[This is not a spoiler-free review of the episode. If you have not seen the episode yet, read it at your own spoiler risk.]
Episode 714: “Ye Dinna Get Used to It”
Written by Diana Gabaldon, Directed by Jan Matthys
The episode starts off with a flashback to England—Lord John (David Berry) chats with his brother Hal, aka Lord Merton (Sam Hoare—the actor who originally played Hal), about the situation between “Mother England” and the Colonies. It seems that Hal is more than willing to go to war, but John is hoping for a reconciliation and pressures Hal toward that viewpoint, especially regarding Parliament. The conversation ends with a promise to never bow to the will of the Colonies, which indeed happens when the episode returns to John’s present. He is pledging his allegiance to the enemy to try and escape death.
Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) have settled into a brief respite in Lord John’s house in Philadelphia before the next phase of the war begins. A barging-in soldier does not greet Mrs. Figg (Sutara Gayle) or Jamie before declaring that the house will do well for hosting a dinner, not entirely aware that he is in the presence of Brigadier General Fraser. Mrs. Figg’s wit and dedication to the house are evident as she quips back to said soldier that he will be helping cook for this impromptu dinner for none other than George Washington (Gary Fannin).
Hearing this news, Claire finds herself in the market shopping when she runs into none other than the Marquis de Lafayette (Charles Crehange), who will also be at the dinner. Such things as jellied eels and cheese may follow the Marquis to the Fraser house.
The dinner itself is a meeting between Washington and his generals, including General Lee. Then, Washington presents an early American flag to Claire in thanks for hosting the dinner. Claire also meets the Marquis de Lafayette’s aide, a man named Percy Beauchamp (Michael Lindall). Claire intriguingly asks him about his family’s origins and her own. This inquiry seems careless, considering when and where Claire is from.
It is when Jamie’s troops start to muster and train for the upcoming battles that Jamie begins to internalize the men he is responsible for. I am sure this brought him back to Culloden and the men he lost in that fight, among others. These men are not soldiers but men, even boys, who signed up to fight for a cause they believe in.
Claire is doing wellness checks on the newly joined soldiers when none other than Lord John shows up in line. Being found out but also being among familiars allows Lord John to declare himself a captive of Jamie Fraser. It is not great to be thought a spy, which is the furthest thing from Lord John’s mind, let alone that it is Jamie’s fault he is in such a predicament.
Being imprisoned in his own house, or rather the Frasers, has some perks. He knows the layout; there is free healthcare, but that pesky American flag is hanging in his dining room. Claire fixes his stuck eye, and he meets up with a former lover, Percy Beauchamp, who tips off Lord John to a plan to capture his son, William (Charles Vandervaart). This information sets in motion a plan for Lord John and Ian (John Bell) to leave and rescue William as soon as General Jamie pardons John.
On the other side of the war, William still plays messenger for the British Redcoats. The always seemingly present Captain Richardson (Ben Lambert) has another errand for William—delivering a message to some Hessians about the war. William does not know that the message also includes a secret message instructing them to capture and hold William.
In the meantime, before taking the message, William encounters Jane (Silvia Presente), who has brought along her young sister Fanny (Florrie May Wilkinson) to the British camp. Jane is desperate for William’s protection for herself and her sister. Jane has lived more cruelly than most, and that experience led her to put her foot down concerning letting her younger sister fall into the same occupation. When a certain Captain comes calling for Fanny’s virginity, Jane decides to kill him, which she does, and escapes with her sister. This situation places William in a predicament—will he allow himself to protect not just a vulnerable woman and her sister but a confessed murderer of a British captain? While Willaim is indeed a young man of morals, he is also very naïve of the world, considering how he grew up in a protective, wealthy family. He knows not much about how other people live, especially prostitutes and those who do the wash. Jane is smart enough to cling to this young man, but there may also be feelings between the two; the heart is more thinking than the brain is with Jane and William.
In the future, Brianna (Sophie Skelton) is still trying to figure out where Rob (Chris Fulton) is in respect to her house. She finds a couple of men in Lallybroch and herself armed with a rifle. She knows how to shoot, remember, courtesy of Frank Randall. What starts as a stakeout turns into a dangerous situation when Ernie (Ciaron Kelly) and Fiona (Iona Claire) show up with the kids in tow at an inopportune moment. Brianna is protective of her family and dear friends, using her rifle to escape barely due to Ernie’s faulty transmission. They escape just as Rob shows up. This. Is. War. Ernie tells Brianna that maybe the family should join Roger in Boston, not knowing “when” Roger really is.
This episode of Outlander did not resonate as memorable. It more or less sets up storylines for the next episode, which hopefully will be filled with action and emotions. Yes, the Diana Gabaldon wrote this episode, so I feel like stating that the episode was a bit boring could be deemed sacrilegious. Does anyone think she should have written the next episode, considering its title is “Written in My Own Heart’s Blood?” The episode is, however, filled with some important historical people, which is great to see, and the look on Claire’s face as she realizes who she is meeting is always entertaining.
Lord John continues to display obstinance to the Rebels and the general goings-on, which continues to show how far the character development has come in the past few episodes. Lord John is no longer a character who comes and goes and feels like a main character.
There was a brief return to Rachel (Izzy Meilke-Small) and Ian being together as newlyweds, but it was thankfully briefer than the previous week’s scene between them. Roger and Buck did not appear in this episode, so they are languishing in the pastiest past again. It seems like they are setting up a reunion between Roger and Brianna, and hopefully, that will happen before the end of the season.
I feel like a broken record with every review, but again, this many storylines in this season continue to feel like we are rushing. Unfortunately, I do not think this will stop in the next two episodes.
THIS WEEK, FRIDAY, JANUARY 3RD, AT 8 PM ET: EPISODE 715: “WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEART’S BLOOD”
Synopsis: “Claire is in danger as the American Revolution reaches the pivotal Battle of Monmouth. Lord John Grey and Ian race to save William. Brianna makes an important decision.”
