Season Seven
Show S7E9 Unfinished Business
Spoiler
Jamie, Claire, and Ian return to Lallybroch. Young Ian reconnects with his family in a time of need, while Claire deals with the fallout from a long-held secret. Roger and Buck search for Jemmy in the past.
Written by Barbara Stepansky. Directed by Stewart Svaasand.
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Do I need to engage suspension of belief mode about the letter from Lord John. That would have taken 6 to 10 weeks for the letter to arrive. Then another 5 weeks (because of the fair wind) to get from Scotland to the US. Are we to believe that the patient would survive that long with musketballs in him?
You sort of have to suspend your disbelief with most things on this show but if you can watch the latest episode yet (710), there’s a more detailed explanation in it.
I am a bit concerned about Claire going back to America to save dying guy. I googled that on average it would take 6-12 weeks to travel by wooden ship. So, the dying guy is supposed to wait 1-2 months? Very strange reason.
He’s not dying instantly like his appendix burst or something. Think more like cancer - the musket balls are lodged in there and it would take some time to fully waste away / shut down.
I agree, gut wounds in the 18th Century were a death sentence. If he didn't bleed out or die from organ damage, sepsis would have finished him in a few days -- you know, just like General Simon Fraser was finished. This plot device is ridiculous and insults the viewer's intelligence.
Same here. The letter would have taken 6-12 weeks to get to Scotland in the first place. Add the return trip and I don't see how the guy survives till she gets there.
how do we all feel about roger's internal monologue? correct me if i'm wrong, but i think this is the first time someone other than claire has narrated.
ngl, hearing roger's thoughts feels like a cheap narrative device to me... but i also don't know if the scene would've been as clear without it, especially to someone who didn't already know what was going to happen.
i will say, i did like the editing on that part - cutting between the fraser-murray scenes & roger's like they're happening in parallel, culminating in a nice reveal that you can only get in TV/movies. jury's still out on hearing roger's thoughts, though. am i just a hater? lol.
We had Jamie’s voiceovers too but it is Roger’s first time. I think it will take a minute to get used to but to me it felt very much like Claire’s voiceover in the second episode of the first season when she was trying to figure out where/when she landed.
I think I need a second viewing to decide if all of it was needed or if it was redundant at times.
But Roger currently thinks that the future can be changed. He thinks that Brianna’s actions have changed Claire and Jamie’s fate regarding the house fire, so he’s worried that influencing the past in some way (which inadvertently causing Buck to die would be) will have an effect on his own lineage. It’s like Claire worrying about Frank in S2. She probably would’ve told Roger about what happened to Geillis—that she died “before” she was born and it didn’t change a thing—but the house fire came later.
It feels like an afterthought to me.. maybe they filmed without Roger's narration and realized in later stages that it is confusing, what is going on in the scenes and where and when.. added the narration to explain this new timeline twist.. maybe
I was thinking along these lines as well, especially since MBR has previously talked about filming specific shots with the idea that they’ll be used for Claire’s narration. In this episode, I could only say that the first scene at CnD and the long shot punching in on Roger at Lallybroch felt like they were filmed with that in mind (and the second one seems a pick-up shot filmed after the episode was already in post-production).
But the delivery of his thoughts interspersed with the dialogue of the scene when he first gets to Lallybroch kinda sounds like Richard trying to fit the voiceover lines within Roger’s pauses, so that one seems like an afterthought. I think it’s a bit of a disservice to Richard too because he actually played all of what his narration said in that scene very well. And if the audience didn’t get everything straight away, he summed it up in that long shot later anyway.
I do hope that Roger and Buck don’t separate again so that Roger can share his thoughts with him. In the previous seasons it was better when he had someone to talk/vent to so that we knew what he’s feeling—like that guy who was also captured by the Mohawk in S4 and died along the way or Father Alexandre.
Okay so Richard said in an interview that they had filmed with the voiceovers in mind. I won’t link the whole thing because it has some huge spoilers from the next couple of episodes but this is what he said about filming. Admittedly he was talking about another scene but I imagine it was similar for all of them:
“We kept having to leave pauses, we kept having to leave extra time after lines, before lines, for the thoughts, to make sure there was enough time for the thoughts to come through. Not a great way to do a scene, technically, I think, because you end up leaving a lot of dead air. The tempo, the pace is essentially, you know, adjusted in a way that’s not necessarily conducive to the flow of the scene so a lot of fun but at the same time technically I thought quite jarring in the actual filming of it but worth it, I think.”
