Sunday, September 10, 2017

Outlander The Battle Joined Episode 301 Recap: My Outlander Purgatory Breaks It Down!

66 comments:

  1. Hiya guys! So very glad to see you back! I had no problem with the scene with Frank's boss. So many women that I meet now a days are so completely clueless about just how frustrating it was to be a woman who didn't fit society's norms back then. I have had many younger women who try to argue with me and say that it just couldn't possibly have been that way...so I think that was the reason that the disparity between men's and women's lives was emphasized. Without seeing what society was like at the time, it's going to be very hard to people to understand the magnitude of the fight she is going to have to go through to become a doctor. I felt that the portrayal of Frank's boss was spot on...I've met many men like that in the past. My mother was given a spinal block for childbirth even though she was screaming at them that she didn't want one...they knocked her out to calm her down...just as portrayed in the show. Again, so glad to see you both back!

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    1. Wicce, I totally agree their were asshats back then. HELLLLLL yes. I just felt somewhat hit over the head with the situation in that scene. Like...we get it; the guy's an ass. It was the time period. Claire's a strong woman. Yada yada. It's just been done, told, etc. Also with you 1,000% about the childbirth. So gross the way we had to put up with that nonsense back then. OMG I hope your mom decked her doctor! ;)

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  2. Did you miss the tear running down Frank's face while he watches Clair with the baby? That's why she apologized

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    1. Yes, I saw it. She was still attached to her pre-Jamie life. That is understandable...especially every time there is a scene where both rings are extremely visible. As they say online, "the struggle is real!" LOL

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    2. I'm struggling with the easy transition Claire seems to make with the birth of Brianna
      Are we forgetting that she's only been back for about 5 MONTHS!
      Any woman would be still grieving HARD the loss of her husband, at least a woman who loved like we know Claire did. The moving on so easily is NOT believable!

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    3. I felt like Claire was trying so hard to keep her self under control. She's trapped and she knows it. In that time period, she wouldn't be able to find a job while pregnant. No one would hire a pregnant woman in the 1940's. She knows she has to try and stay with Frank. It seemed like nothing was within her control.
      And, if we think about how long she was on her own during the war, how brief of a time she and Frank had before she went through the stones, being that restricted- seeing no alternatives- was torture. I think Cait did an awesome job of showing the effort it took for Claire to live in that virtual prison. I did not get the impression that she was able to move on easily. I felt like she was in survival mode, with absolutely no options available to her. She likes Frank and appreciates what he's trying to do for her but, it isn't what she wants and she has no other options. That's not a fulfilling life.

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    4. I'm with you Anonymous. I didn't get the impression that Claire had moved on easily. She was slumping around resigned to be a housewife in those awful house coats. It is a great juxtaposition to her after her finery in Paris and fancy lady's outfits in Scotland. She looked like she was on the verge of falling apart, but didn't want to risk the baby's life. She was so relieved to have a healthy baby that she saw a glimmer hope for the future- even with Frank. The nurse's comment left a nice cliffhanger. It was the "but" there will always be a reminder of Jamie. Despite her efforts and Frank's she will not to able to replace Jamie with Frank.

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    5. The episode frustrated me a little because we got a glimpse of Claire seeing the new home and then we jumped to late in her pregnancy. We didn't get to see her first few months back, alone all day while Frank was at work. Shopping for new clothes. Why not cooking over fire then since it was what she had just come from? I am hoping we get her story maybe in a flashback....

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  3. Hi friends, great to have you back! After hearing your thoughts on the Brianna/hospital scene, I think that would have been heartbreaking for Claire to see that red hair and have that moment to process the whole situation. I really loved this episode...not too much Frank IMO. I absolutely LOVED the house...40's wallpaper and all. I thought Gary and his crew did an amazing job on all the sets.

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  4. My mother wanted to go to medical school after WWII and couldn't get in because all the veterans were coming home from the war. Men were preferred she was told. As far as child birth goes, when she had me (her second child), she hired a mid-wife and kicked the doctor out of the room.

