Outlander S1E13: The Watch, A Recap

It is time ladies and gents for a new episode of Outlander. We were left with quite the cliffhanger last time with a gun pointed squarely at Jamie's head and the threat of his brains being sprayed all over the floor and so now it's time to play the game of "Who the Fuck are These People?". It's one of my favorites. So without further adieu, let's commence with the review and recap of the episode.

Turns out the man pointing a gun to Jamie's temple is a man named Talum who is in charge of some of The Watch. He's rather well acquainted with Jenny and Ian and it turns out the two of him have been paying them to keep the redcoats away and it's part of the reason for their visit. Ian's quite chummy with this Talum fellow and has even had the man's sword repaired or what have you. Since the men are hungry, Jenny departs to the kitchen to start some dinner and is followed by her brother and her husband and eventually Claire. Jamie's a wee bit pissed about the whole idea of the Watch being there, saying that it wasn't right at all for them to decide that sort of decision but Jenny was like "fuck you bro, we had to do what we had to do without you around..." Well you get the idea.

They all agree the best course of action is for Jamie to keep his nose clean and his head down and then the Watch will be gone and no one will be the wiser. All shall be well in the land of Lallybroch.

At dinner, we learn more about the relationship between Ian and Jamie through the questioning of Talum MacQuarrie. He is quite suspicious of the two but says very little on the matter and gives the greatest toast I've ever heard.

"Here's to a good life and a long one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A good lass and an honest one.
To great whiskey, and another one."

Gif makers take note, I'd love to have this giffed for me. I'll pay you in hugs and internet cookies I promise.

The following day Jamie is guiding a horse to the stables in order to have a look at his leg since he's supposedly lame, seeing one man smoking on Ian's tobacco. He's a bit of a smartass to the man and goes about trying to mend the horse's leg with the help of wee Rabbie. Next thing you know, there's a big ass fire and the dick who was smoking the pipe had lit it. Fucker! Well Jamie and a few others manage to get it out but Jamie's fucking pissed and decides he's not going to take this shit any further. His clean nose didn't last eighteen hours.

A fight breaks out, Jamie ends up kicking ass and MacQuarrie ends the squabble and apologizes. You know, for all he does, he's certainly a bit of a charmer. I can see why Ian likes him. He suggests that Jamie would be a great fighter on his team but Jamie's like "nah dude. I love my wife, I'm settled..." Smart guy Jamie Fraser.

As the men are returning to the main house from the stables, there are the men that MacQuarrie's been waiting on and who'd be in their ranks but Horracks. In case you don't recall, Horracks was the man that knew Black Jack Randall was responsible for killing his own man in order to frame Jamie for it. All for a price ye ken. Now he's with the Watch, and they are all at Lallybroch and he knows who Jamie is. If he spills the beans, Jamie's sure as shit off to Fort William and Black Jack Randall's clutches. Jamie is fucked.

Thankfully, Horracks keeps his mouth shut on first meeting and all seems to be well. Claire of course is scared to death that something bad is going to happen but she's Jamie's strength in this moment.

"What ever happens, we'll handle it...no matter the cost."

Later on we see Claire and Jenny doing the wash. There's a cute moment with Wee Jamie (who is super adorable, omg I want one) and Claire. They talk and wash, of bairns and children, of Jamie and Ian and all of sudden, Jenny's water breaks. Looks like there is a wee babe a coming. And come to find out, Claire discovers the babe is breach, meaning it's in the wrong position. In case you aren't familiar with old time child birth, this is very dangerous for the mother and the baby. Claire tries to get the child right in her belly but it doesn't work and there is nothing to do but wait out the birthing.

During this time, Jamie approaches Horracks and they discuss what the bastard wants. Well he wants to go to Boston of course (as all Irishmen seem to do) and make a life for himself in the American colonies. Problem is, he needs money and he wants Jamie to give it to him, if only to keep his mouth shut. Jamie concedes but is none to pleased about it. Who would be? After all, the bastard is blackmailing him.

Cut back to Jenny and Claire, Jenny's pacing and Claire asks what it's like to be pregnant. Jenny's description is verbatim from the book. I've never been pregnant before but the way Jenny describes it, it's both a mixture of beauty and misery. Claire is calm through it all and no doubt sees the conversation as a way to distract Jenny from her contractions. It's going to be a long day. I'm very glad they decided to keep all of this dialogue from the books in the show. A midwife was supposed to help out Jenny but the midwife's away (of course), so it's up to Claire.