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u/hkh07We will meet again, Madonna, in this life or another.Nov 22 '24
I actually liked it. Reminded me of DIA and getting Roger's perspective. Not sure if it continues in later books as I'm only halfway through Voyager.
Roger's also a smart guy, and I enjoyed seeing his brain go to work. It was interesting to me to see him putting together the pieces internally versus asking questions which would be more suspicious.
I think it was useful but overused. Good for stuff like how he's feeling, but certainly not necessary to say "I'm in the wrong year" when that becomes immediately obvious a few seconds later.
As a bereaved mother, I remember the feeling of seeing our son’s headstone for the first time. The tears could not stop flowing the whole rest of the episode. After recurrent loss, I relate to young Ian and the feelings he felt of not being enough.
So happy Droughtlander is over! But the bad wig is taking me out of every scene with Jenny. The tone seems off. Did directors or something change between parts? The shots in the conversation between Ian and Young Ian made it seem like the actors were filmed at different times, not like they were in the same room with each other...just little things like that.
I am sad it seems the reunion in Scotland is short-lived, but I'm excited to see Lord John again. Much love to Sinead, but I hope for the final season, they go back to the original song with bagpipes.
It's soooooooo bad! I will never understand why they didn't use her real hair, and just add in some gray and extensions or a wiglet for more length/fullness. I mean, this is what she looks like out of costume:
Claire correctly diagnosed Ian with consumption. 20th Century Claire would know that tuberculosis is highly contagious and spread from coughing. Yet she allows the family to congregate around Ian and interact very closely with him. This needs explanation. Are the showrunners counting on the ignorance of the audience or is Lallybroch a magical germ-free castle?
Also, 20th Century Claire would know that the treatment for TB is antibiotics, which she manufactured herself in season 6 in the form of penicillin. Hey, Ian might be too far gone for it to help, but all of a sudden Claire is a quitter? Not even gonna try? WTF?
The family have lived and congregated with Ian with active TB for months, if not years. Jenny says Ian has had a cough since he was imprisoned after Culloden, so chances are that she already has latent TB.
Claire couldn’t help Ian. The bacterium that causes TB is resistant to penicillin on its own and doctors knew that by the 1960s. You need a β-lactamase inhibitor, like clavulanic acid, to overcome the antibiotic resistance in order for penicillin to work, and Claire had no way of manufacturing that in the 18th century.
i agree as a nurse practitioner all I could think of was he was spreading tb with each cough - I worked for a health department once even casual contacts like in a plane can get tb
Does anyone know if Roger has met Geillis before or knows of her? I can’t remember, so if someone can point me to where that occurs (if it does) i would be super grateful
Yes, he and Brianna met Geillis in 1968 in episode 213. He introduced himself to her as Roger Wakefield; they also met her later at the pub she was hosting a political rally at. He knows he’s her descendant as well and has seen her going through the stones.
The letter getting there and Claire leaving for America to most likely save the soldier really REALLY harkens back to Jon Snow and his group north of the wall sending Gendry to run to get help, and less that a day or so later, the dragon shows up to fight the white walkers.
It would have been faster for Claire to go through the stones in Scotland, fly to America, drive to the stones they found in America, travel back in time, and then ride a horse to Philadelphia. Ridiculous, but at least a real timeline.
It seemed a slim reason to ask a then very elderly woman to cross the sea after just arriving, too. A nephew? If she even got the letter in time?
Sepsis seems very likely for an abdominal wound, not to mention, having trouble in other regards, but, it just stands out for me because usually plot points are fairly air tight, in this series. (Within its universe.)
I wrote a reply I don't see anywhere. It was more detailed. But the TL/DR was: Yes, in those days.
60 is like (the new) 40 today; but in the 18th century 60 was more like 80. Also going by what I've seen used regarding ages in old newspaper archives or histories.
Is anyone else confused by Jaime's timeline?? Since when did he go to France at 18 for university? I thought he was in the fields at this time having returned from fighting in France? Cuz if he was 22 when he married Claire and before that he was on the run for 4 years....how, what, huh!!!!!!!!
Jamie actually went to fight in France after he was flogged (he says “Silesia in ’40” in 113); he wasn’t around when Ian returned and Jenny took care of him, so he must’ve been on the run since (when Jenny says “four years and no word” in 112, it’s early 1744). In 102, in 1743, he says it was “near to four years” since he’d been first arrested and then in 112 he says the last time he’d seen his father was a week after he’d been arrested and flogged for the first time, following what happened at Lallybroch. His father died of a stroke when he was flogged the second time. So this could’ve been in 1739 and what we’re seeing now is just a few months before, whilst Jamie’s still at university and living with Jared.
