wedding, Jamie learns that the Regulator threat is far from over and Claire discovers information about a former enemy from an unexpected source.

Watch episode 506 “Better to Marry than to Burn”, on Outlander at midnight Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22nd at 5:05 pm EST/8:05 PST on Starz. The UK on Monday, 23rd of March on Amazon Prime.

Outlander Episode The Company We Keep

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There’s no sugar-coating this one. We finally meet The Browns, and in Brownsville, we have quite a murky quagmire of problems occur. Sadly, the neighbors just keep getting worse and worse for Fraser’s Ridge.

Roger Just Can’t Get a Break

Roger continues his inner struggle with not meeting up to Jamie’s standards as a son-in-law and now as a Captain of Fraser’s Militia. Roger first encounters the Browns while searching for more recruits to join up with the militia to help combat The Regulators. Even with money promised as payment for service, Roger just doesn’t have the commanding experience and bravado that Jamie Fraser has. He is trying to win his father in laws approval and just keeps failing.

Roger (Richard Rankin), Fergus (César Domboy), and the militia come upon Brownsville and walk right into a feud, which unwittingly they have brought with them, in one Isiah Morton. Guns are pointed and they nearly get their heads blown off. Roger tries to calm down the tensions and find out what is going on. Lionel Brown (Ned Dennehy), informs them that Alicia Brown(Anna Burnett) and Morton has dallied with her and that has cost them a land acquisition in the marriage of 10 acres. Despite Fergus’s warnings, Roger decides to give the Browns a cask of the famous Fraser whisky meant to be used for bartering and acquiring more militia. You know where this is going. Roger sequester’s Morton to appease Lionel, stalling for Colonel Fraser to arrive.

Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) show up with the young baby Beardsley with them. Jamie sees that something is amiss and Roger’s explanations of how he handled the conflict are not what a captain should have done. Jamie has to, of course, take over as commanding officer, and yes Roger had given the men a great deal of the whisky meant for trading. This had also annoyed some of the militiamen, who did not like how Morton was just handed over. They had deserted the night before. To say Jamie is red to the ears annoyed doesn’t cover it. To make matters worse, Jamie goes to meet with Morton to get his side of the story. We find out that Morton is in an arranged marriage himself, miserable as Jamie was with Laoghaire being married, and is in love with Alicia. Jamie tells Morton to run.

Claire discovers Kezzie Beardsley has also got tonsilitis like his brother and informs Jamie that she must perform surgery soon. Jamie takes this as a good way to give Roger an out, as he is clearly not suitable to be in the militia and cannot make decisions as a captain. He assigns Roger to take Claire and the Beardsley twins back to Fraser’s Ridge. But no before more drama ensues. The Browns who have sobered up a bit, discover that Morton has flown, and confront Jamie and the Militia. Long rifles are drawn on both sides and in sweeps Richard Brown (Chris Larkin), head of the family.

He has been trying to patch things up with the family with 10 acres that wanted Alicia until she became spoilt. He seems to have a cooler head than Lionel Brown, and Jamie states that if there is a conflict, the Browns will be seen as “Enemies of the Crown.” Well, no one wants that. Richard pledges the Browns to serve in the militia, with pay of course. His condition is that he commands them. Jamie postures that he is in command and that Richard must answer to him. This uneasy alliance will come back to haunt the Frasers.

Claire and Jamie have a walk in the woods after the Brownsville hootenanny that evening. Jamie softens and says it’s good to see Claire with a bairn again, and that they should keep the wee bonnie and take her to the Ridge. He misses that they could not raise a child together, after losing Faith and then having Brianna raised by Frank, Jamie has been wanting to maybe try to have a child again. Claire is touched by his thoughts, and it would be difficult for her to do so at her age. She tells him that she thinks she’s found a home for the child with a couple who have just lost their baby. Jamie thinks that the Beardsley estate, such as it is, might help make amends for the land loss of the Browns. They hear a shot in the w

oods. Upon investigation, they find young Alicia making a mess of trying to kill herself. Claire takes her back to the Browns and their rooms and consoles a tearful girl.

Later that night, Morton comes back into Brownsville and threatens Jamie with a pistol. He insists that Jamie bring him to Alicia. Morton confesses to Alicia that he is married and does not love his wife, that he only cares for her. Jamie and Claire confronted with star crossed lovers begin to soften and then Roger Mac comes in and they concoct a plan to sneak the young lovers out. The next morning Jamie creates a hullabaloo with the escaped horses of the Browns as a distraction and the young lovers escape the back way.