Claire: It's alright. It is possible to deliver a breached baby. I'll only have to reach inside and guide it out.
Jenny: Alright. You'll be fetching me a good stiff dram before we start.
Claire: In that case the baby will likely be drunk too.
Jenny: Well then he'll come into the world a true Scot.
Claire: Alright

The show cuts to Jamie and Ian speaking while cleaning the wagon with the burned hay. Ian explains why he likes MacQuarrie and why he enlists The Watch to look out for them. He doesn't want Jenny in the same position she had been in when Jamie was taken away. He does it to protect Jenny the only way he can. Jamie confides in him about Horracks and Ian speaks to him of the money that Jamie's father put aside for him.

Jamie doesn't want to take it and explains why to Claire. It was meant for her, and for their children. It's at this point that our strong heroine Claire Fraser confides in Jamie, what she feels is a major shortcoming. The inability to have children. It's so heartbreaking, seeing her pain in thinking she is barren and there is some disappointment in Jamie's features but he brushes it aside.

Again, there is more dialogue very close to the book and he comforts her. One of the many reasons I love Jamie Fraser. He's truly a good and kind man and even if he is powerful and strong, he can be sensitive too. He's the King of Men for a reason and this only reinforces my opinion. It's just sweetness and love.

Our next scene is when Jamie meets Horracks with the cash. But as all blackmailing goes, it's not enough. He needs more money to keep his mouth shut and even goes so far as to threaten Jamie's family. Before Jamie can do the job of killing him, Ian runs him through with a sword, the death affecting him. This scene is pivotal, showing the true bond betwen Ian and Jamie and what makes them almost as brothers, not just brothers in law.

As they return home, Jenny's in the throes of labor upstairs and the guys from the Watch are being rude as fuck. Horracks is nowhere in sight and MacQuarrie querries about what might of happened to him. See what I did there? Jamie's like, fuck if I know where he is.

It's morning now. Jenny's still in labor and MacQuarrie is still wondering where Horracks is at. His horse is still there? Man wouldn't take ten steps to piss, let alone run off. MacQuarrie's a pretty good smartass and then Jamie tells him the truth, kind of. He says he kills Horracks because he dared blackmail him and threaten his family. At first we think everything is going to hell in a handbasket but then MacQuarrie laughs it off.

"Yeah fuck that guy. Fuck that old Irish son of a bitch..."

Unfortunately, the man has a wee bit of a problem. He needs a man on his mission to ambush a party of the British and Jamie agrees to go along, Ian too.

Before they leave, Claire gives him a carved snake that his brother William had carved for him. And they kiss and she makes him promise to come back to her. It's love and it's beauty and I"m crying. Not really, but I'm heartbroken, knowing what's coming.

So the men go off and then Jenny's actually having the baby. Holy fuck. She's giving birth and Claire reaches right on in there and pulls the babe out.

At the same moments of this, the scene cuts to where Jamie is with the other men of the Watch, waiting on the chance to ambush. Jamie, observant as ever, realizes to late that it's an attack and there's no way of escaping. The screen white's out as the British attack and fire the guns and we are left in the dark as to what happened.

As the scene moves to Claire and Jenny it's touching and sweet. Instead of the son Jenny thought it was, it's a wee daughter. Margaret Eleanor Marie Murray and she's totes adorbs. Okay, I quit.

Three days pass and there is still no sign of Jamie or of Ian. Claire's worried and Jenny has turned into the quiet sort of strength that Claire usually is with Jamie. Then the dogs bark and there are two figures hobbling down the road. It's Ian! But it's not Jamie with him but a man of the watch.

He explains that Jamie stayed behind to help a wounded MacQuarrie and that the British took him. My response is Oh Fuck!

So Diana Gabaldon has already said her piece on the matter so far as what happens. Half of the episode is very much straight from the book (Jenny's birthing) while the other half is not (The watch, backstory on Ian and how Jamie gets taken into custody). We also get a bit of background on Ian and Jamie not in the original novel but in a story she wrote for an anthology called "Virgins". See picture below:

I really like how they did this episode and how they changed it from the book. It was a major change but it easily transitioned the story to where it needed to go. Now the job of Claire is to find Jamie and for book readers, we know that we're less than an hour of the season away from the dreaded Wentworth Prison.

Until next time my fellow Sassenach and Outlander Addicts.

Picture Credit: Starz/Showcase/Amazon Prime UK

Outlander S1E12: Lallybroch, A Recap

First off, I wish to apologize for the day late recap. Normally I have the recap done by ten EST  the night of the US showing but was swept up in long made plans and didn't get home until 9:30 pm, thoroughly exhausted and blah. But now I shall do my utmost to review and recap this fabulous episode of Outlander. Of course, everyone recalls the last episode where Claire made her choice to stay with Jamie and so it was time for them to go home...to Lallybroch. So let's talk about that home coming aye?