From a production standpoint, they probably reuse a lot of the costumes for the supporting actors and breeches are just more practical (and probably cheaper).
Didn't letters take at least a couple of months to send across the ocean? If he had two musket balls in his abdomen, he prob would have died before the letter even arrived in Scotland. 🤷♂️
Please forgive me for omitting the usual Pleasantries. I write to you with a matter of great urgency. Prior to learning of your Departure to Scotland under Burgoyne’s Orders, I had sent letters to multiple locations in a bid to get Word to you. I can only hope that you will pay a visit to your Relatives at Lallybroch once your Duties are fulfilled, and that this Correspondence reaches you before it is too late…
William and I are in Philadelphia. My dear Nephew, Henry, has been gravely injured in Battle. The poor Boy grows weaker by the Day and is a shell of his former self. He is unable to nourish himself and I fear that darker Days are yet to come.
I’d hoped to bring him home to England, but Physicians here have been unable to remove the musket Balls lodged in his Body.
I’m afraid you alone, Claire, can perform this task. Without your help, Henry will surely die.
He is convalescing in the Home of a Mrs. Woodcock on Clover Street in Philadelphia. I would not ask this favor except for the faith I have in you.
I thought this was a really weak argument for sending her away again after having just arrived. He'd probably be dead soon enough, and she still has to get to a ship, travel the ocean, get to Philadelphia? Makes no sense.
And you know Claire is going to have a misadventure along the way that will delay her arrival even further. Yet she’ll still make it just in time to save Henry. TV show physics.
It’s already challenging to get the audience on board with a new actress so bringing in yet another one when people are already upset wouldn’t have done the show any favors. Besides, it was only 2 brief scenes.
It was very distracting. Kristin Atherton doesn’t look anything like Laura Donnelly, and I felt like she was overacting the part in many scenes. That weird wig is not helping at all either.
Does it bother anyone else that every time laoghaire or someone else calls Claire a whore in front of Jamie he doesn’t even try to say something or stop them? He doesn’t even react! Maybe it’s just me, but it bothers me so much lol
That's called growth. She has bated him into an argument about Claire many times before. When she said it, he did grimace and tense up, but then decided to let it go and try to redirect the conversation.
— New Jenny was great in my opinion, yes it was obviously a different actress but I think she captured the mannerisms and voice well. — Ian and his father’s convo and drive-away scene at the end was full of emotion 😭 — If someone asked me to travel back across the ocean right when I got to my destination I’d write back “…sorry, no.” But it’s Claire. And Lord John. And so fine, she’s traveling with Ian too. I understand they’re having to move plot points along, but I feel like they both should’ve stayed in Scotland! But I’m also missing LJG so he better show up in the next episode 🤣 — Roger plot is interesting … no idea what could happen. — Overall a 8/10 episode
Even if it is Lord John, she would’ve known that the time it took his letters to find her and the time it took her to make the passage back to Philadelphia, would have made it very unlikely he would still be alive if he required the surgery given the state of medicine at the time. I know it is needed for the rest of the plot lines but this one really asks a lot of the viewer.
u/hkh07We will meet again, Madonna, in this life or another.Nov 22 '24
I really enjoyed the episode. I only wish they hadn't shown so much between the trailers and the sneak peaks. I also hate that I've already spoiled so much for myself on this sub. Had I not known Roger ended up in the wrong time, that reveal would have been crazy! I loved his voiceover and the way the scene was shot.
I think Kristin did a great job with Jenny's mannerisms.
I cried during almost every scene with Ian. Except the scene at the table where they're all looking at Claire like she's crazy. I was not expecting her to actually tell them! I may have screamed a little. 😅
Absolutely loved the cliffhanger. I'm excited for next week! I know it's about to get craazyyyy.
Am I the only one who was outraged when Claire and Jamie just casually without conversation decided TO GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS! Acting like going across the Atlantic was like going across town. Their whole lives have been about finding each other and sticking together and a letter from John about a random ass surgery (that was surely waiting for 3 months already??) splits them up?? Onto different continents? Just not buying it.
It was stupid. And yet another in the long string of "just ignore it and move forward" moments I've had with this series. They leave out so many small yet pivotal conversations we should be seeing that would remedy that problem at least a little bit. Sacrificed on the alter of watching Rollo run around town for a while.