Back on The Ridge

While all of the Brownsville capers were happening, life back on the idyllic Ridge was becoming worrisome to young Brianna (Sophie Skelton). Mrs. Bug returns from town with young Jemmy. In his basket, there appears a strange coin. Mrs. Bug tells a strange tale of a young Irishman admiring Jemmy so, and Brianna fights to keep her growing horror in. She surmises that it is Bonnet. She removes her and Jemmy to the Big House.

Later she goes out in the night for wood and is spooked. She returns to find only Germaine in the house playing while she is looking for Jemmy. She panics and starts looking for him everywhere. Marsali tries to calm her, finally, she finds him on the porch. Marsali sees that something is up and pours them both a dram. Brianna really never states what is troubling her, despite Marsali confiding in her and trying to draw it out.

The Scene Swapping

While this episode could have been more dramatic, we do finally get to meet The Browns and see a bit of foreshadowing of trouble brewing for the Frasers. The presentation of the scenes was very choppy, alternating between storylines with the militia and the Ridge. I think if they had not alternated so frequently the episode would have been a bit smoother and the characters would have built up more as the Browns become more a part of the story in the future. While seeing the story arc for Brianna as she is dealing with a mother’s fear of her child being taken away does build some important character points for her this season, having scenes presented in more of a 1/3 grouping might have made things more believable.

Up next we have episode 5, Perpetual Adoration this Saturday, March 14 at midnight on the Starz App, Starz Channel Sunday, March 15 at 5:05 pm ET 8:05 PT, UK Monday, March 16 on Amazon Prime.

Synopsis provided by Starz:
Jamie and his militia arrive at Hillsborough to find that Governor Tryon has proposed a rather unorthodox solution to deal with the threat posed by the Regulators. Busy with present-day life at the Ridge, Roger and Brianna must nevertheless come to terms with their past.

Outlander Episode The Fiery Cross Recap

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Outlander Season 5 2020 At long last, we were treated with an early release of episode 501, The Fiery Cross in the US and Canada if you had a subscription to the Starz® App. On the LA Premiere night Thursday, it was announced we would get the first episode dropped at midnight for Valentine’s treat.

Beginnings and Endings

While producers and cast have been stating that the theme this season is based on family and what Jamie and Claire will do to keep the family and extended family of Fraser Ridge safe, it’s the sad business of having to cast a family member aside that hit hard in this season opener. We knew it was coming when Governor Tryon charged Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) with hunting down and killing the leader of the Regulators, Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser (Duncan Lacroix).

Episode 501, The Fiery Cross, opens with a young Murtagh walking towards Lollybroch and a very young Jamie Fraser suffering the loss of his mother Ellen. Murtagh speaks his oath to always be there by Jamie’s side to protect him. We know deep down this is going to hurt. Jamie lost Murtagh after Culloden and found him again when he sacrificed himself for his family’s safety ending up in Ardsmuir Prison. He found Murtagh broke and fragile, barely surviving in the dank walls. Only to lose him again as the prison shut down and Murtagh was indentured to a cruel man in the colonies. When the Frasers end up in North Carolina in Season 4, Jamie and Murtagh are reunited. However, in true Outlander fashion, it is but a brief moment.

A Da’s Privilege

Roger (Richard Rankin) ends up in Jamie’s very focused conversational embrace as he gets a very close shave from a cutthroat razor after nicking himself. A bit of sacrificial blood for the day’s events. The nervous declarations of Roger promising to find some way to provide for his family, being the scholar that he is. Jamie all too well knows he cannot hunt, farm, build a house, and quite clearly Brianna wears the breeks at times. He admits that the cabin was so he didn’t have his grandchild growing up in the woods. Jamie in his not so subtle way reminding Roger that he will be watching. 501-1200x677

Roger spends most of the next few days wondering when Jamie will ever trust him. Can he find some way to get that chance to prove himself?

Something Old, Something New

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As you know the series is straying further away from scenes in the books, thankfully the long drawn out beginning of The Fiery Cross with Gathering on Mount Halcion being downsized to a gathering for Roger and Bree’s wedding makes perfect sense. Focusing on the Ridge and the grand reveal of the big house, the unfinished parts of the doors and ongoing building reflect the building of the community.