So the scene opens after the credits with a sweeping score by Bear McCreary, uplifting and beautiful like the landscape of Scotland. When we finally see Jamie and Claire riding on horseback, she's explaining the whole Airplane thing and it's something that Jamie Fraser is having a hard time imagining though he certainly seems to be in awe of it. He sees Lallybroch in the distance and you can see his face light up like a Christmas tree and see that he is finally home. Of course, there are things stopping him. His flashbacks to that day he was taken away, the look on Jenny's face. He confides in Claire that Dougal told him Jenny may have fathered Black Jack Randall's bastard. It's a layer of guilt that we continually see explored throughout the episode. 

They enter into Lallybroch and Jamie's once more swept up in flashbacks but then he is brought back by the sound of Claire engaging a small child by the entrance and then there is the sound of Jenny calling for Jamie (her son) and then she sees her brother. Dropping everything, cupping her pregnant belly, she runs to him and they embrace but it is a very short term and tender reunion as she introduces her son to his uncle. His namesake Jamie. Of course, the elder of these two asks why? After all, according to Dougal, the child is Black Jack Randall's. Jenny is of course, is rather upset that her brother is calling her a whore and sends Wee Jamie away. Once he's gone, Jamie keeps on calling her a whore in his own way. Claire's trying to diffuse the situation, to which Jenny replies thusly:

"Tell that Trollop to keep her neb out of my business"

Needless to say Jenny Fraser is not one to mess with. And one should never piss off a pregnant woman. Which Jamie has done here.

So there's that. It's a heated exchange and Jamie isn't listening to a word Jenny says and finally she gives the best few lines of the episode. 

Jenny: Do I have to do what I did when we were bairns? Grab ye by the balls to make ye stand and listen to me. 
Jamie: You're now trying to shame me in front of my own wife!
Jenny: Well, if she's your wife, I imagine she's more familiar with your balls than I am!

Eventually they all settle down, we find out that Jenny is married to Ian Murray (a kindly man with no right leg) and that the child in her belly and Wee Jamie are both his. Jamie relents but he still wants to know what happens after  he was knocked out cold. 

Jenny tells him and it was a rather difficult scene to watch because Tobias Menzies does such a great job as the evil and cruel BJR once more. He's really nailed it as the sadistic captain of dragoons and every time he's on screen as Randall, Menzies is as enrapturing as he is terrifying. BJR in this scene is of course, trying to rape Jenny but he can't *ahem* stand at attention and is stroking and stroking to no avail. Jenny of course, sees this and looks a bit mad but she starts to laugh. He slaps the shit out of her a few times but she just looks at him and laughs some more until he finally gives up and slams her head into the post of the bed, knocking her out cold and then leaving her unconscious but untouched. Now I've seen a lot of outrage because of the full frontal nudity and seeing Tobias Menzies' penis. Personally I don't understand all the outrage. I mean, women are subjected to full frontal nudity in premium channel television shows so it's almost sort of refreshing to see male nudity. I imagine for a lot of people it was very shocking but it's not nudity for the sake of nudity. It's a way of showing that he can't get it up to perform a rape on a young Scottish woman. And then there is the shame he feels, not in trying to rape her, but in the fact that she's laughing at him. It infuriates him and wounds his pride. So to those outraged, I made you a special meme:

So once all is settled, Jamie takes over the Laird's chamber and reminisces about his father and the secrets he thought had been held in this room when he'd been a child. And then he speaks of the last time he saw his father and how he'd kissed his cheek. He speaks of how he chose to be flogged again instead of buggered (which means of course sodomized), and how his father might lose respect for him should he allow himself to be broken. It's a very poignant scene and you can see the grief and guilt over the fact that his flogging and the horror of it may have caused his father to die of his stroke. 

Jenny of course, adds into the guilt with a few lines meant to sting when they all sit down to dinner, and you can see that the family is a hurting open sore in need of mending but of course, both Jamie and Jenny are a bit to proud to give in just yet. 

The next day, is quarter day. It's a collection of the Rents but because Lallybroch is so small, everyone comes to the Laird versus the Laird going out to collect. There is dancing and partying and Jamie's stepping into place as Laird, making quite a big show of it. Honestly he's coming off as a wee bit of a dick. Jenny's talking to women inside, Claire is outside speaking about herbs and healing when we meet a man by name of MacNabb for the first time. He punishes his son for daring to eat a bannock and Claire confronts him, get's called a Sassenach but she embraces the vitriol and manages to skillfully get the boy away from his father. Jenny knows all about the issues with MacNabb and his son but avoids the matter with Jamie. Claire of course confides in him but Jamie's not exactly listening, or so we think. 

Night comes and Claire is in bed and Jamie comes in drunk. Lord he is super drunk. It's the most hilarious thing I've seen in the show so far and he's just a mess, way deep in his cups. Claire's a bit amused and annoyed at the same time and he keeps smacking her backside and soon he's collapsed in a heap on the bed, out for the count and Claire's smirking at his behavior. It's a bit endearing. 

