The Delight List: Outlander

Returning to 1945 and her husband Frank Randall isn’t the priority it once was for Claire whose unintentional time travel landed her into the arms of 18th century heartthrob Jamie Fraser. Jamie’s hobbies include being handsome, repeatedly getting injured so that he has to take off his shirt, battling the sadistic redcoat Captain Black Jack Randall and working to have his name cleared of trumped-up murder charges so he can come out of hiding and assume his position as laird of his family estate, Lallybroch. Jamie and Claire’s sudden marriage dashed the hopes of Laoghaire MacKenzie, who believes that she would have Jamie were it not for Claire. The petulant pest hopes hocus-pocus will turn Jamie against his new wife. Oh Honey, there’s not enough magic in the world. On the other hand, Claire’s mysterious friend Geillis Duncan knows how to take out her own competition.

Claire took a wrong turn in 1945 and wound up in 1743 — we’ve all been there, right? Fun fact: 18th-century Scotland gives severe side-eye to an English outsider or “Sassenach.” It’s also an era where weapons training is a necessity for women. On the other hand, there’s Claire’s new husband Jamie Fraser who is made of dreamy. He was also a fugitive from the redcoats due to some trumped-up charges and has been recaptured. You know who doesn’t sit around like a damsel-in-distress? Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser, that’s who! The sassy Sassenach set out on a dangerous quest to rescue her man. Jamie’s got a no-nonsense sister, Jenny Murray, a badass godfather Murtagh Fraser. He also has his Uncle Dougal MacKenzie, kind of; Dougal’s a solid warrior, but he can be shifty.

Accidental time traveler Claire Randall seems to have forgotten all about getting back to 1945 and her husband Frank, it’s not that she didn’t try, but you know how it is, after you’ve been beaten and almost raped by your husband’s 18th-century ancestor and lookalike a couple of times, the idea of seeing his face again isn’t that urgent. Now Claire has a younger, cuter husband, Jamie Fraser, who is dreamy despite his crazy hair. He is nearly perfect, except for this episode because Jamie spends a lot of time acting like a total jackass and I may have to break up with him.

Jamie Fraser is nearly perfect. When his new wife Claire mentioned that unexpected time travel transported her from 1945 to 1743 and that she had left behind her 20th-century husband, Frank Randall, Jamie took the news quite well and even gave her a chance to return to 1945, a less violent and dangerous era which would fulfill the nurse’s yearning for disinfectant and other medical advancements. Have you seen Jamie? Claire declined a ride on the mystical portal and accompanied Jamie to his home Lallybroch, where he presides as laird. Jamie, who was wrongfully charged with murder, has been hiding out from the redcoats. Going back to his home seems like a risky strategy, but it does keep Claire safer than she’s been anywhere else and Jamie will do anything to keep his bride safe. Jamie’s sister Jenny Murray, takes a dim view of her in-law; being British in 18th-century Scotland is sometimes frowned upon.

Nurse Randall returned to poke around. Inability to mind her own business led to unintentional time travel to 1743 Scotland. The welcome wagon consisted of Frank’s ancestor, Captain “Black Jack” Randall. He welcomed her to the century with a rape attempt. That’s how he behaves on a good day. BJR is a torture enthusiast. Claire was rescued by the MacKenzie clan and met Jamie, who is brave, noble and handsomes all over the place. He agreed to a hastily arranged marriage to keep her from Black Jack’s clutches. Because Jamie is perfect, when he found out about his bride’s bizarre story, he returned her to Cragh na Dun so she could be with her 1945 husband. Frank who?

Lieutenant Jeremy Foster thinks the MacKenzie clan might be holding Claire against her will. While she is technically a prisoner at Castle Leoch, it’s kind of complicated since Claire has a rapport with the Scots and gets to go to music recitals and everything. As the redcoats escort Claire to meet British officers. Dougal insists on coming along, when he’s not threatening to kill Claire, he can seem almost protective in his own suspicious and occasionally groping way. Claire realizes that yes the redcoats torture people, and yes they oppress the Scottish, but the Brits are her people. They don’t imprison her, exclude her by speaking Gaelic or look at her with suspicion. Claire thinks this is her chance to get dropped off in Inverness and find Criagh na Dun, the mystical standing stones that transported her to the 18th century.