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  5. Like Carol, I thought it was underwhelming. I was glad I wasn't introducing anyone to it. I like how they followed the book about Jamie being in a fog trying to remember the battle. I don't mind the stuff with Frank ... I always wanted a little more to understand what Claire went through during that time. I thought there were some political jabs in this episode as far as the current climate. And there could have been a discussion on women's rights as far as the birth scene. She was told and was not respected when she said,"No.". The bird ... wasn't it the same type that was in "The Devil's Mark"? So... we really don't know what happened to Murtagh ... Maybe we won't??? But Maybe we will?

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    1. "I was glad I wasn't introducing anyone to it." This is exactly what went through my mind. *I* love Outlander and know it's not about this...but what about newbies or people who decide to pick it up with this episode? 😬

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  7. Hi, Tracey and Carol! Loved your recap, and loved Episode 301! I agree with most of your observations, but I have some viewpoints of my own to add to the mix. First, let me say that I am an Outlander fan, and like you two, I became that through the books. DG has created a world that, as an avid reader, I have immersed myself in. Hopefully not in a weird way - I have a life (hah!). But when I read, the book has to be one that transports me to a time, a place, and introduce me to characters that I love, hate, root for, and grieve over. I have found so many in my life, thankfully, but Outlander, because of the pure breadth of it, is by far my favorite.

    Sooo, here goes

    Annoying Neighbor: I do believe they introduced NN to juxtapose her traditional, this is my lot in life and I have to make the best of it attitude, and Claire's stubborn, not gonna settle and I don't give a shit if it's 1747 or 1948 attitude, to emphasize the enormity of Claire's situation. I did not really have a problem with her, and am going out on a limb here to suggest that maybe she will end up being the "other woman" question that is never really clearly answered. Perhaps later, when Frank is frazzled with work, a frigid wife, taking care of Bree while Claire is doctoring herself up, little miss friendly traditional housewife just worms her way into his life. Introducing her now would streamline that whole scenario.

    Too Much Frank: I'm with Tracey here. We did not get this back story in the books. We learned of Jaimie's time through author narration, but we only got what Claire chose to tell us of her time with Frank (probably because she was telling it all to Roger and Bree, and left these details out on purpose). I love Frank/Claire time. It only heightens the wonderfulness of Jaimie/Claire time, and I feel that tv viewers need this juxtaposition of love stories.

    Female Stereotype: I know what Carol means by saying this was all just too much. But again, I do think it is necessary to show what Claire is dealing with. Not a marcher or an activist by ANY means, but the two time periods we are dealing with here, did have definite male/female models of propriety. I am definitely a traditionalist, but like Carol, I've done it all, and even I would look strange in the 1740's or the 1940's. Again, we as readers figure all this out page after page, and book after book, but they need to emphasize this in the compression necessary for tv.

    Bird: My first thought was seeing the starlings outside the prison cell with Geillis. Maybe just a fleeting memory flash?

    Anyway, thanks for the recap - loved it! Happy End of Droughtlander! See ya next week!

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    1. It was a finch. Starlings look really different.

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    2. Wow, Carla...my first instinct is to say, "Eff the recap, thanks for your comments!" :) You put serious thought into these and I TOTALLY appreciate that!! And again - another cool bird possibility!! Love it! 😘

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  8. I was anxious that Jamie have full screen time along with Claire, so I timed his scenes. He and Claire/Frank had the exact same amount of screen time. I hope this season Jamie is portrayed as the Hero he is, not a secondary character!
    I think Ron likes to portray Claire with the "Female Gaze" and I don't like it because he is looking at her from today's eye rather than the 40's. My mother would have been Claire's age and had her children after WWII. That professor's comments she would have greeted with a polite smile and he would have changed the subject sooner.
    By the way: The Boston Globe is a very Democratic newspaper. That's what he was implying as he promoted Republican candidates.
    They night have filmed more of Culloden, but didn't they film those scenes during Season 2? It was enough battle for me. Jamie almost died so he was lying down most of the time. I thought Sam did his scenes very well, and yes, Carol, enough of Frank, but I have always felt that way and am not a fan.
    I thought it was a very good episode and I didn't want to miss a minute. And the baby scene: I disagree, Carol. She is holding Jamie's child, and I think this moment brings him back to life for her, not a final good-bye at all.

