Good interview by Paulette Cohn, Parade Magazine –
Excerpts:
One of the strengths of the series–both in the book and on the TV show, is how Jamie grows over the course of the story. When we first met him, he was a young man still finding himself. Now, he’s come into his own as leader of the community on the Ridge and in the militia. Has playing this journey had an impact on your own personal development?
I think there’s maybe a parallel in experience. Jamie when we first meet him in season one, he’s carefree in a way. He’s living on his wits and has no responsibilities. Throughout the seasons, he’s become a husband, a father and a grandfather. He’s become almost the laird. He’s become the general. With that always is responsibility, but also, he is naturally a leader. He never seeks it out, and he, in fact, would hate to think that he had to be the leader of men. But, somehow, he finds himself in that situation because he is a good leader.
Myself, I think, throughout the last six years, I certainly have grown more confident and gained more experience. I think all of these things are exactly what happens to Jamie. Through time, he’s become more experienced. He’s become like Colum (Gary Lewis), like his uncle. I think there’s great intellect there that Jamie has. Jamie is always a man of action, but now he’s also learned the other side, which is really important, which is that he gives great thought to things. I think that’s what makes him such a powerful leader.
When I talk to fans, other than Murtagh, they really want to talk about Jamie putting on the British red coat, which is, again, something that’s not in The Fiery Cross. Talk about the decision to do that and what that means to him.
Before we even finished the last season, I knew that this moment was coming up that Jamie would be on the side of the Redcoats as a militia leader. I spoke to [executive producer] Matt [B. Roberts] about it, and I just had this very vivid image in my mind about Jamie in a Redcoat uniform. I felt that it was a real 180 and it would be something that people wouldn’t be expecting with all that it signifies and stands for. It’s everything that Jamie’s fought against with his past issues with various people from Ardsmuir Prison, to his fellow Scotsmen being wiped out at Culloden, and his whole culture sort of being eradicated.
For me, I thought it was a strong visual, and I spoke to Matt and to our costume department about it. Accurately, Jamie wouldn’t have worn one as a militia general, but people will find out that there’s more to it than that. It’s more of a power play by Governor Tryon. Governor Tryon and Jamie have this quite interesting relationship, where Governor Tryon is constantly testing Jamie. I think it’s just one more test of Jamie’s loyalty.
Go here for the full article: Exclusive: Outlander‘s Sam Heughan on Jamie & Claire’s Craving and Biggest Challenge
Happy LA premiere day! xo
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No to the redcoat uniform unless it is a ploy by Jamie to fool Tryon into thinking that he is loyal. Then okay. Way uncharacteristic, but okay. Now if he just burns it afterwards.
I have found, through the years of articles, that Sam has not only a keen interest, but awareness about the character of Jamie. He has pushed for changes here and there for his character, because he has fully inhabited the role (and amazingly so in my estimation) and has a sense like no one else has, with perhaps Diana Gabaldon being the only exception. He pushed for Jamie wearing the red coat, for whatever reason, and I trust that he did it for a good, character/story-driven purpose. And as a good, new producer, it’s important to him. I look forward to seeing just exactly what he had in mind!
I am sorry as far as I am concerned this is a total misstep and Sam has blotted his copybook IMO. We couldn’t have Jamie at the birth because it was not physically possible in real life, but we could have the totally bogus addition of him being a general (not a Colonel of Militia as he was in the story and historically most settlers were, they would never be allowed to be a General in the British Army and wear the uniform) and wearing the red uniform. Sorry it just doesn’t fly.
I was already worried about the direction the Series was going after the “abortion” that was Season 4. This total fabrication has just about quenched most of my hope for the season and I have become less inclined to watch, the more I hear.
I trusted Sam with Jamie prior to this. Now I don’t, I forgave him for the bad choices of the writers and the producers previously but this is beyond the pale it was initiated by him. Now I have transferred back to my original Jamie, when I think of Jamie, Sam Heughan is no longer who I see. So will I watch, I don’t know, I just feel that the series has become too much of a disappointment. I had such high hopes that Sam and Cait being producers would allow us to return to the characters I loved and them not behave in totally off the wall ways. (ie the attempt to bribe Fergus to let him go in the second season, the telling Claire about his son immediately after he finds out about Brianna to name two. Which left a bad taste in the mouth.) Not forgetting the total pathetic writing of the brothel scenes, the operation and fiasco of the Slave on Jocasta’s dining room table, Claire being made into a harridan of the first order and being made to watch people wander about from virtually whole episodes. (Thank god for fast forward)
Now I don’t know. Totally bummed out. The jury is still out and I am becoming more and more inclined to just go back to the books.
I may watch if I learn to just watch it a period drama, not really related to the “Outlander” story, but I just don’t know.
Since I have no idea how, or when, or to what extent he “uses” the red coat (maybe you’ve seen some episodes? I’m not that lucky!), I’m going to reserve judgement on writing I’ve yet to see come to fruition in the series. But it would be a fairly boring world if we all liked the same things, eh? Thanks for giving us this platform, Courtney! 😁
We’ll just watch and see how this all develops along the way. i love the Outlander books and the TV Show. I’m not much of a tv show critic, though I do have my favourite Outlander episodes. Of course any scene with Jamie in it is always my favourite.