S01.E14: The Search

[Tara Ariano]

Claire and Jenny head off to save Jamie from the redcoat captors and meet up with Murtagh, who joins them. The trio employ unusual tactics to get word to Jamie.

Reminder: There is open air book talk here. If you are just watching the TV show and you don't want to stumble into a potential spoiler you should leave now and go to the No Book Talk episode thread. Book Talk assumes you have read all the books to date. Any information from unpublished books, such as preview chapters should be in spoiler tags.

[bluebonnet]

In a way, I really loved this episode.  Claire is an outlander again and you can tell she feels very unbalanced.  However, the pacing of this episode compared with others really bothered me.  The stuff at Lallybroch was super condensed, which I think is a shame because it was where we really got to see Claire blossom and grow to love who she is, where she is, who she is with, etc.  So it doesn't feel like a good trade-off for Lallbroch to be given nearly equal screentime (give or take a few minutes) as this search for Jamie, which could have easily taken just half the episode rather than 45 minutes.  I also feel left wanting since we have no idea where Murtagh has been and we aren't any closer to learning how Jamie made his way back to the witch trial in order to rescue Claire at the last minute.  

 

I suppose this is where knowing the book is a negative because we all know what's going to happen and we know it has to take place in two episodes.  But we also know what's already happened and and so we can feel disappointed when certain things aren't explored as much as they could while other things are almost over explored.

 

So, love the episode on it's own but it makes me feel more disappointed about other things we've lost.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

I'm pretty sure that Ned said he sent a message to Jamie about Claire in "The Devil's Mark" but he didn't think it would get to him in time, so he came instead. Even though in the book, Colum had sent Ned.

And I will admit, even though it's understandable why he wasn't there, I missed Jamie/Sam this episode.

Edited May 9, 2015 by GHScorpiosRule

[bluebonnet]

I'm pretty sure that Ned said he sent a message to Jamie about Claire in "The Devil's Mark" but he didn't think it would get to him in time, so he came instead. Even though in the book, Colum had sent Ned.

And I will admit, even though it's understandable why he wasn't there, I missed Jamie/Sam this episode.

As far as I know, no Ned never said he sent for Jamie.  How Jamie knew has been something that's been wondered about since that episode.  All Ned said was that Colum wouldn't have wanted Ned at the trial and he was silent on whether or not Colum had something to do with her arrest.  I mean, it's not a huge big deal, but it's sort of frustrating that these small things aren't mentioned.  Frustrating like how Murtagh just conveniently disappears for several episodes with no explanation.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

I LOVED Murtaugh especially in tonight's episode. And I've missed seeing him!

I did wonder how they did the trick of Jenny expelling the milk from her breasts, heh.

And I really wanted Claire to knee Dougal in the balls, I really did. And didn't care for the deviation from the book where she agreed to marry his ass, and leaving out how much he loved Jamie.

And I didn't like that Gypsy, either. Wish they'd done it like the book, but, oh well.

And now I've got the Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B in my head!

[Tara Ariano]

Matt's post on the episode - Uncanned Ham: On a weird, epic Outlander, Claire searches for Jamie -- and finds the performer within herself.

[Dust Bunny]

I loved this episode. And yet, the previews for next week kinda sucked that love right out. Damn. So now I'm trying to recapture that love by mentally boxing the previews away.

 

I cheered so loud when Murtagh showed up that it bothered people in the next room. Duncan Lacroix is brilliant in every scene.

 

Most of the scene with Dougal was great. His agenda seemed much more explicit than in the book. It also explains the Jacobite cause a little clearer to set up season 2. I do agree that Claire agreeing to marry Dougal was off the mark.

 

Enjoyed the good cop/bad cop of Jenny and Claire. So glad they included the potatoes conversation. 

 

I really missed Sam's presence this week. Makes the idea of next week all the worse. In that too, the episode succeeded. 

Edited May 10, 2015 by Dust Bunny

[GHScorpiosRule]

I loved this episode. And yet, the previews for next week kinda sucked that love right out. Damn. So now I'm trying to recapture that love by mentally boxing the previews away.

 

Watching this On Demand means I don't see the previews, which I'm wondering if I should be grateful? Got another 'inside the episode' which really was useless. I get that Moore is the show runner, but really, I would like to get the ACTORS' take on the episodes.  Clearly, that's too much to ask for.

