WARNING: If you haven’t read the books or seen the TV
series, there are a few spoilers ahead. Not many, but...well, I’ve warned you!
Long-time readers of this blog know I love the book series
by Diana Gabaldon. (see here, here and here) The world she creates, both in the 18th century and the 20th
are vivid, rich, and filled with characters I’ve come to love. When the rumored
TV series came to fruition, however, I was concerned. Would any actor be able
to do justice to Jamie and Claire? Especially Jamie. I’m as much in love with
him as Claire is. Gabaldon herself admitted she felt the same way about him.
Could the director and producer find someone to fit my image of him?
The series found a home on the pay channel STARZ here in the States. First episode was free, the rest you have to pay for. So I
watched the free episode and, while it was a little slow in places, I found
myself drawn in. The first section, with Claire and Frank, sets up much of what’s
to happen, but the pacing plods a little. Mostly in the dialogue. Claire often
speaks first and then thinks and I didn’t see that so much in this part. Of
course, she and Frank are still feeling their way, so it didn’t bother me a
whole lot.
I liked the color choices...the fact that her memory of the
war was in brighter colors than Inverness of the late 1940’s, the bright greens
of Scotland when she makes the jump to the 1800’s. As if her time with Frank
was the memory and everything else was her real life.
Dougal fit my impressions of him exactly. Commanding, rough,
demanding. I didn’t realize where I’d seen the actor before until someone
pointed it out to me. Graham McTavish also plays Dwalin in Peter Jackson’s The
Hobbit. A credit to his acting that I didn't make the connection right away.
As for Frank...well, he was appropriately milquetoast
enough. I did like, however, how the narration brought out the fact that he’d
sent men to their deaths in the war and he didn’t speak of it now. It was a
point I’d glossed over in the books, but I think it’s one I want to remember. Toby
Menzies, the actor who portrays him, also plays Jonathan Randall and I liked
him better there.
And then there are Jamie and Claire. Sam Heughan plays Jamie
– very well. He’s young, but then, Jamie’s only 22 in the first book. I think I
have to agree with Diana Gabaldon, he very well might be my Jamie. My fears
are somewhat allayed. I could wish him a little taller, or wish Claire (Caitriona
Balfe) a little shorter. I want him to command her height a little more. Picky,
picky!
Based on that first impression, I talked my husband into
buying the STARZ channel. It isn’t tremendously expensive - $8.99/month. That
breaks down to $1.25 an episode during the months it airs. And, if you watch
any other the other hundreds of movies that are also offered, the cost becomes negligible.
Or so I have justified. :)
Anyway, sat down to watch the first and second episodes with
him (my husband) last night. He’s not read the books and I was curious to hear
what he had to say about this series that my mother and I have talked about for
years (since Outlander first came out in paperback) and that my soon-to-be
daughter-in-law have been discussing recently. He’s as much as admitted that
the size of the books daunt him. He prefers short, non-fiction books on
philosophy. Something he can read in a week and carry in his head for a month.
While he felt that the pacing of the first episode could be
faster (a point I agree on), he was surprised that time travel was involved. He
had no idea she went back in time. The whole time she was with Frank, he kept
wondering who this “Jamie” was that I spoke of. Now he knows – and was eager to
watch the second episode.
I won’t go much further, don’t want to give TOO many
spoilers, but suffice it to say, Jamie’s heat is much stronger in the second
episode. Readers of the book will know what that means (picture me grinning wickedly and wagging my eyebrows!).
A point about language: much of the scene where Colin
McKenzie hears petitions from his tenants is performed in Gaelic. It is a
beautiful language to listen to. I cannot speak it, but was thrilled when, at
the point where Jamie stands up for Laoghair, in the flurry of Gaelic coming
from Colin, I heard the words “Seaumais
Ruaid” – and knew they meant “Red Jamie”! I also loved, in the first
episode, hearing Jamie shout “Tulach Ard!” (NOTE: in 6th grade we had to choose what language we wanted to learn come 7th grade. There were two choices: Spanish and French, and a space for "other". I wrote "Gaelic" on the line. They gave me Spanish. I have been disappointed ever since.)
To sum up: yes, I subscribed to a pay-to-view channel just to
watch one series. Yes, I’m hooked on Outlander as a book series (I’m currently
re-reading the entire set before I get to the latest, In My Heart’s Own Blood). Yes,I will watch every episode of Outlander and dissect it with my parents (I didn't mention, my mom got my dad watching...and now he's borrowed my copy of Outlander because he wants to read the series) and my son and his intended (my son listened to the audiobook, his fiance currently has my copy of Drums of Autumn). And yes, I’m in love with Jamie Fraser.
If you want to join the discussion, you can comment below or
join me on my
new Facebook page! Of course, I’m still Twittering (sometimes) as well. Let's talk books and their translation into TV series!
Play safe,
Diana
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