Warning: Fangirl post ahead!
Ten months after the end of season 1, the Starz hit series, Outlander, returns in glorious fashion.
I am too stunned to have anything cute or witty to contribute to the internetwide conversation about the first episode of season 2. But talent like this cannot go unapplauded!
With Sam Heughan, Tobias Menzies, and Caitriona Balfe, we ar seeing the legendary actors of our time!
I have never experienced a group of actors who work together so flawlessly to make you feel every emotion it is possible to feel in 60 minutes, as do these three! I cried tonight, I laughed, I felt nauseous, I felt joyous, I felt afraid, I felt intrigued, and that was just the first episode!
They should win all the awards, . ever!
Very briefly, for those who don’t know, Outlander is a series of books, written by Diana Gabaldon. Genrewise, it is a time travel, historical fiction, war, romance, study in character. It tells the story of Claire Randall, a British nurse from World War II. On holiday in Scotland with her husband, Frank, she is swept through the standing stones, back in time, to 1743, where she meets and marries Jamie Fraser. There is a huge amount of historical intrigue, and Gabaldon is an accurate researcher, so that you really get immersed in the time period and location you are reading about, of which there are many. And now, these books have been made into a television series by Starz. Season 1 starred Caitriona Balfe as Claire, Tobias Menzies as her husband Frank and also as villain Blackjack Randall, and Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser. It was set in Scotland, and it covered the first book in the series by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander.
At the end of season 1, with Tobias playing the part of Blackjack Randall, I was so disgusted with the character that I thought, I won’t ever be able to watch Tobias in anything else. He played such a believable and evil villain, that I thought it would not even be possible to like the actor afterwords, much less the character. I am well aware that characters are not the same as the actor who plays them, but Tobias brought to life a boogeyman for grownups! I don’t know what place of darkness an actor has to visit to create such a despicable character, but Tobias made me believe it!
Tonight, on the first episode of season 2, he won my heart as Frank. The same man who played such a ruthless villain as Blackjack, became a vulnerable and loving husband as Frank!
Take into account that I was not a huge fan of Frank in the Outlander book series, written by Diana Gabaldon, and it becomes even more amazing that I did such a 180 where Tobias is concerned.
Now THAT . is an actor!
Then we have Caitriona, who plays the most amazing Claire. She manages to be strong, willful, brave, vulnerable, and beautiful at the same time, and in my opinion, she is the best heroine on television! And then we have Sam.
Do I need to even say it?
Sam is brilliant as Jamie Fraser!
You would think that after the emotional wringout of the end of season 1, things would start out a bit more bland on season 2.
But honestly, I don’t know how it is going to get any better from here. From the opening scene on tonight’s episode, the intensity of emotion started at the top and never backed down!
I have purposefully been vague, so as not to give any spoilers for those who haven’t seen it yet, but suffice it to say that Sam, Tobias, and Katriona were amazing! The episode featured some time jumps, which just added mystery to the plot.
This season is set in Paris France, and it covers the second book, Dragonfly in Amber.
In future Outlander posts, I will do my best to be more eloquent. Just consider this a freakout of mass proportions for the best show on television!
Welcome back, Outlander!
Porch Swing Writing 