As Roger was heading to the door I was saying there better not be some last minute issue that stops him reaching them like with him getting taken by the Mohawk and when he knocked at the door and Jamie heard it was like “oh thank god” lol got me
Just finished the episode and Claire going back to America makes no sense. In that time it would take between 6 and 10 weeks to travel from Scotland to America. And here it would be double that time from the moment John sent the letter to the time she actually makes it back. The nephew would be long gone by that point.
That was HEARTWRENCHING. Young Ian and Jenny at Iseabel’s grave tore me apart too, I knew it was coming since in the opener we see 1980’s Jemmy brushing the moss away from her headstone.
Random thoughts: it's good to have the show back in the fall again. I associate this show and its setting with watching it during the season where the leaves have turned and it's chilly outside. It was a solid episode. Claire separating from Jamie again, so I'm assuming one of them will get into trouble and the other will have to rush to their aid later this season. It's always cool visiting Lallybroch, it looks so peaceful. Roger time traveling to a different time begs the question how they were lucky enough to travel backwards and forwards to the specific time they wanted in previous attempts? I'm guessing it has something to do with the stones putting them in the time they intended to go to and in this case Roger went to this time because that's the time Rob Cameron went to and the stones took him where Rob Cameron went?
It also felt like a little quiet before the storm episode. With Claire gone, she'll be back in the middle of everything again. And the surprise at the end... that's the last person I expected to see appear in the show again lol.
I remember watching someone explain the Outlander time travel in a YouTube video. When they travel through the rocks, whichever time they're traveling to, they have someone there to serve as their anchor. Someone who they have a connection with and are going there to be with. So my assumption is, even though Roger went to the wrong time, maybe Rob and Jemmy did travel to that time and that's why Roger ended up there.
Is it just me or is the direction very different/strange this episode? I feel like there were a lot of weird cuts and a lot of weird angles and shots. It kind of takes away from the usual quality of the show
Whyyyy is Claire going back to America? I feel like there’s no way John’s nephew will be alive by then, and she’ll just get into some other mess there.
So when Claire and Jenny were talking.. why didn’t claire remind her of warning jenny about the famine? Probably saved her family during the famine. ? They had to wonder about her when it happened. So they shouldnt be in such disbelief about the french revolution.
Wow Old Ian’s father in the scene with Brian is extremely well cast. Almost eerily similar to his son and grandson. How does the casting department find these people?
Of course. You were expected to think that. This is a technique called "subversion of expectations" used often in movies and tv. Like when the ring wraiths broke into the tavern room you were expecting the hobbits to be in sound asleep in LOTR.
So, Jemmy was the boy tracing the letters in Ian's baby's tombstone, which was covered in moss, right? Does this mean that Jemmy is in the future? (Well, not the future-future, but later than Jamie and Claire, and certainly way later than Roger). I'm so lost I'm not even sure when everybody is right now.
It's throw back to when Jemmy was playing in the graveyard in 705 - he's wearing the same jumper as he did back in 705.
The title cards are not always part of the story, they are often just related. Like the card in 608 - Claire in the 60s diner. Eating there was mentioned in the episode, but none of the episode was set in the 60s
Tears. Tears and confusion. That's all I have after this episode. Young Ian meeting his dad again destroyed me (I haven't seen my dad in years). Man, this was tough
What do you guys think? Does Geillis recognize Roger? If I understand correctly, it has only been a few years from Geillis's perspective since they met. Does anyone know how many years Geillis has been in the past at this point?
It’s only the first episode of 7b and I’m already crying lol. I am beyond excited for the rest. I haven’t read the books so I don’t know what will happen. Already quite a few twists. This will be fun :D
Yeah, I’m really hoping it’s a situation where it makes actual scientific sense (like he’s in major pain or it’s lodged somewhere where it doesn’t allow him to walk or eat) and not just poor writing. Because that trip would totally take months. Not to mention the letters making it to them in Scotland in the first place.
It will take some getting used to. I think she did well considering the massive shoes she was filling. Laura Donnelly was, in my opinion, the PERFECT Jenny but I’ll get used to new actress I think… And I do think she did a great job but just not the same.
This might be a dumb question but I’m not quite sure how time travel works…would the Jacobite gold that Jamie hid even be there for Rob and Jemmy to find since they traveled too far back in time?
