Episode 306 General Discussion ***SPOILERS***

[jo]

***WARNING: This post and discussion may contain spoilers for anyone who is not current with the Starz series Outlander (including seasons 1 and 2) or who has not read the first three books in the series.***

This thread is for discussing episode 306 of Outlander. Please limit your comments to what happened in the episode. There were some interesting deviations from the book, but please discuss those on the separate dedicated book/show deviation thread.

Episode 306 (October 22, 2017) -- "A. Malcolm" written by Matthew B. Roberts, directed by Norma Bailey.

Synopsis: After decades apart, Jamie and Claire finally reunite and rekindle their emotional and physical bonds. But Jamie's new business dealings jeopardize the couple's hopes for a simple life together.

Have at it, people! Did you like the episode? Thoughts, impressions, quibbles, highlights and lowlights?

Comments

[jo]

I have a confession to make. The first time I watched ep. 306, it left me... oddly unmoved. I don't know why -- maybe because of all of the hype around it and how excited everyone online seemed to be about it, my expectations were too high? I don't know. All I do know is that it certainly didn't speak to me on an emotional level the way earlier episodes of season 3 did. Which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it, or that it was a bad episode or anything like that -- I just didn't enjoy it as much as I was expecting to.

My second time watching it was a bit better. Maybe because I lowered my own expectations? But I still have to say that I felt more of an emotional "oomph" from other episodes this season. But that was just me. I'm likely just really odd.

Anyway... there were some interesting changes from the book which I will touch on in the other thread. I probably have more to say about those than I do about this episode overall.

Nasty little tease of an opening with Jamie getting help with his stock tie. Made you think that maybe he had someone in his life -- a new wife or lover or ??? Of course book readers would have clued in right away as to who the woman was, but still -- I'm sure it scared the bejeezus out of some show-only fans!

I liked that they gave us Jamie's point-of-view of Claire's return. It is easy to forget that while Claire had weeks (months?) to prepare for the fact that she was going back and would likely see Jamie again, Jamie had no idea she was suddenly going to materialize in the flesh in his shop. So yeah... it would have been a bit of a shock and it was nice to see it that way.

One thing I noticed in this episode more than in any of the others -- I think the show has given up on trying to convey that the 4th finger of Jamie's left hand was all but useless after being smashed by Black Jack back in Wentworth prison. In season 2, Sam would try to make it stick out more, but it was working just fine in this episode.

Sam and Cait were, as usual, very lovely as Jamie and Claire. The whole reunion part in the brothel was very close to the book and nicely done, but -- again this is probably just me being weird -- I don't really give a toss about the sex scenes and could live quite happily without out them. Not because I'm a prude, just because I really don't care about other people's sex lives (real or fictional). I skip those bits in the books, and have even fastforwarded through them during rewatches of some season 1 episodes. I'm probably the only person out there who didn't mind at all that season 2 has nowhere near as much sex as the book did. I appreciate it more when the connection and closeness between the two of them is implied or conveyed by the way they look at each other, or through small touches between the two, rather than actually shown via all-out sex scenes. But again, that's just me. I'm odd. I know.

I was somewhat underwhelmed by Jamie's Culloden scar on his thigh. I thought it would be much nastier-looking based on book descriptions.

One scene I did like a lot during the brothel reunion part was when Jamie says to Claire that the two of them will live forever through Brianna, and Claire gets very emotional and tears up. I wondered if it was because she'd never thought of Brianna that way, or if it was just because it made her miss Brianna/feel guilty or sad about having left her behind.

I adore John Bell as Young Ian. Am so looking forward to his character's development and future story lines.

I also adored César Domboy as older Fergus. His English is much better than I was expecting (I've seen only short interview clips of him), but then again, Fergus has spent most of his life in Scotland now, so yes, you'd expect his English would be very good.

Mr. Willoughby. I will more to say about him in the other thread, but I liked the actor, at least in the wee bit that we got to see him.

The whores' breakfast was probably my favourite scene.

Edited to add: Also, apart from telling Claire about Willie, you got the feeling that Jamie wanted to tell her about one other thing... and never got around to it...

[anoyo]

THIS. I too was super underwhelmed by the episode. I spent the first ten minutes or so giggling into a blanket (I'm twelve at heart) and then, you know, just watching it like I would any other episode. My biggest issue was how rushed it felt. I know they needed to pack a lot into the episode, but they could have figured out a way to do it more smoothly, instead of abrupt scene changes, which would have made it feel less like it was Full Up and other things didn't fit.

I haven't had a chance to rewatch it (and I don't know if I will for a while), so it was sort of disappointing that it wasn't all it was hyped up to be. :/ They had the capacity to make it Just That Good (they've done it before!), but they didn't, and for such a big scene, it was a little disheartening.

I too found Young Ian to be freaking adorable and perfect, but the completely different (as in, wow, that's not the same) bone structure on Fergus as an adult was distracting. Similar basic facial features, but an incredibly different bone structure.