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    1. RIGHT, Susan. This was my point exactly about the polite smile and changing the subject. I am certainly not saying there weren't complete jerks in the 1940s; I'm just saying it went on a little longer than I cared to see. 👍🏼

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  9. Oh, and thank you, Ladies, for your comments and enthusiasm!! I couldn't wait to watch you.

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  10. Absolutely, Susan! I think her grief over losing him evaporated the moment she held Bree in her arms. It was a new beginning for her - instead of focusing on her loss, she can concentrate on this bit of James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser that, through the miracle of time-whacking rocks, she has right now. Remember how she told Brianna that she hated her until she held her? After all, she promised Jamie she would let Frank protect her and their child. All that just came to her there in that moment. It was life-changing
    for Claire.

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  11. SPOILERS!
    Hey gals- I was almost as excited to tune in to to see you as I was to see the episode. I just love our little chats! LOL Great to see you- great hair!
    OK- here are thoughts:
    Nellie Olleson= will have affair with Frank...that's why she exists.
    Murtagh= transported to America, to become D.I character. Falls in love with Ellen's sister and marries her.
    Birds= Colum's birds
    Frank about the citizenship thing= passive aggressive because she shrugs him off after the 'our child' remark. Every now and again, they write that aspect of BJR and FR's darker personality.
    Re: the tick tok, water drip= that is what insomnia is like- every little thing bugs you.
    Totally agree about Hal! LOVE LOVE LOVE Hal...but wonder if we are going to get as much of him as we want? I'm not sure that they will incorporate the LJG novellas, where Hal really shines.
    Love Rupert's line "Keep up, I mean to set a good pace" or something like that. Rupert (Grant O'Rourke) was absolutely brilliant in this episode!
    Sam Heughan--- incredible acting- especially appreciated the little pained sounds he made...brilliant.
    OK- see you next week!

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    1. LOVE it! I love how everyone has different opinions on the birds! And Hal...oh man...I hope they use him a ton...and I hope they make him just as snarky as, if not MORE than, he is in the books! :)

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    2. Watching it again.... the little bird outside the flat in Boston--- the music is a clue- it is Castle Leoch music! :)

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  12. Hi Carol and Tracy. I had to comment on the birds. Did you notice that one flew down and landed next to Jamie while he was lying on the battlefield. I kinda think he thought of Claire at the exact same moment that Claire thought of him when she saw her bird. What do you think about that?

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    1. OMG LOVE LOVE LOVE that possibility, Susan!!! I have to go back and watch James on the battlefield!! THANKS!

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    2. Culloden scene was within the day (24 hours) of the battle; Claire sees the bird MONTHS after her return.

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  13. So glad you ladies are back with your videos. I look forward to your recaps almost as much as the Outlander episode!

    I loved the Jamie post-battle scenes. Already miss Rupert :(
    Way too heavy-handed on the 1940's housewife stereotype.
    Totally agree with your views on the birth of Briana and Claire's non-reaction about seeing Jamie's daughter. It would have been so much more heartfelt if she had a sense of Jamie's loss before just trying to start anew with Frank.

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    1. Thank you, Maria!! If you keep watching, we'll keep making them! 😘

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  14. I wondered about the birds too. In Season 1, did Jamie talk about how he always thought of his mother when he saw a certain type of bird? Could this be the same type of bird Claire sees?

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    1. Awww Tricia, that is sweet. I didn't remember that. ❤️

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  15. OMG- Tracy and Carol - you are the most annoying women I have ever heard. Your whinny voices are the worst! GAH! Go a get life! Soooooo, like OMG, like soooo like how many times sooooo like OMG do you say soooo like OMG ....