[The Ravens Three]

This ep was great. I almost peed watching Murtaugh dance. I didn't like Claire agreeing to marry Dougal, but I see why they choose it.

[bluebonnet]

From Matt's review:

 

Then Murtagh says, very explicitly, that Jamie is his son, from which we may infer that he had sex with Jamie's mother, causing her to become impregnated with Jamie.

 

Seems someone misheard.  But it would be pretty amazing if Jamie were Murtagh's son.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

From Matt's review:

 

 

 

Then Murtagh says, very explicitly, that Jamie is his son, from which we may infer that he had sex with Jamie's mother, causing her to become impregnated with Jamie.

Seems someone misheard. But it would be pretty amazing if Jamie were Murtagh's son.

He did mishear. Murtaugh said that Jamie was "like a son" to him. I would HATE it if it turned out to be true. Which I don't think it is.

Edited May 10, 2015 by GHScorpiosRule

[Nidratime]

LOL! Who is Matt? That's a pretty funny misunderstanding.

[bluebonnet]

He did mishear. Murtaugh said that Jamie was "like a son" to him. I would HATE it if it turned out to be true. Which I don't think it is.

Oh come now, it would be great to imagine Jamie growing old and becoming an eyebrow talker!  All that paternalism in the later books accompanied by Murtagh brows might have served to break up the monotony of 100 pages describing a swampy forest.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

Oh come now, it would be great to imagine Jamie growing old and becoming an eyebrow talker!  All that paternalism in the later books accompanied by Murtagh brows might have served to break up the monotony of 100 pages describing a swampy forest.  

 

Oh thanks. Really. So, it looks like Gabaldon, continues with her wordiness. Who was it that told me her writing got better? Because 100 pages of forest description does not equal better to me.

[AD55]

I loved this episode.

 

Claire and Jenny are great together -- I'm going to miss Laura Donnelly.

I'm a big fan of Murtagh and of road trips. Glad we got to see Claire and Murtagh become close. Duncan is a joy to watch, and they were both fantastic in the cave scene. I love the way Claire transforms from a reluctant performer to a ham. I don't think I would have been able to sing different lyrics to a tune I know very well.

 

Possibly my favorite line: "Stop quoting the bible. It doesn't suit you."

 

I thought that Claire and Jenny's willingness to kill the redcoat, even though Murtagh conveniently turned up to perform the dirty, might substitute for Claire killing that teenager during the escape from Wentworth. But when Jenny handed Claire the knife, I realized Moore plans to film it. I hate that scene and am sorry it won't be cut.

 

For some reason, I'm not bothered by the brevity of the Lallybroch interlude. I enjoyed it in the book, but I think it would have seriously messed up the pacing and been kind of claustrophobic if they'd attenuated Jamie and Claire's stay there.

 

When Murtagh says, "he's a son to me," I didn't take that to mean he is Jamie's father -- just that he loves him like a son. I've heard people say things like "she's my daughter" without their meaning to declare their paternity.

[tcay]

I loved Claire's costume in this one. I'm so sad Jamie wasn't there to be scandalized by it. 

 

I was a little upset about the courier. Claire, throughout the books, is merciful to almost a fault. It seemed like they were telegraphing Claire's murder of the soldier boy, except those are incongruent scenes: Jenny and Claire stopped the courier and assaulted him, not the other way around, while the soldier boy did attempt to stop Claire from saving Jamie. I know it's probably splitting hairs, but for me there is a difference. 

 

I really like when they weave in bits of Claire's world into the 18th century, so I loved the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy riffing. And Murtagh being unrepentant about his bad dancing was lovely.

 

I didn't mind Claire saying she'd marry Dougal. Felt like she was just saying that to get what she needed. 

[bluebonnet]

I liked the scene where Claire says she'll marry Dougal.  It's preceded by him telling her to think about what Jamie would say if he were there.  Jamie would play the proper role to get what he wants.  Jamie would also tell her to go back to the stones if he turns up dead and Claire knows this, so telling Dougal she'll marry him serves to get the tools and men she needs to break him out of prison.  I liked that we were able to see this all play out so well on Catriona's face.  

[Nidratime]

I didn't mind Claire saying she'd marry Dougal. Felt like she was just saying that to get what she needed.

