I’ve now watched the Jamie and Claire love scene in 8x02 several times, and I finally figured out what’s so distinctive about it: it’s powerful and intimate with almost no eye contact and very little dialogue from Claire. The only thing she says in the whole scene is his name.
Most of their open door love scenes rely on eye contact to build intimacy—like, for example, the third time in “The Wedding.”
In 8x02 Claire is smiling a little the first time Jamie says “I need you” almost like she’s anticipating something more like the sex they have in 6x02 when he arrives home and tells her, “I’ve missed you, I must have you.” But then he says it again, softer, and they do look into each other’s faces. Whatever she sees has her kiss him and almost immediately follow the pace he sets.
She doesn’t ask anything, just gives him exactly what he needs. She’s clearly enthusiastic and enjoys herself, but it’s not her gaze in the scene.
And Jamie spends most of the actual sex looking over her shoulder. Not only because he’s clearly not ready to talk or have her read his face, but also because he’s clearly using their bodies to ground him—he’s looking at the room because Claire is anchoring him to it. She’s reminding him he’s home, alive, with her. She grips him hard, touches his hair, even seems to tug on it a bit.
And obviously all of this is completely intentional, because Caitriona was directing Sam and makes her acting choices with his in mind. And the scene ultimately reads as deeply romantic, because it’s a showcase of how much trust Jamie and Claire have.
In a way, it’s as much about their history as the conversation about Faith’s conception in 8x01 was. We are worried for Jamie, and Claire may be too, but she also has no doubts about meeting him where he is, and he doesn’t try to tough it out. He turns to her.
It’s a masterclass in character work in a really great episode, thanks to Caitriona’s direction.
