Outlander Season Two, Episode Four: Let's Talk About THAT Scene

 

Well this week was certainly quite an interesting one, and much like last week, it was quite snappy and quick, blazing through everything in what seemed to be a very short hour long episode. It was a good episode but it's also drummed up some controversy in the Outlander fandom which has led to quite a bit of polarizing. The great thing about television and books is the ability to share your opinion on them, and hopefully my opinion does not cause outrage because the last thing I want to do is piss people off. So let's just dive right in.

The most controversial part of this entire episode was actually a scene taken from the book. That scene, was of course, the rape of young Mary Hawkins. Now I did read a few different review takes on that particular scene and in the comment section, it got nasty. Now I'm all about being able to have your opinion and if I disagree with an opinion, I don't berate and belittle the person who spoke though I might scratch my head and wonder how the heck they came to that conclusion. Much like I scratched my head at the woman who wrote to Diana Gabaldon that after the "hiding under a blade of grass" bit of dialogue, she took it to mean he was gay.

I've seen plenty of drama on the particular review calling out the rape that happened though I don't quite agree with the reviewer's reasoning especially when she called Outlander a "fun" and "light hearted show." That being said I too have issue with the amount of rape in those books. Look I get it alright. Back then rape was one of the most common weapons used against a woman in order to subdue her, to hold power over her and to punish her. It happened and it happened a lot. So within historical context, Diana I suppose isn't wrong to include it within the story line BUT I do feel sometimes that rape is a convenient plot device to move a story along.

I wrote a blog post a while back comparing Outlander to Game of Thrones and how the two shows differed in their handling of rape and I do stand by comments made back then. Game of Thrones definitely has more gratuitous rape scenes that aren't even plot devices and I've always considered rape to be one of the laziest ways to get a plot going. So yeah, Mary Hawkins rape was a cheap lazy way of making her unable to marry her fiance and set up her eventually marrying Black Jack Randall.

All that said, the show is not to blame for the lazy plot devices and for everyone railing against the inclusion of this rape scene there are equally as many saying that it was necessary and that without it the plot couldn't have gone on the way it did.

I see both sides of the situation, and I do love the Outlander books. You really couldn't find someone more passionate about these books and this show, but that's not to say the books aren't flawed. A guy friend of mine that watches the show said that Diana uses rape in the same way that George RR Martin uses death. It's to shock the reader until the shock just wears off and you're just left numb every time someone else suffers assault. Is Diana being historically accurate? More than likely yes, and I know that she has received plenty of letters and emails thanking her for showing rape for the horrible horrible crime it is against men and women.

Contrary to that single reviewer, the show and books are not light hearted in fun. Sure there are moments of humor in order to keep the show balanced but ultimately the story of Outlander is one of deep romance, drama and history that turns into a story of family love and survival throughout it's course. I expect for a period drama, there to be plenty of horrible things and while we could have arrived at the same conclusion concerning Mary without her being raped, it doesn't change the fact that it does happen in the books as well. Whether you agree with that plot device or not, is based on your personal opinion and I won't fault you for drawing your own conclusions but I do hope that other assaults in the book are left out though I know of at least two, should the show last that long, that will definitely be included.

Perhaps Diana writes out these scenes in order to show how different people handle the trauma. We've seen it with Jamie, and Claire has certainly been nearly raped in the show on more than one occasion and we have seen how Jamie's dealt with the PTSD thanks to that horrible disgusting thing that Black Jack did to him. Could it have been handled differently? Yes. Definitely, but my two cents would be that if you did not like it, do not blame the show for what it derives from the source material. Disagreements are certainly going to happen. Millions of people have read the books and watched the show and have formed their opinions about certain things. Not everyone is going to agree about certain aspects of the show and their opinions should not be invalidated, but you should be able to give a differing opinion without resulting to name calling and mud slinging. The author of the aforementioned review was certainly allowed to voice her opinion and while I do disagree with some of her points and scratched my head a bit, she's entitled to that opinion without having to be attacked for it even if that opinion is unpopular. You can respectfully disagree with someone without being nasty and tawdry. One review is just that. A review. It's meant to be agreed with or disagreed with and I know plenty who were on either side of the argument.

So what did YOU think of that scene? Please comment below, and don't be afraid to voice an opinion that might be unpopular. I'd hope there would be no attacks beneath. If you disagree with me, feel free to tell me why. I love hearing differing opinions because if everyone agreed completely with everyone, the world would be a very boring place.

Until next time, Sassenachs!

- G

Outlander Season Two, Episode Three: Not So Useless After All

First off, I want to apologize for the delay as I've been quite busy with real life and so it's been a bit hard to bang out a recap and review worthy of a read. So here we are on episode three out of thirteen and even though so much has happened in the past three episodes, there is still so much more to go. Crazy right? So let's get down to business and discuss those useful occupations.

