Outlander: Through the Looking Glass

It’s here! The TV adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s best-selling novel “Outlander” has arrived. And I’ve decided to recap it because…why not?

Note: I have read the book the series is based on. For the most part, I will not focus on divergences from the source material unless I feel there is something BIG being ignored that you should be aware of. But based on this first episode, I doubt that’ll be necessary.

Let’s begin! And we’ll start with the credits. My God, they are gorgeous! The shots of the Scottish landscape as well as shots no doubt of scenes coming up throughout the miniseries—absolutely perfect. So is the song that plays over them. Brilliant work, production.


We open in a tiny Scottish town that’s all very gray. Claire Randall walks down a cobblestone street, stopping to window shop. In a voiceover, she recalls that day as the day she realized she had never owned a vase. That she had never had stayed long enough in a place in order to own something as simple as a vase. And that that day she wanted to make a house of her own and buy a vase.

(That must be some vase)

Claire’s voiceover continues as she explains that she’s been away at war—World War II—as a nurse. We see a flashback of her having to work on an injured soldier. Once she is done, she walks away and a fellow nurse hands her champagne, telling her the war is over. Claire takes a swig of the bubbly as her voiceover says she can barely recall V-E day but she can vividly recall the day when all she wanted was a vase.

She is town with her husband Frank, on a second honeymoon to reconnect after being apart during the war.

(Wow. Look at how he looks at her. Definitely didn't get that when I read the book)

Frank is due to take a position at Oxford soon, they tell the woman who runs the inn they are staying at. She knows exactly why the two are there and gives them their room. Upstairs, Frank tests out the bed—which squeaks. Claire teases him, saying he shouldn’t let a little squeaking stop them. And then she starts jumping on the bed. He joins her and downstairs, the woman sends a knowing glance upwards. 

("They break it, they bought it.") 

They collapse on the bed, happy to be together again. And then they have squeaky sexytimes.

But they aren’t just there for the sexytimes. Frank is a professor of history and wants to explore the countryside. Especially as the village is near Culloden where Prince Charles and Jacobite Scots took a stand against the English and their rule of Scotland. He and Claire go exploring, which Claire is okay with as she had an unconventional childhood being raised by her archeologist uncle in his various digs. We even get a shot of young Claire, lighting a cigarette and taking a puff before giving it to her uncle as he continues to excavate.

The two pull up to a deserted castle and explore. Well, Frank explores. Claire has another idea of what to do in the castle. Namely, more sexytimes. Hey, it’s a honeymoon of sorts, right? She flashes a garter at him and he finds out his wife forgot to put on underwear that morning. He gets down on his knees and gives her a little oral pleasure as the couple is bathed in shadows.

(Someone's glad that's a Starz logo in the corner)

After the sexytimes, the couple heads over to visit the Reverend Wakefield. You see, Frank is has taken up an interest in his genealogy and Wakefield has information about his ancestor Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall. They talk about how he may or may not have been a Jacobite and how he had a sponsor who may or may not have been a Jacobite…Claire gets pretty bored pretty fast. So Reverend Wakefield’s housekeeper takes her into the kitchen for some tea. And it turns out she can read tea leaves. She sees Claire going on an adventure but staying put. She’ll be surrounded by strangers but one is her husband. Confused, she then asks to see Claire’s palm. She notes that Claire’s life line seems interrupted and that her marriage line indicates two marriages. But instead of being broken, it is forked. The housekeeper is thoroughly confused.

("Do you hear the anvils falling too?")

Wakefield and Frank enter the kitchen and the palm reading ends. Wakefield invites the Randalls to join in the celebration of Samhain, an ancient Druid holiday that became our Halloween. They are surprised a clergyman celebrates it but he seems to be in the “it’s just a spot of fun” boat. Something tells me his housekeeper is in the “it’s serious business” boat. But Frank has other plans and Claire decides to head back to the room.

When Frank returns to the inn, he spots a shadowy figure staring up at their bedroom window. 

