Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Saw the premiere yesterday since Starz allowed subscribers viewing privileges a couple of days prior to opening day. The events this season seem to be taken from Gabaldon's 2nd book in the series, Dragonfly in Amber. Since the premiere hasn't officially released yet, all I can say is kudos to Tobias Menzies for doing so well with such a thankless role.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Dang, forgot this was premiering this weekend. I still need to finish the 2nd half of season 1.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Don't eat anything heavy before you do.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

How many episodes is Season 2? And will it be a split season like Season 1?

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Based on this article it seems the season won't be split.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

I just finished season 1 a week ago. perfect timing!

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Just watched the premiere last night. Pretty solid. One thing that bugged me, though... a minor technical issue that contains a MAJOR spoiler:

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

I have 4 episodes to finish from season 1 before I can head into the 2nd season.

Looking forward to season 2. Heard it will be 13 episodes instead of 16. The split season was pretty ridiculous last season.

Seems like Ronald Moore and his writers have a ton of material to work with from the Outlander books. I see there is 8 books in the series.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Yeah, although Season 1 included some scenes and whole episodes not in the book and the converse was true as well. And reportedly the differences will be even moreso with Season 2.

I'm interested to see what happens with Season 3-onward. Whether they continue to only adapt the main books (8 so far, with the 9th out in the next year or two) or also include the short stories and/or shorter novels too that are set in the same world. Main Outlander characters make appearances in those (even co-starring in one), and in the same way characters that appear there later show up, or are at least referred to, in the main books.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Indeed. A frind of mine who has read book 3 (Voyager) mentioned something to me about stuff from other books. I just didn't realize that it had happened.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Great first episode.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Haven't read Ms. Gabaldon's books yet, but binge watched the first season. Beautiful scenery/backdrop, a cast with great chemistry...this show has a bit of everything for everyone, even for the sadists in those final two eps.

Solid start (the boat ride seems to have made Jamie more fit.) Enjoyed that almost grand, cinematic handoff from 1948 Boston to 1700s France.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

So what exactly happened in this premiere episode? Are we supposed to understand it?

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

I don't think there needs to be spoilers because I am just going on what was seen in the episode:

I think the events in 1948 are a flash forward, because when she arrived she wondered about the battle and if anything was changed. The events in 1745 are a continuation of the events of season 1, and they are going to try and change the future.

Although they filmed it differently, I think this is just their version of the often-used TV trope of opening with a climactic scene and then showing a "3 days earlier" to then show what happened leading up to that climax. I'm not sure if I am happy they are doing it this way, because it seems rather anti-climactic, that now we know whatever her and Jamie does in the past this season isn't successful. But I haven't read the books, so I am just going off what was shown.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

That actually makes sense. And just a soft "3 days earlier" thing after they get off the boat would've worked wonders.

I guess I thought it wasn't a flash forward because her pregnancy wasn't showing and I would be surprised if she returns to the past so soon after the "present" of the series back in the 1700s. I guess I'll have to watch to find out, though.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Yeah, I was wondering about the pregnancy not showing either. So I assume she will get back to 1948 relatively soon or at least by the end of this season. I am not sure how long of a time period this season is supposed to cover.

Something that is a spoiler:


Something I thought this episode did a good job of is illustrating the differences between Jamie and Frank. Remember last season Jamie was willing to let her go back to her time and go be with Frank - he loved her so much that he just wanted her to be happy, even if it meant that he lost her. Compare that with Frank in this episode, who makes her give up Jamie and even forbids her from researching him in history. His love is more selfish and not as pure as Jamie's.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

@Jadzia That's one thing that I keep asking myself - why does she still wear Frank's ring? I'm guessing it was out of loyalty through Season 1, but now, with things so different?

In Frank's defense though, her reappearing married to someone else had to be tough to take. I think anyone would be tested by such a revelation. If the situation was reversed and she returned to Jamie, newly married to Frank, I don't think he (Jamie) would take it so graciously either. For that matter, would Claire?

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Yeah, Frank's really been jerked around the last few years. I kind of feel like Frank's love is reasonably selfish (at least what we've seen so far).

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

In the books Claire & Jamie discussed it in Book 1 (Season 1), iirc around the time of their marriage. And I don't recall any specific event having occurred between now and then that would have caused her to reevaluate the discussion (they've also had a lot else to discuss instead). It's the one physical tie to her past (in the future) that she's presumably never going to see again. And she did love Frank.

Also, in the books there is more made about wealth and poverty, and it's practical to carry money in such a compact, portable fashion. As well, it reinforces the Lord and Lady status that they are currently trying to convey, as to most observers it is more impressive than the silver ring that Jamie had given her.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

I thought the time transition was pretty obvious given what she had to say upon being found on the road. She had no idea if their plans had worked or not. Now that we know it was all for not, I'm not sure how much the audience is supposed to follow their actions this season.

Personally I don't think anybody can really compare Jamie and Frank and their love for Claire. They live totally different lives in radically different cultures. And that was before this all happened in a ways that would affect Frank far worse than Jamie.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

I think that's a concern. I've heard that some book readers didn't like how it began and so didn't continue. At least with the show then viewers know that there is (potentially) a whole lot more to come following this Season.

I think that part of their decision was practical in that (vague plot direction spoiler)

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Depending on how far they read into the series, they'd already know

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

http://deadline.com/2016/04/outlande...ce-1201736263/

Good News. Outlander's premiere ratings were up 102% from the series premiere back in August 2014.

I think the show picked up a lot of new fans by word of mouth.

More details

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Nice. Renew it now before it has a chance to fall.

Re: Outlander (Starz) -- Season 2 Thread -- 4/9/16
 

Great news! Renew it already!!