‘Outlander’ – “Surrender”: Jamie Gives Up Everything to Stay Jamie

September 17, 2017

This week on #Outlander: Jamie tries out the Forrest Gump look, Jenny has a baby, and Claire is all kinds of frustrated.

I thought last season was bad, waiting through the entire first episode of Outlander for Claire and Jamie to be reunited. After episode two, “Surrender”, Outlander seems intent on filling in the gaps between the Battle of Culloden and the moment when Claire decides to go back through the stones. From a storytelling standpoint, it’s important to establish Claire and Jamie as individuals, living their lives without the other. From the viewpoint of a romantic trash bag like myself, it’s awful. They’re miserable and it’s breaking my heart. Get them back together already!

The Dunbonnet

Much of the episode follows Jamie and his time in hiding outside Lallybroch. After being saved by Lord Melton following the Battle of Culloden, he sends a dying Jamie back to his family in Lallybroch. Some time has passed since his arrival to his familial home and it’s been a few years since the end of the Jacobite rebellion, judging by Jamie’s Forrest Gump locks and beard, but that time apart hasn’t stopped the Redcoats from looking for Red Jamie.

outlander 302 jamie — Can we talk about how Jamie makes carrying a full grown stag look easy?

Poor Ian Murray spends a significant amount of time in and out of jail cells, all for the sake of protecting his brother in law. You have to admire Ian’s love for Jamie and Jenny and even though he’s crippled, the Redcoats show him little mercy. A new Redcoat, Corporal MacGregor proves himself to be almost reckless with his hatred toward the Scots, even though he’s a Scot himself. He threatens Jenny and the children several times throughout “Surrender” and it’s a miracle that Jamie didn’t eventually lash out at him. Maybe it’s because Jamie is a shell of his former self, especially now fully realizing that he has to live a life without Claire. He doesn’t want to fight. He doesn’t want to stir the pot. He’s content being a bachelor who lives in a cave in the woods, providing however he can for the family he has left. Because of his instinct to hide and keep quiet, Fergus tells Jamie:

“Just because you are a coward now doesn’t mean I am.”

It doesn’t phase Jamie. Not yet. It’s not meant to at that moment. But as the episode progresses, Fergus’ building anger towards his adoptive father comes to a head.

Jenny has her second child, another boy she names Ian, and as she’s in labor, a raven appears over the house. Rabbie informs Fergus that a raven is bad luck and it’ll kill the baby if they don’t do something, so Fergus loads a pistol and shoots the raven dead. The Redcoats hear the gun fire and rush toward Lallybroch while Jamie is inside holding his nephew. He and the baby hide while Jenny, always sharp-witted, and Mary McNabb explain that the children shot a raven to protect the baby, but it was too late as the child was stillborn. The Redcoats are satisfied with the story and leave but Jamie realizes more and more that his presence puts his family at risk.

The Luke Skywalker Treatment

It’s not until Fergus has his own run in with the Redcoats that Jamie realizes he can’t live his life in hiding. In an effort to lead the Redcoats away from Jamie’s cave, Fergus angers Corporal MacGregor. Despite protestations from the other Redcoats, MacGregor seizes Fergus and cuts off his left hand in a fit of rage. Unable to intervene without endangering everyone at Lallybroch, Jamie watches the scene helplessly from afar, feeling ever guilty that his son now suffers for his sins.

At Fergus’ bedside, Jamie apologizes for not being better but he tells Fergus:

“You remind me I have something to fight for.”

Even though Fergus is a reminder of Claire, he knows that he needs to do her proud by being the Jamie we’ve come to love. Jamie knows that Fergus will suffer for the rest of his life, he’ll be handicapped without the use of his hand, but he also knows that Fergus is strong and he’ll protect Lallybroch for him.

It’s then that Jamie decides he’ll turn himself into the Redcoats and Jenny will be the one to do it so that the family can get the reward for his capture. In the most Jamie-esque of the episode, he surrenders himself up to be a prisoner so his family can be safe.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

In the 20th century, Claire goes about her daily life as a mother and a housewife. Keeping busy is something Claire has always been good at, but she knows that without Jamie, her life will always feel empty. At night she sees him with her and it’s clear that she’s frustrated not just personally, but sexually as well. Claire turns to Frank to soothe that ache, but she does a horrible job of hiding the fact that she’s thinking of Jamie when she’s intimate with Frank.