 

 

I agree. She has no intention of ever marrying him. What for? She'd probably head back to Craig na dun and get a one way ticket back to the 1940's.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I liked the scene where Claire says she'll marry Dougal.  It's preceded by him telling her to think about what Jamie would say if he were there.  Jamie would play the proper role to get what he wants.  Jamie would also tell her to go back to the stones if he turns up dead and Claire knows this, so telling Dougal she'll marry him serves to get the tools and men she needs to break him out of prison.  I liked that we were able to see this all play out so well on Catriona's face.  

 

Hmmm, I didn't think about that, and now that you've mentioned it, you're right. I guess I was just so outraged, I didn't pause to watch!

 

 

 

I agree. She has no intention of ever marrying him. What for? She'd probably head back to Craig na dun and get a one way ticket back to the 1940's.

 

That's what I was thinking, too.

[Dust Bunny]

Yeah, rethinking it (and rewatching it), I'm alright with her agreeing to marry Dougal. It's also her learning from the gypsies about looking someone in the eye and giving your word. With no intention of following through. Another step forward for Pragmatic Claire.

[peacefrog]

Wow, this part in the book is the most boring to me but I loved this episode. 

 

Caitroina looked amazing dressed as a lad and she sings nicely also. I didn't care for the change of her trying to convince the highlander to help.  Didn't Rupert volunteer without hesitation in the book? It showed how well liked Jamie was by them.  In the show everyone is so reluctant.

[justmehere]

I will never get tired of that scenery.

 

So glad that Murtagh is back (I'm fanwanking that he was finishing up business at Leoch before heading to Lallybroch). I absolutely loved the scene in the cave. Murtagh's brief emotional moments have been gold, and this extended one was even better. Also loved the hug after Claire told him she was sorry.

 

Oh Dougal. You are just thick headed. I haven't missed you at all.

[AD55]

Caitroina looked amazing dressed as a lad and she sings nicely also. I didn't care for the change of her trying to convince the highlander to help.  Didn't Rupert volunteer without hesitation in the book? It showed how well liked Jamie was by them.  In the show everyone is so reluctant.

 

I thought she was adorable. She looked much younger than she usually does, probably because the clothes gave her a boyish aspect and she had to appear lighthearted while performing. I'm sorry that's the last we'll see of winsome Claire, at least this season and maybe ever. I can recall moments of contentment and sometimes even joy in the books, though they're few and far between, but for the most part, no one ever looks happy simply to be alive. I realize that life is serious business in the 1700s, but I hope we see more of those moments in the series.

 

I checked the book, and you're right that Rupert volunteers right away and persuades 4 other men to follow him. That does seem like an unfortunate change, though I did like seeing Willy behave heroically after his guilt over losing track of Claire. He tries so hard to do the right thing -- obeying Colum when he demands the Jacobite money and laying down his life for Jamie. Realistically, there's no chance any of them will survive.

[absnow54]

I really loved the light hearted interlude of Claire and Murtagh's travelling roadshow. Lord knows we need it for what's about to come. The growing extravagance of their performance was hilarious. I almost wish they cut away to Jamie on the run just to show his reaction to the various Sassenach and Fraser taking Scotland by storm.

[AheadofStraight]

Of all parts to mostly keep the same as the book? Meh. We were robbed of some good scenes at the stones and the wonderful dialog that went with it...but get this? Yeah, that's old griping but I found myself bored through a lot of the Claire/Murtagh stuff and I'm one who generally prefers the quieter, character driven moments over "ACTION!". Maybe I'll feel differently when I watch it on a real screen instead of my phone. 

 

GHScorpiosRule - The breast milk scene was done with a prosthetic. In my experience, it comes out more like a shower than a single stream :) but I'm really glad they included it!!  

[ulkis]

My thoughts on the episode: Claire looked super hot in her theatre get-up.

When Murtagh says, "he's a son to me," I didn't take that to mean he is Jamie's father -- just that he loves him like a son. I've heard people say things like "she's my daughter" without their meaning to declare their paternity.

 

Did people think that meant he was Jamie's father? That's weird. He wouldn't phrase it like "a son" if he was/thought he was.

Edited May 10, 2015 by ulkis

[GHScorpiosRule]

Did people think that meant he was Jamie's father? That's weird. He wouldn't phrase it like "a son" if he was/thought he was.

 

Not people, but Matt, who reviewed the episode. Not sure if it's been corrected, but a lot people over in the non-book thread are pointing that out.

 

It sucks that we can't post there, even if we don't do any book talk, because there are things they're thinking happened in the show or weren't addressed in the show, that are wrong/or were addressed in the show but they think weren't addressed. Like how Claire is older than Jaimie.

