Why Outlander's Lord John Grey spin-off finally deserves a second chance
The second half of Outlander’s seventh season confirmed that Lord John has main character energy.
When Starz announced that an Outlander spin-off focusing on the parents of James and Claire Fraser had been green lit back in 2023, many die-hard fans of Diana Gabaldon's books decried the decision. They had no appetite for a prequel that wasn't tied to any particular book, particularly when the character of Lord John Grey was right there and already had a number of spin-off stories centred around him. In those short tales, which started with 1998's Lord John and the Hellfire Club, the titular character goes on his own adventures, which are a mix of historical fiction and mystery, making them the perfect fodder for their own TV adaption in the eyes of many Outlander fans. But in order for them to work, Lord John Grey needed to be compelling enough on Outlander and for a long time, he simply wasn't. Now, ever since David Berry appeared on Outlander, Lord John has been a delight and has also proved his worth by saving the Frasers on a number of occasions, which prompted the powers that be to green light a spin-off around six years ago. A writer was attached; a contract was signed; Berry was ready to go. But Starz didn't go for it and eventually, the project was shelved, which was profoundly disappointing for Berry, but in all honesty, season 4 Lord John wasn't a particularly interesting character. While he had some good scenes here and there, he never really had main character energy and was instead reduced to the guy who was so in love with Jamie, he'd do anything for him. But fans of the books have always been aware of his potential to make a solid lead and, three seasons on, things have changed. In the second half of Outlander season 7, Lord John has proved himself to be one of the most fascinating and entertaining characters on the show. Heck, Berry carried most of those eight episodes on his own shoulders. While it started off with John once again doing what he does best (coming to the Frasers' rescue by asking Claire to marry him when Jamie was thought to be dead and she was accused of being a spy), from there he began to shine in ways we hadn't seen previously. The grief he felt over Jamie's demise created a new, unique connection between him and Claire, as Lord John revealed more of himself, demonstrating layers of kindness, strength and determination that had largely remained submerged. Read more: Outlander's Claire rocked by emotional cliffhanger in season 7 part 2 finale Outlander season 8: Release date speculation and latest news He could have been overshadowed by Jamie’s eventual return, but courtesy of John and Claire's night of drunken sex and William learning who his real father is, the character continued to play a key role this season, in turn giving viewers the chance to see Lord John for who he really is. The poignant story of his affair with Manoke unveiled how he navigates his sexual orientation; his interaction with Percy Beauchamp underlined how men other than Jamie Fraser have hurt him in the past; his capture by the Americans gave him a chance to show off his quick-thinking and strategic mindset. In fact, Lord John was at the centre of the most interesting plot developments of season 7 part 2, allowing him to showcase his humour and witty repartee through jokes and memorable one-liners. The man is actually clever, courageous and funny after all. Before season 7, the reality was that Outlander (the show) didn't have the bandwidth to give John Grey main character status. But now, he is primed and ready to step up to the plate in his own spin-off focused on his life away from the Frasers. And based on what unfolds in Gabaldon's books, the series would actually expand the Outlander universe on screen and breathe new life into it by leaning into stories in the spy, mystery, crime and adventure genres – a route that could very well engage a brand new audience on top of its existing fandom. So, as Outlander heads into its final season, although the prequel Blood of my Blood is already on the horizon, perhaps it is time to reconsider the grounds for a Lord John spin-off. In light of how brilliant David Berry's performance has been throughout the various seasons – especially in season 7, which showcased just how entertaining, compelling and touching the character has the capacity to be – a series focused on Lord John could very well be where the future of the Outlander-verse lies. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Outlander season 7 is available to stream on MGM+ in the UK and is also available to stream on Starz in the US. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander star Caitríona Balfe responds to "shocking" episode 11
Episode 11 delivered some heartbreaking and surprising moments for Claire...
