So long, Sassenach. The final episode of Outlander aired on May 15th, and fans everywhere (including yours truly) are in mourning. The story that was once written by Diana Gabaldon on a whim to see if she could write a novel (like, what?) has turned into one of the most in-demand series of all time, featuring the kind of love story that fairy tales wish they could emulate. As the cast and crew wrapped filming, fans streamed and sobbed, and Jamie and Claire enchanted us all one last time.
The first book in the Outlander series was published on June 1st, 1991, and yes. When Diana Gabaldon started writing the thing, it was an experiment. She wanted to write a “practice” book first to see if she could do it before writing the story that she really wanted to write, and up and wrote one of the epic love stories for the ages. I want to say “WHO DOES THAT?” but the answer, obviously, is that she does. For over 20 years now, Gabaldon’s been adding to the series that started from her first attempt at novel writing, adding 8 more books, with one final installment still in the works (publishing date still TBD, for those of you like me who are chomping at the bit).
There are some mild spoilers ahead, so if you don’t want to be spoiled on elements of the story that have been out for over 20 years now, proceed with caution.
Jamie and Claire’s love story begins in post-World War II Scotland when Claire falls through time while on a sort of second honeymoon with her first husband, and winds up in pre-uprising Scotland in the year 1743. While the story itself is more historical fiction than fantasy, the time-travel element definitely gives the reader the feeling of epic fantasy, and then the way the series takes the reader through all the beauty the Scottish Highlands have to offer, the books set a very high standard for the TV adaptation to meet.
And boy did it ever! Avid readers know well the disappointment of a screen adaptation not living up to their impression of the story they fell in love with in the pages. With Outlander, that disappointment simply did not happen. From the very beginning, Gabaldon had a hand in every aspect of the production, making sure that the vision of the series matched what she had in mind in her original work. Not a single aspect of the series didn’t have her fingerprints on it, and the end result is a series that is so well done, I got my own STARZ subscription when my ex changed his password.
The acting is flawless, with epic performances throughout from Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe, and the whole ensemble, really. And remember when I said that this series matches the energy in the books? The spice from the pages is brought to life so well, I had to double-check more than once and make sure I was still streaming and hadn’t stumbled into Scottish OnlyFans. The chemistry between Heughan and Balfe is the kind of creative partnership that most directors only dream of, and saying goodbye to that kind of on-screen magic is something the entire viewership has been dreading.
As far as the final episode goes… I should have bought more tissues. I was a blubbering mess throughout the entire thing, and then that end-credit scene? *chef’s kiss* To the cast and crew of Outlander, thank you for bringing a beloved story to life. Watching the series over the past 12 years has been a damn delight. To Diana Gabaldon, take your time writing that last book, queen. I’m not ready for it to be over!
