Photo: Jamie and Claire, Ep 109, The Reckoning
Happy Friday afternoon, evening or Saturday morning for some. Those of you who follow this blog know I’m a sucker for that Jamie Fraser, I openly admit it! And the story of their love, and their and life ?.
Diana wrote a post about whose story it is, (in the books), and here’s a quote from her about that:
“…if you’re looking at the structure of the story, then yeah, it’s Jamie’s story as told by (and lived with) Claire.
–Diana”
(See full post here: – Diana’s Facebook Post.)
The show is being written and portrayed as Claire’s story, with Jamie as the love of her life, of course, but Claire is the main character. I absolutely loved Season 1, and if that is the show’s version of Claire’s story, keep it coming!
As I’ve said before, and say often, I just want the two main characters to remain in character with respect to who they are in the books. Over the course of last season, I realized it’s also important to me that the time periods themselves are portrayed realistically, and that the characters say and do things that are true to the period from which they come, and make sense for the time period in which they find themselves. That’s a tall order, with all the characters from different periods converging. It’s no longer just Claire, in 1743, those were simpler times. The impact of the Starz Premium Woman agenda remains to be seen for Season 5, we shall see.
I am ever hopeful that this incredible story has found a way to stay true to itself in the making of Season 5.
In case you hadn’t heard, they just did the table read for the last two episodes – 511, written by Diana, Herself – YES!!!!!!!!!!, and 512, written by Matt and Toni, YES!!!!!!! This means they will be filming those episodes over the next month, as each episode takes about 2 weeks to film. After the Christmas holidays, we will have a month and a half to wait. Squeeeeeeeeee.
For now, enjoy this beautifully done video, which honors Jamie Fraser, and quite frankly, the man who gives his heart and soul playing him, Sam Heughan. I love this story!!! (Thanks to Diana for posting, and for Outlander Anatomy for finding this!)
For more videos like this one, go to Reader Favorites, Clips Trailers, Deleted Scenes & Gag Reels. (Third section after Season 5 and Passion Pieces).
Have a wonderful weekend, wishing you well. xo
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The link only takes me to Facebook, but not to Diana’s post. Not sure if it’s just me or if it’s the wrong link. ?
Hmmm, Laura I get the actual post. Can you search on January 23, 2018? I’m not sure why I get it and you don’t. Let me see…
Seems to be working now. Weird. Yesterday it took me to a totally different place. Thanks.
Well written Courtney! I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said!
Thanks Laura x
Thank you for this treat tonight. The video is beautiful, and as I’ve said of other videos (as there are many talented fans making them) if one has not seen Outlander, and perhaps thinks they wouldn’t get into it, this video would have them tuning into Season 1, anon.
Happy, beautiful weekend to you. It’s snowing here in St Paul with the winds of change that sent Monday’s balm,?well on its way. ??
Thank you T, we had 19 degrees and snowy yesterday and shorts weather this afternoon! That’s Colorado. xoxo
(sigh) I’m still floating from Comic Con. Each tidbit from Diana, Matt, Caitriona, Sam, Outlander Anatomy or you just adds to the excitement of what’s to come in Season 5. In the series, what we can’t hear are Claire’s thoughts the way we can read them in the books. In my opinion, as Claire makes her choices known in Season 1, Episode 1, that’s the closest we get to the fact that the entire story is Claire telling Jamie’s story. (possibly to Brianna or one of the grandchildren. I’m leaning toward Brianna, though.) Loved this video.
It was so nice to meet and hang out with you in NYC Susan! Thank you for coming to the Algonquin. I wish I had gotten a big group photo.
That’s a great point about the voiceovers – and one Catherine has brought up in our discussions. I think it’s a great tool – maybe we’ll see more in S5. I think Fiery Cross is the first time we actually hear Jamie narrate the story, in the books.