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Outlander season 7 episode 11, A Hundredweight of Stones, and mention of suicide that some readers may find distressing.* After learning that Jamie's (Sam Heughan) ship sunk and all onboard perished in last week's episode, it was only natural that Claire (Caitríona Balfe) would be left in a deep state of mourning. Understandably, her emotions had to be pushed to the side temporarily to wed Lord John Grey (David Berry) in order to evade arrest for being a spy. But the fact remains that it was a startling turn of events for Claire, and we see her completely wracked with sadness, eventually contemplating suicide. Taking a scalpel from her equipment, she holds it to her arm, but then hears the voice of Jamie and suddenly stops. Speaking about the nature of this episode, Balfe spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com and said: "I think the whole episode is quite shocking. "I think if there are show watchers who haven't read the book, I think their minds are going to be like, 'What the hell has happened?' Which I think is great. "I think it's super shocking. And I think, even as an actor, you're like, 'How do I do this? I don't understand this.' "And to be given something so challenging and so shocking this deep into a show, I think, is such a great testament to how much this show keeps reinventing itself and digging deep and finding new ways to present things." As for how the actress hopes fans will react to this episode, Balfe admits: "I hope they'll be shocked, mind-blown, but enjoy it." The episode also sees Claire and Lord John bond over their grief of Jamie and in a surprise twist, sleeping together. But in terms of exploring that bond with one another, Balfe said: "Yeah, it was firstly wonderful to work with David Barry on this stuff. It's hard to understand how you get these two characters to that point, and we worked brilliantly with Vanessa Coffey, our intimacy coordinator." Read more: Outlander stars know what the future is for Bree and Roger Outlander's Sam Heughan on character return: 'The audience will gasp' Balfe continued: "It was really funny, actually, because Sam and I, we know each other so well, we have such a shorthand and we have been doing these scenes for over a decade. "But with David, we've never worked together in this way, and it was actually quite interesting because Vanessa had us just go back to basics and do these really simple, like, almost like the beginning of acting class exercises. "Just building trust with each other, because we really had to go to some crazy places in that scene, and it was just finding a way of really trusting each other for the first time in that way." Balfe went on: "I think it's a shared pain. It's a desperate need for both of them to have some kind of solace. It's not really about sex. It's definitely not about pleasure. It's just a human desire for something to shake you out of this pain. "I think that's where they meet, but actually, the intimacy and the bond we see the next day, the next morning where Lord John reveals this really poetic, but very painful, side of his life where he can't be who he authentically is and the secrecy and the hiding and the price of that, the cost to his life of being a gay man in this time, that was really beautiful. "David Berry did an amazing job. And it's, yeah, it's gorgeous, I thought it was really beautiful." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Outlander season 7 part 2 is available to stream on Starz in the US and on MGM+ in the UK every Saturday. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander’s Sam Heughan previews violent and brutal reaction to episode 11 moment
"I don't think he really takes time to think about it."
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Outlander season 7 episode 11, A Hundredweight of Stones.* Well, we couldn't have quite envisioned that Outlander season 7 would pick back up with such scandal and jaw-dropping twists – or maybe we could have, but just not relating to our beloved leads Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitríona Balfe). Not only did Claire receive word from Lord John Grey (David Berry) that Jamie and his ship had sunk with everyone onboard having perished, but Claire was then delivered another blow when it was revealed that an arrest warrant had been issued for her. This week's episode saw Claire go through with the marriage to Lord Grey to prevent her arrest but in a surprising turn of events, the pair bonded in their shared grief over Jamie and slept together. Of course, the end of the episode also brought the welcome surprise that Jamie is, in fact, alive – so we know that he won't take Claire's newfound marriage lightly. While Heughan couldn't go into details about what's set to unfold, he did share exclusively with RadioTimes.com that Jamie's reaction is a major one. Heughan revealed: "Yeah, it's quite violent, quite brutal, and I don't think he really takes time to think about it. I think he just reacts and I'm sure, if he'd walked in, in that situation, yeah, of course… "But I think you'll also see how this plays out, the consequences of that and how Jamie and Claire then overcome, resolve it. And I think, again, it's a