Pestilentia

Back in (I think) the second episode we heard Dougal mention that the MacKenzie clan followed the laws of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanistry'>Tanistry. From what I gather the succession is reserved firstly to all the male dynastic descendants of all the eligible branches, and only upon total extinction of all those male descendants would anything go to a female. I think :)

Oh... silly me. Yes, it looked like a fun scene to film :)

They made the right choice- it was perfect the way it was.

No. Apparently your smell-o-vision wasn't functioning properly, because mine was off the charts nasty. ;) She didn't even roll up her sleeves and that urine was running off the table into her lap. Minus the availability of laundry facilities for the forseeable future I'd have stripped naked before I sat down.

For some reason the board won't let me "Like" this post so I am chiming in with "I agree."

It was a whole roasted rabbit to be sure but what cracked me up was that they hadn't even bothered to skin its head. Not the most appetizing way to present it!

I am going to reserve judgment on Ned for the time being. Perhaps Ned's "mmpmh" (or "eh" or whatever) was put there to convey that he was suspicious of her predictions regarding Culloden and that he wanted to talk to Dougal before going too much further into BFF territory with Claire. Or maybe he had been told to buddy up to her and had gotten enough information from her that he felt his job was done. Or maybe the prediction freaked him out, or maybe 10 other things. I don't remember book Ned being all that buddy-buddy with Claire anyway- he was friendly and pleasant but was clearly a MacKenzie man all the way. I like show Ned much more and I guess I am reluctant to give that up purely on the basis of one small snub, especially when we don't yet know what was in his mind.

I agree with this position- was just coming to say something similar.

FWIW I believe that ambergris is passed along with fecal matter but is not fecal itself. It can also be passed orally.

LOL, WatchrTina I've had my eye out for that guy from the day you first mentioned him. This guy?

I cried when Frank and Claire walked the fields at Culloden. I know very little about Scottish history other than what I've learned in the Outlander series of books but the mere word "Culloden" sends an icy shiver through my heart just the same as do the words Fredericksburg or Trail of Tears or My Lai. Just slaughter, slaughter, slaughter. I'd love to walk those fields someday but would think the emotional cost far to high to do so. Damn England, anyway. Such a rich culture just gone. Yet another stellar turn by Dougal speaking to the Jacobite cause- may as well call this The Graham McTavish Show when he is on screen. While I did not understand the language his passion was clear. I also love how the Angus character is developing. I found his anger when he found Claire with the womenfolk kind of endearing- you just know he had been searching and searching and getting more and more frustrated and worried when he could not find her. First because Dougal would tan his hide, but also because the boys are accepting her and even becoming a bit fond. It's like when you lose your dog- when you finally find them you want to clobber them for running away but at the same time are so glad to see them. All the gang are developing into their characters brilliantly- there is not one single actor on this show that disappoints me. Perfect Ned Gowan- the guy nailed him. It's nice that Claire has someone like him around to talk to from time to time, although he is clearly Dougal's man and she'd better understand that sooner rather than later. And the scenery- my God, the scenery. I am rapt viewing this show.

Eh, IMO it was a drunk guy making a move on Claire. A clumsy move by a really drunk guy, but just a guy making a pass. The Gathering was a huge celebration held once every decade or so, so I liken it to Mardi Gras type behavior. Lord knows there is lots of drunken pass making, inappropriate groping, peeing in the wrong places, and ill advised hookups. Sort of "What happens at The Gathering stays at The Gathering." :)

Yeah, Youtube is full of how to videos. When I watched them it looked to me as if the final result was largely a crapshoot that depended on how you positioned yourself on the folded parts. A novice would in no way be able to do it the same way twice, so I don't think aiming for a specific look is very practical unless you plan on devoting lots of time to practicing. I'd gather as many realistic accessories and hope for the best! The enormous woolen socks, a sporran, the belt, the belt that goes across the chest, a shirt, brooch, an Irish beret or caubeen, a dirk, a vest, a jacket, a sword... This website might help you- http://www.tartansauthority.com/highland-dress/ancient/ For me the boots make all the difference, but IIRC Jamie is wearing period French army boots, so finding them may be impossible. Cuffed pirate boots are similar. Lots of photos show regular oxford type shoes, too. Oh, this is fun!

When I saw that casting announcement I couldn't even remember who Horrocks was- had to go look it up.

I'm not entirely sure that all in the audience understand it ;)

Fiction, no. Historical fiction, when well written, IMO can be. I had no problem with the spanking, mostly because I read for entertainment and if something pissed me off that badly I would stop. But then I think that judging people from different cultures by our own standards is presumptuous in the extreme. We are ALL products of the geographical area and era in which we were born.

Well, that was fun! Joining the chorus of "kitties rule" and anyone who is ruled by them is OK in my book. I would have given the win to Glenn, I think. True the Knight was a mask, but then IMO the Bishop was, too. I loved Ve's Queen as well. IMO the most interesting part was seeing the thought processes of the judges and how they worked. Neville's approach was very interesting to me- the way he started the one figure and let the other roll around in his head a bit before finalizing the design.

I always think of Patrick Stewart when I hear "triangular eyes." I don't know why, and perusing photos just now even I think I'm crazy. But the thought persists nonetheless.

I'm good with a triangle if it exists only in Dougal's mind. He's already feeling overly competitive with Jamie, and if he thinks that Claire is into him (Jamie) too (or vice versa) it would be only natural for Dougal to try and insert himself into her good graces.

There might be a reason Dougal wants him along that we don't know about yet. As far as Jamie's hiding- they are going out collecting rents but will still be within the borders of MacKenzie property.

My objection to phrases like "For an older looking gentleman, he sure has a lot of spunk," have nothing to do with whether or not he is older or how old he is relative to norms for that period- it is simply that the qualifier "older" is not needed and feels somewhat ageist. Yeah, it's a young person's culture nowadays and how dare older folk act like normal people or be considered attractive. Like saying "She's nice looking for an older lady" when "She's nice looking" would do just as well.

Dougal: My brother looks very well tonight- says it's down to you and your healing touch. Claire: I'm glad I could be of service Dougal: Aye. It seems that the feral cat we picked up on the road is trying to pull in her claws. Claire: Charming description.

Other than the pilot, I love the slow pace- life in these times could be quite tedious and slam bam pacing is simply not realistic. To enjoy the entire spectrum of very finely written, fully developed characters takes time as well. Take that time to look at the staging, the costuming, the sheer amount of detail that went into each scene. Even the death scene- it takes time to bleed out. To have sped through that would have diminished the impact. Now during the pilot I did get a bit antsy- I kept checking how many minutes were left and wanting them to get to Jamie. Now, though, I am happy to allow things to unfold as they need to, and also understand how pacing influences the mood and tone of each scene. These were not novellas- there is a lot going on. Whether it feels like it or not, many of these details will be referenced later on. And of course wishing they would "get to" one scene or another means it will be over sooner. I would happily allow each episode to be five hours long if it meant I got more over the long haul.

Well it is - do we know that already or not?

Oops- and thanks! I was so worried about whether or not her year of death needed spoilerized that I didn't even consider if her married/last name needed it as well.