At a dinner party with another couple, it becomes painfully obvious to Frank that Claire has all but lost that loving feeling for him. She does her duties and puts on a believable show, but when faced with a couple who laughs and jokes together, the canyon between them grows wider. Claire tries to stymie that distance in usual Claire fashion, with sex, but Frank can’t handle any more of her faking. He calls her out on her behavior, claiming that when he’s with her, he’s fully with her, but she’s somewhere else, with Jamie.

After that, the relationship becomes more constrained, more like a business partnership. They take up separate beds and do as they must, but the rift between them will never be healed.

Claire decides that she needs to find a healthy distraction from Jamie. She goes to school to become a surgeon, befriending the only other minority in her year, Joe Abernathy. Just as it seems like Claire has a hold on her life, as she’s moved away from the memories of Jamie, she comes across a man playing the bagpipe on the street, and it’s a lasting reminder that wherever she goes, the memory of Jamie goes with her.

Random Thoughts

I adore Jamie and Jenny’s relationship. She doesn’t hold her tongue but she loves her little brother with all her heart. She knows that Claire meant the world to him and that it breaks his heart holding a child in his arms, knowing he’s lost two of his own. Jenny tries to get Jamie to be more open to another love, but he won’t have it. In the end, his stubbornness in protecting her wins out and he gives up himself to keep the Murrays safe. Jenny says she’ll never forgive him for it and as he turns back to look at his sister, there’s a sadness in his eyes that says he believes her.

I feel for Frank. He’s a good father to Brianna and he loves the little girl even though he knows she’s not his. He’s tried putting aside every distance between him and Claire, but she keeps finding ways to remind him that he’s her second choice, so of course he snaps. He’s not a bad man. He’s a broken man.

Fergus! You’re doing great sweetie!

Outlander airs Sundays on Starz at 8pm EST.

The Most Adorable Tidbits From the ‘Dark Matter’ Reddit AMA

Jen Stayrook

September 16, 2017

First order of business: Dark Matter needs to be picked up by someone. Syfy, Netflix, Hulu, anyone who will keep Joseph Mallozzi’s vision in tact while also keeping this kickass sci-fi show alive. After three seasons, I’ve fallen in love with the characters of Dark Matter and I’m not ready to say goodbye just yet.

It seems the showrunner, the cast, and the crew aren’t ready to say goodbye to Dark Matter either, as they’ve cultivated social media protests in an attempt to catch the eye of any network, to prove that Dark Matter fans are dedicated and they need this show to continue. The actors behind-the-scenes are some of the most avid supporters of the series and their love and passion extends even into a Reddit AMA:

imin_cognito:
Joe, you mentioned that you have a five year plan for Dark Matter. The Android was originally male but you ended up casting Zoie. Was the Android/Shaw – Two/Rebecca connection part of your original vision or was that one of the plot points that occurred to you as the seasons progressed?

Zoie Palmer: Yeah Joe, was it, was it?

Joseph Mallozzi: That was a connection I came up with early on that was adjusted significantly with the casting of Zoie Palmer in the role. I’m sure you’ll agree, this new improved version worked out pretty well.

cmplxgal:
For the group: Would you consider doing a musical episode, or would that be too different a feel for the show? The musical episode on Buffy the Vampire Slayer is iconic.

Zoie Palmer: YES YES YES, I’d love a musical episode!

Alex Mallari Jr.: Can we be the rap duo of the group, Zoie? Puh-leeeease?

Jodelle Ferland: Also a huge fan of that Buffy episode!!!! I think it would be hilarious. But then I think about me having to actually sing and it gets less hilarious

Anthony Lemke: Um… yes. But the real question is would anyone watch!

Let me just go ahead and stop you right there, Anthony. Yes, everyone would watch, especially knowing that most of the cast has musical backgrounds.

korvorn:
For Jodelle: As a Who fan, even though you got to time travel this past season, were you just a weeee bit jealous that the android got the “Allons-y” line in s3e4″All the Time in the World”?

Jodelle Ferland: YES I WAS. I even have an Allons-y tattoo!!!