testament to Outlander, but also to these characters, how they actually do work thing through difficult times together and managed to find common ground. "And I think that's the beauty of their love that they can get over situations like this. But yes, she's got a lot to answer for." What will this spell for Claire and Jamie going forward? Not to mention, Jamie's own friendship with Lord Grey is also understandably up in the air. Read more: Outlander's Sam Heughan on character return: 'The audience will gasp' Outlander star Sam Heughan reveals impact of Ian’s death But as Heughan teases, if there's one thing that Jamie and Claire know how to do, it's overcome all the hurdles that life continues to throw at them, even after many episodes. And if episode 11 couldn't get anymore dramatic – it also ended with Jamie coming face-to-face with William (Charles Vandervaart), who essentially stumbles upon the truth that Jamie is his biological father. Talking a bit more about that and what it'll take to repair that broken relationship, Heughan said: "It's another situation of unrequited love that, Jamie's loved William from afar and always wanted to be part of his life and has been in some ways, distantly or when he was younger, but could never reveal the truth because of how dangerous it could be for William. "And I think, yeah, this is absolutely not the way or how he would have done it and perhaps may never have. But, yeah, so the truth is out there. And this is the catalyst to William going on quite a rampage, let's say. "It's going to take time and it's going to take a lot of work. I don't want to spoil it or give a spoiler about how or if they ever make amends, but it's clearly a very big divide for them to get over." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Outlander season 7 part 2 is available to stream on Starz in the US and on MGM+ in the UK every Saturday. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander stars on Jemmy kidnap plot twist: "Brianna’s kicking herself"
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Outlander season 7 episode 11, A Hundredweight of Stones.* It's safe to say that Outlander's most recent episode is a bundle of emotions, spanning from grief to complete and utter shock at some of the events that unfold. But nothing could have quite prepared us for the reveal that actually, Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton) and Jemmy didn't go through the stones to the past – they remained right there in 1980's Scotland. Cornering Brianna (Sophie Skelton) in her own kitchen, Rob is tired of trying to get the truth out of Jemmy about the location of the Spanish gold. So, he threatens Brianna in a bid to get her to convince her son to do as Rob pleases. Even so, it's a major slip-up for the MacKenzies, not least because Roger (Richard Rankin) is off in the past with no sign of Jemmy at all and no way of communicating with his wife. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about that surprise Outlander reveal, Skelton said: "I think when Rob says that, for Brianna, it's a very kicking herself moment." She continues: "I think, as I'm sure most people do when you're in panic mode and something traumatic and dreadful is happening, you want to act quickly and your reflexes kick in, which I think was the right thing for Roger and Brianna to do in that moment when they found the scarf and stuff. "But Brianna's maybe kicking herself because they probably gave Rob Cameron too much credit. I don't think they thought that he was going to be that intelligent and that sneaky as to plan to diversion." Similarly, Rankin also said: "The diversion, yeah, they fell for the diversion pretty easily. Bit of a shame." But even so, Rankin says all is not lost in the time period that Roger and Buck find themselves in, and that it isn't actually the wrong time period, it's just unexpected. Read more: Outlander star Sam Heughan reveals impact of Ian’s death Outlander stars know what the future is for Bree and Roger He revealed: "You're talking about landing in the wrong times – Roger doesn't. I don't think he really knows that they've landed in the wrong time period. "I think they've landed in a time period which they weren't expecting, but it's not necessarily the wrong one. I think Roger's initial conclusion is that they've landed where they need to be, but not where they expected. "And that leads, again, to various amusing encounters in the episodes that follow that, because of discovering that new, context for them, and the surprises that follow. Figuring out what time exactly they're in, and asking these probing questions which is funny. And how they've come to be there, which does unfold as the episodes go on in quite an interesting way." With Roger and Buck going on their own personal journey in the 18th century, Brianna is left to figure out her next steps alone as it pertains to Jemmy's safety. But how will things unfold for the MacKenzies? We'll just have to wait and see. Outlander season 7 part 2 is available to stream on Starz in the US and on MGM+ in the UK every Saturday. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander star Sam Heughan reveals impact of Ian’s death
"It's really bittersweet and sad to say goodbye to him."