Claire is a proud mother, gushing and preparing Brianna for the wedding, finishing dress bits and being that rare soft side of Claire we don’t see very often. Jamie is fussing over all the accouterments of the tradition to have a bride prepared with something old, something new (whisky, not aged of course), something borrowed, something blue. He can’t help but have doubts about the day, and the loss of his daughter after only just finding her. It’s a matter that plays out for all fathers, to give away the daughter and trust that another will provide for her. When Brianna comes to greet him, she reminds him that he will always be a part of her life.

In further conversations, Claire tries to take Roger’s corner as she trusts Roger to do right by Brianna and Jemmy. Jamie questioning his initial hesitation at taking on the responsibility of the child. Claire reminds him that he did come round. There was, of course, a little matter of Roger being sold off to the Mowhawk and how that transpired that no one will bring upon such a day, and the shock of finding out what happened to Brianna when he was rescued. Scots and their grudges.

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Weddings, Interfearing Aunts, and The Uninvited Guest

There’s always got to be someone who ruins the day. And someone hiding away. It wouldn’t be a wedding if something didn’t go wrong. You get that many Scots together and…

Because there is a price on his head, Murtagh must hide in his shack in the woods, watching the ceremony from afar. Unfortunately, Governor Tryon turns up with a platoon of Dragoons to aid the errant Jamie, who has spent nearly a year dancing around his responsibilities of the Governor’s orders to hunt and kill Murtagh. He is reminded of his duty once in a roundabout, coy way, then more firmly with Tryon announcing he is leaving the Dragoons to aid Jamie in this task. A father really doesn’t need such stress while trying to be all smiles for his daughter on her day.

Screen Shot 2020-02-17 at 1.09.48 PM Lord John Grey (David Berry), is one of the honored guests and pulls Jamie aside behind a wagon to discuss the private matter of locating Stephen Bonnet. Unfortunately, Brianna walks up to the other side of the wagon and overhears the conversation. Lord John tells Jamie of his inquiries, what scant intelligence he has that he is following. Brianna is in shock, the worst possible thing that could have happened on her day, hearing that Bonnet is indeed still alive. She stumbles off into the wedding night, trying to keep it all in and away from her family.

Outlander Season 5 2020

Luckily Roger blissfully ignorant of the situation serenades his wife with a very 1960s song on their wedding night. The next day, the heads are swelling with grog and overindulgence. Roger is summoned to meet with Aunt Jocasta in her pavilion. She tells Roger that she is changing her will, Brianna will no longer be her heir, that she is leaving it all to Jemmy. Roger explodes and tells her where she can put her decisions, that no wife or son of his will take her money. He storms off. Jocasta, of course, being the MacKenzie she is and finding no evidence of Roger MacKenzie’s family, tests him to see if it’s all about the money. As Ulysses asks her if she had the outcome she had hoped for, she agrees. Perhaps Roger has passed her test.

Murtaghs Waters Deepen

Murtagh is a man of conviction. Too long has he an others suffered at the hands of the Crown. The injustices of over taxation and corrupt justice systems in the colony cause him to become one of the leaders of the Regulators, who are not united under one leader but split among North and South Carolina. It is because of this that Jamie is being forced to create a militia to hunt him down. It appears that after years of loss and reconnection, finally finding a home with Jamie again on the Ridge, he must make his decision. Be true to himself, or be true to his kin. Can Murtagh survive with the anchor of the family about to be ripped away?

To add to his losses, while having a love tryst in the love shack with Jocasta, she reveals that a Duncan Inness has asked her to marry him. Book readers will remember that this character was in Ardsmuir with Jamie and had originally been the companion who traveled with him and Claire through the Carribean). In season 4, Murcasta seemed to supplant that book storyline.

It’s not easy for Jocasta (Maria Doyle Kennedy), is the widow with a wealthy plantation, there have been many trying to wed her to control such wealth. She and Murtagh cannot be open about their relationship. Her plantation could be taken from her, she could be jailed. Murtagh backs up and tells her he releases her from their relationship. The rollercoaster has left the platform. That sinking drop is hitting home for Murtagh. He is about to lose all he holds dear, and make a sacrifice so that others don’t lose what they hold dear.

