This episode of Outlander, Episode 8, “Both Sides Now,” marks a three episode streak of well-paced adventure, great villain monologues, and a wedding night that offered up the carnal, but also gave us new and fantastic insight into our two Outlander leads, Claire Randall, played by Caitriona Balfe, and Jamie Fraser, played by Sam Heughan.
The episode Both Sides Now opens in the Outlander present day, 1945, with her husband Frank still searching for her, seven weeks after her disappearance near the stones at Craigh na Dun. He’s become desperate and angry, raving at the police because the search has petered out. Meanwhile, Claire is falling in love with Jamie, whose capacity for wide-eyed astonishment at the powers of love and sex is admittedly adorable. In between picnic make-out sessions with Claire, Jamie meets up with an eccentric and haunted Highlander who hears of a potential witness, Horrock, who could clear Jamie’s name (it’s easy to forget that he’s wanted for murder).
The search for Horrock sets the plot a-spinnin’ in this episode of Outlander, and it’s a plot that finds Angus and the rest of the MacKenzie men fighting off bandits, teaching Claire how to knife fight, and telling stories around campfires. It’s the kind of romantic vision of adventure that fuels Indiana Jones and Lord of the Rings, complete with everyone laughing uproariously after a battle because it was just so much fun.
But the stakes are higher in this mid-season finale and soon we’re confronted with Claire’s near-rape at the hands of two Redcoat deserters. It’s an effective moment, and the aftermath with Claire going into shock ensures that this scene in Outlander doesn’t fall into the all-too-typical rape as plot device (thanks guys!). Sometimes I wish Claire got a little more of the adventure, especially in this episode where everyone else is having so much fun with violence. I appreciate the writers aiming for a little more serious tone, and they do succeed in making Outlander feel like a show with genuine stakes, but I wish that some Claire scenes featured the sort of swashbuckling Frank gets in to this episode (he easily takes down two huge goons with a blackjack—oh, I just got that).
Despite all the action, Outlander never forgets what it’s actually about, and “Episode 8” quickly becomes deeply affecting when Claire and Frank find themselves at Craigh na Dun together, separated by time, maybe just barely hearing each other’s cries. The sequence is beautiful and the period color changes and time-intersecting shots (the pan over from the Redcoat cart to the 40’s car is especially genius of filming and editing at making an impact) may be gimmicky (to none fans of course), but they’re also effective. Side note can we talk about how much, I love how Frank handles the time travel theory delivered by Reverend Wakefield’s housekeeper. He neither rushes to accept what is clearly unacceptable, nor lashed out.
“I did hear you. I simply do not share your beliefs. Forgive me.” It’s just so pleasingly Oxford-man English.
And then it’s a rush for the end of this half-season of Outlander, with Claire once again confronting “Blackjack” Randall. The scene is short, but nearly as riveting as Claire’s previous encounter with Blackjack. This time it seems like she might have the upper hand, until she falls for the oldest trick question in the book. Once again threatened with rape, Outlander reminds us why Blackjack is basically the worst evah, Jamie arrives just in time to shove a crossbow in the Redcoat’s face.
Photo courtesy of Starz
A pretty great way to end the half season on, Outlander Episode 8, “Both Sides Now.” We met a new character, got a unique wedding gift from said man, and have a new list of questions and waiting to see when and if they will be answered.
What will you do while we wait for April and the rest of season 1?