 

[chocolatetruffle]

So I freaking loved the first third of the episode and there were isolated scenes in the back third that I liked a lot as well.  However, the "let's attract attention so that Jamie will find us” section could have been trimmed – a lot.

 

Jenny is the baddest badass that ever badassed.  Laura Donnelly has done an excellent job translating the character from the page and making it clear that Jenny draws her strength from a deep well of love.  She’s tracking down her brother armed with 2 pistols and a knife and gets it done (while taking care of  breast milk issues lest we forget she gave birth 3 days ago).  The good cop/bad cop torture scene was well done and I had no doubt that had Murtaugh not shown up when he did, Jenny would have killed him.  It was nice foreshadowing of Claire’s killing of the British soldier later.  Loved the campfire scenes and the goodbye between Jenny & Claire. I teared up at Jenny’s kiss establishing the bond of sisters.  And of course, Murtaugh’s appearance was EVERYTHING.  I’m assuming that he was at his home (nearby on Fraser lands) when he got the word from Ian. 

 

Ian.  I felt bad for him wanting to help no matter about his own physical inadequacies.  Did anyone else think of the Black Knight from Monty Python’s Holy Grail: “You’ve got no arms!” “Come back here I’ll bite your legs off!!” Also, they were running Mrs. Crook ragged between the three of them.

 

I always watch the show with closed captioning the first time through and then watch a second time with it off so I can concentrate on visuals.  This episode really needed that because a lot of the language would have been lost in translation I think.  For example, during the cave scene with Murtaugh, which was a wonderful, poignant moment between the two, I would have missed Claire’s line “I can’t bear it” at the end as she cried into Murtaugh’s shoulder.  It’s one of the few times Claire verbally expresses her deepest feelings and the fact that she said it to Murtaugh in response to his sharing the depth of his feeling for Jamie firmly established how bonded she and Murtaugh are to each other and to Jamie.  It actually made me want to see Wentworth (I can’t believe I’m typing this) just to see them rescue Jamie and restore him after BJR’s torture fest.  And although Jamie wasn’t physically present in the episode, which was a wise move on the part of the show as it created an underlying layer of tension, his spirit was present in every important scene.

 

Dougal was a welcome sight and it was very well done the way that he got word to Claire.  I wonder if the non-book readers got the bit about Dougal wanting to marry Claire because she (not Jenny) will inherit the Fraser lands upon Jamie’s death, because I don’t think that was clear in the dialogue.  Although I believe that Claire made the marriage bargain to get Dougal’s help in rescuing Jamie, I can believe that she would marry him if a) she thought Jamie would want her to do it in order to save herself or b) if she believed that he could protect Lallybroch and Jamie’s family from the Redcoats.  I don’t see her running off to the stones unless she knew that her loved one’s here would be safe.  In the book, Jamie’s last words to her in the prison are about her strength.  He gives her the same gift his father gave him at Ft. William: he will love her no matter what she does.  I hope they bookend those two scenes.

 

Oh, and Willie was awesome.  Angus being Angus (never one to be controlled by fear) and “oh what the hell, let’s go have some fun” was wonderful.  I like how there is a theme here that true courage comes from an awareness of risk and overcoming the attendant fear to do what has to be done.

 

And now for the bothersome section of the show.  The music stuff went on too long.  How many times do we need to hear Claire singing Boogie-Woogie?  Or hear the same conversations between her & Murtaugh?  Also there was too much plot machinations.  A Sassenach healer and fortune teller and a dancing highlander in Fraser colors is not enough to attract attention?  No, let’s make her a Sassenach healer and fortune teller who also sings bawdy songs dressed as boy and whose act get purloined by Gypies so that there are now two Sassenach singers….  Good grief, I had to refrain from reaching for the fast forward.  This whole section should have been streamlined as it was cumbersome and repetitive.

 

So all in all, a decent episode, but don't think I'll be saving this one on the DVR.

Edited May 10, 2015 by chocolatetruffle

[ulkis]

Oh, and Willie was awesome.  Angus being Angus (never one to be controlled by fear) and “oh what the hell, let’s go have some fun” was wonderful.  I like how there is a theme here that true courage comes from an awareness of risk and overcoming the attendant fear to do what has to be done.