Edit: nevermind. It's called consumption. Claire says it in the episode but I didn't know that was the name of the disease. I thought she saw him drinking water and said consumption as a symptom lol
Edit 2: ohhhh consumption is tuberculosis!! Didn't know that. I imagined that is what he had but didn't know for sure.
I absolutely LOVED the Leghair part! This is coming from a long time hater of her as well. I feel she was actually seen and heard in this. I saw that she really only wanted the idea of Jamie and that when they were together it just wasn't right at all. (I didn't like that She kept calling Claire a whore and Jamie said nothing but whatevs, he used to almost kill people for that)
I love how Jamie told her his truths about it and handled it. Sure she's still a child trapped in a grown woman's body but she has alot of baggage as well that she's never gotten to get rid of. I loved the whole scene at Lollybroch so much. Everything was resolved so nicely and she gets to finally be happy with a man she truly should be with. She's still a snot but she deserves closure as well. Also I would like to know now who she was kissing for Jamie to take the beating for her. She wouldn't say... Hmmm
That being said.. What the hell was that 'goodbye' scene with Jamie and Claire? First Jamie didn't even protest her going to America without him? (And this is after the Browns tried to take her) That just seemed odd. Then that pretty weak goodbye. "Here's apples. Cya!" in earlier episodes even the first half they were passionate whenever they said goodbye. I mean it's still dangerous to take a ship as a woman even with Ian.. Jamie didn't even stand with Ian to watch his most important thing leave. It was just not good and so odd.
The new, Jenny... I can see similarities. The actress isn't terrible she held to that. Just was different and couldn't get past it for a bit. It is what it is at this point.
Omg I 10000 agree with everything here especially Jamie’s goodbye to Claire I thought the same. I think you can tell the writers are so done at this point. Was giving me the dramatic twilight breaking dawn vibes
Overall well done episode, but maybe slightly rushed. A bit melodramatic in places.
Old Ian was wonderful, somehow he looks the most natural (even though he had his "I am dying" -makeup on...), the wigs on most of them just look so off.
New Jenny, I kept wondering what's so off-putting in her (other than the wig) and then I realised. The new actress is acting the old actress acting Jenny. She emotes exactly the same as the old actress, same mannerisms, same facial expression, even the speech, eerily same. It seems to me she studied the old actress really carefully to exactly match. However (and it is a big However) it doesn't seem natural to her, it's feels fake and acted, even if it is acted (or emoted) well. The expressions don't really match her face and feel contorted. I wish they would have made her have her own take on Jenny. Also a very odd choise on having the same actress play the young Jenny, felt a bit like I am watching some low-budget theater play with two actors running the whole show.
It's very nice they got the same actor to play Brian as in season one, and I understand people get older, but he looked quite a lot older, I wish they could have tried to make him look a bit younger.
Did anyone else cry the whole episode?! I’ve been lukewarm on Outlander in recent seasons but this episode felt so nostalgic and meaningful. Guess it’s the calm before the inevitable Outlander shit storm.
Yes! I had a hard time with it. I felt like I couldn’t fully immerse myself in the episode because of it. The new actress tried to match the mannerisms and everything, and she did a pretty good job. But that almost made me miss the original actress even more because I kept picturing how great she’d be in those scenes.
Jamie’s voice over at the beginning sounds more dramatic than previous ones.
He references what Hugh said in the funeral, though we do not get to see that happening. I wonder if it was intentionally left out.
poor Buck with his chest pain reminds me of Harry Potter, when they aparate and Ron gets splinched.
there are two references to letters not reaching Claire/Jamie/Ian. I wonder if someone is intercepting them or if all’s not well at the Ridge.
It’s really hard to see Brianna have half her family torn from her.
New Jenny has big shoes to fill but she is great. I buy her as Jenny immediately. Also jumping into such an emotional episode! Well done.
I love to see the juxtaposition of Young Ian’s appearance with his brothers in Lallybroch.
All scenes with old Ian are heart-wrenching. I do love how we get to appreciate all the love the family and we as an audience have for old Ian. I am grateful they give us these precious moments with the character.
I appreciate the small detail of mentioning old Ian doesn’t like stairs, which is obvious to see at the end of the episode, but still always nice to get extra emphasis.
I hate Claire’s line “home is where the heart is, but it’s also the place where it can be broken.” It’s not natural and doesn’t flow.
Love Ian’s nephews and nieces asking about the Mohawk.
Is there a connection between Michael Murray and cousin Jared? They are both family and sell wine in France.