I love this video. I also agree with everything you said. I keep hoping to see Sam get the opportunity to play the Jamie I love in the books. I just don’t understand why TPTB are so determined to ignore the beauty that is this couple in their full embodiment. It’s a story that our world needs desperately. Today’s couples need to see what a true partnership is. I can always hope. But in the season five trailer that showed Claire saying she had to save her family….well that seems rather telling.
Hi Ruth Ann, always nice to see you.
I couldn’t agree more. You may remember that the Season 4 teaser was a big turnoff, so maybe STARZ is just not great at teasers? We can hope? Maybe the integrity of the story is there, but they just selected the Premium Woman bits for the trailer? ? That’s my hope.
The idea of this beautiful story being gutted and dumbed down in service to an oversimplified marketing strategy (that doesn’t even appeal to the real demographic of the show), is very sad indeed. I hope it won’t come to pass. I hope someone tells J Hirsch that he really doesn’t want ruining Outlander as his legacy.
The world does need the real Jamie and Claire right now. ❤️?
I hope you are right. I keep telling myself that they pieced snippets together to make it look that way. To make just the TV viewers think there is a possibility that Claire, Roger, Brianna and Jem will leave and go back to their time! That would really devastate Jamie.
And you are so on target that it doesn’t appeal to the real demographic.
That was my sense after viewing the trailer. It’s just snippets and the lines don’t typically match up with what’s depicted in these trailers. I think there will be much more in Season 5 then Claire wanting to save her family. I’m not at all worried about Claire staying with Jamie. She would never leave Jamie and I can’t see a reason she would even consider that (I’m replying to Ruth’s concern here).
I don’t know why Claire would feel that she is the cause of potential harm to her family due to the upcoming war (as she says in the one line in the trailer). Bree has made her own choices, as has Claire, a long time ago. But I see that’s something Season 5 will touch on (Claire’s guilt). It will be interesting to see how Claire and Jamie’s feelings about this play out.
Also, when Claire says in the trailer, “I will do what I must,” I think she’s referring to something unrelated to the issue of her family returning to their own time. Trailers often have no real bearing on what eventually is seen on screen.
You misunderstood that I was concerned. That would never happen. No show if they leave Jamie in the past. I was saying that had seen that conversation online.
Ruth, thanks. My apologies. I’ve seen that conversation online as well, just the last day or two. I was surprised that it was even brought up as a possibility. The trailer has no hint of that whatsoever.
Claire tells Jamie she will do what must be done, just as you did after he asks her to show mercy to him if he ever is in the state of Beardsley as they were ready to bury him. If they show that part of the story that could be where it is from.
You always seem a tad bit one sided…. It’ seems as though it’s all about Jaimie for you Courtney. You have made that very clear over the last few years. Season 4 was all about Jamie and Brianna…. how well did that work?? I love Jamie as much as anyone, but there has to be balance. We need the Jamie and Claire story at the center always. One is not complete without the other, and that’s what is so beautiful about it. They are not in a competition. I feel like some in this fandom feel like they can’t love Jamie without hating Claire. That makes no sense. It’s a beautiful love story about Jamie as told by Claire. I didn’t feel like the teaser was a “premium woman” at all.
Hi Carolyn, I think what you say is fair. I love both the Claire and Jamie characters in the books, and I have an issue with how both have been portrayed in the show after Season 1, but especially second half of S3 and S4. I would like to see Claire and Jamie at the center, with all their individual strengths and their love as a couple. I feel they do Jamie a bigger disservice than Claire in the show, which is why I write and talk about it more. Honestly, I’d just like better writing. Season 1 writing. Their characters were spot on then imo.
SO TRUE, Courtney.
Good point re Starz trailer ability and the Hirsch legacy.
And remember, Diana recently mentioned that the S5 trailer has nothing to do with the story — the statements are not synced to the visuals. ???