The Fiery Cross

We’ve been waiting to see Jamie don a kilt again. The tartans were outlawed after Culloden, and while everyone is gathered in the night, he lights a wicker cross. The Fiery Cross is a symbol of call to arms in the highlands, where clans and those who give fealty to them are called to action against a foe. Jamie uses this time to finally give Roger a purpose and feel that he has earned a place by his side by naming him a captain. It’s a bold move to go in a full kilt in front of the Dragoons, the tartan is outlawed and still punishable by imprisonment or death. The risk is worth it as Jamie knows it’s the only way to rally so many men from different clans to form a new one in the new world.

Breaking of Bonds

In the final scene, we have Jamie walking up to a secret meeting with Murtagh in the woods. He must do what he has been dreading for a year. The stakes are too high. He releases Murtagh from his oath to protect him and his family. If anyone found out that Murtagh was his Godfather, he could lose everything, all the families relying on him for a home and protection would lose. Heavy is the responsibility of being the Laird.

Murtagh is of course in shock but at the same time knew it would come to this eventually. He has been hit from all sides with loss. Murtagh makes an attempt to have Jamie consider time travel, perhaps Claire, Brianna, or Roger could change time? Jamie is taken aback. Murtagh is hit with the relationship with Jocasta ending, because really he has been putting her in danger, and now his surrogate son says to him, “Please– be hard to find”. He walks away from everything that holds him.

We now have set in motion two people who have loved and cared for each other over the years, their kinship, gone. They will now be on opposing sides of a situation Jamie does not wish to be dragged into, and Murtagh stubbornly will not leave. It is a conflict with his political past that he too has sympathy for, but he is haunted by the pain and suffering of the disbanded clans of Scotland after Culloden. He knows that there is a promise of a bigger war to come, that there is a conflict with The Regulators as told by Claire, Roger, and Brianna is the beginnings of a parting with the Crown by the colonists. The colonies are on a slow burn.

Outlander Season 5 2020

Stay tuned for Between Two Fires Episode 502 next Saturday, 22nd of February at midnight on the Starz App, Starz Channel Sunday, 23rd of February at 5:05 pm ET 8:05 PT, Canada on W Network at 9:00. UK Monday on Amazon Prime.

Trisha Biggar Interview on designing Season 5 Costume and Brianna’s Wedding Dress

Outlander Season 5 Costume Reveals and Teasers

Outlander Season 5 Fiery Cross 2020 Trailer and the Murtagh Conflict

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Are you ready to “Stand For All”? Starz® released the latest Outlander Season 5 trailer for the New Year and marked a six-week wait until this seasons Draughtlander is over. This more in-depth feature clip. Hold on to your boots.

“Do you ever feel as if everything’s pointing you towards something? Space. Time. History? I am grateful for everyday we have,”

Book readers will know the events surrounding this season’s conflicts for Jamie, Claire and all the other inhabitants of Fraser’s Ridge. The War of the Regulation is coming, and one of the leaders, our beloved Murtagh, Jamie’s Godfather, and life long friend, at the thick of it. At the end of season 4, Governor Tryon sent Jamie a declaration calling in on the promise of a militia backing for the Fraser’s Ridge Land Grant. This conditional grant allows the call of militia from the settlers on the Ridge to fight the Regulators with Tryon’s army. Jamie and Murtagh will be on opposing sides as the conflict will be a story arch through the season.

How will Jamie keep his kin safe, his Godfather from harm, and not lose the land grant? This plot while following similar events in the book The Fiery Cross, has the changed element of the Murtagh conflict. As you will recall, Murtagh is a character that has survived in the series, when his book character perished in The Battle of Culloden.

Screen Shot 2020-01-04 at 1.58.23 PM We are aswoon to see Jamie in a kilt again, the internet has been in a Twitter fest about it for days. However, a cringe-worthy moment in the trailer is when we see Jamie dressed in Lobster Red, the British Army uniform, and the expression on his face as he sacrifices convictions to keep the many who rely on him safe.

We also see Roger, dealing with internal conflict for Bree and their child, for Roger decides to take the child as his own. A marriage, finally settling down, with all the decisions a new marriage brings. Screen Shot 2020-01-04 at 1.33.33 PM

“People consider this the spark of the American revolution. If We stop this fight now, America will never become America.”

Bree talks with Jamie (Sam Heughan) about how he can’t change history, or try to as he has in the past. Jamie wants desperately to find a way to not harm his kinsman, or sacrifice any of his family. However Bree cautions him to let it play out, a new nation is at stake.

