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.
There are undoubtedly bigger storylines brewing in the distance — with the Revolutionary War looming, it's becoming more and more clear that Jamie, in particular, is going to need to make a definitive choice regarding which side to align himself with — but the show's choice to limit its initial scope, pulling back from charging so rapidly into yet another life-changing conflict for all of these characters, is one that benefits the series at its current point and as a whole.
Of the two parallel narratives that unfold in the first five episodes, Jamie’s is the more eventful and, because of when and where it unfolds, the one that feels more in keeping with the Outlander sensibility. ... Both of their [Balfe and Heughan's] performances feel deeper and more emotionally resonant than they have before.
Outlander is never more engrossing than when a scene emphasizes Claire's reactions as she's forced to decide whether to say what she really thinks of a man's behavior or assertion or recitation of policy, or err on the side of silence.
The swords and the muck may bring Game of Thrones to mind, but where Game has no heroes, Outlander has at least three, with the foremost being the one Balfe imbues with beauty, brains and spunk.
War looming over these episode threatens to recycle plot points in a new setting. The spark of a good season is still there. The passion could use rekindling. [2 Nov 2018, p.46]
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.