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Outlander season 7 episode 10, Brotherly Love.* Outlander season 7 part 2 certainly is getting off to quite the heartbreaking start, isn't it? Aside from Roger's (Richard Rankin) own pained experience of searching for Jemmy in the wrong time period, episode 10 also sees the sad death of Ian Murray (Steven Cree), otherwise known as Old Ian, the father of John Bell's Young Ian Murray. The episode starts with a fitting flashback to when Ian and Jamie (Sam Heughan) were younger and being taught how to fight as a team, so it's safe to say that Ian's death has a profound impact on Jamie. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about what Ian's death means for his character, Heughan said: "Yeah, it's been a long journey with him and there's a huge bond. "They were trained and brought up together and they fought side by side and they've got this long history together and there's some beautiful scenes, I think, they're beautifully written and wonderful to play with Steven [Cree], we've got a great relationship with him. "He's a fun character in real life. It was just nice to play with these amazing actors that come on set and that group, with Kristen [Atherton] as well, some really great scenes and the extended family, actually all really fun." Heughan went on: "But yeah, really bittersweet and sad to say goodbye to him. And as you can see, the consequences of that and how Jenny is just full of grief, but I just think it's a real gift as an actor to be given scenes like that. "And it was very sad when he walks out in his full regalia and his kilt and waves goodbye to young Ian and young Ian knows deep down that's the last time he'll see his father." Read more: Outlander's Sophie Skelton discusses Brianna's emotional state after Jemmy's kidnap Outlander stars know what the future is for Bree and Roger Similarly, Caitríona Balfe's Claire is with Young Ian in the moment he has to say goodbye to his father, so how did the actress approach that scene? Chatting to RadioTimes.com, Balfe said: "Yeah, I think she has to try and be strong. But also, Claire and Ian had such a close relationship too. And I think, for her, it's a heartbreak because she's saying goodbye to a friend. "He was someone who really welcomed her when Jenny wasn't necessarily always warm and fuzzy. It was Ian and Claire who had more of a close relationship. So yeah, you just, I think you just have to put yourself in the character's shoes and just imagine what she would try and do." Speaking to all the memories they've shared with the cast over the years of doing Outlander and saying goodbye, Heughan went on: "Yeah, we were very lucky though, being on the show we've worked on for so many years that you create these experiences or these memories that you're not having to conjure them up or pretend. "I remember Steve and I talking about, way back in season 1, doing scenes together and him being completely inappropriate and making me laugh and the director laugh and just, really nice memories of like when we were in Lallybroch and had these scenes together." Balfe added: "So those relationships are all, we've built them as well with the actors and with the characters. So those memories are within you. So it's, I think the beauty of this long running show is that so much of that work has been done over years. That it's very easily accessible." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Outlander season 7 part 2 premiered on MGM+ in the UK on Saturday 23rd November and is also available to stream on Starz in the US, episodes are available to stream weekly. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander's Richard Rankin teases complex, profound moment in season 7B
"It throws a lot of things up in the air for Roger, a lot of things that he's believed."