JDP42:
Zoie Palmer, when you’re playing the Android, do you find it more realistic to channel a block of wood or a chunk of stone?

Zoie Palmer: bahahhahahahahahahaha best question yet. And to answer you, I like to go back and forth between wood and stone, throwing in the occasional consciousness of an amoeba.

Starbuck125:
One prop you hated to work with?

Jodelle Ferland: BUBBA IS SO DAMN HEAVY AND I AM SMOL. There are two versions, but the lighter one can only be used for wider shots.

Alex Mallari Jr.: THE COMMs (ear-pieces)!!!! LOL

Jodelle Ferland: Oh god the comms. I second this. They fall out every few minutes it seems.

Melissa O’Neil: THE STUN GUN.

(Probably because Two was stunned at least a dozen times this season alone.)

mint6errycrunch:
Melissa – In the episode Isn’t that a Paradox, how was it working with Tehya (Melissa’s dog) and what acting tips did you give her?

Melissa O’Neil: Tehya was insufferable on set. She demanded attention, distilled water in glass bottles, and the finest treats that contained no more than 5 ingredients. My dog is amazing. I wish I hadn’t been shooting in the previous scene so I could run her out. She does that crazy frenchie smiling face thing when she’s tired and I wish we could’ve gotten her to that point for her big close up. Next time! 😉

Criswel:
Zoie, what is your favorite Android Moment?

Zoie Palmer: So many to pick from, I love any moment where the Android is trying. I love it when she’s trying to figure out people or a moment, or how best to word something she thinks might be hard to hear for one of her crew members. But oddly I really like it when she’s also in complete automatic pilot and it full android. just doing something she is programmed to do, there is a lot of fun in those moments. Like if she just throws her arm out sideways and strangles someone. There’s something oddly satisfying about those moments too.

falling_into_fate:
Do you all get along off set? You seem to have very good chemistry it would seem like you’re all great friends behind scenes.

Melissa O’Neil: I think I might love them too much. Like, I’m that annoying friend who has nothing going on and just wants to hang out with everyone even after the lights have gone down and they are back with their families.

Alex Mallari Jr.: If y’all only knewwwwww how tight we actually have become!

Jodelle Ferland: Ugh, no. Jokes, we love each other!!! Which makes our job a lot easier.

Anthony Lemke: It’s like a second family.

congotim:
If you could each play a different character from the show, who would you be and why?

Anthony Lemke: Five. Cause she’s both really different than Three and kind of the same.

Jodelle Ferland: Then I choose Three, let’s just make it a body-switching thing!

ry200455665:
Does anyone have any “pre-shooting” rituals?

Zoie Palmer: I jump up and down naked in front of the cast. I was weird for them in season one, but now they all pull up a chair and eat their breakfast while I do it. No biggie.

‘The Challenge XXX: Dirty Thirty’ Review- “Rampage”

Alyssa Berkowitz

September 15, 2017

This week on the Challenge XXX: Dirty Thirty: The house deals with Camila and her racist remarks.

If you thought that this week’s episode was going to revolve around Tony’s smooching session with Camila, you were wrong. Just a note: I have decided to include Camila’s comments in this post, as I think the words she said are important to the discussion, and I apologize if including them causes any additional distress.

Camila’s Racist Tirade

After the cast arrives home and disembarks from the bus, Camila goes batshit crazy. There really is no other way to explain her drunken antics. She starts wandering around the grounds of the house, talks nonsense to herself, and humps a pillar while exclaiming “Dirty Thirty.”

Next, she decides to walk her drunk ass upstairs to eavesdrop on the tail end of a conversation Leroy is having. Leroy is trying to explain to Hunter that eliminating strong players is the smart move, and that is what everyone should do. That tomorrow Tony should send the universal “him” in and Camila should send the universal “her” in. This is when shit gets crazy, and escalates to a new level very quickly.

Camila storms in and starts screaming “WHO’S HER?” over and over again. Thinking that Camila is proving his point, he initially responds with “Exactly!” only to realize quickly that Camila is unhinged. I am assuming that Camila thought Leroy was talking shit about her, which he 100% wasn’t, but regardless of what Camila thought, her subsequent actions were inexcusable and reprehensible.

