Catherine: Hi, Stephanie! This was a quirky episode and the first one that didn’t have violence against women in it. Instead, Jenny tortured a redcoat for information on her brother! Jenny Murray can get the job done, whether it’s delivering a breech baby or twisting information out of the enemy. She also isn’t shy about relieving the pressure of breast-milk when her baby isn’t there to suckle. Hey, if we’re used to seeing men relieving their bladders on film or television, why not get used to women to relieving themselves too, albeit for different reasons. The body is the body on Outlander and there’s no reason to get squeamish.
Stephanie: Overall, I thought this episode was odd, mainly due to the middle scenes where Claire and Murtagh travel together, which for me felt tonally off with the rest of the scenes. First though, it’s both interesting and kind of sad how you noticed it took this long for an episode without violence against women. Harsh historical reality or not, that’s messed up. But Jenny sure is a bad-ass. Mere days after a breach birth and she’s riding horseback a long enough distance to require setting up camp? YIKES. The breast milk pump-and-dump was the first I’ve seen of its kind on TV. I had to look it up-I was curious: they used prosthetics with a tube feeding in the milk. Oh, to be privy to those production and writing room conversations!
Catherine: Claire and Murtagh traveling together was odd. Jenny traveling farther with Claire instead would have been better and more exciting. Jenny would strap her baby to her back and ride around, questioning women and shaking her head at Claire. Of course, that isn’t feasible but it would have been glorious. During the whole episode, I kept wondering why Claire and Murtagh needed so much attention drawn to them. If healers were rare, wouldn’t a traveling healer/fortune teller have made enough waves? Instead, Claire turned into a healing bard superstar. I can’t really argue with that. She looked amazing in 18th century male garb! That surprised me. Throw a tricorn on her head and watch her sing..
Stephanie: Yes, I loved Claire’s hat! Her traveling show garb with the jaunty hat added a bit of needed whimsy. Typical Outlander though, even the whimsy has a threatening undercurrent. While I thought the traveling bit went on for too long, it also showed a new vulnerability for Claire-stage fright. That plus her use of the twentieth century Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy song served as a reminder that Claire led a different life before this. Though, Claire is getting kind of reckless with her references to the future. One can only hope her sloppy additions about the future will have consequences. As far as the gypsies copying her song-and-dance, I’m not sure that was a very necessary avenue to explore. It came across more like filler. I found it touching how Murtagh revealed his allegiance to Jamie by having once loved he and Jenny’s mother. He thinks of Jamie as a son. So Claire has both Jenny and Murtagh on her side who are fiercely devoted to Jamie and willing to risk their lives for him.
Catherine: Everyone did stop and stare when Claire sang Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy for Murtagh the first time. Can you imagine hearing syncopation for the first time? I can’t. They didn’t have any sort of melody like that song till Claire started singing it on stage. It was a relief to have Claire panicking over stage fright instead of murder or rape. She survived it pretty well though it was clear that she never got into singing it on stage. The gypsy singer relished it more. The gypsies were a filler to bring some tension but they were also a part of Scotland at that time and they may show up later at an important part of the plot. Or so I’m hoping. Outlander needs some serious diversity.
Besides Claire’s crossdressing, I loved the detail of the marionette show. Did you notice that it’s Claire’s own story of traveling through the Standing Stones that the puppets were playing out? There’s that great undercurrent of the supernatural lightly cruising by. It’s a tiny touch but it’s there.
Stephanie: No, I didn’t notice that detail with the marionettes! Very cool-I’ll have to go back and see. So, once the traveling adventure show ended with what Claire thought was Jamie’s message, we end up with Dougal hiding out as a smuggler in some obscure castle on the outs from his brother. Dougal’s a scoundrel, but I’m glad he’s back. You have to wonder how strong his affection was for Geillis if he never tried to help her at the trial and now he immediately rushes to offer Claire protection through marriage before Jamie has even been confirmed dead. After her initial shock at Dougal’s proposal, Claire shows progress in her stubborness by realizing she’s better off working with Dougal, so long as she has control of the terms. She frequently blunders relations by underestimating the political nature of just about everyone she encounters. Finally, she reads Dougal and at least plays the part in accepting his offer.
Catherine: Claire is getting more savvy by working to play Dougal’s hand against him. His marriage proposition to Claire makes sense. Lallybroch would be a great gain for Dougal. It would be an inheritance for his children (if he has any) and power for him. Since he’s the second son, he likely does not possess as much as his brother Colum, Chieftain of the MacKenzie clan. So there’s the question of possessing land but also of Claire. Dougal likes to get around and he’s hit on Claire before. It would be a double boon for him if she married him. As a woman in this world, Claire is a pawn but now that she’s Lady Fraser, she has some power. And she wields it by striking a bargain to force Dougal to help save Jamie. Dougal is unsavory but of all the male characters, I find him the most compelling. He’s hungry, intelligent, and ruthless- but with a touch of kindness thrown in. Since he follows a code of honor (and pride), he’ll legitimately try to save Jamie and not just play act like he’s trying. With the other men now on board, it’s time to ride off and save Jamie. Next week will be a huge castle break-in and lots of details of the British doing nasty things. See you then!
Catherine Eaton is a contributor to The Stake. Catherine is a writer living in a western suburb of Chicago. She blogs over at sparrowpost.com and enjoys foraging around the neighborhood in her spare time.
Stephanie Scott is a Young Adult writer living in the western Chicago suburbs. Library superfan, award-winning TV-binger, and she just might be your cat’s new best friend. She tweets at @StephScottYA.
