Tonight’s OUTLANDER was probably my favorite episode of season 3 so far. “Of Lost Things” told us the story of how Jamie was pardoned, and picked up exactly where the season 2 finale left off, with an adult Brianna now fully supportive of Claire finding Jamie again, twenty years later.
What I really, really loved about this episode, however, was how well balanced it was in terms of telling both Jamie’s and Claire’s story through those twenty years. As we saw last week, Lord John Grey made a deal for Jamie to be released, by volunteering his work force at Helwater Estate. While he was still a prisoner, John arranged for him to work as a groom at the Estate, recommending that Jamie took on another name, so not to be so easily recognized.
So Alexander Mackenzie started working at Helwater and things were alright for Jamie for a while. Lord John Grey visited him occasionally, and I absolutely love the chemistry that Sam Heughan and David Berry have together. Their friendship is beautifully portrayed and it, has been a joy to watch it come to life on screen.
So things went relatively well for Jamie. He did his chores, kept his head down and life went on as usual. The only problem was that one of the Lord’s daughters set her eyes on Jamie and decided that she wanted him at all costs. Jamie resisted for a while, but it wasn’t until Lady Geneva discovered that Alexander Mackenzie was, in fact, Red Jamie Fraser and started blackmailing him, that he finally gave in.
However, what was supposed to be an awful deceit, turned out into a very, very tender night. Lady Geneva explained that she was to be married to a horrible man, and she didn’t want her first time to be with a guy who was old enough to be her grandfather, and that saw her as nothing more than a business deal. While Jamie wasn’t exactly pleased to be roped into this, he was so incredibly gentle and tender and caring, that I couldn’t even blame Lady Geneva for being in love with him. Hell, I fell in love with him all over again!
So they spent the night together, and Geneva soon left to get married. Months later, Jamie and the Lord’s family were summoned to Lady Geneva’s new home, as she was very ill. When they got there, Jamie was surprised to find out that Geneva was in labor and that it was a very difficult one. After hours of suffering, she gave birth to a baby boy, but succumbed to death.
The entire family is distraught, even more so when Lady Geneva’s husband threatens to kill the baby, saying he was a bastard child, and that Geneva had come to him no longer a virgin. Jamie heroically saves the child and kills Geneva’s crazy husband, which, eventually, earns him his pardon with the Crown. They tell him he is free to go, but how can he go when he’s just found out he is a father?
And thus, his relationship with Willie is born, and that was probably one of my favorite moments of the season so far. Willie is absolutely enamored with Mac, as he calls Jamie, and wants to be just like him. He doesn’t know that Jamie is his father, but the way they showed their relationship — and Jamie stayed at Helwater Estate until Willie was about 8 — was so sweet, and so tender, and Sam Heughan played it beautifully.
When it’s time for Jamie to leave, Willie is distraught. Lord John Grey assures Jamie, however, that he will care for the boy, as he is to be married to Isabel, Lady Geneva’s sister. Jamie’s last scene with Willie is so touching, and bittersweet and adorable — especially when Willie says that he “wants to be a sticking papist too”. I hope they meet again some day. Even though I’ve read the books, it’s been years and I honestly don’t remember if they ever cross paths again, but I really hope they do.
Now Claire is searching desperately for Jamie in 1968 Inverness. Now that Brianna believes her, and is completely on board with the idea of helping her find Jamie again, Claire, Bree and Roger are on a mission to track Jamie’s life in the 18th century. And even though the search is great, and I love Claire and Bree’s relationship, Brianna and Roger completely stole the show.
Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin were the absolutely perfect casting choices for these roles, and they have such an incredible chemistry that we almost see sparks flying when they are on screen together. I never really shipped them in the book — I didn’t care either way, to be honest — but I definitely ship them now. Their scenes were light and funny and it’s just so delightful to see them together.
They find Jamie’s name on the Ardsmuir prison records, but he is a ghost after that. We know why, because we know he spent years at Helwater Estate, but Claire is discouraged when they can’t find anything after that. She decides that it’s time for her and Bree to go back home, and that’s where we’ll pick up next week.
Their reunion is coming, you guys, I can feel it. However, I can only hope that we get to see more of Bree and Roger before Claire goes back through the stones. And also, I am super excited for season 4 already, because I can’t wait to see more of Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin being adorable dorks on my screen.
OUTLANDER returns next Sunday, October 8, at 8/7c on Starz.