Season Six of OUTLANDER is Here

 Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray and Digital in its sixth season is the STARZ epic and successful series OUTLANDER from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

On the homestead of Frasier’s Ridge, Claire (Caitriona Balfe), Jamie (Sam Heughan), Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and Roger (Richard Rankin) are trying to get past the episode of Claire’s brutal kidnapping. Coming up the road is their next challenge as a man from Jamie’s past, Tom Christie (Mark Lewis Jones) is looking for a place to live peacefully.

Jamie is not sure at first, but Roger already gave permission for them to begin building. They family also meets Tom’s daughter Malva (Jessica Reynolds) who takes a fascination with the doctoring Claire does and son Alan (Alexander Vlahos). Also, Jamie is asked to become a go-between for the settlers and the Native Americans.

Fergus (Cesar Domboy) and Marsali (Lauren Lyle) are having their own issues as Fergus cannot forgive himself for what happened to Claire and finds solace in a bottle leaving Marsali in a physically dangerous place. Ian (John Bell) is still trying to bring his Scottish world to mix with the Native American world he has come to embrace. The story of why he is back at Fraser Ridge is a tale of love, sadness and a fierce protection of Claire and Jamie.

Malva becomes a student of Claire’s which comes in handy seeing her father finally agree to a surgery for his hand, but it has consequences. She also learns about ether and what it can do not knowing that Claire is using it for different means. Roger has been helping Christie’s people and even helps with the church services. He also has a feeling that perhaps it is time to look into Divination school with Bree’s blessing.

Then, Claire and Jamie’s world comes undone as Malva makes an accusation against Jamie that is going to cost them everything. Trying to decide what to do becomes a moot point when what happens to Malva causes an uprising, a gunfight and an arrest of both Claire and Jamie. The surprise is that Christie agrees to go with the Fraser’s for their safety, but it proves to not be enough.

Those that are trying to keep Claire and Jamie apart clearly do not know their history!

Balfe as Claire has brought another amazing season to the OUTLANDER series. Trying to get over the brutal kidnapping, she keeps herself busy as much as she can but there are memories that just will not let her be. Claire also realizes that dates from history are coming close and that the time at Frasier Ridge is about to change forever. What she didn’t count on was Malva, innocent in face, wicked in heart – that describes it perfectly. Balfe shows even more, this season, Claire may be strong, but she also has the same human frailties.

Heughan as Jamie continues to be the strong influence on Fraser Ridge. He tries to keep everything as fair as possible but will not tolerate anyone trying to destroy his family. Staying political without getting arrested, Jamie can not sit idly by while the world needs as many people to speak up as possible. Heughan has come a long way starting out as a wild young Scotsman to this mature statesman Jamie. A man who clearly still love his wife madly and will do anything for those he considers family.

Skelton as Bree returns as a young woman who is using her future knowledge to make life easier for those around her. It may make Roger a tad uneasy because it seems Bree has found her niche. When strangers come around, she wants to help but also, like Jamie, keeps an eye out for something to be uneasy or wrong. Skelton shows Bree as such a strong woman, and I love that about this character.

Rankin as Roger is trying to find his place. He does what he can where he can but then unexpectedly finds solace in speaking at Christie’s church. When he decides that perhaps it is time to consider Divination school, he proposes it to Bree thinking she might not be receptive. He is joyous to find out that his choice going forward is supported but it means leaving Fraser’s Ridge for a time. Rankin is such a charming character; I cannot imagine any other actor making this role so wonderful.

Jones as Christie has a past with Jamie and it is always bubbling on the surface between the two men. That being said, after Claire helps him, he begins to see them both in a different light. Even when Malva has her problem, he wants to oddly protect the Fraser’s. Jones gives his character a stubbornness that it totally outward and Claire sees through it which is probably why he enjoys her company.

Reynolds as Malva is just sweet on the outside and not so sweet on the inside so what happens to her is not a surprise. She attempts manipulation and when that does not work, she goes straight for exploiting situations in her favor and causing so much harm to the Frasers. Vlahos as Alan caught me off guard for a moment. I kept thinking ‘where have I seen those lovely eyes before’, even when he spoke, I didn’t recognize the voice. It finally hit, Phillipe from the series VERSAILLES. I was thrilled to see him once again and on the opposite end of luxury, his character has issues that are not all out yet I’m thinking.

Domboy as Fergus spent the season unable to forgive himself for what happened to Claire. Running the distillery, he finds his own solace in drinking, and it is having a dangerous effect on his family. Domboy shows such sorrow that its heartbreaking. and Lyle as Marsali is trying to understand her husband’s pain but also dealing with a fourth pregnancy that has a difficult outcome for this couple.

Bell as Ian is absolutely fantastic in this series. I have enjoyed so much watching his character grow in such unexpected ways. He is a staple of Fraser Ridge but not always in an upfront way. He is aware of surroundings and has such a keen eye for things going wrong. What we learn this season is that Ian has a story that needs telling and in doing so manages to embrace two cultures that he loves. Bell gives such an awesome performance time after time, and he is such an important character for OUTLANDER.

Other cast include Caitlin O’Ryan as Lizzie Wemyss, Robin Scott as Germain Fraser, and David Berry as Lord John Grey.

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OUTLANDER Season Six brings more of the life that Claire has come to embrace with Jamie and her family. The ending of last season was so sad and horrible that had lasting issues for them all, but mainly Claire.

The series is getting closer and closer to a time in history that Claire, Jamie, Roger and Bree all know is going to change things, but they are not sure how. Instead of focusing on that (as much as I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it), they are taking care of more people moving to the Ridge, Indian issues, lies, deceptions, rumors and the stories we didn’t know until now.

Once again, OUTLANDER is a period piece, so I have been all in since season one. I embraced every part of the story being told and hated when the seasons were over. But, as a fan first, I can tell you that all the fans I know of the show are patient and want the series to end in a good place and in fairness to the characters.

The costuming is amazing, the settings are what one would expect of that time period and the actors have made each character they portray their own and we would expect no less. It is clear that Balfe and Heughan have given us Claire and Jamie’s journey and have done it so thoughtfully, wonderfully and, can I add, it looks like they have enjoyed it (even in the tough scenes).

This is a series worthy of binge watching and having season six in your own home entertainment library makes that all possible!

In the end – they are in the heart of the storm!