 

I am pretty sure Willie is going to die next week. Noooooooooooooooooooo. I think he's cute. I hope he makes it to at least Culloden.

[GHScorpiosRule]

 I wonder if the non-book readers got the bit about Dougal wanting to marry Claire because she (not Jenny) will inherit the Fraser lands upon Jamie’s death, because I don’t think that was clear in the dialogue.  Although I believe that Claire made the marriage bargain to get Dougal’s help in rescuing Jamie, I can believe that she would marry him if a) she thought Jamie would want her to do it in order to save herself or b) if she believed that he could protect Lallybroch and Jamie’s family from the Redcoats.  I don’t see her running off to the stones unless she knew that her loved one’s here would be safe.  In the book, Jamie’s last words to her in the prison are about her strength.  He gives her the same gift his father gave him at Ft. William: he will love her no matter what she does.  I hope they bookend those two scenes.

 

Not from the posts I've read; no, I don't think they did.

 

 

 

And now for the bothersome section of the show.  The music stuff went on too long.  How many times do we need to hear Claire singing Boogie-Woogie?  Or hear the same conversations between her & Murtaugh?  Also there was too much plot machinations.  A Sassenach healer and fortune teller and a dancing highlander in Fraser colors is not enough to attract attention?  No, let’s make her a Sassenach healer and fortune teller who also sings bawdy songs dressed as boy and whose act get purloined by Gypies so that there are now two Sassenach singers….  Good grief, I had to refrain from reaching for the fast forward.  This whole section should have been streamlined as it was cumbersome and repetitive.

 

 

What irked me about that part of the plot was that the Gypsies' "Sassenach" singer was so Obviously Scots, since her singin' was done with the Scots Brogue, and not an English one.  I suppose if one were to ask Moore about this, he'd say the people listening were too stupid to ken the difference? I think not.  They may be simple, but smart enough to ken a Sassenach accent when they hear one.

[nodorothyparker]

There was some really nice stuff here but the weird pacing continues. Claire and Murtagh's traveling road show was entertaining to be sure, but it went on and on forever and eventually I reached a point I couldn't help but think about all the more important things that had been shortchanged or horribly rushed so we could see a fourth or fifth rendition of "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." As in the books, I never tire of Claire's little moments of anachronism though.

Claire and Jenny's road trip tailing the soldiers was fantastic and reminded me again of why I love book Jenny so much, even if I don't always immediately understand her actions. She's practical to a fault, tough as nails, and loves her brother enough to climb up on a horse just days after a long difficult birth. Murtagh's big confession was also exquisitely handled, and it sells better here than in the book because show Murtagh is a such a better developed character. In the books, it becomes almost tiresomely implausible that every single man in the Highlands was apparently desperately in love with Ellen MacKenzie. Murtagh convinced me though that he is this series's less assholish Severus Snape.

The one nice takeway from this episode is that Claire seems to finally be buying a clue that actions in this world have consequences and isn't still marching around brashly saying every single thing she thinks, most evidently in the scenes with Dougal where she clearly would have loved to kick him in the balls but quickly realized she didn't have time to waste arguing and would get farther with accepting a disgusting proposition/proposal she obviously had no intention of following through on.

[TidalCreek]

When Claire and Murtaugh got to the coast, what did Murtaugh say? Something like "If you look far enough, you can see the Americas"? Did they call it the Americas at that point? Why didn't he call it "the colonies"? Or would a Scotsman be more likely to refuse to acknowledge Britain's conquest of other lands? Whatever, it just feels weird to hear them call it something that sounds more modern when we (here in the USA) wouldn't have started the revolution yet. By the same token, I fully expect Claire to make a blunder and call it "the United States" at some point only to have people say, "huh"?

[ulkis]

When Claire and Murtaugh got to the coast, what did Murtaugh say? Something like "If you look far enough, you can see the Americas"? Did they call it the Americas at that point? Why didn't he call it "the colonies"? Or would a Scotsman be more likely to refuse to acknowledge Britain's conquest of other lands? Whatever, it just feels weird to hear them call it something that sounds more modern when we (here in the USA) wouldn't have started the revolution yet. By the same token, I fully expect Claire to make a blunder and call it "the United States" at some point only to have people say, "huh"?

 

I think they called it "the colonies" and "the Americas" interchangeably. In any case, "the Americas" and "the colonies" wouldn't necessarily mean the same thing, because more than one country had colonies in the Americas.

