Review: Outlander – Through A Glass, Darkly (S2E1)

Whelp, the droughtlander ended in fine fashion as Ron D. Moore & company unleashed the season premiere of Outlander on an unsuspecting world. And though the episode was available days early, courtesy of Starz’ promotion of their app, I resisted the urge to watch it before Saturday night. (Okay, I watched it a few hours early while Mr. X napped on the couch. I prefer to enjoy episodes alone, at least the first viewing.)

If you haven’t seen the episode yet and don’t want to be spoiled, stop here.

I guessed early on that the season would open in 1948. I’m not entirely sure why or how I came up with that theory, but it still surprised me to see it on-screen. I knew, from comments Ron made during the hiatus, that events wouldn’t unfold exactly the way they do in Dragonfly In Amber. If you’ve read the book (and I sincerely hope you have) you’ll know exactly what I mean. If not, I don’t want to spoil you. Suffice it to say it’s just as shocking, if not more so, than what we saw in the season opener.

I’m sure a few will grumble about the change but, as I’ve said from the beginning, if Diana is alright with it then so am I. And I was more than alright with Through A Glass, Darkly.

As a season opener, it achieved a few things:

It was a startling portrait of grief and loss, unlike anything I’ve seen in a drama of this nature. Claire’s opening line set the scene for the entire episode. “I wished I were dead.” And the use of the voiceover, followed by the overhead shot of her lying in the grass, was heartstopping. Her frantic search for the signet nearly broke me, and her wail when she found out the outcome of the Culloden battle, well… my throat hurt, my heart ached, and my eyes became leaky. I can’t lie about that. But that was only an appetizer for what happened when Frank arrived in Inverness.

I’m ambivalent when it comes to book Frank. I neither like him nor hate him, though I know a great portion of the fandom has strong feelings on both sides. I’ve never thought of Frank as anything but a normal guy who had to deal with some extraordinary things. Did he handle them the best way? Who’s to say? He’s very…human. I have a feeling that the series writers felt they needed to explore the aftermath of Claire’s disappearance, and its effect on Frank, a bit more than was done in the book(s). Again, some aren’t interested. I am. Maybe it’s the writer in me but, as much as I adore Jamie, I feel enormous sympathy for Frank.

Ron D. Moore, who wrote this episode, plays upon that sympathy beautifully. I fully felt Frank’s hope, his tempered joy at Claire’s return, and his perplexed patience with Claire. Even Reverend Wakefield is perplexed by Frank’s refusal to demand answers. It stems from Frank’s fervent desire to pick up where they left off. He has his wife back!

Frank doesn’t care where she’s been, what she’s been doing (or who). He only cares that she came back to him. He wants so badly to move forward that he accepts, with the aid of a night of chugging whisky, Claire’s preposterous tale of time travel. (Note: Claire chugs too. It’s 1948.) He accepts her version of events, even though those events boil down to two things: she’s not happy to be back with him, and she was with another man nearly the whole time.

I have to pause here to acknowledge Tobias Menzies in this episode. I sang his praises last season to anyone who’d listen. He and Sam Heughan earned Emmys in my eyes (Caitriona Balfe too, naturally.) I hope the 2016 nominations reflect the work that these actors do because Tobias owned this episode.

Frank’s emotional range: relief to joy to confusion to joy to fear to joy to rage to embarrassment to quiet anger and resignation and, finally back to joy was breathtaking. Just…devastating to watch. At one point, I even found myself getting annoyed with Claire and wanting to shout “cut the guy a break!” lol. She seemed to almost blame Frank for her return. And I understand the choice there, she was angry and hurting and wanted someone to blame. Of course, he naturally reminded her of Black Jack. It was a good writing choice.

I loved the flashback in the hospital room. It was something I wanted more of in the book; a callback to Frank’s lineage. And Moore takes it a step further when Claire reveals she’s pregnant.

The acting in that entire scene was perfection but Tobias, once again, steals the scene, joyful at the news before the truth of it dawns on him. Then the utter disbelief followed quickly by barely-checked rage. Tobias allowed Frank to channel his ancestor. Watch it again, watch his eyes and his mouth. The brief transformation is frightening to behold. Pack up all the Emmys and BAFTAs and give them to him now, please.

Okay, enough gushing. Claire’s demands on Frank’s patience “you’re never to use that word [flogging] in my presence ever again. Do you understand?” was wearing on mine. I had to keep reminding myself about her loss and her grief, but boy did she take it out on Frank. Again, I understand why and I think it’s a fabulous choice, but, ugh! This was payback for Claire. Not against Frank, but against Black Jack. Frank is on the receiving end of some long pent-up frustration, anger, and disgust against his ancestor. And he has no idea. In fact, I wonder how much about his great-great-great_____ Claire actually told him.

On the other side, Frank’s “conditions,” as painful as they were for Claire and for us as viewers, were perfectly reasonable. And so very British. Quietly stated, almost matter-of-fact, and dignified.

I can’t say I loved the cinematic transition between the landing in Boston and the landing in Le Havre, i.e Claire reaching for Frank’s hand/Jamie’s hand. It was a little too on the nose for me, but that may have been more about the editing than the idea itself. Whatevs, I”m nitpicking. We finally have our Jamie back!!

And, whew! I was beginning to think we’d go an entire episode without seeing him. But there he was in all his ginger glory, grinning and kissing and flirting with his wife. Charging to her defense. And we got Murtagh to boot, grumbling about the bloody French. Jamie and Claire are almost giddy when they step onto the docks, ready to move on from the horrors they experienced in Scotland. France represents a new beginning, and more importantly, possibilities. They’re hopeful.

Murtagh less so, lol.

Claire convinces Jamie to move forward with their plan to sabotage the Jacobite rebellion and The Frasers are of an accord. It’s the best way to stop the slaughter, she says. Jamie may not believe this, and even wonders aloud the logic of it, but he trusts Claire. It’s a lovely moment between them at the inn.

I also loved the moment between Jamie and Murtagh, not to mention Duncan LaCroix’s portrayal of Murtagh’s disbelief that, after everything they’d been through together, Claire didn’t trust him enough to tell him the truth. The way it was written and directed, it didn’t seem like Claire was prepared to ever tell Murtagh, so I was glad when Jamie assured him he would in due time.

Claire and Jamie use Dougal’s old tactic (displaying Jamie’s back) to win over Jamie’s cousin Jared, who will introduce them to the highest ranking Jacobites in France. Oh, and give Jamie a well-paying job on top of it. Selling and drinking wine. It pays to have friends and family in high places, but it doesn’t take long for Claire to embroil them all in yet another quagmire, this time with the (am I supposed to find him this yummy?) Le Comte St. Germain.

Proudly displaying her medical expertise, Claire announces rather publicly that the fallen sailors from one of the docked ships (Germain’s ship) both suffer from small pox. “Do you know what you have cost me?” Germain asks, following it with a promise. “You will pay.”

And then they decide to make out while watching his ship burn at sea. Oh boy.

What I loved:

• Claire’s heart-to-heart with Mrs.Graham was lovely and Cait acted the hell out of that scene.
• Wee Roger! Loved the references to the Spitfire.
• Seeing Jamie smile. Sure, we skipped over what happens on the journey to France, but they’ve made it clear that, while Jamie hasn’t fully recovered, he’s in a much better place.
• Tobias.

Next week, we get to see the red dress in all its glory. I can’t wait!

My wish list: Paris decadence, political intrigue, more Jamie and Claire. Yes, please!

See you next time,
XiO