I'm not completely alone, but I think I'm among the minority of those who hadn't really heard of nor watched the Starz series "Outlander" several years ago. Nope, I literally just heard of it last summer, that would be 2021; and I think I binge watched every episode from Season 1 through Season 5 in just under two weeks time. I even went back and watched the entire thing again only because I had paid for a three month subscription to Starz and besides the more than well-worth-it-ness of it all, I found myself listening to the Scottish accents, drinking in the scenery, and trying my hardest to learn as much authentic history as one can assume is mixed up inside a fictional time traveling wonderlust series as possible. I loved every episode, but no, I didn't love every second of it. I'll explain.
I'm not much of a Jamie Frazer groupie, not in the sense that I think he's the best looking, most attractive, or sexiest male character in the series. I like Jamie because he's a strong and lovely man with a heart for his wife and a good sense of loyalty both to Scotland and to his personal ideals; far be it from me to say whether I agree with his politics or religious views. I appreciate the strong character. Personally, if I was to pick one or the other of the men to fancy it would be Roger MacKenzie or Rupert MacKenzie. Rupert wasn't married, and my morals would have gotten in the way a bit if I had been time-trapped on The Ridge and given a chance to chase Roger. Nope, I would have needed to be transported just before April 16, 1745 near Culloden in the Highlands and maybe found ol' Rupert by the fire. Maybe I would have been able to coax him away from the battle - - tricked him somehow; saved him. Maybe not.
Many people won't say this, but I'm actually glad the series is almost ended. I have great fondness for so many of the characters and going on and on with the plots and seemingly endless twists have almost brought me to the point of boredom! If Claire got raped one more time I think I would have had to throw something at the screen before I fast-forwarded to a better scene! Enough is enough! I think the producers felt the same as I did. Not to be too callous about it, but the last couple of episodes in Season 6 have been equally boring as far as Claire Frazer is concerned. I was pissed, as everyone was perhaps, that Marva was allowed to cut off Claire's hair, but it did shake up the monotony of seeing Claire dose herself over and over again with her homemade ether potion. Nothing could have kept my attention when I saw the ghost or mind-trick of Lionel Brown again and again in the surgery room, the place he was murdered. I will say he deserved it, and sorry, I think Marva got what she deserved as well. The baby didn't need to die; that was sad.
Bree and Roger's mention of Perry Mason and the fact that he could have easily solved Marva's murder was in fact, my favorite moment of the entire series I think. OK...that's not true. Staring at Roger and Rupert was excitable and enjoyable; but I do wish the travelers could have let on a bit more to the audience regarding their origins. I liked every mention of their future selves. I would have really loved it if Ian could have been transported into 1944 to see a dermatologist to possibly remove his facial tats if he wanted to do that; who knows? I know we can't wrap up every loose end, but Jamie's sister Jenny and her husband Ian should have had the opportunity to see their son growing up and even though they would not have quite appreciated his choices they may have understood that they helped him to be the stronger person he eventually became. I like Ian a great deal.
So, my finale thoughts? All in all I'm giving the series a strong and solid 8 out of 10 for entertainment and maybe a 7 out of 10 for authenticity. To be able to think that much of it was true was good enough, and to know there is obviously going to be conflicting stories and creative license(s) used is evident. I loved it. I liked it. I respected it. I admired it, but I am glad it's coming to an end. I can only take so much of the over crudeness and harshness of the ignorant folk. I know it must have been that way, but I don't like to think of my ancestors as being completely brutish. My personal ancestors had been in Virginia about 173 years before the Revolutionary War. I know where their loyalties were; I myself am not in need of a time-machine-rock to know what must have happened to the Stringfellows when it came time to enlist with the Rebels to fight the King's Men. I have history on my side for that.
No comments:
Post a Comment