[AD55]

When Claire and Murtaugh got to the coast, what did Murtaugh say? Something like "If you look far enough, you can see the Americas"? Did they call it the Americas at that point? Why didn't he call it "the colonies"? Or would a Scotsman be more likely to refuse to acknowledge Britain's conquest of other lands? Whatever, it just feels weird to hear them call it something that sounds more modern when we (here in the USA) wouldn't have started the revolution yet. By the same token, I fully expect Claire to make a blunder and call it "the United States" at some point only to have people say, "huh"?

 

According to Wikipedia, my source for all things historical may it be ever so flawed, the use of Americus began during the Spanish conquests and originally referred to South America. Evidently, it came to be applied to the rest of the continent. The British anglicize everything, which I'm guessing explains the use of the Americas. In the same way that India was still called India even when it became a British colony, the Americas were likely called by the name that was in use before large swaths became part of the British empire.

 

I also like Claire's anachronisms. I noticed that Murtagh used jazz later in the episode.

 

In the non-book thread, folks are saying that Claire was her usual irresponsibly impulsive self in this episode, and Murtagh suggests that their failure to find Jamie was her fault. While it wasn't prudent of her to give the gypsies the money, I can't otherwise figure out why Murtagh was so pissed off at her. It wasn't her fault that the gypsies stole their routines, making it less likely that Jamie would be able to follow their trail. I guess if she gave them all the money they had, it meant that she and Murtagh wouldn't be able to buy food or grain for the horses, but they seemed to be making a tidy sum from the performances and there's always rabbit on a spit.

[bluebonnet]

I think giving the gypsies the money ended up being the best decision, even if it didn't work out the way they thought it would.  If the gypsies were going to perform her routine anyway, better to butter them up with money and talks of love than to just yell and walk away.  As it was, this buttering up led the gypsy leader to bring a message to Claire, free of charge (at least on her end, who knows if Dougal paid).  If it had been Jamie, that would have been a success.

 

And no way did Claire get Jamie arrested.  He made the choice to go off unprepared with the watch, then made the choice to travel openly on a road where British soldiers could be while there was an active arrest warrant out for him.  I think Murtagh was just upset for the same reasons Claire was upset - being frustrated and losing hope when Jamie hadn't been found.

[justmehere]

The road-show scenes did go on for a long time, and I'll probably fast-forward on rewatch, but I took it as expressing the passage of time better than throwaway lines or montages. Claire did mention the sixth village early on, and having the montage after a few other scenes helped, but as I recall from the book, they looked for Jamie for a pretty long time. They could have used some other cues, perhaps, but for me, the dragged-out scenes helped convey the length of time that passed. It wasn't just a week or two. MMV.

[Archery]

From Matt's review:

 

Seems someone misheard.  But it would be pretty amazing if Jamie were Murtagh's son.

Stuff like this makes me miss TWOP.

I didn't think I'd like this episode, but I ended up being very invested. I love that the women had agency (even though Murtagh' s appearance was kind of a call back to Horrock' s execution , with similar justification) to drive the plot forward. Having gone through labor a couple of times, I have to say my ladyparts winced in sympathy when Jenny got on that horse.

I liked the way the episode demonstrated the problem: how do you search for or contact someone who is trying not to be found, when you have no modern means of communication? Even if by modern, you mean a telephone, radio, or a widely read daily newspaper with a classified section. Or a photograph to show.

[dustoffmom]

 

BLUEBONNET, ON 09 MAY 2015 - 9:32 PM, SAID:

From Matt's review:

Seems someone misheard.  But it would be pretty amazing if Jamie were Murtagh's son.

Stuff like this makes me miss TWOP.

Yes, a thousand times!  I laughed so much at the crazy....but truthful!.....recaps over there!  Count me in on the missing!

[SpiritSong]

 

Oh Dougal. You are just thick headed. I haven't missed you at all.

He is indeed thick headed and constantly scheming, but I loved seeing him again. Best looking highlander on the show, IMO.

I thought it had been established the the clan would not select a laird with an English wife, so the marriage proposal puzzled me. Or was he thinking that the Fraser lands would make up for that?

[WatchrTina]

 

I thought it had been established the the clan would not select a laird with an English wife, so the marriage proposal puzzled me. Or was he thinking that the Fraser lands would make up for that?

