Over the course of its six seasons, Outlander has taken the world of historical dramas and romance by storm, with its visually stunning and heartfelt storytelling doing justice to the best-selling Diana Gabaldon book series. Adapting a beloved novel into a television series is always a somewhat risky enterprise, as readers approach the experience having visualized their own version of the characters and settings. Any missteps could alienate what would have been a sure audience for the project, while triumphs can draw in even greater numbers. Needless to say, Starz bagged a certified hit with Outlander, with the storylines even expanding into an upcoming prequel series as the original program moves forward with filming its seventh season.
Much of the success of Outlander can be credited to it’s leading man and lady as much as it can be to the cinematography and excellent writing. As Claire and Jamie, Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan share an undeniable and palpable chemistry that truly makes the audience forget that it is all just fiction. Without this intense energy with which Balfe and Heughan have electrified the screen throughout six seasons, Outlander just may have not held attention and interest for as long as it has. As they face battles, separations spanning continents and centuries, and some common marital troubles as well, audiences continue to root for Claire and Jamie.
The series, furthermore, does a splendid job of weaving fictional storylines into historical context, and incorporating real historical figures as complex characters rather than caricatures of their reputations. The Bonnie Prince Charlie is brilliantly brought back to life by Andrew Gower and his infuriatingly repetitive but comical “mark me…”. The “Sun King” Louis XIV is also incorporated into the series as Jamie and Claire head to Paris to sabotage the rising Jacobite movement. Outlander does not shy away from making historical figures out to be wholly unlikeable, with the French king presenting as a haughty, out-of-touch, predatory figure. In a more lighthearted moment, Claire experiences a sort of starstruck-ness that the aforementioned characters didn’t elicit from her as she meets George Washington himself.
In season six, we find the aging couple settled in the American colonies. This new beginning is far from peaceful for the family, which now includes their daughter Brianna, as well as her husband and child. Brianna adjusts to life in the 18th century Claire re-adjusts, with the family finding themselves on the precipice of the American Revolution. In some ways, the show is attempting to pass the baton to the next generation of the Fraser line, but Claire and Jamie remain the central draw for longtime fans. Season six further leaves fans anxious to see how the issue of Malva will play out, with her having declared Jamie the father of her unborn child. As fans patiently wait for seasons seven, let’s recap the series so far with the best episodes of Outlander, ranked.
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10 “Down the Rabbit Hole” (S04 E07)
Sony Pictures Television
Coming in at number 10, “Down the Rabbit Hole” follows Brianna Fraser as she makes the life-changing decision to follow her mother into the 18th century. The episode re-introduced the character of Frank, which heretofore had been largely a side note in Claire’s journey. Seeing Frank through the lens of a daughter’s fondest memories helps the audience see Frank in a new light, as a kind and well-meaning man that deserves love and happiness as much as Claire does. Brianna’s memories humanize Frank, giving an ode to a father figure that deserves as much love as Jamie.
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The fun aspect of the episode, in theory, is watching Brianna and Roger (separately) adjust to a jarringly different world. Though starting from the source material on this storyline, Brianna encounters none other than the unhinged Laoghaire. This bit adds a satisfactory end to the storyline of Jamie’s bizarre decision to marry the woman that tried to have his first wife executed, whereas not featuring the character so extensively may have left viewers with questions.
9 “The Reckoning” (S01 E09)
This episode is full of sliding doors moments for the characters of Outlander. Jamie is faced with his nemesis, Black Jack Randall, as his wife lies in the clutches of the sadistic captain. This episode is largely from Jamie’s point of view, which makes sense considering the implications that his choices in this episode have for him later on. Jamie risks arrest as an outlaw to rescue Claire, valiantly bursting through a window of Fort William, where he was once brutally flogged. As he bursts into the scene, the pleasure on Black Jack’s face is plainly visible. He has now made significant progress in his game of cat and mouse with the rebellious Scot, and their lives will never be the same again. He rescues his wife, but decides to spare Black Jack’s life. This decision would ultimately haunt Jamie, who would face brutal trauma at the hands of this man later on.