She gets up in Leroy’s space and hate starts spewing from her mouth:

Camila: “Guess how many wins you have? Zero! You’re a black motherf**king p***y.”

The entire room gasps in unison at Camila’s remarks, but Camila doesn’t stop.

She keeps screaming and yelling at Leroy, until security comes in and tries to remove her. It looks like things are about to calm down until Johnny throws a pillow at Camila and the Camila Crazy Train starts up again. When security finally gets her out of Leroy’s room she scream up at everyone from the stairwell:

Camila: “It’s all about f**king black motherf**kers like that piece of shit.”

There is so much to say about this incident that I don’t even know where to start. First, the footage MTV aired only scratched the surface of Camila’s racist diatribe. During the taping of the Reunion Special last week, it was revealed that Camila also called Leroy the N-word multiple times, although it wasn’t aired. (You can check out the subreddit if you want to read more). All of the cast members were disgusted with Camila’s behavior, and I was glad that they aired this comment by Jemmye.

Jemmye: “I don’t feel bad for her. I feel bad for the black man in the house she attacked. Because it’s not okay to attack black men who already have to deal with shit in America.”

This is important because it was one of the few remarks that touched on the complexity of racism.

The Morning After

The next morning, when Camila returns back to the house, the first thing she does isn’t apologize to Leroy, instead, she asks to talk to Tony to try and get sympathy/discuss who to send into the Presidio. She laments that she has no ill will against Leroy, and she has no idea where those remarks came from:

Camila: “Does this have anything to do with how I was raised? Because I always had to have my own back?”

Wait, what? I don’t know anything about Camila’s childhood, or how she was raised, but how does “having my own back” translate to “raging racist when drunk.” I had to mute my TV whenever Camila started to tearfully excuse her actions because it was too painful to watch. The whole time she only talks about herself, what she did, what it means for her, but barely how Leroy must be feeling.

When TJ comes to the house for the Presidio vote, Leroy addresses the elephant in the room and asks if Camila has anything to say about her behavior the night before.

Her “apology” to Leroy and the house was barely an apology. She said she wasn’t a racist, she blamed it on the alcohol, and that she doesn’t expect an apology because what she did was unforgivable, but no sense of remorse accompanied her words. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this episode over the last few days. I tried to imagine how I would react if I woke up hungover to learn that I had verbally attacked someone using racist remarks. I would like to think I would never do that, but say I did. My first thought after “I can’t believe I said that, I’m not racist” would be “maybe I am racist” because why else would those words have come out of my mouth. I would reassess and reexamine the biases that I hold to understand how I could have acted this way.

Leroy handled this situation with a sense of maturity and poise that most humans don’t possess. At first, he tried to understand why Camila was screaming, and then he refused to engage her and escalate the fight. He accepted Camila’s poor excuse for an apology and forgave her.

Leroy: “I should be super offended by it but you know what, this is the world we live in. My skin color is brought up all the time whether it’s in a good way or in a negative way. I’ve been black my whole life.”

It is heartbreaking that we live in a world where black men and women have accepted that people will say racist shit to them.

Since racism is only strongly condemned, but not a send homeable offense, Camila is still in the competition. If Camila actually had any remorse for the previous night she would have put herself up for the Presidio, but instead, she sends in Nicole. On the guys’ side, Nelson is sent in.

The Presidio

Jordan and Jenna pull the double cross, and send in Hunter and Britni to compete against Nelson and Nicole in “Rampage.” For this elimination, the competitors are connected by the shoulders, hips, and waist on a square platform with four ramps (2 Red, 2 Blue). The goal is to mermaid roll you and your opponent down your colored ramp. The first to three wins.

While Nicole puts up a decent fight, Britni pulls out the win for the girls.

The main event of the night, though, is the Hunter vs. Nelson match. The Battle of the Last Young Bucks. This is the second week in a row where Hunter has to go against one of his best friends in the house. While it was a hard fought fight, Nelson came out victorious and is now the last Young Buck Standing.

Redemption House

Thank god for The Redemption house, and Marie, for bringing a bit of levity to this episode. Over in the Redemption house, Aneesa and Cory are going on a nice carriage ride through Cartagena.