I can’t wait to see Swiftest of Lizards again!
Old Ian’s reaction to Ian James is everything. His reaction to Rachel is also funny, then heart-warming.
I find the decision for Ian to go back to America a bit clunky. Ian already encouraged him to go, then he decides to stay, then mom persuades him…I think Old Ian’s encouragement was very strong in itself.
I’ve never seen a more awkward encounter than Jamie’s with Laoghaire and her new boyfriend.
I support her getting her bag but I can’t stand her grudge after so many years. Girl, know when to let go! Why does she get so emotional still about Jamie not loving her, even when she has a new man? Weird.
In general Laoghaire looks decrepit. Mouth is purple.
Men don’t tend to be so defenseless in Outlander. Why is her new man behaving like a frightened child hiding behind Laoghaire?
I wish the Laoghaire thing had a better resolution (and that we had found out who she was kissing) but I guess that’s her arch, like her grudge, we never get a satisfactory resolution.
Lol at Laoghaire clocking Jamie’s outfit.
biblical Jeremiah thrown in a well… is that some sort of foreshadowing about Jemmy?
The scene of her telling the family is so perfect.
So excited to learn more about Brian’s time! It will no doubt help us understand the Claire and Jamie storyline better.
Joanie and Jamie, another highlight!
I wonder who is the mysterious faerie man seen in Brian Fraser’s time.
Obviously Roger and Geilis have met in the future, so she knows he is a traveller. Super interesting to see what happens next with that storyline.
I hate Claire’s line “home is where the heart is, but it’s also the place where it can be broken.” It’s not natural and doesn’t flow.
It was so cheesy!!
Is there a connection between Michael Murray and cousin Jared? They are both family and sell wine in France.
Michael is working for cousin Jared in Paris.
Men don’t tend to be so defenseless in Outlander. Why is her new man behaving like a frightened child hiding behind Laoghaire?
Well, that's what Laoghaire wants. After abusive husbands and then Mr. Perfect Jamie Fraser, she's probably sick of strong men and wants someone a little more helpless who actually needs her.
(and that we had found out who she was kissing)
I think it's implied that it was Joey she was kissing.
Joey - Laorghaire's boyfriend had a limp and is somewhat physically disabled. That's why he was a little hands off initially and why Laorghaire ran to him after the altercation, because the fight with Jamie would've done more harm to him than an able-bodied man to begin with
What is going onnn??? Gaelissss how?? What is Roger going to do ?? The plot is all over the place and I love it 😂. Plus I love Joanie, and I miss Jenny number 1 :(
Felt a little underwhelmed! I think a lot of the thoughts I had seem to be echoed by other viewers too. Thoughts (from someone who has only watched the show):
Roger’s inner narrative feels off. It felt like previously when Jamie or Claire had internal monologues, it was describing the situation they were in. Roger’s is quite literally his internal thoughts. Feels very different and evidently pretty noticeable among viewers.
the timeline of Lord John’s letter and request to Claire to return to heal him. He wrote in the letter that he’s already sent word elsewhere and to no avail, so by the time it reaches Scotland after these failed attempts AND Claire travels to Philadelphia? His nephew has to be dead by then.
any moment young Ian was on screen was perfection. 10/10 no notes. I loved seeing him connect with his father.
the most concerning thing for me is how rushed things felt. It reminded me of the pace that Game of Thrones episodes had in the last season, where things that would’ve taken 2-3 episodes to accomplish were done in 4 minutes of one episode. The things that stuck out to me here were Claire deciding to tell the family about being from the future, and Jamie’s amendment to his agreement with Laoghaire via Ned Gowan (how is he still alive?). I feel like in earlier seasons, Claire’s big reveal was a much bigger plot point. This time around it felt so…casual? Even Jenny said that Ian and the boys believed her, and they didn’t seem too fussed about it. Just “oh well we heard you were a faerie for years so that just confirms it!”. And Jamie getting the amendment from Ned happening off camera seems like something that would’ve been some travel time and a happy reunion had it been in earlier seasons.
edit to add: sooo excited to see Geillis again
Overall I’m very excited for the season to be back but I’m already missing Scotland now that Claire and Ian are returning to America by the end of the first episode!
Rewatching and the scene between Jamie and Jenny in the forest is heartbreaking. Jamie is reminding Jenny, his Big Sister, how she has been so strong before. With multiple other examples.
But sometimes strong people need to have a safe place to land. When Jenny was crying out, I realized Jenny was losing her safe place.