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Outlander season 7 episode 10, Brotherly Love.* It's not been an easy time of it for Roger (Richard Rankin) in these first episodes of Outlander season 7 part 2, has it? Figuring out that he's in the wrong time period was a major blow to Roger in the season 7 premiere and we see him, in episode 10, try to suss out whether or not Jemmy and Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton) could also be in the same time as him and Buck (Diarmaid Murtagh). But it's in episode 10 that Roger is faced with the possibility of seeing his father after being given his dog tags by Graham McTavish's Dougal MacKenzie. It's a moment that is both "complex and profound" for Roger, he tells RadioTimes.com exclusively. On the potential of seeing his father again, Rankin said: "I think that's a very complex moment. It's a very profound moment when he gets those dog tags because the realisation that his father might be in the 18th century throws a lot of things up in the air for Roger, a lot of things that he's believed. "He believes his father died when he was very young flying a Spitfire that came down over Europe in the war. I think there's a lot of disbelief for him, and to then come to the conclusion that hang on, the body was never found, so he must have himself made his way through stones and been trapped back here." Rankin continued: "But that obviously leads to a lot of other potential conclusions: Is Jemmy then not here? Is this the Jeremiah that we've been attached to because you need that sort of anchor point when traveling through the stones? Or, is Jemmy somehow safe with him if his father is still alive and still well in that time? "Because talking about the 18th century and to travel there back alone, presumably without the knowledge of it happening, presumably his father hasn't done that more than once. "Then he could be leading it to a kind of a dead end or leading them to the conclusion that his father may have suffered a fate there," Rankin said. "So it asks a lot of questions, I think, and it becomes quite a complicated point in the story for Roger to try and piece these things together, struggling on trying to find Jemmy, but I think it's starting to look a little less likely that Jemmy himself is there so that starts to worry Roger quite quickly as well." Read more: Outlander stars know what the future is for Bree and Roger Outlander's Sam Heughan on character return: 'The audience will gasp' Speaking about how the ideas of fate and how this all could perhaps be part of a wider spiritual plan for Roger, Rankin said: "I think it's hard to deny the sort of this hand of fate and it's intervention through these stories because of the way that it brings things in such a sort of a full circle. "Especially when you have the sort of paradoxes of Buck being there when his parents meet. "It gives you a very sort of chicken egg paradox, it's like what came first? And you start to imagine that these things are somehow predestined or in some kind of infinite loop, which you can come to the conclusion that's fate, I think, quite easily. Otherwise, without it, what is it?" Rankin continued: "I think it does solidify Roger's faith because he starts to come to the conclusion that this is predestined from a sort of a higher place, and all of these things are meant to be. "We come to the kind of conclusion, I think, as a group throughout the show, that you can't change, as much as we often try, you can't change history. "So that has been in some way set. I think that's to bring Roger anyway to the belief that it must be set by God and everything is part of God's plan. I think that's where he arrives at, I think." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Outlander season 7 part 2 will be released weekly every Saturday on MGM+ in the UK. It is also available to stream on Starz in the US. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander's Sam Heughan on character return: 'The audience will gasp'
Did you see this character comeback coming?
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Outlander season 7 episode 9.* At long last, Outlander has returned to our screens with the second half of season 7, and the premiere episode sure had us turning our heads left, right and centre. One of the surprising things that unfolds in that much-anticipated ninth episode, though, is the fact that Jamie (Sam Heughan) feels the need to apologise to Laoghaire (Nell Hudson). Speaking about Jamie's decision to mend bridges with Laoghaire in season 7 part 2's premiere episode, Heughan exclusively told RadioTimes.com: "He's an honourable man. He feels a sense of duty. "And I also feel like there's still... despite their rather tumultuous, kind of crazy history that they've had together, there's still a part of him that remembers the young Jamie and the young Laoghaire." Heughan went on: "He knows deep down that she's hurting. He wants to help her, he wants to make sure that she's OK, but also Joni – he's got a very soft place in his heart for her. Obviously, they lived together for some time. So he has a sense of duty and he's a good man, and I think he's putting a lot of things to rest. "He's made his home in America now, but there are certain things that he feels that he should put away. And it's great to see Nell [Hudson] come back. She's a character that I think fans love to hate. And as soon as she walks on screen, I think you'll be able to hear the audience gasp. "But yeah, a really fun sort of chapter to revisit and to have all these great characters. But as you said, it is bittersweet saying goodbye to some of our favourite characters and some of our favourite locations as well." Read more: Outlander star speaks out on Lord John Grey spin-off – revealing it was written and scrapped Gavin & Stacey finale reveals first official pic in throwback to the start It's certainly been a roller coaster ride between Jamie and Laoghaire over the years, with the pair having married and divorced, making Laoghaire one of the most contentious characters in Outlander, to say the least. The ninth episode's title of Unfinished Business certainly does seem to tie up a couple of loose ends, but, of course, this is only the first episode in part 2 – so there's plenty more drama to come. With an inflated season comprising of 16 episodes, Outlander season 7 is set to finish unfolding over the coming months, marking the show's penultimate season before its eighth and final outing. While it's a sad fact that the hit series is ending with season 8, there's prequel series Blood of my Blood to look ahead to, and it seems as though there's some suitable interest in another Outlander spin-off. Recently, Outlander star David Berry revealed just what happened with the rumoured Lord John Grey spin-off, but did admit that he's still very much keen to do it. Berry told Deadline: "I’m still prepared to do it... Matt [B Roberts] and Maril [Davis], executive producers on Outlander, have also expressed a lot of interest in doing it. "So I guess it really depends on finding a network for it and audience interest in moving forward and doing a spin-off." View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Outlander season 7 part 2 premiered on MGM+ in the UK on Saturday 23rd November and is also available to stream on Starz in the US. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander's Sophie Skelton discusses Brianna's emotional state after Jemmy's kidnap
While her husband searches for their son, Brianna has to find a way to cope with uncertainty.