He must hide his relationship with Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix), his kinsman. Claire (Catriona Balfe) has a new surgery and continues to used modern technical medical knowledge with what she has available to help fight injury and disease, and all the superstition that goes along with it. Screen Shot 2020-01-04 at 2.00.51 PM

Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and Roger (Richard Rankin) form a family unit but are still haunted by Stephen Bonnet. What if he finds them, or wants their son? Brianna struggles with memories of her attack. Roger learns how to hunt and live off the land, with Bree teaching how to shoot. He needs to find respect from Jamie, to show he can provide for his family and make a contribution to life on the Ridge.

Aunt Jocasta (Maria Doyle Kennedy) must also keep her relationship with Murtagh a secret, especially with suitors milling about that want to get their hands on her River Run Plantation.

Don’t forget, Marsali (Lauren Lyle) and Fergus (Cèsar Domboy) will be expanding their family life on the Ridge, and new settlers will present new problems. We’ll see favorites from Season 4 return, Ulysses (Colin McFarlane) and John Quincy Myers (Kyle Rees).

And furball Adso must be kept from destroying Claire’s new surgery.

Season 5 of Outlander contains 12 episodes and will premiere at 8 p.m. Sunday, February 16, 2020. You can download on the Starz® App at Midnight via online or Amazon affiliates.

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Outlander Season 5 Opening Scene

Episode 403: The False Bride

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Things are certainly not so cheery in the story so for for Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan). In this weeks episode, we meet up with the Brianna Randall/Fraser and Roger MacKenzie timeline again, but this time it picks up the heat. And yes, book readers, this episode goes way off book, with some favorite scenes being altered and jumped up in the timeline. Patience.

This episode was very different from the previous episodes with Roger and Brianna in that the timelines were alternating at a very rapid pace, within the same episode. The story arc is starting to climb at a fast clip for these two as their relationship grows more intense, and begins to lose that first blush luster of discovery. In the past two seasons, Bree and Roger carved out small time spaces as they got to know one another. However in this season, it’s a ramp up for what book readers know will happen, and the relationship gets quite serious indeed. But it’s not smooth sailing by any means.

In debating the writing for this weeks recap, I thought of a play by play approach with the alternating timelines. The problem is, even that was getting difficult to outline while watching and rather than hop about in this article, we will look at Jamie and Claires timeline and then Roger (Richard Rankin) and Brianna (Sofie Skelton) in the future. It’s a quick paced story this episode, try to keep up.

In the 18th c. at River Run

After the horrible night of the lynching at River Run, Jamie and Claire make the decision to go riding to the backwoods and Blue Ridge Mountains see if there is anything that can be done with the offer of land sponsorship from Governor Tryon. Claire, Jamie and Young Ian set out to leave River Run, but not before Aunt Jocasta (Maria Kennedy Doyle) has her say. She is gentle and persuasive with Jamie, but takes to Claire with a guilting. She tells Claire that she is “Doing Jamie a disservice.” By taking him away from what he was born to do, be a lord of an estate. Claire and her stubborn self defends their choice and will not persuade Jamie to stay. Claire has had enough of others trying to tell them how to live their lives. She and Jaimie would decide how they were to live. Outlander Season 4 2018

Ulysses sees that the Frasers and Young Ian are outfitted for their journey with a wagon, and another Fraser’s Ridge fan favorite, the famous Clarence the mule. Joining them on the journey is John Quincy Myers, the bigger than life back woodsman. On the journey to what would become Fraser’s Ridge, Myers seeks to educate the ever curious Ian and Frasers about the Cherokee and that their women decide who they will lay with and take on, and mentions the lost Tuscarora Tribes. Ian is invited to meet with the Indians when Myers parts ways with the Frasers. It is the beginning of what is to become the growing up of the young man Ian is becoming, as his fascination will become his future with the tribes.

images-1 When they are alone, the build up for yet another romantic interlude by Claire and Jamie scene ensues. However the following talking scene is the important part, as much as fans love the steamy romance. Here Claire and Jamie start discussing what they really want, what a home and place to live and settling down would mean. If they took the Governor’s offer, how would it affect them? Taking on a big responsibility and the fact that what what Tryon really wants is some order in the back country as the Regulators are giving some trouble. Jamie discusses if it would be better to be in Boston for Claire. He also brings up if it were just him, he would be fine not settling, but now he has a family, and extended family with Fergus and Marsali, who is with child. He can’t just think about himself, he must think about how to make it better for all of them. Claire is leery of any involvement with the Governor’s plans, as she knows the history of what leads up to the Revolutionary War. She doesn’t want any more conflict. However, she wants to be away from Boston where the Revolution starts, better to be in the back country.