This carriage ride was fascinating. Whose idea was it? Was Marie invited and declined to go or was production was like “JK, you’re not invited.” More than anything, I wanted Marie to be the coachman for Aneesa’s and Cory’s carriage ride

Other Things

I loved TJ’s response to Camila’s behavior:
TJ: “As you guys know, racism is never okay. Even if you don’t know why you said something racist, that doesn’t excuse it.”
In some of the interviews, CT looks like l hasn’t slept in days, and Johnny has a funny sunburn.
In all seriousness: If Simone was sent home for waving around a broken bottle as a weapon, why wasn’t Camila sent home for waving around dumbbells as a weapon?

‘Teen Wolf’ – “Werewolves of London”: All Around Me Are Familiar Faces

Kaylen Hagadorn

September 14, 2017

This week on Teen Wolf, “Werewolves of London” reunites us with a few familiar faces, answers the question of who was shot, and reminds us that Scott and Malia are definitely in love.

AWOOOOO, Werewolves of London

“Werewolves of London” opens in, you guessed it, London. Ethan apparently lives there now, and is on the phone berating his boyfriend for forgetting their anniversary, when said boyfriend is thrown through their front door by hunters. Teen Wolf promos obviously spoiled this for all of us, but I still screamed in excitement when they revealed that Jackson is Ethan’s boyfriend. A fighting montage set to classical music ensued, and we find out that werewolves have been killed all over London. Ethan and Jackson figure out that Gerard is behind it all, and before heading back to Beacon Hills to take him down, they share a kiss in their ruined apartment.

MELISSA MCCALL FOR PRESIDENT

Scott is in the hospital in the aftermath of the shooting at his house, listening in while Melissa is in surgery. I am freaking out because as I said last week, I can’t bear it if anything happens to Melissa. Thankfully she’s stable and is going to be okay. When Scott goes in to check on her, he’s blaming himself but Melissa wants none of that. Melissa Ponzio and Tyler Posey have had amazing chemistry as mother and son throughout this entire series, and this scene just highlights that. Before she falls asleep from her sedatives, Melissa looks Scott in the eyes and says “Don’t run. You fight.” They’ve come such a long way from Season 2 when Melissa was terrified of her werewolf son. While I was busy worrying about Melissa, apparently Scott’s dad, Mason, and Lydia were shot. Sheriff Stilinski assures Scott and us that they’re all going to be fine.

Team Wolf builds an army

Scott tells Malia that the plan is to fight back. He says they’re going to need an army. The first person they attempt to recruit is Deucalion. Since Deucalion is no longer “THE DEMON WOLF,” he’s not interested in fighting. He says he won’t help them kill Gerard, but that he’ll offer them guidance. His first suggestion is lower their standards in who they’re asking for help. When Scott points out that they already did by asking Deucalion, Deucalion tells them to lower their standards even farther.

Apparently lowering their standards means going to meet Peter Hale in Eichen House. Seriously, aren’t we done with Eichen House yet? They try to convince Peter to join them, the way he joined them in fighting the Ghost Riders, but he’s not interested. He sets a hunter loose on Scott and Malia to try to force Scott to kill someone, saying that there’s no way to take part in a war without killing. Scott won’t do it, and so Peter refuses to fight.

Later, Malia lures Peter to the high school, saying that she needs to give him all the facts about what’s going on. She sticks his claws in her neck so he can see her memories, and Peter immediately experiences that paralyzing fear that everyone in Beacon Hills has been feeling. She explains to him that it’s the Anuk-Ite corrupting everyone, and Peter says “You know your only chance is to surround your delicate Scott with killers.” He’s still not convinced that he should help.

Ultimately, he shows back up, claiming he wants revenge on the hunters for destroying not one, but two of his very expensive cars. Malia sees right through that and asks him what he saw in her head that convinced him to come back. Queue romantic music and a montage of Malia and Scott. Peter says “Don’t fall in love with a dead man,” but Malia says it’s already “too late.” MY HEART.

