SunDevil

Pretty sure they are going for a bipolar story line with Chili.

Oh I did not remember an engineering degree from MIT. I would have thought she could have done more with that in the 18th century than build a kiln, make matches, and a rattlesnake tooth syringe. Oh well, I guess it lends enough credibility that I can start reading again. I couldn't get past it, lol.

I just started this book and don't want to spoil myself reading through the whole thread, but since when is Brianna a highly qualified hydro-electric engineer?!? I thought she was a history major, and artist, with a middling ability to make things. Did reading a few books make you an expert in the 70s or did Joe Abernathy falsify a masters degree and 10 year work history when she returned? People in the 20th century couldn't leave the work force for 5 years without their experience being rendered obsolete, are we really to believe her 18th century interest translates 200 years later? Not just translates, but surpasses that of her peers and seniors? Maybe I skipped a chapter where she traveled into the 22nd century and interned at the Super Magical Osmosis Plant.

That beating was brutal and he completely had my empathy. Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, but I can't recall any of his actions warranting that level of malice.

That ending was bleak. Although, I couldn't help chuckling as all the boat imagery had me thinking of the Lonely Island Boys "I'm on a boat".

I actually found Claire's character refreshingly relatable. I'm also super awkward around most kids. It’s not that I don’t like them or want them, I just don’t really know how to interact with them. Other people’s kids can be kind of terrifying. Yes, these kids are family, but if she isn’t close to her sister, she isn’t going to be close to her kids. I was under the impression Claire has been working at the park for years, so there had likely been a long standing offer to bring the kids out to the park. Sister randomly cashes it in when it is convenient for her, not Claire’s schedule, and doesn’t even bother to mention that she is getting divorced or that the kids don’t get along. They weren’t that close.

I suppose I should say I don't think it is Emmy caliber yet. If those traits you mention are what gets an Emmy nod, then isn't that exactly what Emmy caliber is? Outlander is still gaining momentum, establishing a fan base, the biggest name is a HITG. Without a knockout, heads and shoulders above the rest performance, it currently misses the mark a bit. I'm not arguing whether or not it is a good show, or has good performances. I quite enjoy it, and have recommended it to multiple people. I just don't think it's a contender this year.

I quite enjoyed the first season of Outlander, but as a whole it didn’t really strike me as major Emmy caliber. It seemed to have too much, yet not enough, going for it at the same time. By that I mean nothing ever stood out so clearly among the rest that made it noteworthy. On the other hand, Bear McCreary needs to win an Emmy yesterday.

Agreed, except in my mind Fergus has always been Antoine Doinel and I am mourning a bit that that vision will be replaced.

It's not the current ratings that worry me so much as the cost of production and keeping everyone on board as the scope of the show changes. Outlander could be Starz flagship if the cost of production doesn't get out of hand, and viewers can handle the revolving cast and moving away from Scotland. How long are the actors contracts? UK 2 year or US 7?

The first attack is over the table where Jamie's hand was smashed and nailed. It looks like there is quite a bit of blood on the table, so I'm just going to assume it was from that, even if the books imply otherwise. As for cleaning up, Randall brings out the water bucket and is shown using it to clean both Jamie and himself.

Hmm, so speculating on must be covered plot points if they follow the big stuff in the book 1-Flash to the future, breakdown at Grave 2-HIMYF sit down with Roger and Bree, docks, plague, hospital and apothecary 3-Charming their way into court, introduce Alex, Mary, and Bonnie Prince 4-Political intriguing, introduce Fergus 5-More political intriguing, hospital, and Fergus 6-Rapes? Various assorted criminal activities, return of Black Jack 7-Duel, miscarriage 8-Reconcile, return to Lallybroch and the signature forgery 9-Prepping for battle, introduce John Grey, Battle of Prestonpans 10-Meeting up with MacKenzies, death of Column, politicking, Jamie’s men arrested 11-Claire ends up at Sandrighams, Mary, Alex and Jack Randall wedding, rescue men/Claire and kill Sandringham 12-Prepping for Culloden, skirmish with Dougal, farewell at the stones 13-Denoument in the future and discover Jamie survived I moved the wedding to take place during Claire's time at Sandrigham's because the Randall helping Claire so she would help Alex seemed really convoluted and pissed me off. I don't need to see the softer side of Randall, and it really annoyed me that Claire could be so deceitful and Jamie just had to suck it up because reasons.

Honestly I felt book 2 had a big gaping plot hole as far as Claire going 20 years without following up on what happened to Jamie. I don't need to see the whole relationship with Frank, but I think showing her return, him disbelieving her story, doing some research on his own then reluctantly coming back around, maybe a little flashback when she sees the headstone to an early fight with Frank where he shows her some "proof" that Jamie died at Culloden. It would make so much more sense to me than her just assuming he was dead. I enjoy the show as an expansion of the series, so I would prefer it to fill in some gaps rather than be a straight depiction. If doing so steals time from other plot lines, I could do without Mary and Fergus' rapes, Claire sleeping with the king, and all the hand ringing about how Black Jack's bloodline must be preserved at all costs. Have they said how many episodes we get?

I’m actually excited to see more of Frank, and not just his faults. There is a lot of complex and interesting stuff to explore. For him this is 100% infidelity, a betrayal, a fantastical story, and eventually something that he will discover is supported by history. I mean, he is a historian, the whole plot falls apart for me if he doesn’t turn to his books and then try to process this strange truth. I want to see him obsess over every detail. People who are cheated on pour over everything, phone records, emails, credit cards, etc... He should want to find everything he can on the relationship, and his romantic rival. It is incredibly interesting to me that Claire’s life is documented in the past, and he can see what happens with her and Jamie, but doesn’t know his own fate. His whole identity is turned upside down. How does a historian process a nonlinear history? How could he possibly carry on with her happily if he believes in history? ETA: I want to see him fight with her over loving a dead man, and deceive her about history because that is the only weapon he has to try to influence events.

I see no reason the Fergus encounter with Black Jack can't just be another thwarted attempt. As far as I recall Fergus was more traumatized by the violence anyway. Do the books ever touch on Fergus' emotional scars from life as a child prostitute? I don't mind if he loses a hand as much. It seemed an odd outcome from a skirmish with soldiers, but I appreciated the tie in with Jamie's promise to take care of him for life.