Outlander's season 7 mid-season premiere is an eventful watch, to say the least. While Claire and Jamie returned to Scotland and faced a bittersweet family reunion, their son-in-law Roger traveled back to the past, only to find out his journey through time seemed to have somewhat malfunctioned. With most of her family now busy experiencing various events in the 18th century, in 1980 Brianna Mackenzie has been left to care for her daughter Mandy as her husband looks for their missing son. And all she can do is sit and wait, which completely goes against her character, as Sophie Skelton told RadioTimes.com in an interview. "She is very much the daughter of Jamie and Claire, and she is usually in the driving seat of scenarios," she explained. "If something goes wrong, she's really one of the first to jump in and try and fix the problem." Given the situation she finds herself in, Brianna has to prioritise her daughter Mandy over herself to avoid crumbling. "The main thing that she's struggling with now is that she feels so helpless and she really has to sit back and do nothing," added Skelton. "And you can't really imagine anything worse than your child being potentially in pain and in danger and lost, so I think that she's really just trying to battle those demons internally. "She trusts Roger, she trusts that her husband is going to go and get Jemmy back. Fingers crossed he'll be safe and sound, and so that brings some peace to her. "But I think having Mandy there is something that is allowing Brianna to not let those inner demons and emotions surface. Her brain has to be pretty focused to ensure that she tries to keep some sense of normality for Mandy at home." "The perils of the Revolutionary War force them to choose between standing by those they love and fighting for the land they have made their new home," reads the official synopsis for season 7 part 2. "Meanwhile, Roger and Brianna face new enemies across time and must battle the forces that threaten to pull their family apart. As loyalties change and painful secrets come to light, Jamie and Claire's marriage is tested like never before. "With their love binding them over oceans and centuries, can the MacKenzies and Frasers find their way back to each other?" Read more: Outlander stars know what the future is for Bree and Roger Outlander author says final season "won't resemble the end of the book series" Outlander star speaks out on Lord John Grey spin-off – revealing it was written and scrapped Outlander season 7 part 2 will be available to stream on Starz in the US and on MGM+ in the UK on Saturday 23rd November. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander stars know what the future is for Bree and Roger
Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin ponder whether the Mackenzies belong in the 1980s.