(It kinda looks like Ebenezer Scrooge sans the Ghost of Christmas Past)

He’s confused but before he can confront the man, he is distracted by a passing car. When he looks back, the man is gone! Still confused, Frank returns to his wife. Claire notices that he’s shaken and asks him what is wrong. Frank tells her about the man and asks her if there might be any Scottish soldiers that might be pining after her. That he understood if she sought some…companionship…during the war. Claire is indignant and insists she wasn’t unfaithful. Frank believes her and they have sexytimes.

But they don’t get much rest as they wake up early to spy on an ancient Samhain ceremony. The housekeeper and other women go to a circle of stones to perform a beautiful and haunting dance. 

(The elves are leaving Middle earth!) 

When it’s done, Claire and Frank head back—though she notes seeing a beautiful flower by the stones. Claire’s interested in botany and the medicinal properties of plants. She decides to go back to collect the flower.

Claire goes alone as Frank has other plans. She approaches the stones and her life gets turned upside down. In a voiceover, she equates it to the time she fell asleep in car right before it got into an accident. She awoke to find the world tumbling around her.

(And now the story really begins!)

Claire lands in the stones and is disturbed by gun shots. British soldiers fill the forest and she thinks she has landed in the middle of some historical re-enactment or a period movie. But she runs, realizing the bullets are very real. She tries to find her car, but its not there. And as she worries about Frank, she stumbles upon him in a British red coat by a stream.

(Run, Claire! There's always an evil doppelganger!)

But wait! It’s not Frank! It’s his ancestor, Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall—who happens to be a dead ringer for her husband. (Just go with it). He proves himself to be the opposite of Frank and interrogates her by pushing her up against a rock. She insists that her husband will be looking for her (and Claire does believe Frank has a search party out and about) but he doesn’t believe her. He asks for her husband’s name—she responds that it’s Frank Beauchamp. She couldn’t give Randall, after all. Black Jack still doubts her. When she curses at him, he declares her a whore and tries to rape her.

A man in kilt rescues her by knocking Black Jack out. He brings her to an abandoned barn where his group is waiting. She is introduced to Dougal MacKenzie, brother of the leader of the clan MacKenzie. The other men also believe she might be a whore but Dougal orders them not to touch her. His brother will determine his fate. But first, they have to fix young Jamie’s arm. It was dislocated in a skirmish. Claire’s nursing skills kick in and she insists that they are going about setting his arm wrong. She does it and gives him instructions on how to care for it. Everyone is kinda impressed.

Dougal announces that they will be riding through the night. Claire is not too thrilled about that. But Jamie offers to share his horse with her and his plaid to keep her warm. As the rain pours down, Claire realizes Iverness is not visible—no lights, no roads. Nothing. She’s starting to come around to the truth of her situation but she’s not there yet.

(Claire and Jamie. Go ahead. Take a minute to fangirl. I'll wait) 

As the sun rises, the group passes a familiar mountain. Claire recognizes and remembers what Frank told her about British troops using it as a place to hide and attack the Scottish highlanders. She warns Jamie, who warns Dougal. He, of course, wants to know where she heard that information. So Claire claims to have heard it in town. They believe her and Jamie pushes her off his horse as they ride into a skirmish.

Claire, not being stupid, decides to run for it. Try to find Frank or at least the search party she’s now certain he’s rounded up to find her. But Jamie finds her instead and takes her back to Dougal. The men thank her for the information and for the chance for some “fun.” Its time to continue riding.

(Yeah, this is only here because I love men in kilts. Hand to God, no other reason)

But then Jamie keels over, falling off his horse. Claire stops the party and checks on him. Turns out he was shot during the skirmish and decided not to tell anyone. She lays into him as she patches him up—again. Jamie doesn’t know whether to be amused or turned on. Once he’s fixed up, they continue on.

With the new day, they arrive at Castle Leoch—the same castle whose ruins Claire and Frank…um…explored…the other…uh, day? Yeah, Claire’s not sure how time works any more as she accepts she’s in the past. She knows it’s going to be an adventure.

And we’re going along for the ride.

(Should be fun)

So far, so good! I think I have to agree with those who think the TV show has done a better job fleshing out Claire and Frank's relationship than the book. There were times when I was reading that I had to remind myself they were married. I can't wait to see what happens next! 

(Screencaps from here)