My assumptions was always that Jamie was the only credible alternative to Dougal.  If he's dead, Dougal pretty much has a lock on the position as successor -- at least until Hamish comes of age.  As such, he can get away with a English wife -- especially a second wife -- especially a widow of a MacKenzie clansman.

 

Okay, I'm late to the party but here are my thoughts on the episode:

 

THE GOOD

The title card -- OMG the title card! Those puppets are fairies at the stones and that woman who goes "poof" is totally wearing Claire's white dress.  I LOVED that.  When we see the puppets again in the episode the puppeteer is singing the song about the Lady of Balmain who had been "stolen o're again" -- an english version of the song sung by the bard at Leoch and translated for Claire by Jamie.  Same tune.

 

Jenny wearing pistols is so very badass.  Jenny drawing those pistols simultaneously, is even more badass.

 

The inclusion of the heavy cart carrying the prisoners was a good decision -- it makes it all the more credible that Claire and Jenny can track the redcoats 3 days after the ambush and that they can catch up with them.  In a show that often plays fast and loose with distance and the amount of time it takes to get from one place to another, I appreciated that bit of realism.

 

MacQuarrie's alive and well.  That's good.  Because mark my words -- he has a role to play yet.

 

Murtagh's back!  Hooray!  I loved these lines by him:  "Jazz?"  Followed later by "That's jazzed you up a bit, hey?"  And also "He kens the place. <eyeBROW!> So do I." I also loved the non-verbal acting going on when Murtagh tried to hand off the duck-plucking duties to one of the women.  Sorry Murtagh -- you killed it, you clean it.

 

Waldo back!  Hooray!  But he didn't volunteer to help.  Boo!  Oh, it's okay, Willie stepped up, hooray!  I loved Angus' sign-of-the-cross-wave-away-the-devil and Rupert's promise to kill Willie if there rescue mission goes badly.  So, does anyone remember the movie "A Knight's Tale?"  I so wanted the song "The Boys are Back in Town" to play over that final shot of the rescue party.

 

THE BAD

When Murtagh says "Make camp" did anyone else go, "Ew.  Really?  Right next to a dead body?"  I also wondered if they buried the redcoat and if they did, did Jenny say nice words over him like she did over the dead members of the Watch?

 

Why did Claire have to give the gypsy ALL the rent money?  That just bugged the crap out of me.  I know she's being portrayed as impulsive but a quarter's worth of rent is a lot of money and they have need of it.  I know it would have been awkward count out just some of the money (and the gypsies would not have settled for any less than all she had, I'm sure) but I just wish they had hidden the money in a number of different places, like Claire does in later books.  Hmmm. Maybe this is the moment when she learned how to do that.

 

On a similar note, the line about the horses needing to be fed and watered and it being a problem since they have little money seemed completely out of place in the episode.  There is a montage of Claire doing the song (her face growing increasingly hopeless) between the gypsy scene and the line about feeding the horses. So it seems like they would have earned a bit from that.  In fact, the line about the horses comes right after Claire and Murtagh spend the night in a cave.  Surely they watered the horses before going to sleep.  I think this is one of those things where scenes got a bit scrambled in the editing room.  I look forward to hearing the podcast and I hope they will give an explanation (and not, you know, natter on about Seinfeld.)

 

When Claire and Murtagh approach the ocean the camera angle was (in my humble opinion) a mistake.  The ocean should have been on the left if they were looking West.  I could not wrap my brain around how anyone could see "The Americas" when it seemed clear to me from the camera angle that they were looking East.  I know that's a nit but it bugged me.

 

THE UGLY

Crows plucking out dead men's eyes.  Ew.  But then again -- that's straight out of book 3 so perhaps that scene is included to foreshadow

what happens to a certain captain we all know and despise.

 

And just a few more random thoughts:

 

Did anyone else think that the fake Sassenach looked a lot like Yara Greyjoy from Game of Thrones?

 

Is the trombone an anachronism?  I'm guessing not -- Bear McCreary knows his stuff -- but when the trombone back-up kicked in during Claire's second performance I assumed we were hearing the soundtrack -- a audio cue back to the 1940's like we got in episode 2 -- not practical music in the scene, so I was shocked to actually see someone playing a trombone.

 

Is the handshake between Claire and Dougal an anachronism?  Claire's attempt to shake Jamie's hand before the wedding was portrayed as a cultural slip-up on her part.  Do people shake hands to seal a deal in 1743?