There were certainly several key point that the show highlighted and focused on. Jamie has been run ragged working to undermine the Jacobite cause of Charles Stuart and Claire has been bored as hell doing nothing but attending teas and card games with Louise and Mary. Claire is a woman who's life has come to a stand still. She's not exactly the stay at home and mend a shirt type and her idea of a good time is actually doing something with her time that doesn't involve tittering behind a fan. She's envious of Jamie's coming and going and bored to tears and honestly I don't blame her for that. Sure it's a rich person's problem but Claire's never lived a life where she wasn't needed. She worked with her Uncle Lamb as a kid, a nurse as an adult and when she fell through time, she was a healer for the MacKenzie crew so she's never really been without something to do and it works her nerves.

Jamie on the other hand, is being run to his limit, playing politics, trying to garner information and like Claire, has the knowledge that a Jacobite uprising will end in the decimation of his culture and homeland. It's a huge weight to carry and it takes a toll on their relationship and at a key point in the episode it seems all for naught. Charles pressures Jamie into a meeting with Duvernay and it is at that meeting with Duvernay that we find out that Charles does not need as much money as Jamie nor Claire originally thought. It is revealed that high ranking members of English society are financially backing Charles and that means the amount of money needed isn't all that much. Charles also manages to turn Duvernay's head with he possibility of an alliance with England. It's to good a deal to pass up and Duvernay at least agrees to consider it and present it to King Louis once the proof is provided hat he does indeed, not need all that much from the treasury.

At the same time hat Jamie's hopes of stopping financial backers is being crushed, Claire has found a renewed purpose in life as Master Raymond has suggested to her that she could volunteer at a charity hospital. She takes that into advice and finds a renewed sense of purpose by working at the hospital. It's there we meet a very important character by name of Mother Hildegarde. A stern older woman who at first thinks that Claire is nothing more that a rich woman wanting to get a few props for doing a little charity work without much of the actual work involved. After Claire proves her knowledge of medicine and sickness, you can see that Mother Hildegarde finds some respect for a woman whom she had only assumed to be a rich lady without substance.

So after spending an entire day tending to the sick, she comes home to a waiting and impatient Jamie who is angry that she would dare subject herself to the sickly while pregnant. Their argument was certainly one that needed to happen and both of them were right to their anger. Jamie's anger stems from doing nothing but lying constantly. Claire's anger stems from Jamie's anger at her which ultimately I think is just jealousy on both of their ends. She's jealous that he's working to end the cause while he's jealous that she gets to do something that she enjoys. Obviously a more open line of communication between them would help them out.

After their fight, Jamie leaves in a huff and goes back to the brothel, where he notes the actions of a young boy picking the pockets of the brothel customers. An idea forms in his mind and he swiftly chases the boy down until he captures him and after some humorous back and forth, he essentially blackmails the boy, Fergus, into working for him and stealing letters.

The funniest part of the entire episode was when Claire discovers Fergus in the house eating some chicken and his response to her presence was to essentially tell her "nice boobs." Of course Murtagh interjects and states that he said the same thing to Suzette, the ladie's maid and Claire's response is quite funny. "Well that doesn't make me feel very special." It was honestly to me, the funniest part of the scene and Fergus is quite the little scamp and charmer. I just adore him.

So once Fergus is employed with Jamie, they begin intercepting letters and come across a musical code. A code that can only be cracked by someone with a knowledge of the German language and of Music. So it turns out that Claire's volunteer work actually comes in handy because Mother Hildegarde ends up helping to crack the musical code. So see, not so useless after all.

Once the code is cracked, Jamie and Murtagh and Claire are all celebrating but there is a dark stain on that celebration because it involves working with the Duke of Sandgringham and if Jamie sits down with the Duke, then Jamie will most definitely learn about the survival of Black Jack Randall.

It's also worth noting that earlier in the episode, there was a HUGE revelation about Black Jack Randall and Mary Hawkins. Turns out that Mary is he ancestor of Frank Randall and so that's certainly thrown a huge wrench into the cogs of the story. So how does Mary become the future great great grandmother of Frank Randall? Well, we'll just have to find out and see won't we?

I think the major head scratcher for this episode, if I were to really have a complaint, would be how openly Claire, Jamie and Murtagh talk subterfuge of the Jacobite cause in front of Jared's servants. True, Jared's servants are loyal, but they also know that Jared is a very firm Jacobite. Wouldn't such open conversation make it easy for the servants to relate the undermining to their employer? Not to say that this might be utilized by the show later. I don't think it will, it's just something funky I noticed.

So what did you think of Fergus? What did you think of Mother Hildegarde? And most importantly what are you looking forward to in next week's episode or at least hoping to happen? Sound off in the comments below.

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Until next week Sassenachs!

Outlander Season 2 Episode 2: It's All About Murtagh and I Love It!

So Sassenachs, here we are, already on the second episode and can I say what an absolutely jam packed episode this was. Introductions to so many new characters in flesh form, instead of just our imaginations, so many funny and tender moments and a few changes from book to screen that some people are okay with and others are probably ripping their hair out over. Overall I found the episode to be quite fantastic but I think the real star of S2E2 was Murtagh Fitzgibbons, the ultimate Wingman played by the ever so charming Duncan Lacroix. 

