Outlander
Season 2 Episode 2: “Not In Scotland Anymore”
Directed by Metin Huseyin
Written by Ira Steven Behr
Created by Ronald D. Moore
Based on the books by Diana Galbadon
Starring Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Duncan Lacroix, Graham McTavish, Tobias Menzies, Grant O’Rourke, Stephen Walters, Robert Cavanah, Stanley Weber
Starz
Air Date: Saturday, April 16th, 2016, 9:00pm

Last week during the premiere of Outlander season 2, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) went back through the stones of Craig na Dun a few years later than she left – in 1948. Frank (Tobias Menzies) was thrilled to have her back, although that is dampened once she told him the whole crazy story, and that she is pregnant with Jamie’s child. He still wanted to be with her and raise the child as his own. The episode then transitioned to the Frasers arrival in France, and Claire mucking it up with her feminism, which Jamie (Sam Heughan) treasures. She declared a member of a ship’s crew dying of smallpox, which made a rich and angry Comte’s ship have to burn. He vowed revenge. Jamie’s cousin Jared (Robert Cavanah) left Jamie his house and business to run while he went away. The Frasers are planning to stop the Jacobite rebellion, thus stopping the massacre at Culloden.

Spoilers below.

Outlander 2.2 “Not In Scotland Anymore” review: What a difference a country makes! Fancy dresses with hips wider than doorways, servants for everything… Claire is not used to that.

Jamie has nightmares of Randall and cannot sleep. Claire goes to Master Raymond – an apothecary, to get something for the nightmares. Master Raymond (Dominique Pinon) is a funny little man, impressed with her nose. Yep, her nose.

Jamie and Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix) practice swords. Murtagh wants to murder the prince. He just wants to go home. Jared sends a letter. He got Jamie an audience with Prince Charles – in a brothel.

Jamie and Murtagh talk plainly to Prince Charles (Andrew Gower) and he does not like it. He says it is God’s will that he sit on the English throne. He is the “outstretched hand of God.” He needs the support of the French, especially in matters of money.

Claire: “If the Scottish rebellion can be started in a French brothel, then perhaps it can be stopped in the French court.”

They must go to Versailles. Claire has the “in.” Her new friend Louise (Claire Sermonne), a racy lady will take her and shy flower Mary Hawkins (Rosie Day), a woman who Claire swears she has heard of. We know why.

Funny waxing scene.

Jamie has definite PTSD because of Randall and he can’t be with his wife.

The scene at court is exactly as I imagined from the novel – the audience of men watching King Louis XV (Lionel Lingelser) on the chamberpot, the man, now Duverney (Marc Duret) kissing Claire’s feet. Jamie throwing him in the river (fountain). He is properly apologetic.

There is a woman whose dress is so lowcut, her nipples are out.

And then they see the Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow). Tension masked in politeness, Jamie takes Murtagh away. Claire then meets Alex Randall (Laurence Dobiesz), a sweet man who is sick and fond of Mary Hawkins, brother to Black Jack and finds out he is still alive. She is visibly shaken and worries what Jamie will do for revenge once he knows.

I was a little disappointed that Alex Randall was not being played by Tobias Menzies, as that is really the source of shock in the novel. But it will make this Alex more sympathetic.

That was my only disappointment in this jewel of a show, and this intriguing episode. Heughan and Balfe embody the Frasers so perfectly, I can never not see them when reading the books. The set of Versailles is gorgeous, and the actors look and act so authentic, as to what I imagine court life to be. Dragonfly in Amber is my favorite book of all the novels, and I expect this season will prove to be my favorite in a long line of seasons.

Outlander airs Saturday nights at 9:00pm ET on Starz.

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Videos

Outlander | Ep. 202 Clip: Meeting with Charles | STARZ

Jamie gets a letter from Jared, who has secured him an important meeting, in this clip from Episode 202 of Outlander.

Outlander | Episode 202 Preview | STARZ

On “Not in Scotland Anymore”: Life in Paris is not without its trials as Jamie struggles to triumph over the traumas of his past. A fortunate meeting with Jacobite leader Prince Charles presents opportunities, while the Duke of Sandringham’s presence brings complications.