Singapore – if episode 704 has one of the best title names, 705 had one of the worst. This episode wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great. It’s definitely a transition episode. It’s kinda like a new recipe that you’re excited to try and then when you taste it, you’re just underwhelmed. It’s not bad, but it’s not great. Maybe I’m a little jaded because I’m a book reader, and this episode didn’t match my book memory and expectations.
I do think some of the best parts of this episode are the MacKenzies living it up in the 1980s. I can’t believe those kids would play in the graveyard. That was not my idea of a good time as a kid. However, I do think it is sweet they want to be close to their grandparents and leave a stone for them. I wonder if Jamie is talking to them or watching them in his dreams. I do commend Bree for wanting to ration out the letters. In today’s world of show-binging, she would be good at watching one episode a week or even two weeks to last longer. I don’t know if I would be able to do it but I do understand that once she’s read them all, she knows everything that’s happened and has to move on. If she doesn’t read them all right away, it’s sorta like they are still alive and I think she has a little hope that she could still go back.
Fort Ticonderoga….definitely not the No. 2 pencils I used as a child when taking standardized tests. Actually, if I hadn’t done my friend Angela’s studies on An Echo in the Bone, I wouldn’t have known what Ticonderoga really looks like. She goes really in-depth with her studies. Other people in the study had also visited Fort Ticonderoga and shared pictures. So Fort Ticonderga was a vivid image in my mind. It’s actually become one of the places on my must-see travel list. That being said, the show tried their best to make the set look like Fort Ticonderoga, but it’s just not the same. (If you want to see what it really looks like an learn more about its history, look here.) I think part of the reason I was disappointed with this episode is that they really leaned into Jamie having the same sob story of no one listening to him with battle tactics. I mean, it somewhat happened in the books but in a different way. Unfortunately, it made it feel like a recycled storyline. Claire doesn’t even mention the WWII Singapore situation to Jamie in the books. And yet, as a teacher, I’ve had students totally ignore my instructions so I understand Jamie and Claire’s collective feeling of “if only they listened to me.” 704 was also so good that it makes it a tough act to follow. 705 was more of a let-down because so much was cut for us book readers that it felt like Mr. Woodcocks’s leg that was amputated and thrown away.
If you don’t know much about Quakers, William’s conversation with the Hunter siblings gives a good concise explanation. I first learned about Quakers by learning some of their songs Simple Gifts (famously arranged by one of the best American composers, Aaron Copeland) and How Can I Keep From Singing. I also read a children’s historical fiction book, Standing in the Light, which introduces some of the Quaker practices in an earlier time period. Meanwhile, it seems William is pretty smitten with Rachel Hunter. Things seem to be going well until they meet a sketchy guy who says they are going the wrong direction but offers dinner and a place to stay. I don’t think it’s the Air BNB for me. Dinner looks rough. My mother taught me to be willing to try anything once but this would be one of the times I’d forgo that. Denny looks as thrilled as when my kids are tried to hide their disappointment that the vegetables are mixed in the casserole or that mushrooms are included. Poor Rachel can’t take it and high-tails it outta there for some fresh air. No amount of air freshener would fix that stew smell. As for William, he was probably trained by Lord John to eat what was set before him so he’ll clean his plate, even if it kills him.
Meanwhile, Roger and Bree look so cozy in their 80’s clothes. Is it just me or so they seem more at home in the 80’s than any time period we’ve seen them in? Oh man, kinky Roger from the books is finally coming through. He’s wanting to role play with the hard hat and checking for knickers. He doesn’t mind if Bree is his boss.
I love Bear McCreary’s music that was used for when Bree drives to work. It becomes of the best themes of the season! Sadly, the good-old-boys club causes some problems for Bree. That Rob Cameron is a scoundrel. Good on Bree for finding a way, especially with a time portal in there. (Another note for Roger’s “Hitchiker’s Guide to Time Travel”…) Not gonna lie, Bree has a beautiful view when she makes its out of the dam. Too bad she can’t enjoy it because she’s just glad she’s alive and still in the 80s.