I’m the captain now

Sheriff Stilinski brings Monroe in and though at first she thinks he’s accusing her of shooting up Scott’s house, he’s actually trying to get her to turn in those who did. He shows her photo after photo of things Gerard has done; killing Matt to control the kanima, killing his own hunters to start a war with werewolves, and withholding information about the Beast that attacked Monroe. Monroe looks at all these pictures and says what she sees is a sheriff who is ineffective, who chooses “them over us.” When he tries to have her escorted from the station, it turns out that Monroe has turned all of Stilinski’s deputies against him. She says “this is my station now.” It breaks my heart to see the sheriff removed from the station, but as he goes, he says “I never said Gerard wouldn’t beat me, I said he wouldn’t beat Scott.” The adults of Beacon Hills all trust Scott so much and it warms my heart.

Teens with anger issues and a ton of dead werewolves

Liam is wolfed out and attacking Gabe in the locker room because he thinks he’s responsible for the shooting at Scott’s house. While he’s breaking a mirror with Gabe’s face, Theo calmly shows up and talks Liam out of killing Gabe. I love the Theo/Liam dynamic and I hope they keep it up. Gabe tells them that there are other bodies no one knows about, and then proceeds to lead them to a freezer full of dead werewolves. He reveals that they were testing werewolves, looking for a certain one, and Theo and Liam realize that Aaron, the baby-faced lacrosse freshman is one half of the Anuk-Ite. They also realize that him testing werewolves means that the other half of the Anuk-Ite must be a specific werewolf.

Scott and Malia decide they should ask another pack of werewolves, the Primal Pack for help. Remember when there used to be just one pack of werewolves running around Beacon Hills? Oh the good old days of Season 1. When they show up to the Primal Pack’s hideout, they’re seriously creeped out, so of course Scott and Malia hold hands. Instead of finding help, they find the entire pack is dead, and look identical to the bodies Gabe showed Liam and Theo in the freezer.

It looks like they need to find the mystery werewolf before Aaron does and the Anuk-Ite can merge! I wonder if it’s someone we’ve met before, or another random new supernatural creature in Beacon Hills.

Final Thoughts:

Where was Chris Argent this episode? He could have been shot too!
Lydia spends the episode wandering around a frozen hospital nightmare and reminding us that she’s “a harbinger of death.”
Ethan: “He’s not just part werewolf. He’s part kanima.”
Jackson: “And both parts are pissed!”
Malia: “So what, you moved into a cave and took a vow of uselessness?” No Malia, Deucalion actually lives in a condo.
Gabe is the one who shot up Scott’s house, but says he did it to protect Nolan. Apparently Monroe believes Nolan did it himself. I’m really curious to see what happens with Nolan in these final three episodes.
Monroe is able to capture Jackson and Ethan because Jackson believes she recognized him from past lacrosse success. Never change Jackson.

‘Outlander’ – “The Battle Joined”: Claire and Jamie Try To Survive Worlds Apart

Jen Stayrook

September 10, 2017

This week on the season premiere of Outlander: Jamie is excellent at playing dead and Claire tries to make her marriage work.

Droughtlander is no more, my friends! Outlander season three is finally upon us. Unfortunately for fans of the Show That Promised Smut and Romance, Claire and Jamie spend the entirety of the premiere, “The Battle Joined”, apart. It’s especially sad once we realize that even though Claire and Jamie yearn for one another, they’ll spend the next eighteen years separated. Imagine how different their lives might have been if Claire had only stayed behind in Lallybroch with Jenny instead of leaving through the stones. I’m sure that once Jamie recovers from his injuries, it’ll be a thought that haunts him often.

The Battle Ended

Jamie spends much of the opening episode dozing in and out of consciousness, relying on flashbacks to tell the viewer what happened during the Battle of Culloden. Props to Sam Heughan for his convincing portrayal of a man near death. When he’s not buried underneath Black Jack Randall reliving the horrific battle, he’s watching, helplessly as his friends and allies give their lives one at a time. Much of this doesn’t phase Jamie, as he’s already resigned himself to death. He knows that Claire and the baby will be looked after and Lallybroch’s affairs have been handled, so he has nothing else for which to live.

On the battlefield, Jamie fights Randall to the death, presumably, but Randall has a penchant for surviving even the worst injuries. It’s not a glorious duel, nothing like the one that happened in France, but that’s one of the best aspects of Outlander: it’s gritty and doesn’t glamorize war. Heroes drop like flies as the guns go off and even Jamie doesn’t have the energy to fight his nemesis as the battle rages on. Their duel ends not because one killed the other, but because they simply didn’t have the strength to carry on. It’s oddly sexual, Randall’s death scene, as he falls on top of Jamie, and it’s a subtle reminder that even though Randall is dead, he’s a burden Jamie will carry for the rest of his days.

