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Reviews
Outlander: The Fiery Cross (2020)
Sam Heughan continues to impress me.
I've always appreciated actors who can act non-verbally, with their expressions, body language, their eyes, etc. I have continually been impressed with Sam Heughan in this regard, he's joined the ranks of Iain Glen for me. Despite it being the wedding of the Bobsey Twins, it really was his episode. The beginning and end scenes with Murtagh were all-time favourites for me as well. I haven't read the books but have heard that Murtagh still being around to this season was not in the original telling, and for that I think we have all benefited!
The scene between Roger and Jocasta was great, she and Ulysses having a chuckle about it after Roger storms off made me smile. She remains a favourite of mine. Roger is very much a fish out of water, he isn't a fighter or a carpenter, trades are not his strength, and that gives me some sympathy for him. Not everyone has that lean (and in present day we don't require it), but bless him he tries.
I felt for Brianna and her conflicting emotions regarding her trauma with Bonnet mixed with her affection for Roger, she's trying as well and it's complicated.
Lord John looking bemused as those around him lose their faculties...he must be protected at all costs, as do Fergus and Marsali.
Claire seems stuck with 2 facial expressions - worried or sympathetic, and an occasional smile.
The Midnight Club: Midnight (2022)
The right decision to not continue.
Having just recently watched The Midnight Club, I wasn't really put off by the lack of "wrapping up" the series in the last episode, as it was intended to potentially be continued. That said, I'm glad it wasn't renewed, as I feel like it had already overstayed its run. As a one-off series of maybe 7-8 episodes, I think it would have been great. It did suffer after Anya was gone, I feel as though the standouts here were Ruth Codd and Sauriyan Sapkota as Amesh. Igby Rigney is a distracting mix of Hayden Christensen and Emile Hirsch in the looks department, and although I didn't feel like Kevin offered a whole lot to begin with, the quieter character definitely grew on me over time. I don't think any of the actors were weak links at all, and most had some shining moments individually, but it ran its course.
Outlander: Man of Worth (2019)
And my favourite character of the season is...
Young Ian, of course. I have just been loving John Bell this season, and the character's mix of humour, energy, and solemnity all work together to make him a joy to watch. A man of worth, indeed.
Jamie allows himself to get beaten so often, I don't quite buy that he has all of his teeth and his nose is still straight. Ah, fiction. Sam Heughan is great. I do hope they got the stone back to the woman who helped them.
Roger magically showing up at the critical time before they leave River Run, after mooning about for 2 months or whatnot, is stretching the bounds of believability just a teeny bit.
As always, Murtagh and Jocasta are fun, Phaedra is a treasure, and Rollo is a good boy.
Outlander: Providence (2019)
Hats off to Roger
Lord John, Fergus, Marsali, Bonnet, heck even Brianna were all great this episode. But I really thought that Richard Rankin knocked it out of the park as Roger this episode, he cracked me up with his "idiot" lines, and really brought the emotion as well.
Props as well to Yan Tual, Braeden Clarke, and Carmen Moore - I may not share the Father's religious conviction regarding baptism and wanted to smack him, but that final scene was heartbreaking.
That's all I have to say, but as there is a bewildering minimum word count required, I'll also mention that they did an admirable job of blowing up the jail with impeccable accuracy.
Outlander: If Not For Hope (2019)
Lord John is wonderful as always
Brianna: *attempts to blackmail Lord John*
Lord John: "LOL, nah."
David Berry is a gem. He elevates any episode. Great to see Jocasta, Fergus, and Marsali again as well. And Claire finally getting the chip off her shoulder.
Murtagh smacking Bonnet with the grip of his gun was entirely satisfying, he can do that again anytime.
Roger as a punching bag is getting really old, honestly I would not have blamed him one iota had he gone back through the stone. He has impressive endurance for a history professor, it must be about 2 months now?
Ian is still a highlight for me, he is somewhat innocent but savvy attention same time.