Poor Ian is wanting Auntie Claire to take a look at his sperm. That did give me a good laugh how Ian asked Claire about it. It’s sad to see him so worried and feel that his inability to have children will leave him alone forever.
Then again, poor William. He choked down the rat stew like a good boy and is now paying for it. It takes me back to the rat satire Roger sings back in Season 2. Sure enough, this Air BNB is getting no stars. The sketchy dude and his wife try to kill them all. Thankfully William’s ratted gut-ache keeps him from sleeping and he can defend himself and the Hunters. William finally gets his first kill and realizes that it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. For all his bravado, it’s obvious he’s still a young g man with much to learn about the world.
Meanwhile at the pencil fort, we find out that Jamie’s cousin is a fierce brigadier general for the Brits. Of course Jamie has a cousin on the other side. If only he had a cousin on this side of time travel…
William says farewell to the Hunters and gives money as a way of saying thank you, as well as an excuse to touch Rachel’s hand. Denny tells her William is most likely a deserter. Rachel doesn’t look too disappointed. She’s probably thinking “At least he’s a damn good looking deserter. I could use some dessert after that awful stew.”
Meanwhile, we see Ian get some closure with his ex. He also finds out he has a son. It’s good to see Ian to get some closure on his Mohawk life. It will always be a part of him, but maybe he feels like he can move on. I hope we get to see Swiftest of Lizards again! Although we’ve had the weirdest assortment of animals this episode. Maybe this episode title should have been “Rats, Lizards, and Goats, Oh My!”.
Yes! Denny & Claire are teaming up!!!! They will be our medical dream team! Meanwhile, Ian and Rachel are making eyes at each other. Bam chicka wow wow! Who knew gathering herbs for Auntie Claire would help Ian earn points with the ladies?
Poor Bree gives the kids a sanitized version of what happened in the tunnel, and then Mandy screams and says she saw the nuckelavee. Officially worst day ever! (BTW, here’s a great video explaining what a nuckelavee is if you didn’t check it out last time. It’s horrifying.)
Back at the pencil fort, Jamie is right, and now they have to retreat. It’s predictable, which doesn’t make it new or exciting. However, something Outlander does do well is making small side characters seem big. Walter comes alive off the page and onto the screen. The actor does a fabulous job because I barely got to know him, and now I’m crying.
Roger has 15 minutes and a hard hat, and Bree leaves him hanging. However, she figures out a way to deal with her coworkers. Bree is her parents child and shows the guys what’s what. It kinda reminds me when Claire first makes a dirty joke around the highlanders during the “Rent” episode back in Season 1. We also get a lovely bookend with the beginning of show when Bree goes back to the graveyard to talk with Jamie. I do love seeing Bree leaving a stone for her Da and talking to him. It’s not my favorite episode and somehow I ended up crying twice. Dang you Outlander!
Til next time! Slainte!
Dram: Suntory Whisky Toki
Comfort Food: Easy Stew
Music: Off to Work-Folk by Bear McCreary
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Spoilers for those who aren’t on the rewatch….
Well, it’s more obvious on the rewatch that this is a transitional episode. It’s still a disappointment on the rewatch. Some things do stick out, like Young Ian and Claire talking about their lost children together. It’s another hint to Faith. We also see the secret drawer first introduced. In some ways, it makes their magic drawer trick later in the season even worse. Technically they should have seen Roger’s note in the drawer then. They definitely did not think it through. They should have at least had it stuck in the drawer or something to make the note harder to find. The highlights of the episode end up being Ian getting closure and the MacKenzies storyline in the 1980s. It’s nice to see Bree and Roger finally get their due and have better plot lines but it’s a bummer to see showrunners making up stuff for Jamie. Somehow, whenever it’s not Diana’s original storyline, it always smells just a little funny, kinda like the rat stew.