At this point in Outlander, Roger and Bree have almost traveled through time more often than Claire Fraser. In the first half of season 7, which aired last year, the Mackenzies returned to their original timeline in order to save their daughter Mandy, who was suffering from a medical condition that required care only performed in the 20th century. They then decided to stay in that time period, which is the future for the rest of their family who they left in the midst of the American Revolution. Now living in Scotland in 1980, renovating the Lallybroch estate that belonged to Brianna’s father Jamie, the couple had to face time travel once again. Indeed, in the mid-season finale of season 7, Roger and his ancestor Buck rushed to travel through the stones at Craigh Na Dun, chasing after the man who kidnapped young Jemmy. Will Roger find his son? What is Brianna going to do all alone in the '80s? That remains to be seen as Outlander returns to our screens this week. In the meantime, one question can be asked: with their family spread out across time and space, what does the future that is 1980 represent for Brianna and Roger? Is it really their home or do they belong in the past? In an interview with RadioTimes.com ahead of Outlander’s anticipated return, Richard Rankin and Sophie Skelton, who play Roger and Brianna Mackenzie, reflected on this. “Home is where the heart is,” said Rankin. “Home is with their family unit. I think that will always be the case for them.” Skelton continued: "Home is the people and the family, and it doesn't matter where you put down that plot of land or that house, it's who you've got there with you. That's something that we've definitely kept in Brianna and Roger as the seasons have gone on and just solidified it even more. "So wherever they end up now, as long as they're together and they're with their family, then they'll make a house out of their home." It would be a shame to leave Lallybroch halfway through its renovations though… "Who knows? Maybe they stay there," teased Skelton. "Maybe Jemmy and Mandy have a nice little inheritance going to them one day." Read more: Outlander star speaks out on Lord John Grey spin-off – revealing it was written and scrapped Outlander author says final season "won't resemble the end of the book series" Outlander season 7 part 2 will be available to stream on Starz in the US and on MGM+ in the UK on Saturday 23rd November. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
What The Rings of Power needs to do with Sauron in season 3
Casual viewers or readers of The Lord of the Rings may have never fully grasped the villainy of Sauron. In Peter Jackson’s movies, for instance, the Dark Lord is a threat, and a scary one at that, but not really much more than a giant eye in the sky. Most of the danger and the evil deeds come from other characters that obey his bidding throughout the films. In fact, what might make that antagonist so wicked is how he manages to corrupt everyone, and that’s something The Rings of Power absolutely understands. Over the course of the second season of the Prime Video series, viewers have finally been able to witness the power of the Great Deceiver. During his time at Celebrimbor’s side, under the guise of Annatar, Sauron has shown the vastness of his manipulation skills. From convincing the Lord of Eregion to forge more and more rings by gaslighting him, to persuading everyone around him that Celebrimbor is losing his mind and eventually torturing the poor Elf, Sauron has proved he doesn’t necessarily need to get his hands dirty to wreak havoc amongst the people of Middle-earth. So now that the Elves have suffered a huge blow because of him and the Dwarves are set on their own self-destructive path, where could Sauron turn his attention next? All signs are pointing toward Men, and especially the people of Númenor. Sure, he’s got another ring to forge, the One Ring that will eventually cause a lot of problems for a certain Fellowship, but he won’t need a full season to achieve that, especially when he has more gift-giving to do. Now that Sauron possesses the Nine, he needs to bring Men under his thumb. As the Elves lick their wounds and the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm decide to keep to themselves, Númenor is in prime position to be Sauron’s next target. Everything that happened in season 2 around that island is pointing toward its incoming downfall, and it seems like a slight push from Sauron is all that crumbling society needs to completely fall apart. War with the Elves is on the horizon, but the events of the season 2 finale seem to indicate Gil-galad and the others are going to need a minute to figure out their next steps. It would therefore not be surprising if while they regroup and get ready to wage war against Sauron in Mordor at some point in season 3, the Dark Lord busies himself forging the One Ring, and distributing the Nine to Men. Those who are well-versed in Tolkien’s lore know that it states that Númenorians will get mixed up in the fight against Sauron, and even manage to capture him. However, him being the master manipulator that we’ve come to know, things will not exactly go down well for Ar-Pharazôn and his followers. Sauron will undoubtedly prey on Pharazôn’s pride, his thirst for power, and his growing disdain of the Valar. Like Celebrimbor in season 2, Pharazôn will probably be manipulated by the Dark Lord and that will lead to the destruction of Númenor. It is crucial for the show to continue to show us Sauron’s true colours, to bring us to a point where it will be vital for all the characters we’ve met so far in this chapter of Middle-earth’s history, from Galadriel and Elrond to Isildur and Elendil, to team up against him. View Green Video on the source website Ultimately, The Rings of Power is taking us to the moment where Isildur will cut off the One Ring from Sauron’s hand, but for the audience to be truly satisfied when the time comes, the show needs to keep digging into what makes the Dark Lord such a great villain. So more manipulation and corruption please, more use of fear and force to try to "heal Middle-earth" and then we’ll be delighted to see that guy eventually reduced to being a giant eye in the sky. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website The Rings of Power season 2 is available to stream on Prime Video now – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial. If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Outlander turns 10, yet season 1 remains the show at its very best
This extended Droughtlander offers a chance to revisit the show’s outstanding beginnings.