Now don't get me wrong. There are some great scenes outside of scenes with Murtagh but he seems to be the central figure in nearly every important scene there is, except for the introductions of Master Raymond and little Marry Hawkins. His complete aversion to French society is apparent throughout and honestly he and Jamie play so well off each other, almost like a bantering father and son.

We get our first glimpse of Murtagh with Jamie enjoying a bit of sword practice and Murtagh enjoying a great bit of teasing at Jamie's expense, pushing him to do better but it's obvious that Jamie's hand is still in quite a bit of mending.

The exchange between Jamie, Bonnie Prince Charles and Murtagh in the brothel is certainly tense. Charles is only after the throne, and wanting to use the Scottish people to accomplish the deed, claiming that it is by God's will that his father and he be placed on the English Throne. After all, they are Stuarts and not Hanovers!Those German Georges have no right to the throne! Murtagh of course, eloquently states that most of Scotland is home to simple folk, people who work and toil the land and fight each other often. What would make a simple farmer trade in his scythe for a sword? Of course Charles' answer is more preening about he is God's chosen to be on the English throne and it's quite quickly established that there will be no convincing the good Prince that to create an uprising would be disastrous. The only good news, is that Charles at least trusts Jamie enough to get him to play as a representative of Scotland and the Jacobite cause at the French Court of Louis XV and to make friends with the Minister of Finance. Charles after all, needs money in order to support a Jacobite rebellion against the English.

Murtagh is contemplating murder of a Prince here I'm sure.

Murtagh of course, is there when the information is relayed to Claire and they all seem to agree that convincing Duvernay that Charles is a bad investment is the best way to go about stopping the Jacobite Rising and as they are hopeful, we viewers have already been cursed with the future knowledge that their plans will fail. I suppose the producers and writers of the show wanted us to feel that same dread that Claire feels in knowing what the future holds, except we can't stop it like she's trying to do.

What? No line about "verra large sausage"? Inconceivable!

French court is of course nothing like Scotland. Full of vapid and shallow well dressed french men and women, and Murtagh certainly sticks out like a sore thumb. I have to admire how the writers really have created him as a great side kick to Jamie and to Claire. He's more brash, more blunt than either of them and isn't afraid to say what's on his mind. His reaction to both Claire's dress and the dress of the King's Mistress certainly made me giggle and that's nothing compared to the outright laughter I felt watching him play out the scene with Jamie while they were both in audience of the King taking a shit. And yeah, within a historical context, those things actually happened. A King of France had no privacy at all and was constantly surrounded by servants and high ranking members of French Aristocracy. I don't know about you, but I'm certainly glad I was never a French royal forced to be audience to a whole bunch of people while I used the bathroom.

We seriously came all the way here to watch a man shit?

Perhaps the most pivotal scene in the entire episode, is the one you least expect. It's when Murtagh spots the Duke of Sandgringham and nearly draws his weapon on the sorry bastard. Murtagh is going to cut his balls off but is stayed by Jamie who doesn't want to see his godfather executed for not following the rules of French society. Murtagh shows his disgust as Jamie and Claire seemingly forgive the Duke for the part he played in Jamie's imprisonment and subsequent torture and I'm sure we all felt like Murtagh.

That moment when we are all Murtagh.

The only revelation that isn't really made with Murtagh present is when Claire and the Duke are left alone and it is revealed that Black Jack Randall is not dead, and honestly, I wanted to run a sword through the Duke myself as he reveled in the fact that he'd caused Claire distress. That Jamie's horrible tormentor is alive and well is an icy chill down her spine. She and Jamie had been working toward intimacy and now she's debating on whether or not to tell him that the bastard that had raped and tortured him was still alive.

Seriously. Fuck this guy.

It certainly left the episode in a tense moment and that tenseness will just have to be kept until next Saturday when we see if Claire reveals the truth to Jamie or he finds out of his own volition. A distraction like this, would certainly put a damper on their plans to stop the Rebellion after all. Jamie would be hellbent on destroying Black Jack Randall in any way that he could.

Overall, I think the episodes funny moments wouldn't be quite so funny if we didn't have Murtagh in the background pulling faces. Be it the dress Claire wore, Jamie running into an old infatuation, or the Mistress to the King's swan dress, it's obvious that his face was what every one of us was thinking. It was a great episode, full to the brim with twists and turns and I am ever so impatient to watch the new installment of it come Saturday next.

The look of a man about to have a stroke. 

If he stares any harder, his eyes are gonna pop out of his skull.

I do think that my one disappointment was that the honey pot scene was not quite as humorous as it was in the book, and while I'm a little sad about it, I still found the changes very much in line with how the show is working things out. Book to screen adaptions, after all, cannot be perfectly rendered and changes have to be made to suit the medium the book is adapting too. We can just be thankful that books like these are given a tv series instead of a two to three hour long movie. Imagine how much would get cut out then!

So what did you think of this episode Sassenachs? Were you happy with the changes? Angry? Feel free to reply in the comments below!