Following comes another departure from the books, both in how the story is told and when in the timeline it occurs. The next day, a storm starts brewing and Clarence spooks and runs. Jamie’s horse has issues with it’s shoe, so Claire volunteers to chase down the mule. In doing so she gets lost and the lightening strike of a nearby tree makes her horse rear. She falls and knocks herself unconscious. Sometime later in the night with Jamie frantically trying to find her, she is hurt and cold and finds the hollow of an upturned large tree for shelter, she unzips her 1960s boots and sets them aside. Feeling about in the hollow, she finds a human skull and starts talking to it, asking it “Who are you?” and in typical fashion for Claire, another mystery begins to enfold. She also unearths a very large opal stone. Then a spectre visits her in the night, a mysterious Indian figure comes with an impossibly lit torch. It shows the same head wound as the skull she has been examining. Then leaves.

In the morning, Claire finds large boot prints leading out of the area, and she can’t find her own boots. Walking in stockings, she finally finds Jamie by a creek and he wonders why she’s been walking without her boots. Claire explains she thinks that the skull she has found belongs to a ghost, and on further inspection she finds silver fillings. She explains to Jamie that silver fillings will not begin being used on teeth for another hundred years. He must have been a time traveler like her.

They travel to a ridge that is filled with strawberries, the Frasers family crest symbol is strawberry flowers. Jamie takes it as a symbol, sign, and the meadow below and all that surrounds as a good place to settle. Claire remarks he has fallen in love, and who can blame him, they are amazing and beautiful streams, meadows and ridges. We leave the Frasers making a momentous decision in their lives, to stake a claim on American soil.

The Gathering of The American Scottish Clans

Roger is pinning for Brianna, and makes ready to go to a Clans Gathering in North Carolina, America. He will be singing and of course, it’s a chance to spend time with Brianna. Brianna allows him to driver her blue Mustang car, and we see Dairy Queen cups and papers. She also tells Roger he’s pretty. The crew did a fantastic job on getting a bit of Americana in this one.

Roger and Bree take in the small festival in the Blue Ridge Mountains, there’s time to even download-7 have a portrait drawn and Brianna let’s slip the word “Boyfriend”, when indicating Roger MacKenzie and this helps to encourage Roger into his thinking the time may be right. There is dancing at a cèilidh. Roger gets ready and spends the evening as part of the band playing, then does a solo number, the song “The False Bride”. Brianna grows more in love, as does half the audience. When the two love birds get back to Brianna’s lodge room, she slips off her blouse, and Roger and Bree start in. But Roger breaks off, he runs and finds his gift to her. A silver bracelet with the inscription:

“Je t’aime un peu … beaucoup … passionnément … pas du tout”

“”I love you a little… a lot… passionately… not at all”. Brianna asks for the meaning. Originally this little gem came from the equivalent of the English rhyme for plucking flower petals, “She Loves Me, She Loves Me not”. A description of how maddening love can be. It becomes a curse. Roger declares he wants to not have sex because he wants to marry Brianna, and have children with her. She retorts back about how he has had other women, he retorts with that he didn’t love them. Brianna brings up his hypocrisy, wanting to marry a virgin, when he had many women. The great clash ensues. Roger, the old fashioned values man with when he does want a wife, she must be pure, and not like all the girls he has already had. Brianna willing to throw herself at him. Brianna saying she has university to finish, an apartment, and on she goes. Brianna states she’s not ready to commit, and one of the reasons is her mother, who married Frank, but found true love later. She is not sure where that leaves her. She doesn’t want to make a big mistake, is this the right choice for her?

On the final night of the festival, the clans gather and calling out the clans is done at the Burning of The Stag. Roger is there to represent Clan MacKenzie. Brianna tries to make friends a bit again, and Roger rejects her. Roger returns to Oxford, and Brianna to Boston.

Coming Up, We Hope

And we wonder critter wise where’s Donas 2?

And when the heck do we get Murtagh back? With the arrival of the settlers? Or is he there to take care of Bonnet? I wouldn’t mind that deviation on the storyline one bit.

Oh, and the preview of Brianna touching the stones is not a dead giveaway at all.

An Outlander Muse

Musings and articles on the television series and books

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