SummaryMarried World War II nurse Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) time travels to 1743 century Scotland, where she meets Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) in this adaption of Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
SummaryMarried World War II nurse Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) time travels to 1743 century Scotland, where she meets Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) in this adaption of Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
Yes, Outlander can occasionally be a bit much for those not already enamored of its romance-novel leanings. (I plead guilty.) But for those open to textured historical sweep and/or time travel what-ifs (guilty on both counts), it's easy to lose yourself in this gritty production's pungent sense of place, character and dilemma.
The result is the most promising show in years for Starz, which since Party Down’s glory days has focused on blood-heavy spectacles like Spartacus and Black Sails or morose antihero dramas like Boss and Magic City.
There’s something instantly likable about Outlander’s commitment to its themes and sensibilities.... Not having read the book, I find the show sort of charming and sufficiently thrilling.
The premise provides an interesting hook for a period drama, but the show straddles too many lines, as far as tone and genre go. If it committed more fully to any one direction, it would be exponentially stronger. As it is, it feels too concerned with casting as wide a net as possible and could fail to catch many return viewers.
The resulting series is a bit of a snooze--handsome, yes, but about as dramatically compelling as the cover of a Harlequin Romance, and too flaccid to make hearts go pitter-pat.