A decade ago, if you’d asked any longtime fan of Diana Gabaldon’s novels whether they could have ever envisioned a television adaptation of Outlander that would span that same length of time — as well as grow to six seasons, with two more incoming — you might have been met with extreme skepticism. The time-traveling historical epic earned a small-screen translation of its own back in 2014, and along the way, made breakout stars out of its then-relatively unknown leads, Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe. But in the wake of how other book-to-TV adaptations have fared in recent years — the total crash-and-burn of a certain HBO series instantly springs to mind — you wouldn’t blame viewers for questioning whether Starz’s long-running drama, with its sweeping romance, lush scenery, and enthralling characters, would eventually end with more of a whimper than a bang. Season 7 mostly begins with an attempt to tie up the previous season’s narrative strings — it clocks in at 16 episodes, divided into two parts, after Season 6 had to navigate a more truncated length due to the pandemic. That said, it still signifies a very strong return for the series, which continues to rest on the strengths of its leads and their lasting screen presence.
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If you’ll recall, last season ended with Claire herself being arrested on suspicion of murder, after discovering the body of Malva Christie (Jessica Reynolds) and trying (but ultimately failing) to deliver her unborn child. The first episodes pick up right where this storyline concluded in something of a cliffhanger, as Jamie faces his own legal consequences for defecting from the British army while Claire was seemingly awaiting the noose. With political tensions swirling in the colonies, however, the typical system of law and order has been thrust into chaos, and any person who has been arrested, as Claire soon learns, may find that their impending trial has been delayed in the process. That, of course, gives Jamie, accompanied by Young Ian (John Bell), plenty of time by which to orchestrate a rescue attempt — and, by extension, serves as an indication that, for all the other elements of this series that exist, Outlander thrives the most in the deep, abiding romance at its center.

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‘Outlander’ Season 7 Wouldn’t Be the Same Without Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe

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Seven seasons in, and there’s no denying it: Outlander’s leads still have some of the best chemistry on television. Some of that is likely due to the consequence of time itself; Heughan and Balfe have spent as many years inhabiting these characters as we have watching them at home, and the proof is in every single one of their scenes together, which remain the highlight of the series overall. Over the course of the first four episodes of the latest season provided for review, what comes across with warm clarity is how the romance between Jamie and Claire feels lived-in and natural rather than anything that seems to be afforded active thought. The actors’ off-screen friendship no doubt contributes to this — after all, there’s always been something of a fighting-in-the-trenches mentality surrounding the number of love scenes that this duo has gorgeously brought to life over the years — but it also means that the Frasers’ marriage is as evocative as it is comforting to watch.

Of course, with the passage of time also comes the more visible signs of aging for the show’s main couple. Claire’s hair bears significantly more grays in it, although it may be a while yet before it turns full white and she comes into her fullest power, as was foreshadowed in a previous season (and as her husband cheekily teases her about in one tender instance). Meanwhile, it might be tough to wrap your head around the concept of Jamie reaching the age where he can confidently be referred to as a grandfather, but that doesn’t mean that Heughan can’t still infuse his character with just as much swoony presence as he did back in Season 1. (While Jamie has always been, it could be argued, Claire’s number one fan, the scenes in which he declares his most passionate feelings for his wife, Scottish brogue and all, are unparalleled in terms of hero energy.)

Even as external threats lurk all around these two, there’s a security that comes from the notion that they’ll always find a way back to one another, no matter what. After all, they’ve literally traveled through time to close the gap before; what hope do prison walls have in the face of true love? Sentimentality aside, it does mean that the stakes surrounding the Frasers are not nearly as high and dramatic as the show wants us to believe. Given that there’s still one more season of this show to come (even if Season 8 will be its last), the biggest question hanging over this initial crop of episodes doesn’t have anything to do with whether Claire will find a way to survive her life-or-death circumstances, but how she’ll narrowly cheat death once again. Some things might be predestined, and the conclusion of Outlander is one of them, so how can this season up the ante in terms of drama?

‘Outlander’ Season 7 Mostly Focuses on the Calm Before the Storm

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The answer lies in the conflict that is still continuing to brew at the margins of Outlander’s story. The Revolutionary War is imminent, and while Claire, Roger (Richard Rankin), and Brianna (Sophie Skelton) are already fueled with the knowledge of how it will conclude, that same safety doesn’t necessarily apply to those who might only amount to a footnote in the history books. However, Season 7 doesn’t instantly thrust us into the blood and tears of battle, either; like the season before it, we’re given a bit of breathing room before being propelled into the growing antagonism between warring sides. Fraser’s Ridge is certainly more removed from the hazards to come given its location, a quiet idyll where those who belong to the land haven’t yet been pulled in to fight. A more passing observation is that it’s also a markedly less diverse landscape than in seasons past, but, then again, the series has struggled with how to thoughtfully depict issues pertaining to race before. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still moments of discord and friction between existing tenants. There’s still the question of who was responsible for Malva’s murder, but also the inclusion of several new characters — to no doubt inject a younger generation’s romance into the narrative.

Longtime readers of the book series will no doubt recognize some of Season 7’s additions who are gradually introduced within the first episodes. William Ransom (Charles Vandervaart) first made his debut in Outlander as a little boy, Jamie’s secret illegitimate son who has been raised by Lord John Grey (David Berry) all his life and never known anything different. Now, however, he’s all grown up and bearing an undeniable resemblance to his real father, conscripted into the British army as a natural consequence of his upbringing. In fact, it’s his role in this war that proves the source of Jamie’s inner struggle about participating in it himself; he even mentions at one point that he never wants to encounter his own son on the battlefield, for fear that he’d have to do the worst thing imaginable. But William also gets a much larger part to play this season, as a well-meaning young man who acts first out of honor when others turn up their noses at those they deem unworthy of aid. Young Ian, who has already seen his personal share of loss and tragedy in seasons past, might also have a romance of his own to encounter with the kind-hearted Quaker Rachel Hunter (Izzy Meikle-Small), herself assisting her brother Denzell (Joey Phillips) in his duties as a surgeon.

By comparison to these younger characters, Roger and Brianna are practically more set in their ways, but their own peace is threatened by factors beyond their control. Many of the inventions Bree herself is responsible for making are considered innovations rather than easy conveniences, and as this season reiterates, she’s always been a more modern woman, chafing beneath the restrictions of the 18th century. It’s this conflict, as well as another serious one that hits closer to home, that leads to an interesting divide between family for what could be the remainder of the season. That said, this shift also offers Skelton an opportunity to explore more sides of Brianna that we were denied from seeing in years prior, and one exceptionally tender moment in particular between Bree and her father will no doubt leave no dry eyes in its wake.

However, as Claire’s continuing voiceover never fails to remind us, war is coming, and everyone will have their part to play in the days ahead. Season 7 may start by tying up all of the loose ends left unresolved by the previous season’s abrupt ending, but it’s clearly gearing up toward another installment of drama both on and off the battlefield, and there’s a looming sense that not everyone might make it through this time around. For the devoted fans who have made it this deep into the journey, Outlander’s seventh season delivers on everything they’ve come to know and love about this epic romance while setting the stage for its ultimate finale.

Rating: B

Outlander Season 7 premieres June 16 on Starz, as well as the Starz app and streaming/on-demand platforms, as well as Lionsgate+ internationally.