Outlander: The Deep Heart's Core (2019)
Go find him your dang self, Breeeee
Everyone sucks here in this episode, honestly, except for maybe Ian and Roger, who makes my feet hurt. Brianna mostly, as mentioned in other reviews. She is right to be mad, but not right to blame anyone but Lizzie, and even that is explainable. I guess that's why her nickname means "disturbance." Yeah, Jamie does get to be angrier than you, you entitled twerp. He almost killed someone he shouldn't have. And even he said gross things too.
Claire has become a wet napkin, what happened to the person with actual spirit? Or common sense?
One of the more disappointing episodes, where it just seems like the point is to p-off the viewers.
Outlander: The Birds and The Bees (2018)
My how the turn tables, poor Roger
I don't blame Jamie, and I know that as annoying as she is, Lizzy was just trying to help, but holy heck there we go down the road of strife for nothing.
Great acting by all this episode, Jamie meeting Brianna and Claire seeing her again. Young Ian and Murtagh. Bonnet the villain. Wonderful.
Maybe it's a book thing, but Brianna's eyes are nothing like Claire's.
Anyhoo, this has been a fun jaunt down the Outlander series in general, but I still hope that sometime down the years they'll end up in Scotland again. I mean, I know the location is still filmed in Dcotland, but ykwim.
Again really loving the costuming, especially Brianna's green.
Outlander: Wilmington (2018)
I want to knock their heads together like coconuts to see if they sound as hollow as I suspect.
Can we just get Ian back instead of the Disaster Twins, Roger and Brianna? (Yes, I realize we're stuck with them, let me dream.) Roger was right, Brianna was acting like an absolute child, and he isn't far off. For supposedly intelligent people (an MIT engineer, Brianna? REALLY?) they sure do seem to try hard to be dumb. Again, I am sure the actors are not to blame, but good lord.
That was an impressive needle that Claire must have used to stitch up Fanning, I can't even fix a pair of pants without one snapping. Maybe I need more rum.
Fergus and Murtagh reuniting was a nice little moment.
So Lizzy is going to predictably be a problem, it seems. I suppose that will mean she'll be a regular for eternity as well.
Ed Speleers is wonderful at being a truly awful character. Bonnet just had to have been the worst person possible for Brianna to run across.
Midnight Mass: Book IV: Lamentations (2021)
Oh stfu, Beverly.
Remember in The Mist when religious zealot Marcia Gay Harden's character got what was coming and everyone was happy? Yeah this has been about 2 episodes more of Bev than anyone needed. We get it, the uber-religious pious woman who in reality is the least Christian person in action than anyone, is here to annoy us all and remind is that the worst part of religion is people tailoring it to suit themselves. Can Pruit just eat her already? I get that the actress is good at it blah blah blah, but yeeeeeesh. I wish Joe's dog would re-animate and take her down.
Anyhoo, Hamish and Rahul continue to absolutely shine in this series.
Outlander: Down the Rabbit Hole (2018)
How does a sandwich travel 200 years?
Main takeaways from this episode:
1) Brianna is not very bright. She's not stupid, but she gives so much away, can't read the room, and for the love of God, use a bag with a flap or closure of some kind. I have to see her every episode now, and I swear....
2) What did we do to deserve having to see the incredibly unstable, creepy, obsessed "Leer"-y again for half a damn episode? Her sole redeeming feature is that she at least seems to genuinely care about her daughters, but she has serious mental issues. I don't mean that in a flippant way, it is actually disturbing. She didn't even want Jamie when she bloody had him. Ugh, shoo fly.
3) Lovely to see Tobias again. Frank truly got such a raw deal, the detail of him knowing what would happen at Fraser's Ridge made some previous moments fall into place, that was really well done. I wish he had gotten his chance at a new life.
4) Roger is slightly less clueless than Brianna although very out of his depth (who wouldn't be, however), but I saw more to like about him this episode.