Rupert manages to find Jamie among the chaos, which is absolutely amazing given the amount of dead Scottish soldiers on the field, but hey, way to go, Rupert. I’m still sorry about Angus! Rupert takes Jamie and a few other injured soldiers to a barn where they hide out from the Red coats. They don’t hide very well it seems, as they’re set upon soon after. Lord Grey leads the Red coats and gives each of the surviving Scots honorable deaths because he’s isn’t a monster like Randall. Upon hearing Jamie’s name, however, Lord Grey learns that he’s the Scot who saved his little brother’s life, so he sends Red Jamie to Lallybroch in the back of a wagon.

It’s the only time Jamie shows emotion in the premiere, just as the release of death looms closer, Lord Grey wrenches it from him. Jamie knows that he should die like his brothers in arms, like the boys who weren’t given a pardon despite their young age, but Lord Grey takes that decision from him and now Jamie has to face the prospect of a life without Claire, friends, and purpose. Maybe with Jenny back in his life, he’ll have a renewed esteem for life, but I suspect that hiding from Red coats is a life Jamie no longer wants to lead.

Claire Tries Marriage

Oh, Claire. Claire. Claire. Pregnant and in a new land with a man she doesn’t really love anymore who also happens to look like her worst enemy. It’s a shit situation, but if anyone can handle it, it’s Claire. At the end of last season, Claire agreed to live her life with Frank. She agreed to not talk about Jamie or the fact that she loved him more because she knew that life would be better for their baby with Frank.

And that’s so heartbreaking because while it may be true, there’s a part of her that realizes she’ll never be happy in a world without Jamie.

Claire goes through the motions of being a dutiful housewife. She cooks, cleans, and stays beautiful so that she and Frank can keep up appearances. When Frank’s colleagues make snide remarks about women in traditional men’s fields, she almost loses her calm demeanor, but remembers that there’s a time and a place. It’s funny that Claire spent the majority of her time in Scotland earning the respect of men and now, in Boston, 150 years later, she’s still doing the same thing. It’s almost as if the feminist struggle doesn’t change overnight.

*stares at camera*

Claire tries to be okay with her situation, but she still flinches at Frank’s touch and her husband can’t understand why. He can’t understand that he looks exactly like his ancestor, the man who raped and tortured both her and Jamie. She snaps, wondering why she’s supposed to cherish her English history but not mention the last two years of her life, even though it’s killing her to keep quiet. Frank can’t understand and no matter how hard he tries to be sympathetic, their time apart will be a chasm in their relationship.

Claire goes into labor and the doctor is everything modern women fear. He’s sexist and brash, ignoring every one of her concerns, until he finally puts her under so they can deliver the baby, without her consent, via C-section. It’s terrifying for Claire, the thought of not being awake as she potentially loses another one of Jamie’s children. Thankfully, she wakes up and Frank walks in with their baby girl. They think all can well between them, as it was before, if only they focus on their baby. That is, until the nurse asks about the baby’s fiery red hair.

Frank Isn’t The Villain

In a lot of ways, Frank gets the worst deal in Outlander. He spent years looking for his missing wife, a woman he adored, and she came back to him not only changed but pregnant with another man’s child. He still loves her, that much is plain, but it’s clear that he also doesn’t know how to handle her time traveling past. It shocks him to learn that Claire had been pregnant before and it’s another stab to the gut reminder that she’s not the woman he married years ago. But he figures that they got through a war apart once before, they can tread these waters, as well.

Frank Randall is a lot more likable than his book counterpart. Starz has taken the time to flesh out his rough edges while gently reminding viewers that Claire did love him at one point, too. Like Jamie, he doesn’t try to quash Claire’s outspoken nature, even when it’s directed at his colleagues. He can’t understand what she’s been through and it’s hard to consider he might never know, but he does try. Frank isn’t Black Jack, and Claire knows that, but he also isn’t Jamie, and that’s a tough situation for all three of them.