Also Claire recognized Fergus too quickly, it was so much more adorable in the book.

But, yes. I agree that the hype upped my expectations a lot, and they weren't met. I'm sure it was a lovely episode, really, I just didn't get there. :/

[jo]

THANK GOD IT WASN'T JUST ME!!!!

Everyone online is just gushing and gushing over it, and how they cried and yada yada yada and I'm feeling like I watched the wrong episode or something. It was good, and it was better on 2nd viewing, but yeah... even with the extra 18 minutes, as you say, it was rushed. Voyager could easily have been 2 seasons -- with the first half ending after Young Ian gets ***SPOILER*** kidnapped, and the second half being all the at sea and Jamaica and at sea again stuff.

God knows what season 4 will be like...

[anoyo]

Yeah, Voyager has a lot of fucking material. I don't even want to think about season four. Things will get cut, and we will all be pissed, unless they manage to get a split season again. (Though that seems to only have been season one.)

Oh, boy. And then we get to the Really Long Books and book five, which has about eighteen different plots (which is why I'm stuck on it -- I want to punch half the plots in the throat). UGH.

[jo]

Speaking of book 5... During the season 3 opening theme/credits, there is a scene of a bunch of people standing in front of what looks like a burning cross or burning something, and they all raise what looks like assorted weapons in a cheer or something. I have zero recollection of anything like that happening in Voyager, but it immediately made me think of the fiery cross... Do you have any thoughts on what that scene in the opening might be about?

[anoyo]

Jamaica? That's what it made me think of. I can't think of what it might actually be, though, to be fair.

[suzy]

I'm sorry you felt it didn't deliver to your expectations. You're one of the few I've seen that is so tolerate about book changes and seeing the show for what it is and keep it separate from the book. It's why I love Reading your thoughts on the episodes. So, I'm sad you didn't like it as much. :/


The finger has been working fine since 3x01. Think it was just too hard to keep it like that all the time.

I'm actually with you one the sex thing. I don't mind it at all, in fact, I do love it but I would also be totally fine without it. As for the sex lacking in season 2, that felt right to me. I'm thinking there won't be as much sex in season 3 going forward. It's just a feeling I have so no basis at all, but if I'm right I can already hear the backlash on that.

I loved that little bit about Brianna in the brothel too.

And yes, it was great to back track a bit to get more of Jamie's day before Claire turned up to really get that impact on how sudden her reapearance was for him.

[jo]

My issues have nothing to do with changes from the book -- I think overall the episode was very well done. I was just expecting more, and that is likely my fault, because I've read so much hype online (esp. Twitter) from people literally hyperventilating over this episode. That, combined with the two-week break between 305 and 306 I think just led me to over-anticipate. If there hadn't been an extra week in between, and if I'd gone into it as I do most episodes, my reaction would probably have been different. I got sucked into the hype. As I said in my post -- I did like it more on 2nd viewing, because then I was able to take it for what it was. I have a feeling it's an episode that will grow on me down the road.

[suzy]

I was just expecting more

Like what? What is missing? A scene or their connection to each other? I get that hype can sort of get you to a weird place. So I don't mean that. If it is just the hype I do get what you mean. I am just curious if there's something specific that is missing as I don't see it. Apart from the obvious that is the time limit set in each season. Something that has been my problem this whole season. I say again I wish there had been at least 16 episodes. The story we get is still great though. :)

[jo]

That's the thing -- I don't really know. I don't think the episode itself was really missing anything, it was my reaction to it that was missing. I guess I expected to at least get all teary-eyed and gushy when they finally reunited, but I didn't. Then again, I rarely do. I think there have been only two episodes that I physically reacted to (as in, teared up), and that was 111 and 201. And maybe 207. I don't normally physically react to ANY TV show, so why would this one be any different?

[suzy]

Well... I loved the episode!

I giggled, laughed and sniffed at their reunion. That was the sweetest ever to see.

I don't know if it's because I'm not a book reader but I thought the scene where they go trough the Brianna pics were very touching. I don't mind that there were no actual tears and snot running. But I do think it was too short a scene and that the Willie talk took some away from the Brianna impact. But I loved the fact that all 3 children got mentioned/talked about. It was an extended episode but it was not done for this scene which was a shame really. I also thought the Fergus reunion was great but too sudden, abrupt and way too short. Again I suspect it was cut for time but wish they had added some extra minute here as well.

I don't think he would have taken Claire to the brothel under normal circumstances. But he's clearly not thinking at the moment. She was so suddenly dropped in his life that he is simply not functional right now.