August 9th 2024 marks 10 years since Starz guided us through the stones at Craigh Na Dun and into the world of Outlander. The series is now almost eight seasons strong (its eighth and final outing is currently being filmed in Scotland) and while it has managed the rather rare feat of lasting this long and maintaining its quality, the show's first instalment undoubtedly remains its strongest to date. That, in large part, is down to its initial showrunner Ronald D Moore who, once upon a time, enjoyed a dinner with his wife Terry Dresbach (costume designer on the first few seasons) and his producing partner Maril Davis, during which they geeked out over their shared love of Diana Gabaldon's book series – and the seeds of what would become the show Outlander were planted. The adaption simply would not have been the same without Moore at its helm, and while he stepped down as acting showrunner around season 4 (he remains an executive producer), it is ultimately thanks to the way he developed the series and masterfully crafted its first season that the show took off. The key to bringing Gabaldon's books to the small screen was to have a solid grasp on what they're about at their core, something that Moore and his team understood from the word go. Throughout Outlander's debut, he made choices that departed from the novels, and could have angered some diehard fans, but instead added the depth and layers needed for its televisual reshaping. The former showrunner also understood Scotland's importance in this narrative, with the setting acting as a character in and of itself. From Castle Leoch to Lallybroch, and even the courtyard of Fort William, the locations of the first season of Outlander are simply iconic – so much so that every time one of them pops up on the show, the fandom cannot contain itself. I can already hear the cheer when Claire, Jamie and Young Ian finally arrive at Jamie's family home in season 7's return. Scotland made Outlander special and vice-versa. The first season of Outlander also stands out thanks to its incredible cast of characters, many of whom have since departed. Not only were they well-written, they also had unbelievable chemistry – and I'm not just talking about Claire and Jamie (Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan), whose relationship transcended the screen, but also Jamie and his uncle Dougal (Graham McTavish), and Claire and Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies). In fact, as both Frank and his ancestor Black Jack, Menzies showcased the full extent of his acting chops and gave life to someone who is, to this day, the best villain the show has ever had. Yet, the true magic of this first season lies not in the time-travel or the historical conflicts, but in Claire and Jamie’s budding love story. Their love is still going strong in season 7, but the joy of their first steps as a couple remains unmatched. Since they first met, these two have been through hell and high water, time and time again. But while hardship has always been at the heart of their story, from the countless separations they've endured to the many times one of them has almost died, season 1 was when their love was at its purest. They fell for each other, hard, but not in a flash, with the show taking its time to explore their relationship across 16 episodes. In turn, we fell in love with them too and were primed and ready to follow them through all of the lows and the highs they've experienced to date. Read more: Sam Heughan on the end of Outlander and his decade-long TV marriage to Caitríona Balfe Outlander: Blood of My Blood star – "It's like two period dramas at once" And speaking of 16 episodes, the reason why season 1 was indeed the best boils down to the fact that it was the longest, giving its story enough time and space to properly unfold for our viewing pleasure – and without the lengthy wait between season 7 parts 1 and 2, which both consist of eight episodes. At this point, season 7 should just be called season 8, if we're being completely honest... Nonetheless, as the end approaches and we begin to consider a world without Claire and Jamie, we can take comfort in the fact that we'll always be able to dive back into season 1 and relive their epic love story forever. Outlander is drawing to a close, but its magic will live on. Outlander season 7 part 2 will be available to stream on Starz in the US and on MGM in the UK. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.