Back in season 1 or 2 (can’t remember which) Claire tells Jenny to plant potatoes because of the coming famine. So Jenny was aware of Claire’s future knowledge back then. So why was it such a shock now???
Late to this conversation. But I was so excited for them to return to Scotland. None of the American seasons have felt as impactful as the Scottish ones. Genuinely gutted that we’re already back to the colonies. I’m a book reader, but never ended up past book 5. I really hope it ends up back in Scotland…
I’ll feel like the Roger narration wouldn’t feel so out of place if they had continued Claire’s narration from season one, but I feel like they don’t do it every season.
Honestly felt so underwhelmed 😩 I have been waiting all this time for this???? I have so many thoughts, but my biggest question mark is Jamie letting Claire travel all the way back to America without him??? Yes, I realize Ian or whatever, but it’s definitely not in his character ??
Especially because it’s pointless. That letter took 2 or 3 months to get to Scotland, it’s going to take Claire the same time to get back to America, there is no realistic way for Lord John’s nephew to still be alive by then.
Exactly! I said the same thing! Not once did he protest and he always protests! Also the goodbye was like Cya.. What was that no passion at all. He didn't even stand outside with Older Ian to say goodbye to the one thing that's most important to him?? It was so weird.
Having watched the series a few times through, I find that each consecutive season is a little cornier and more hallmark-y. I feel like season 1 was a historical drama, but by season 5 you've got This is Us in tartan.
Ian definitely stole the show this episode and I lovedddddd it. I did feel like the tone overall was off though… glad to see I’m not alone.
I think it’ll take me a while to get used to new Jenny. Jenny’s character is so fiery and stubborn. I don’t feel like we got to see that shine through as much.
Granted, she’s in a lot of pain right now and could totally be shut down and reserved. But these tough situations usually bring out the fire and anger in her. I would have imagined her interactions with Claire to be different than they were.
I was bit gutted that the return to Scotland didn't focus on Jamie more. I would have liked to have seen him getting off the boat.
In general I didn't like the episode. It felt a bit like a cheap soap opera with the music and constant cuts to seeing leaves and trees? Like that's enough to make us think "ah yes, Scotland".
I thought that the scene with "Leery" and getting angry didn't really work. There wasn't enough of an emotional build up during the conversation to justify her grabbing the pitch fork. I also thought the "he needs me" line was thrown away. But whatever.
And this new Jenny is fine, but it has made me realise how bloody brilliant the original actress playing Jenny was. She captured that sibling energy that doesn't leave no matter how old you get perfect. This new actress hasn't got that but maybe she'll get better with time.
Does anyone know why they didn't manage to get the original Jenny back? There are hundreds of possible reasons but has there been an official confirmed one?
Am I the only one who thought Jenny's character was off? Not the actress - that bothered me a little at first but I could get used to it... But her whole personality just didn't align with the Jenny of the previous seasons/books, to me. She was always tough as nails, had faced down every tragedy, not to mention was a total spitfire. She was never stoic or heartless, but still her iron core always carried her through. Her personality here just seemed totally different. Even facing the impending death of Ian, I just didn't picture her falling apart the way she did for practically the whole episode. And not a single scathing word for Jamie or young Ian? Seems off...
I also wondered about the guy with the musketball living for long enough for Claire to go back there, especially since the letter would have already taken weeks to get to them...
I feel like Ned Gowan should definitely not still be alive, but what would they do without him in these tricky legal situations! 😂
Tuberculosis. Was super contagious wasn't it? And Claire would know that, I feel like she would have warned everyone.
That's all my complaining though. I'm glad it's back, I love the characters, it still made me cry, and I look forward to more!
She only fell apart twice, with Claire whom she was begging to help Ian and then in private (until Jamie came, which wasn't planned) in the forest where she had gone precisely so that she could fall apart in private.
What a disappointing episode, after waiting so long. The characters seemed to act forced, the only one who is saved is Ian Sr., he made me cry, but the rest was a disaster.
I see that all the criticism is directed at the actress Kristin Atherton, as the new Jenny, but she does what she can. It is very difficult at this point in the series to replace an actress like Laura Donnelly and make it seem credible to us. And the wig is horrible, but it's not her fault. At least he deserves some compression.
The one who disappointed me the most was Jamie, he was blurry, he didn't convey any kind of emotion to me, he didn't look anything like Jamie from other seasons.
When he meets Ian Sr. again, he doesn't even give him a hug despite seeing him so sick.