I have no complaints about the sex scenes. Thought it was handled very well. It was awkward but hot and desperate at first to become tender and sweet after that first round. I just thought it was realistic. Here they are 2 people not seen each other for 20 years. They ARE strangers now even if they loved each other deeply and has mourned each others loss ever since that fateful day but I think it's realistic that they are not as deeply connected, as say in the wedding episode. That first desperate rump was just that, a deperate needdfor each other and yes it was like riding a bycicle but that doesn't mean they connected instantly. They finally did connect when they made love more slowly, and hidden under the sheets for our eyes. But there are still miles to go to find that special bond they had. They are still strangers but the door has been opened. And I loved that. :)

I thought young Ian was adorable. Eh, but he's not 16!!! We saw his birth in 1752. He should be 14. For some reason that annoys me greatly.

Somehow I was not surprised about that ending.

Oh yes! The scar! I expected a gruesome sight. It was not.I am disappointed. Not sure why. *lol*

[jo]

I actually found the bit where they were looking at the photos of Brianna rather abrupt -- Jamie just hands them back to Claire and starts talking about Willie. But that's largely due to the fact that it's a major change from the book, so ...

I don't have complaints about the sex scenes -- I just have very little interest in them. They are extremely well done, Cait and Sam have great chemistry, etc., etc., etc., I just don't really care. I'd rather focus on the plot/action.

Yeah, that scar was a real letdown. Especially given how Jenny dealt with it when she was nursing him back to health -- it should have looked a lot messier. :(

[suzy]

I agree it was abrupt. I came here with almost the same comment I'd made elsewhere so it is perhaps a bit odd (many people there had complained about the scene lacking emotional wise, aka there were no real tears or breakdown as it is in the book.) I thought the scene was plenty emotional... just too brief. I really hope there's a deleted or extended version of it.

[jo]

But I loved the fact that all 3 children got mentioned/talked about.

Apparently it was Caitriona Balfe who insisted that Faith get mentioned: http://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a13069220/outlander-print-shop-scene-reunion-episode/?src=socialflowTW

[suzy]

Thanks for the link! Interesting read. I glad Cait got her wish granted. I think they both thought of Faith a lot over the years, perhaps Jamie more as Claire could focus on Brianna.

I actually think this ties well with the Willie mention. While I wish there had been more Bree talk I think Jamie's sudden talk of Willie right then and there... and that perhaps his emotions showed a little bit more there as well... it was all spurred on by his love for all of his children. Bree was the catalyst and brought home both his love and his loss of them.

[jo]

Sam Heughan actually addressed this on Twitter yesterday. I can't embed tweets here, so I'll copy paste in what he tweeted.

So on Tuesdays, the Outlander Writers account does a Q&A about the most recent episode. This week it was Toni Graphia and Maril Davis answering on behalf of Matt Roberts. They were asked:

why didn’t Jamie fall apart when seeing pics of Bree? It was in the script. (There's a screen shot of the script and it says "Jamie completely falls apart, dropping into Claire's arms, tears flowing down his cheeks.")

They replied: It's our intention that all action lines are filmed. we're disappointed this one wasn't. Will talk more about it on podcast.

Sam responded to that tweet. He wrote: I use action lines as guide only "Falling apart" doesnt have to mean tears, can be internal. Was my creative choice. Plus felt melodramatic

And: J hasn't met Bree. Has had relationship with Willie. Plus wonder at situation, new tech, never seen B etc.Way was written felt stalled scene.

[suzy]

Oh my, are they getting a lot of backlash for this on twitter and elsewhere? I feel bad for them. :/

I thought I could see his internal struggle. But I guess when you loved how it was written in the book and expected that same respons then yes I understand why some are upset by it. But I must say I'm with Sam on this one. Too much would have felt too melodramatic for me too. That's just my personal taste of course. This felt more attuned to the shock state Jamie was in and all Jamie would think of in terms of his life and what having Claire back could mean, + the fact he actually don't have a relationship with Bree. So yeah. I'm more than ok with how it played out. It was bittersweet I'd say. A joyous moment but also tinged sadness because he didn't get to be apart of Bree's life. I got emotional!

[jo]

There aren't that many people giving them grief -- most people are very happy with the episode. It was going to be a no-win situation for them because the reunion is the Holy Grail for most book readers -- they've all reread it a million times and have it memorized and have favourite lines/moments and have been imagining it for decades... So yes -- change one thing and someone somewhere is going to be pissed off. I think they will have an easier time going forward (the other seasons based on the other books). Voyager is really THE book for most fans of the series (it's not mine -- I prefer the last published one).

[suzy]

Are Claire and Jamie still the main couple in those latter books or have the young ones "taken over"?

[jo]

They're still at the heart of things, but there are so many other characters that get their own chapters, and Claire and Jamie get their own chapters when they're off doing separate things, that the Jamie-Claire moments are far fewer. That's why when I read that some people read ONLY the Jamie-Claire sections of those books, it boggles my mind -- means they're skipping the majority of the story! Of the characters you know thus far from the series, Bree has her own chapter, Roger, there's also Bree-Roger chapters, Lord John, Willie and Young Ian also get their own story lines and chapters.