Outlander Series discussion

First Airs 2/23/2020

I just watched the episode online. Are we getting all the episodes ahead of it being on tv? I am having a difficult time with this. I liked the episode but I also want it to be the same as the book.

I agree with Roseanne’s message totally. Toni Graphia thinks she can rewrite Diana Gabaldon’s story for the better. She is mistaken.
The late Murtagh is murking up the story.
Claire didn’t try to prod Roger into leaving.
There was no appendix fatality.
There wasn’t a women’s brawl.
Marsali did not become Claire’s medical assistant, but that may be a change for the better.
If I don’t remember correctly about these details differing from the book please let me know.
Claire checking Roger’s eyes was nice and I liked the scene with Roger, Bree and Jem.
Billy Boyd is nailing it as Duncan Forbes.
I am rereading book three, Voyager, and the writing is magical.

my review https://paullevinson.blogspot.com/202...

I do feel like Murtagh is taking up too much time. It’s a long book. Makes me wonder what they won’t have time for. I am also wondering if Marsali helping Claire means they are dropping Malva Christie from the story. Dropping the Christie family could have ramifications in seasons to come.

I'm really confused about the Murtaugh story line. I wonder how that's going to resolve ... But I do like the portrayel of Jamie having to tread carefully between loyalty and knowing what he knows of the future. I like the show, but sometimes I really feel that I'd enjoy it more if I didn't read the books.

I totally agree. I would be enjoying the show a whole lot more if I had not read the books but I don’t watch any other tv shows so I probably wouldn’t be watching at all had it not been for the books.

As the writers and producers have said time and again, they have creative license to change up the story a bit. Not sure why people have to beat this to death every single season. I'm just thrilled that we finally have the show. Nit picking every single detail is not healthy. Perhaps one should reread the books instead of wasting their time nit picking? Just a suggestion.

And we as reviewers have creative license to point out when the writers make a poor decision in their creative license. Such as not having Jamie being present when Brianna gave birth last season. That received a lot of flak from show watchers.

I think everybody is entitled to their opinion - writers, fans, critics, reviewers and Diana Gabaldon herself. I personally take the show as an extension of the story and enjoy the differences even when I don't really agree with them. I like to focus on what I do enjoy about the show because I am thrilled that there is a show so I can experience the Outlander world in a visual format. Personally, if I focused on everything that was different or not perfect in my opinion, I would not get as much enjoyment from the experience.
I do find it interesting to discuss the differences from the novels and contemplate on how they will affect the overall story arc.

I happen to be rereading the books and I do think they are better then the show. I also don’t see how you could possibly have a discussion about a tv show based on a book without comparison. I was merely pointing out that there is a ripple effect when you change things and that could be felt 2 or 3 seasons out.

As a book reader and show watcher I tend to reread each book again before each season. The show brings a different imagery that can be enjoyed in parallel to the books or separately. I haven’t had issues with most of the changes with the exception of Jamie and Claire not being present for the birth. We’re being asked to suspend disbelief to allow for time travel, but they can’t make it back from NY in time. The rationale just felt off.

Some changes make no sense. Some changes do. This episode ended with a Bonnet scene that makes sense even though it seems like it is out of left field. A person who didn’t read the book has no background information on what sort of person Bonnet is. Lord John and Jamie wrote each other letters. As a reader you get information through the reading of the letters. That won’t translate well to tv.

Roseanne wrote: "I totally agree. I would be enjoying the show a whole lot more if I had not read the books but I don’t watch any other tv shows so I probably wouldn’t be watching at all had it not been for the books."

I haven't read the Outlander books. I get being frustrated by some changes to the books. I used to watch True Blood and read the books. Some changes I liked, but they started butchering great book storylines. Each season started deviating more and more from the books. It annoyed me when some people's book storylines were given to other people. I didn't even bother watching the last season or two of that show. I ended up not finishing the last book either.

Beth_A wrote: "I agree with Roseanne’s message totally. Toni Graphia thinks she can rewrite Diana Gabaldon’s story for the better. She is mistaken.
The late Murtagh is murking up the story.
Claire didn’t try to ..."

I haven't read the books. How many books are in the series? Is the book series close to being finished? I thought I read that there was one more book left that is yet to be released?

Did Murtagh die in the books?

Beth_A wrote: "I agree with Roseanne’s message totally. Toni Graphia thinks she can rewrite Diana Gabaldon’s story for the better. She is mistaken.
The late Murtagh is murking up the story.
Claire didn’t try to ..."

I was excited to see Billy Boyd on the show. Wasn't Brie's aunt trying to get her to marry his character last season? I need to rewatch last season.

I was excited to see Billy Boyd and that excitement died a second later when Bonnet was revealed.

C.K. wrote: "Beth_A wrote: "I agree with Roseanne’s message totally. Toni Graphia thinks she can rewrite Diana Gabaldon’s story for the better. She is mistaken.
The late Murtagh is murking up the story.
Claire..."
C.K. There are eight books in the series and Diana is writing the 9th, Go Tell the Bees that I'm Gone (Bees). Hopefully to be released this year-2020.
Spoiler alert-Murtagh died at the Battle of Culloden in the books.

Merry wrote: "C.K. wrote: "Beth_A wrote: "I agree with Roseanne’s message totally. Toni Graphia thinks she can rewrite Diana Gabaldon’s story for the better. She is mistaken.
The late Murtagh is murking up the ..."

Ok thanks. My cousin just got into the show and was thinking about reading the books. I told her to maybe wait until all the books are out to read the series and to see if people are happy with the ending first.

My cousin and I read a long book series before and the last book was a disappointment. I felt bad getting my cousin into the other book series. It was like 12 or 13 books.

How long are the books? Are the books 300 some pages or closer to 1,000 pages each?

It varies on the book. But they are all around 600-1,000 pages long. I would strongly suggest reading them.

There is supposed to be a 10th book after the 9th book, which will be the final book. I hope the series doesn't end happily ever after, but more like smiling through tears.

Happily ever after? I am not sure DG is capable of happily ever after. My guess is it will be bitter sweet.

Roseanne wrote: "Happily ever after? I am not sure DG is capable of happily ever after. My guess is it will be bitter sweet."

I seem to remember that Diana said that it would end happily.

She also said we would be done with Bees multiple times and she is not. I’m not taking her word for it. We shall see how it ends when we get book 10.

I stand correct. The Bonnet fight at the end of this episode does happen in the book. It is actually described in a letter from Lord John to Jamie that Bree finds and reads. Good example of how tv and the book cannot possibly be the same.