Outlander: Allegiance (6x02)

This was a good one, lots of stuff from the books that I remember with a certain degree of fondness/dread... let's dive in!

Cons:

Still not sold on the whole ether plot thread here... I'm trying not to be a grump just because it's different from the books; that's not really my beef with it. It honestly just seems out of character for Claire in a way I worry they won't integrate well moving forward.

Also... okay... so this is lifted straight from the books, but the scene where the Cherokee women come into Jamie's bed uninvited has always felt a little odd to me. It's a pervasive problem with this whole story, that so many of the characters experience sexual assault or rape in their life, and yet there is also this very irreverent and joking way that such things are often looked at. I'm not saying Jamie is obligated to feel violated by what happens to him in this scene, but the fact that it's played entirely for laughs is sort of odd, is it not?

Pros:

There were some things in this episode that made me like certain characters/dynamics that normally I don't much enjoy. The main example of that is actually Roger and Bree! I stand by my standard complaint that Sophie Skelton is not a strong actor, but I actually enjoyed her vibes this week, and I liked Roger preaching, the whole story line with the dead woman who was not quite dead yet... super charming and interesting and really setting up their character beats in a way I enjoy.

Another element that I enjoyed more this episode than I have in a while? Jamie and Claire's sex scene! In recent years, I've felt like a lot of their sex scenes have been sort of rote and similar, all swelling music and super dramatic gasps or whatever. And that's fine and lovely and there's certainly a place for it... but honestly, the scene in this episode, which didn't actually feature much of the actual sex, just a quick make-out and then some sexy banter in the afterglow, felt much more alive and real and sexy and sweet to me than what we got in last week's premiere. I just felt the energy of the two of them as a couple, all the infectious joy of their connection.

Also, Jamie came alive for me in this episode in a way he doesn't always. I feel like Sam is an amazing actor but sometimes the scripts or the story developments don't allow him to stretch certain muscles as much as others. In this episode, I really got that sardonic, self-effacing sense of humor, along with his deeply honorable character, his humility in the face of what he does not know, and his stalwart determination to make the right choices. His scene with the Cherokee, where he doesn't want to make a promise he can't keep, was an excellent example of this. And later, when he not-so-subtly turns Tom Christie's new church into a general meeting house for lodge and school as well as worship. That was a great moment of Jamie asserting his authority.

The Christies are being set up so well! I loved Malva's quiet defiance in the face of her father's subjugation. I love that Tom is afraid of Claire but also maybe not totally repelled by her. Not a ton to say on this front, other than that we're really seeing the power struggle dynamic getting set up in ways that are bound to become mighty complicated mighty quick.

Ian spends this episode wrestling with his allegiance to the native tribes, given what Brianna tells him will happen in the future with the United States of America. I like that Brianna was honest about what was going to happen, and didn't shy away from how shitty it is that they're all going to be fighting on the side of "liberty" while also participating in effective genocide while they're doing it. I like that Ian stood his ground with Jamie, and I also liked that Jamie was willing to have his mind changed by Ian through the experience. 

I've saved Fergus and Marsali for last, since I have a lot to say! There's a subtle but important change from the books here that I want to touch on. It's been a while since I've read it, so fair warning, but from what I recall, we see that Marsali has bruises, and while some attempts are made to address the issue, it's not really cleared up beyond the fact that Fergus is ashamed of having one hand and not being able to protect his family, and that he has indeed been drinking and being physically abusive. In the show, the subtle shift doesn't excuse Fergus's behavior, but it adds some context: evidently, Fergus and Marsali have both been getting physically violent with each other in a way that is simply not okay. It's also implied that it's been going on recently but it's not something that's been a part of their relationship for long. They have been going through a very serious rough patch. It's complicated, it's not easy to accept, you don't want to believe that Fergus could do that to Marsali. But in the context of this fictional relationship, I still root for them. I can't help myself.

I liked the way Claire asked about it and pressed the issue when Marsali deflected. The skepticism and confusion in her voice when she confirms: "so he was defending himself?" I just loved that.

And of course Fergus going through extreme angst in this episode just makes me want to give the guy a hug - what can I say, he's always going to be a favorite of mine! I love that Roger was the one who told him to get his act together and go be there for his wife. It was a good callback to what Roger went through with Bree when they were first sorting things out. He wasn't around for Jemmy's birth, either.

Fergus and Marsali being there for each other, Fergus helping to jump-start her labor, it was all so tender and intimate and it gave this glimpse of them as a couple that we really haven't gotten to see a lot of on the show. And then little Henri-Christian is born! But he's a dwarf, and Fergus does not take it well. This plot thread from the books is one of the most heartbreaking and emotionally intense, and I'm looking forward to some seriously talented actors knocking it out of the park with these dramatic moments.

I could go on. Really, this episode was one of the strongest in a while. I felt more connected to it than I can remember feeling to the show for the past few seasons by and large. There were a lot of little moments, like Brianna making matches, or Lizzie flirting with Kezzie. Malva's interest in Claire's medical practice. It felt alive to me, like these were real people living their lives.

Onward to more drama!

8.5/10