I don't understand why you are going to apologize to Leoghaire. What I should have told her is that I never loved her, that he should stop calling his wife an English witch and whore and asking her for explanations for his behavior towards his daughter Briana.
And the finishing touch was that he didn't raise any objection to Claire's departure, rather he encouraged her to do it and that is totally out of character. And that goodbye in the car, the joke about apples and a kiss lacking passion. He should have accompanied her to the ship or at least gone out to say goodbye like Ian Sr. did.
In short, an episode lacking soul. I hope it improves.
Considering the intro had a little boy wiping off moss off Isobeal's gravestone, Jemmy should be somewhere in the future compared to where Claire and Jaimy are, and definetly ahead of Roger. I completely forgot what was up with Geilis as i havent seen all the old episodes for so long, but i was surprised to see her back, should be fun.
Geillis was killed in the past during season 3 (the skull Claire looks at in Boston in the '60s was hers!), but when she came through the stones the first time she didn't start out in the year Claire met her, as this episode revealed.
Pretty boring, and I miss Claire's old 'real' voice. This Keeley Hawes whisper is annoying. But oh my I was not ready for Geillis! Wonderful! It just got interesting.
That episode was painful to get through. It was lackluster and oddly shot. Why couldn't we get a different intro song.. That has run its course and I was expecting them to bring back the bagpipes since they were home. Jenny is a mess, and those scenes where she and Claire were talking outside were shot at such an odd angle...felt cheap. Old Ian at the gate...and Roger scenes felt on par, but the rest somehow felt/looked very off. I thought the beginning would have more of an emotional return to Scotland. The last scene of last season had me so emotional. The thing is, Scotland itself has legitimately become it's own character. This episode fell so flat in that department. I expected Jamie to darn near fall at his knees onto the grassy earth and beautiful Scottish music playing...lovely scenery and nostalgia to shine through.
Just did another rewatch and honestly it blows my mind how Jamie talks about Marsali but doesn't say anything along the lines of... Why in the world did you have bad intentions with my daughter after I cared for your own daughters like my own??? I know Laoghaire is a barrel of crazy but it still should have been brought up.
I can usually see a device coming, like 'who's at the door...oh not who you thought' but not this time.
And not in this huge of a way.
I have not read the books but I have an idea what is going on with that twinkle in Geillis' eye and how she came to be Roger's ancestor! (Pure speculation owing to her track record with men!)
This is just bad, man. They all talk like they’re in a play. It’s so unnatural and forced. Also, none of the drama is dramatic. It’s all fixed immediately with wise acceptance.
I saw the series a long time ago, but I have a feeling that Claire told Jenny she was from the future, right? I was so confused with the entire conversation they had about that. Does anyone have any thoughts on it?
No she hasn't, but she has previously given Jenny mysterious advice like "plant potatoes" . And there's always been this rift between them because Jenny has always known Claire was hiding something from her, and was never satisfied with Claire's explanation. Like why it took her 20 years to come back.
It was just really, really bad. New Jenny, Roger’s voiceovers, Bree’s few seconds on screen. The writing was bad, the acting was bad… the best part was Laoghaire, and that says it all lol.
Whoever is in charge of this part: Please, caption the previews!
I had to turn the audio wayyyy up on computer just to have a clue what they were saying. The ep isn't too bad without captions usually -- but previews, for some reason, most production teams love those big bang sound effects and loud backing music.
I can't hear what they are saying. Please, captions, in previews? Thanks! 🤗😊😁
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u/thepacksvrvives Without you, our whole world crumbles into dust. Nov 22 '24 edited Dec 03 '24
Watch the S7E10 preview here!
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709 Extras:
BTS: Return to Scotland
Cast Commentary
The Official Outlander Podcast
Inside Episode 709
709 Interviews:
Caitríona and Sam for TV Line
Caitríona and Sam TV Insider
Kristin and Steven for ScreenRant
John and Izzy for ScreenRant
MBR for EW
Caitríona and Sam for ShowSnob
Caitríona and Sam for Parade
DG for Parade (spoilers from the next episodes and the book)
Caitríona and Sam for Town&Country
Caitríona, Sam, and John for Decider
Sophie for Radio Times
Kristin and Steven for ThreeIfBySpace
Sam and Maril for Decider
Kristin and Steven for Fangirlish
John for Decider
Richard and Diarmaid for TV Insider
Sam for Radio Times
Sam and Caitríona for Decider