Outlander
Season 2 Episode 4: “La Dame Blanche”
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon
Written by Toni Graphia
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 30th, 2016, 9:00pm

Last week on Outlander, Claire (Caitriona Balfe) found a purpose at last with help from Master Raymond (Dominique Pinon). She started volunteering at the charity hospital, proving her worth and knowledge to Mother Hildegarde (Frances de la Tour). Jamie (Sam Heughan) was none too happy, as he needed his wife to talk through the muck of intrigue in the court of Paris. Prince Charles (Andrew Gower) found his funding to Jamie’s distress. He hired a boy, Fergus (Romann Berrux), to steal correspondence so he could copy it and have the boy put it back. Claire realized that Frank (Tobias Menzies) was a descendent of Mary Hawkins (Rosie Day) and Black Jack. Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix) told her she had to tell Jamie that Randall was still alive.

Warning! Spoilers below.

Outlander 2.4 “La Dame Blanche” review: The episode opens with Jamie playing chess with Duverney (Marc Duret), who says “his majesty is interested.” Claire gets sick suddenly and the Comte (Stanley Weber) has a small smile. It wasn’t poison, but the bitter cascara. They both think it was the Comte but have no proof. Plus, they can’t do anything without calling unwanted attention. They need to expose the prince.

“What if we host a dinner for the duke?”

Claire has no choice. She confesses about Black Jack. Jamie’s reaction is weird. “This is wonderful news.” He wanted to be there for Randall’s death. Now he has something to hold onto. He won’t do anything stupid.

Claire visits Master Raymond to ask about the fake poison. He sold it to a servant he did not know. Then in secret he admits that he dabs in the mystical. He is drawn to things “not of this time.” Wink wink. She asks him about Frank. “I cannot see his fate”¦ but you will see him again,” which perplexes her. He gives her a magic stone that detects poison. That will come in handy.

Louise (Claire Sermonne) sends for her. She’s pregnant and the baby is not her husband’s. She wants help get rid of it. “What other choice do I have?” Claire gives her an idea of another possibility.

Jamie comes home with bite marks on his thighs, made by a whore. Claire flips out while Jamie tries to explain what a good thing this was. Good one Jamie. But then he makes her understand. While he thought Randall was dead, he could not perform. Now that he knows he is alive”¦

“After Wentworth, my fortress had been blown apart.” Mr. and Mrs. Fraser finally come together, literally, after a long, long time.

Jamie hears someone on the roof. It’s Prince Charles Stuart. He was running across rooftops to escape Louise’s husband. Hmmm”¦. They plan to let the news out of Louise’s pregnancy at the dinner to make the duke think he is unhinged. “Does this make is bad people?”

It is the night of the dinner, and Claire and Mary go to help at the hospital. The wagon wheel broke, so Murtagh, Mary, and Claire must walk and will be late for the dinner. Jamie is left with greeting the guests. The prince lingers overlong by Louise.

The walking group is attacked. Mary is raped. Claire is almost raped, but then they run away screaming, “La Dame Blanche!” They make it home. Alex is distraught. Jamie wants to run out and find them, but Claire stops them. The dinner must go on. She leaves a sleeping Mary with a worried Alex.

The Comte does look surprised to see Claire presented at dinner.

The dinner is rife with hidden meanings. Jamie not-so-innocently forces Louise to announce the pregnancy, making the prince spew masked barbs. The duke is full of himself as usual. The Comte knows Claire’s necklace is to detect poison. When he says maybe all her guests should wear one, she says, “You should.”

Mary wakes up and freaks out fighting off Alex, causing him to be caught in what looks like a compromising position. Jamie fights off a bunch of men trying to hurt Alex. There is an all out brawl at the dinner party. Good times.

The Comte calls for the law.

This episode was just wonderful! I had been looking forward to this dinner party. This will bring Black Jack back into Jamie’s world. I changed my mind about Alex Randall. I said previously that I had hoped Tobias Menzies would play Alex, as he is supposed to look just like him. But Lawrence Dobiesz is portraying him beautifully, and really does look like Menzies. It will be more realistic when Randall shows up, and shows love and concern for his little brother.

The Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow) is so funny in his pompousness, and I love how Claire exploits that. His arrogance is rivaled only by Prince Charles’s. That triangle is going to be quite entertaining for us and the Frasers.

Fergus and Murtagh are my new favorite odd couple. There was a great little scene where Fergus schools Murtagh on the ways of women, and he is spot on.

I don’t think this show is capable of having a bad episode.

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

Image Gallery

Videos

Outlander | Ep. 204 Clip: Dinner is Served | STARZ

Claire makes an entrance at her and Jamie’s dinner party in this clip from Episode 204.

Outlander | Episode 204 Preview | STARZ

On “La Dame Blanche”: Claire and Jamie throw an elaborate dinner party intended to derail investors in Prince Charles’ war effort.