Outlander is a historical fantasy romance (what a mouthful right?) series written by Diana Gabaldon that tells the story of Claire Beauchamp, a married WWII nurse who is transported from her own time in the twentieth century to Scotland in the eighteenth where she meets dashing young highlander Jamie Fraser.
Outlander is a story of love, danger, adventure and unwavering loyalty. The books have been bestsellers for years and last year Starz aired the television series piloted by Ron D Moore and starring Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe.
The wait is over for UK fans as Outlander has finally come home to the UK! The first eight episodes are streaming right now on Amazon Prime with new episodes weekly from April 5th!
We caught up with Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe before the premiere in London (full report here) for a chat about the show coming to the UK:
Diana Gabaldon has said it’s impossible to explain what Outlander is to people in 15 words or less. Now it’s coming to the UK, it’s open to so many new fans. How would you guys pitch to someone who hasn’t watched it before?
Caitriona: Oh, yeah, it’s quite a tough one to, sort of, say succinctly, but I think it’s just a really great adventure filled with historical drama, romance and fantasy.
Sam : That’s more than 15 words.
Well, it doesn’t have to be 15 words (laughs)
Sam: Oh good (laughs). It’s absolutely – as Caitriona says – it’s a really hard one to put into a single pigeonhole. But I think there’s something there for everyone, whether you’re a fan of the books or not.
Personally I am inclined to agree with them, seeing the first episode at the premiere and then watching the rest of the episodes when they were released I can say that I think there is something for everyone in this series. Diana Gabaldon’s rich story is brought to life in the most brilliant way by Ron D Moore and his team. The story flows well from the moment you meet Claire walking through Inverness in 1945 to going through the standing stones with her to the highlands in 1743. You’ll be swept up in Claire’s story as she tries to navigate life in a time that is not her own with only her wits to arm herself as everyone but young Jamie treats her with distrust as they suspect her of being a ‘sassenach’ spy.
Things get complicated when ‘Black Jack’ Jonathan Randall (Tobias Menzies) an English captain of dragoons fixes on Claire and is determined to find out exactly who she is at any cost. This sets Claire on a path that furthers her from her goal of returning to her husband in 1945 but gives her a new life that she didn’t even know she wanted.
The first eight episodes are a rollercoaster leaving on a cliffhanger that will have you shouting at your screens for more. Luckily enough the wait won’t be too long as all new episodes of Outlander are streaming weekly from April 5th only on Amazon Prime!