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    1. I don't know what I find more amusing; the fact that you post this as "Anonymous", or the fact that you took time out of your day to comment if you don't like our style.

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    2. Sooo, like how many times DID they say it? I feel a contest coming on here! Hah! Just kidding, Tracey and Carol - OMG, LOVE your recaps. Gotta just love the haters too.

      BTW, Anonymous, Sam and Cait ain't a couple irl.

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    3. LOL Carla! Our schtick is not appreciated by all...and you are right; that is TOTALLY TUBULARLY OK. 👍🏼☺️

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  16. What a joy to be able to get together again and chat about this 3rd season with you two. I check in all during the off season, as it makes the wait more fun. If you have done 75 videos, pretty sure I've watch most including the early "we have our Jamie" one that I think Carol may have been at the beach??
    The only thing I'm adding right now is that I am going to need to adjust to the back and forth narratives of life during the 20 year span. Obviously the times will not be exact parallels and I think that will be actually easier to see with Claire's life because of Bree growing up...although we will also see it with Fergus and Ian.
    Also, As BJR fades away in memory, I look forward to new large and looming antagonists like a certain SB.
    In the meantime, I will be laughing out loud with you two, like last night viewing this video and you were trying to correctly pronounce the actors name!! I don't know if I was laughing more at the effort to say the name, or how hysterical you both were getting. Great kick off to the season!

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    1. "As BJR fades away in memory, I look forward to new large and looming antagonists like a certain SB." YES! YES! YES! Me too! Right with ya!! PS - THANK YOU! 😘 I'm so glad you feel like you're chatting with us because that's how we do the videos! I talk to you guys through the whole thing, not just Tracey! :)

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  17. I liked it. Not overwhelming, but a necessary link between last season (Dragonfly) and this season (Voyager). Now I expect things to really get good from here on. They needed to establish a baseline in order to move forward. And, I actually thought Frank was a nice guy who was trying to accept all of the craziness he and Claire just had gone through. He needed his due for supporting her as a lot of men would not have been so understanding. Let's just be so happy that Droughtlander is over and Season Three is off to a good start!

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    1. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Great points, Anon! I love your positivity! And you are right; Frank needed his due. Tom reminds me of this allllll the time. :)

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  18. Voyager is my favorite too! I'm so psyched for this season

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  19. Welcome back Tracey and Carol--Its been so long without you! I want to echo those comments above and say I look just as much forward to your commentary as to the actual episodes. Also enjoyed when you posted during Droughtlander (especially Gilmore Girls talk). Voyager is my favorite book in the series and looking forward to seeing some of my favorite scenes played out. I feel this episode had to do alot in a short time so it will only get better. Sams acting was amazing and loved Rupert. Keep doing what you do...you girls are the best!

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  20. Hello . I am a first time listener of your recap. Enjoyed it greatly and laughed out loud a couple of times about your love for Frank. I think Sam killed it in this episode. With very little dialogue he was totally convincing with only his facial expressions. Totally agree with you about the lack of emotional connection with Jamie in the hospital room. I am sure it will happen in another episode when Claire has Bree all to herself. Will tune in again , because you two are hugely entertaining . Greetings from Martina in Alaska !!

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    1. Welcome Martina!! We are glad to have you here to discuss the season with us!! :)

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  21. Yeah - so glad that Outlander is back and probably as glad that YOU are back! The two of you SO remind me of my younger sister (by 2 years) and I. This is totally how we talk to each other and how we use to obsess over the North and South trilogy (John Jakes) - back in the day.

    My 2 cents ...

    1) Admittedly not a Frank fan, ever. So - yes, too much Frank BUT I understand the purpose.
    2) POSSIBLE SPOILER - I was watching the EW interview on YT the other night and I think Cat accidently gave away the timeline for the reunion. She mentioned their shooting schedule - jumping around in the season - and I think we're looking at Episode 5 or 6. Be interesting to see if that's right ...
    2) Rupert and Sam scenes were my absolute favorite of the Episode and I will miss the Highlanders SO MUCH. Have some thoughts on Murtagh, but ...