8 “Faith” (S02 E07)
This episode marks one of the darkest moments in Claire’s life. Not only does she face the loss of her child, who is stillborn, but she has to do so alone. Jamie has been arrested for dueling as Claire anguishes at the L’Hôpital des Anges, leaving her to deliver the stillborn girl with the company of only the nuns. She is not even able to choose a name for the babe, as the nuns quickly baptized and named her for the sake of being able to receive a Catholic burial. Faith, as the nuns named her, is buried at the nearby cemetery. Still fresh from this grief, Claire is thrust into a bizarre test of her non-existent occult powers by King Louis XIV, resulting in the death of the Comte St. Germain. Despite having so recently given birth, and to a dead child at that, Claire then must sleep with the king as payment for Jamie’s release. Overall, the episode is a hugely traumatizing one for Claire, which makes it incredibly heart-wrenching and unforgettable for the audience.
7 “Prestonpans” (S02 E10)
“Prestonpans” follows the characters as they charge into battle. The episode explores Claire’s PTSD, the folly of the Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the terrifying reality of facing one’s own mortality. The visuals in this episode are stunning, with the cinematography and score flawlessly building the tension of impending battle. The stakes are fully clear to the audience as the Jacobite army comes upon the Royal British Army. The Jacobites win this battle, but there is still some loss. Angus meets his end after initially seeming minimally harmed, leaving viewers heartbroken just as they thought their favorite characters were all safe.
6 “Sassenach” (S01 E01)
Season one, episode one nearly makes it to the top five. The premier episode of Outlander shines in that it thoroughly sets up the premise of the story without feeling rushed. We feel as if we already know the essence of Claire Randall, and we sense the importance that Jamie will have in her life upon their very first encounter. Most importantly, the show manages to present the element of time travel without ever making the key plot point feel gauche or ridiculous. This was an extremely important feat for the show to achieve as much of time-travel-related media has a whimsical and fun feel to it, whereas Outlander needed to be serious and enrapturing.
5 “Through a Glass, Darkly” (S02 E01)
Earning a spot in the top five, “Through a Glass, Darkly” toys with the anxiety of an invested audience by offering glimpses of what is in store for Claire as she settles back into the 20th century. The juxtaposition of this with the events unfolding for her and Jamie in the 18th century makes it all the more heartbreaking that they will inevitably become separated.
4 “The Hail Mary” (S02 E12)
“The Hail Mary” beautifully culminates so many storylines and establishes turning points for the characters. The name of the episode itself references the desperation of the impending Battle of Culloden, which Jamie and Claire have so fervently been attempting to prevent, as well as the reunion with Mary Hawkins. The episode humanizes the notorious Black Jack Randall, and throws in an interesting plot twist that ultimately affects even Claire’s 20th-century husband, Frank. In another shocking twist, Colum MacKenzie uses his last breaths to reveal that Dougal and Geillis’ child has survived, with her burning having supposedly been postponed until after she gave birth. The episode then ends with the haunting realization that the battle of Culloden will happen.
3 “The Devil’s Mark” (S01 E11)
“The Devil’s Mark” has an incredible plot twist as Geillis Duncan reveals herself to be a fellow time traveler and staunch Jacobite, as well as Dougal’s co-conspirator and lover, and last but not least, as the pregnant mother of his child. This is all shocking for Claire, of course, but it comes at a moment when she is already overwhelmed as it is. The two women have been held prisoner and are to face trial for witchcraft, thanks to the jealous Laoghaire. Geillis stuns Claire with her revelation of being a time traveler as she mutters “1968” and exposes her smallpox vaccine as the “mark of the devil” in order to claim she bewitched Claire. The episode then ends with Claire telling her husband the truth, a crucial moment in their marriage.
2 “The Eye of the Storm” (S2 E13)
The episode touches on a range of sensitive subjects, such as Young Ian’s sexual assault by Geillis Duncan. We see the previously well-liked character of Geillis transform into a villain, driven to inhumane measures in her undying obsession for a Jacobite victory. The most mind-blowing part of the episode comes when Claire kills Geillis, almost immediately after which she realizes Geillis is the very cadaver she is presented with in 20th century Boston.
1 “The Wedding” (S01 E07)
Coming in at number one is the unforgettable wedding episode. It may not be the most action-packed episode of the series, but it remains the most unforgettable in that it delves so deeply into the characters or Jamie and Claire during their most intimate moments. For Claire, there is before the wedding and there is after. She is now beyond the point of no return as her accidental tumble into 18th century Scotland has produced a new life for her, something she must reconcile with as she experiences mixed emotions. Of course, the episode is also known for its steamy scenes between Jamie and Claire, proving to be some of the most meaningful and well-written in the series.