 

And last but not least -- I missed Jamie.  The flashes of him that were shown in the "previously" section were so tantalizing -- especially since they chose moments when Jamie was at the top of his game, being the Laird, being a hero, being loving and romantic and sexy (and looking mighty fine in every scene).  It was a smart move.  The next two episodes are just going to KILL me.

Edited May 11, 2015 by WatchrTina

[Clawdette]

I was so pleased when Murtaugh began the sword dance.  I grew up in central North Carolina which has a large population of Highland Scot descendants.  (I'm a life-long Presbyterian.)  We grew up learning about our Scot heritage and had the opportunity to learn dances and compete in the Highland Games in the NC mountains.  In addition to the sword dance I could perform the Highland Fling, Lilt, and Scottish.  Had a kilt and everything.

 

Seeing the sword dance really took me back home.

,

[Pestilentia]

Is the trombone an anachronism?  I'm guessing not -- Bear McCreary knows his stuff -- but when the trombone back-up kicked in during Claire's second performance I assumed we were hearing the soundtrack -- a audio cue back to the 1940's like we got in episode 2 -- not practical music in the scene, so I was shocked to actually see someone playing a trombone.

 

A slide instrument called a draucht trumpet was around in Scotland as early as 1538- more commonly called sackbuts, but yes- early trombones. The one used in the scene you mentioned was not period appropriate, though.

[AheadofStraight]

 

Why did Claire have to give the gypsy ALL the rent money?  That just bugged the crap out of me.  I know she's being portrayed as impulsive but a quarter's worth of rent is a lot of money and they have need of it.

 

Oh, I thought she was giving up the money the Murtagh had been collecting during her performances. I never even thought about the rent money. Yikes, if she gave the combo of both? Really dumb. 

[Nidratime]

I don't think it was clear what money and how much she gave the gypsies.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I don't think it was clear what money and how much she gave the gypsies.

 

I thought after Claire paid the gypsy, Murtagh pulled her aside and demanded why she gave him the rent money? I guess I'll just haaaave to rewatch. Like that will be suuuuuch a chore!

[MV713]

 

THE BAD

When Murtagh says "Make camp" did anyone else go, "Ew.  Really?  Right next to a dead body?"  I also wondered if they buried the redcoat and if they did, did Jenny say nice words over him like she did over the dead members of the Watch?

 

On a similar note, the line about the horses needing to be fed and watered and it being a problem since they have little money seemed completely out of place in the episode. 

 

When Claire and Murtagh approach the ocean the camera angle was (in my humble opinion) a mistake.  The ocean should have been on the left if they were looking West.  I could not wrap my brain around how anyone could see "The Americas" when it seemed clear to me from the camera angle that they were looking East.  I know that's a nit but it bugged me.

 

Did anyone else think that the fake Sassenach looked a lot like Yara Greyjoy from Game of Thrones?

 

And last but not least -- I missed Jamie.  The flashes of him that were shown in the "previously" section were so tantalizing -- especially since they chose moments when Jamie was at the top of his game, being the Laird, being a hero, being loving and romantic and sexy (and looking mighty fine in every scene).  It was a smart move.  The next two episodes are just going to KILL me.

ALL OF THIS - YES!!!!

[AheadofStraight]

 

I thought after Claire paid the gypsy, Murtagh pulled her aside and demanded why she gave him the rent money? I guess I'll just haaaave to rewatch. Like that will be suuuuuch a chore!

 

This was my least favorite episode and I already deleted it off the DVR. (I have all of the others except Garrison Commander, with the flogging, saved even though I have the DVDs.) So, it is entirely possible, when my mind was wandering during this one, that I missed clear dialog about the money. My bad.

[Nidratime]

Just read that the Canadian channel that airs Outlander deleted the breast milk expressing scene. How odd. Did they keep in "Little Tobias" from two weeks ago and the many other violent or sexual nude scenes? Makes one wonder....

[bluebonnet]

I'm really surprised that the breast milk scene would be controversial, especially with how vocal breastfeeding campaigns have been in recent years.  I can't wait for the day when women's bodies become acceptable things in the public eye.  I especially can't wait for breastfeeding to stop being sexualized, or worse, likened to pissing and shitting.  Ugh.  

[tcay]

I like when the show does slice of life stuff or otherwise show the realities of the time period. It's one of my favorite things about the books: they never romanticize the past or gloss over the hardships. So I liked the inclusion of Jenny's 18th century pumping method too.