Hi Ruth Ann,
Thank you for pointing out the one line in the trailer that felt like a wee slap in the face to readers, and got under my skin more than TV dialogue probably should ??♀️. “If I am to keep us safe” are words right out of Jamie’s mouth in the books. Words he uses often and verbatim, while putting them into practice and while explaining how he views his role in life. He is even surprised that Claire and Bree don’t understand that this is a man’s purpose. In his case, not only in regard to his own family, but everyone around him. I can’t remember the line in which he tells Claire that this greater responsibility is what God made him for, but he has said it more than once. Seeing others safe is a Jamie theme.
Given the show’s focus on Claire’s strengths over Jamie’s, I can see where they might not want to include that particular conversation. And given their lack of understanding that not everyone has to (or wants to) have the same kind of strength to be respected, I expect that the distribution of labor will be skewed differently in show. But, if they mitigate some of Jamie’s role, at least leave him the words Diana gave him.
It seems a tiny thing, but represents a larger frustration with the adaptation.
Och weel, here’s hoping that it melts into the background of some of the transcendent scenes that keep me transfixed despite those frustrations.
Diane
Diane: totally agree with you…..that line coming from Claire was irritatingly misplaced. Unless she was Quoting Jamie to someone, it makes no sense for her to say it. (i was also bugged by the swap of “the sun came out…” line in the wedding ep…..she needed to say it, not him since he was putting forth 99% of the effort; a little homage from her was needed just like DG wrote it!)
the lack of appreciation/respect/lying by omission from the females for Jamie in S4 really was quite disturbing; the show would do well to follow the books more closely in several situations, although Claire’s ego is a bit much in both mediums, imho. i really wish the show had done Jemmy’s birth and subsequent departure from RR like the book as with Willie’s existence announcement.
Och, as you say, weel…..canna change it now but venting my wee fashes is calming while waiting for Feb.16:)
the Dec15 trailer is Enjoyable tho….TG some Jamie humor’s back! and love the ‘man of honor’ video…shines well on Jamie but also Claire.
I love this post Courtney and all the comments. I really hope you’re all right and YES this world needs Claire & Jamie. I wish they took back the voice over technique to bring at least Claire’s thoughts to the show. I really loved that. The video is simply great and touching. Thanks for all the information about the NYCC. It’s very nice for all those of us that couldn’t be there.
Hi Laura, (there is a high percentage of Laura’s commenting on this post!) ?, I am doing well, thank you. I agree about the video, and you’re welcome for the NYCC stuff, there should be one more installment coming. xo
Sunny Saturday morning here in OutlanderLand..and what a treat to wake up to your post.Always so sensible and articulate about what the great majority of us are thinking and feeling about our beloved show..I loved all the NYC stuff,so exciting to live vicariously through the many posts and pictures..very intriguing to see Sam in conversation with Mr Hirsch..oh to have been a fly on the wall !
Thanks as always for your great blog. ?????????
Anita, I haven’t had a chance to watch the panel. Did Sam speak to Mr. Hirsch at the panel, or did he mention in the panel that he had spoken to him previously? Thanks for clarifying.
Well done Courtney for expressing the sentiments we as fans feel.
Love the shows but love the books more than words can say.
Thank you for the post.
Looking forward to season 5
Angie
Over the years I’ve enjoyed countless OUTLANDER videos. So many so beautifully done. I have to say though, this video you provided, the snippets used, and the way it was edited is probably one of the finest I’ve watched thus far. Did Karmen post it somewhere (can’t locate it on her website), or do you know if it’s on YouTube (channel?)? Thanks, Courtney!
This video is a real treasure. Jamie had faced so many heartbreaks, torture, and devastation in his life time – yet he always had hope, is a leader and an honourable man inspite of everything – with the love of his wife Claire, and their many indepth conversations (which he always cared for), he is able to face what ever else may come his way. He is definitely in a very difficult position with Murtagh being on the opposite side of political loyalties – what do you do? Throughout the TV series and after reading all 8 books, I still come away cheering for Jamie and Claire – may their love for each other guide them through the upcoming problems in Season 5. Thank you for sharing this remarkable video with us all – it was a very emotional one for me.