    Keep Em Coming, Ladies. So entertaining. I also feel like I may need to grab a bottle of that Pinot Grigio before the Episode 2 Recap ...

    *pardon the spelling errors* ;)

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    1. LOL at North and South. I think Tracey watched that!! :)

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  22. Geeez you think there's alot of battle scenes??? That is the #1 complaint that there wasn't anywhere near ENOUGH of the Battle of Colloden seen.

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  23. My thoughts about the tea bag/kitchen scenes: Clare struggling to light the stove was a metaphor for her struggling in this "new" life with Frank. It seems like there was a point trying to be made about modern conveniences vs. what Clare had become accustomed to in the past. The close up of Clare taking milk from the fridge, her comment about running to the market, and Frank with the tea bags. I think it made him seem petty to Clare. ~It did to me, at least. TOTALLY agree with Carol that the show missed a great opportunity with the birth of the baby.

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  24. I agree so much about too much Frank! Also you are right the Claire should have spent time with the baby without Frank. They should have shown a flashback of Jamie telling her to name the baby Brian then back to her, naming the baby Briana before Frank joins them. I'm just not interested in her life with Frank.

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  25. I love you two!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!! Do you know RDMoore will be posting podcasts after each episode like he did for the previous two seasons?

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  26. Love watching your videos almost as much as the actual show. I am usually watching while on the treadmill and I am cracking up trying to catch my breath laughing with you both. The one comment I have to say is I cannot understand how Claire can even look much less kiss Frank after all of the BJR stuff. The fact that he has the exact same face as the man who nailed the love of my lifes hand to a table, pushed me into a pit, tortured my husband Jamie, and my mind can barely go to all the other horrible things he did to Jamie. A man with that exact same face I am now expected to live with as a wife!!!! On the other hand this is the 1940s she literally came back into this world with just the clothes on her back. How was she to make her way as a pregnant woman with nothing. She is somewhat trapped but she shouldn't have to stay trapped for too long.

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  27. I absolutely agree that the birth scene of Claire first seeing the baby was done wrong. First, in that era NO ONE but the nursing staff would have been allowed to carry a baby in the hallways!! I would have had a nurse bring the baby to Claire. Claire looking at her red headed child she still would comment "you are so beautiful" but with emotion add in " just like your sister Faith." Then I would have her say something about "now I must fulfill the promise I made to your FATHER to raise the you with Frank." After that THEN Frank can enter. And if Ron had some reason he wanted the nurse to make the point about the red hair in front of both of them, it would come then. After that Claire could regain her emotional state and make the comments she did to Frank re beginnings etc.

    As for the Boston accent you did not find in the locals, the accent you were trying to sound out is really a Southie accent (South Boston) and folks who lived in Claire's neighborhood, etc would not have had such a pronounced 'Boston' accent. They are supposed to live in an upscale area and those folks would have a more refined Boston accent (Beacon Hill I think Ron referenced.)

    Caitriona said lots of hot rollers to get the Claire hair in Ep 301. And the neighbor is Millie. Also the fire starter that Claire used had not been invented then - she would have lit the stove with wooden matches for sure. Terry may get details of costumes right but someone does slip up on other period details.

    ps I am a first time poster and perhaps a first time listener. I may have caught one of two podcasts of yours in season one but then my life got busy with helping out with my grands and I didn't follow any podcasts for season 2. I will be back regularly to listen to you this season as I enjoyed your comments greatly. FYI I am a native of MA with a Mom who delivered in the same era, so know have personal knowledge of this area and delivery at that time. And for my own deliveries I had loooong hair hanging down all around me - only hubby was holding it back when needed.

    Can't wait to hear you again next week. PS spoiler alert - Ep 6 will be the reunion, becasue Matt wrote the reunion and he wrote EP6!!!