The next morning though, Jamie's hung over and not a bit endearing at all. His head is no doubt a-pounding but Jenny's in a tizzy, and gets angry at him for daring to start a fight with MacNabb the night before whilst drunk and now having another mouth to feed. Nor did he collect the rents which are needed to keep the estate running. Well that pisses him off and then he starts acting like a tee-total dick complaining about how the bannocks aren't right and the servant-woman says that the mill isn't working and that someone's been sent for to fix it but Jamie's all manly. "I can do this dammit. I'm the laird..." The whole macho man chest pounding kind of thing that's very out of character for him. Since returning home, I think it's obvious that he's trying to fill his father's shoes but not being very good at going about it. He comes off as showy and it's just not the same Jamie we have seen in past episodes. It's as though as soon as he busts through the gates of Lallybroch, he's trying to assume his position as Laird and take over where Jenny and Ian have been running the place for near on four years by himself. Even if he is Laird, he is coming off as an asshole. 

Well down to the millpond we go. Jamie's going to fix that bloody mill and strips all the way down to his shirt. Claire's rolling her eyes because Jamie really is being an idiot and there's really nothing but she can do about it. While he's in the cold ass water, Jenny comes up in a flurry. The British are Coming! The British are Coming and Jamie has to hide. No where to go but under so that's what he does. Jenny tells the Brits that they have someone to fix the mill, hiding the Fraser plaid with Claire. The British officer in question is the son of a miller and knows his way around a water wheel and is about to undress to try and fix it when all of a sudden (It's magic!) the wheel starts to work again and a shirt comes up over the top. How in hell could a shirt stop a water wheel. 

British Soldier: It's Scotland. 

The soldiers leave and Jamie comes up very much naked, cupping what's left of his balls as I imagine they're mostly shrunk up inside his body for warmth and asks for his clothes in a rather rude fashion. But he is fucking cold.  I'll give him a pass here. That night, Ian and Claire have a bit of a heart to heart and Ian tells her that Jamie must be a lot like Jenny in that they're both stubborn as fuck and need a push sometimes. Well Claire takes it literally coming into the bedroom to see Jamie sleeping peacefully and shrugs him out of bed and sets him straight. 

She lays it into him hard. Essentially she calls him out on his shit. On trying to be his father when he's not. On being a complete dick to everyone, herself included, and how's he just been the asshole to end all assholes. He tries to intervene but she isn't having it and finishes her peace and even says that if his father were here right now, he might well thrash him for being a stupid fucking idiot of a man. Well her words set in.

He goes to visit his father's grave for the first time since his return home and Jenny comes to him there. They lay out their souls on the line. Both of them feeling guilt in their own way for what happened. Jenny is horrified at his scars and blames herself for not letting BJR rape her and Jamie admits his own guilt in his father's death but comes to the conclusion that no one is to blame for the death of their father save Black Jack Randall, who's actions that day in arresting Jamie and nearly raping Jenny, set in motion the chain of events leading to his death. They mend their bond and all is well between brother and sister. Understanding and honesty bringing them together. It was a much needed scene that reconciled them and laid the hurt away. 

That night, Claire and Jamie are back to normal. He's become the Jamie we know and love again, no longer weighed down by the guilt in his heart and soul. It's in this scene that he confesses his love to Claire. Now I've never had a problem with the changes from book to screen. I've never complained because I understand that it's impossible to go word for word in a book and place it on screen. That being said, for the first time in the show, I felt a little sad that they didn't make the confession of love between Claire and Jamie humorous. The way they did it was almost verbatim so far as dialogue but there was a little tiny part of me disappointed. Even so, I know the way they did it, fit perfectly with the scene and it was perfect and beautiful and sweet.

The two make love and the next morning Claire wakes up alone and has a very satisfied grin on her face. She gets dressed and she exits the bedchamber, she hears the sound of men carrying up the stairs and there are men surrounding Jamie as he is in the hall and one points a gun to Jamie's head and then the episode ends. 

Who were these men? What did they want? We only have four episodes left before the end of the show's season. We've reached the halfway point and it's going to be a sad day in the Outlander fandom to see the show end until next year. But I'm sure there are still four fantastic hours of television left for us to watch and I can't wait to see how well they handle the upcoming scenes that will no doubt have us crying and sobbing. 

This episode had deviations as most of the episodes do but I found it a nice character study of Jamie and Jenny. At first Jenny comes off as a real bitch but then you have to realize she too is carrying stress and guilt of her father's death and her brother's imprisonment. The fact that the two of them reconcile makes this a great episode and I'm ready to see what next week has in store. Until next week my dear sweet Outlanders!