5) Fiona's coat was the best character this episode.
6) There is something special about Ed Speleers, isn't there? I haven't seen him before, and I know Bonnet does awful things, but this guy gives him something incredible.
And finally,
7) HOW DOES A SANDWICH TRAVEL 200 YEARS?
Outlander: Blood of My Blood (2018)
I can't see an episode rivaling this one.
This will likely go down as my favourite episode, with 3 seasons left to watch to be caught up. Jamie and Claire at their best, the wonderful David Berry doing his thing as Lord John, and of course Murtagh. I like the actor that plays William at this age, slightly snarky but endearing, and more perceptive than Jamie initially counted on. "Mac?" Augh. The scene with him taking responsibility with the Cherokee for his mistake (and their subsequent acknowledgment of it), was a great bit.
I could honestly feel the chill in the weather!
I expect this is the last episode without the angst of Brianna and Roger, and so I'll hold on to this one more dearly for that. I don't dislike the actors themselves, but their characters are frustrating at best. I'm not interested in the books so I don't know if that's how they're written, but they already annoy me.
Outlander: Savages (2018)
Aaaaaaaaah
Having spoiled the entire series for myself before watching it, because that's what I do, I knew Murtagh would be back, but it still made me so happy. Duncan Lacroix is one of the reasons I started watching Outlander, and he was much needed. Beautiful scene with Tantoo Cardinal and Caitriona Balfe as well. I'm assuming the measles must have come with the doll. Just a sad story with the Mueller family, and the price of ignorance and fear of those who are different to us.
The scenery continues to be beautiful of course, and it was a pleasant surprise to find out that it mainly is still filmed in Scotland. That's quite the impressive cabin for 3 non-professional settlers to have built, haha.
Outlander: Common Ground (2018)
Tantoo Cardinal is a national treasure
So nice seeing Tantoo Cardinal, she is much loved and respected here in Canada. A rather slow but good episode - the bear-man was a bit...odd, and I seem to have developed a fondness for Meyers in a similar vein to Rupert, so I was glad they didn't kill him off.
I am really loving John Bell as Young Ian, he has been my favourite "new" face in my delayed watching of this show who is still with them thus far in S4. I dread getting attached to any character, but I still find myself doing so all the time.
PSA: As someone who grew up in the Canadian north, I can assure you that it is a pretty stupid idea to go traipsing around the woods at night looking for bears. They don't generally want to eat you, or be near you, but tempting fate and limiting your own vision by holding out a torch in front of you is a good way to get attention you don't want. I know it's fiction but it makes me nuts every time they do things like that.
Outlander: The False Bride (2018)
Scenery is beautiful, as are the costumes
Brianna remains irritating and 2 dimensional as expected. I don't know how those 2 are expected to mean so much to each other, i really don't. It doesn't improve and it isn't convincing.
I love the actress who plays Jocasta.
The zippers on the boots are zero issue - remember the corset zipper Claire showed Jaime in S3E6? She came back with outfits she adapted. The costuming in this show is definitely at the top of my reasons for watching - the amount of detail and history that needs to go in to every aspect is mind boggling. The crew who work in those areas always impress me, so much talent.
Outlander: America the Beautiful (2018)
Oof, America
I still have no idea why I am watching this show after holding out for 10 years, but I guess I know the answer - some favourite supporting actors and costumes/set will always draw me in, and i am bored. Discovering how good Sam Heughan's ability is to act with his eyes alone has been a bonus. Despite Claire and Jamie doing the least understandable things and making absolute baffling choices on occasion, I have to like them for the most part.
The best thing I can say about the first episodes of S4 is that at least Brianna isn't in them, as she has to be the most annoying and selfish redhead since Sansa Stark. But dang, America the Beautiful over that ending scene made me want to laugh - yes, yes, the irony, we get it.
Really loving Young Ian (well done John Bell, what a find for the part!), Fergus, and Marsali.