Outlander 8x03 "Abies Fraseri" Initial Post Ep Thoughts
I really liked this episode! ❤️ It felt so well balanced with the things I think makes Outlander great.
My favorite things on this ep:
Focus is centered on Jamie and Claire and how life in the Ridge (and in the story) expands from them, not outside of them - As I said here before, and many hopefully echo, Jamie and Claire is the heart and soul of this story. In previous seasons / episodes, I felt the story to be leading away from them, sometimes too fragmented by minor storylines or the episode flow is a little bit all over (sidenote: that is still a fear of mine whenever I start a new ep) - but this episode, I felt was wholly centered on them, even and especially, when it relates to happenings on the ridge and I was so happy to see it pan out that way (i.e Claire the healer, Jamie the landowner + politics, Jamie and Claire and their family, etc). Shouout to this episodes writer, Madeline Brestal. She nailed it, I think.
Domestic!Frasers, them always - My favorite version of Jamie and Claire and how I wish we had more of them (but ofc the war, bad people, and history says otherwise, grrr). This week previewed a major fight and we know what's after a major Jamie and Claire fight. But more than that, I love that Jamie and Claire, 35+ years in, are as passionate, in love, faithful, and devoted to one another just as in the beginning, if not more. What really is between them never changes and only goes deeper - and they won't and never will allow any doubt or circumstance come between them.
Claire and her healing! powers - Been waiting and anticipating for this scene to happen and it's everything. Can't wait how this plays out and how they use this to close out the storylines.
A lot more scenes really that wrap this episode so beautifully - Franny's situation, Roger and Bree helping plan ahead for the war, even Frank's voiceovers I give credit cause I get the chills. It stirred in me feels from when I was watching Season 1 and was just in awe of each episode.
I know not all eps will be like this given the episode 4 preview and the storyline moving forward but kudos to where kudos is due cause this episode had all best elements of a great Outlander episode.