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    1. Oooh, Good points! I especially like your version of Claire's first baby bonding, mentioning Faith and promise made to Jamie.

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    2. Susan H., Faith was the first thing that came to my mind when I saw the baby - can not imagine it would not have been Claire's also. It would have allowed her that moment of connection to Jamie with just the baby and her.

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    3. Welcome Judy!! Love the commentary and the Boston/MA info! Keep it coming! :)

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  28. So glad to see you two back and in form for this 3rd season. Love your comments and humor. I am again disappointed with TV Outlander's obsession with Frank. I like book Frank. I feel he got a raw deal. But the books for me are about Jamie and in the TV show Jamie is almost a second banana character. I am OLD so I remember the later 40s and I find it insulting the way many shows ...and now this one...insist on portraying women who were home raising kids and keeping house as idiots. My mom was born in 1916, was a nurse, kept house, raised kids and gave my dad respect and he respected her. I hate to see women who were not in the workforce being portrayed as simple minded. I experienced many men who had the attitude of Frank's boss but I also have experienced knowing many men who did not have that attitude. I thought it was over done and it took me out of the story and made me mad. I am a red head and all my life was asked where did I get my red hair from when the rest of my family have dark hair...lol! It did make me sad not to have had a moment when Claire strokes the baby's head and looks as tho she's thinking of Jamie. I hope Murtaugh shows up as DI...I'd be okay with that. Hal is also a favorite...all the Grey's are funny and sarcastic with dry wit. Hope we see more of him. Rupert ...brought a tear. I'm going to miss the Highlanders and hope to see some in America. Jamie (Sam) did a good job. I just want more of him. Sigh. Thanks for the laughs.

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    1. "...in the TV show Jamie is almost a second banana character." AMEN. That's how I feel and I'm not going to pretend I don't. I don't consider myself part of any group that is upset...I just wish we had more Jamie. Sometimes I find it comical that we have so much Frank in this show.

      And THANK YOU because I've done both the Corporate Management life (and I admit that I eye-rolled at "Soccer Moms" at that point) and Stay at Home Momming...and I can't begin to tell you how much more difficult it is to stay at home with kids all day! These moms (and dads!) deserve respect! There are no long lunches. There are no overnights where you sleep peacefully in a nice hotel. There is no "put it on hold until tomorrow." There is no break time at the water cooler. You're working from the minute you get up until the minute your head hits the pillow at lord knows what time. And most breaks you do get involve taking your work with you. Any shows/films that depict stay at home mothers as simple or stupid make me eye roll more than anything else on the big or small screen.

      And as Tracey would say...MIKE DROPPED! LOL

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  29. I'm so glad glad you're back! I have one observation about the citizenship segment in the show. I haven't seen this opinion anywhere else, and I'm just curious what people think: I think she wanted to separate herself from her English identity, because of Culloden and the Jacobite rebellion. The events at Culloden are responsible for separating her from Jamie, and responsible (in her mind) for Jamie's death.

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    1. Love it, Unknown. Not sure I've thought of that or seen it; you're right. The possibilities are endless, but this is a good one to throw into the mix!!! :)

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  30. I know I'm a bit late with my comment, but I just watched the first episode again, for the 3rd time!LOL!! I can just imagine how totally torn and even tortured Claire must be in nearly every aspect of her life. She made a deal with Jamie to go back and let Frank protect her and the baby, and then had to make a deal with Frank never to talk about what she had been through. How totally alone she must have felt, and possibly a bit resentful of her own pregnancy for being the reason she had to leave Jamie and Scotland. I felt her heartache and loneliness all thru this episode until the baby was born. Then the light came on and she realized this was why she gave up everything. It was finally real, and She had a piece of Jamie back in her arms and it filled her with such joy that even a future w/ Frank was bearable at that moment, and maybe she made the right decision after all? That comment the nurse made was the pin that popped the" happy moment bubble" just to let them know it won't be easy! There are few things sadder than to live your life pining away for what can never be. Ooooh, or can it????

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