Outlander producer on how mid-season twist shows "no time is safe"
"Each time period certainly has to have its dilemmas, its dramatic stuff and its villains."
*WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR OUTLANDER SEASON 7 EPISODE 8.*
The much-anticipated Outlander finale most certainly delivered in the drama stakes, and while much of the focus of the final episode was understandably on the rollercoaster journey of Jamie (Sam Heughan) fighting in the pivotal Second Battle of Saratoga, things were even more heart-wrenching for Brianna (Sophie Skelton) and Roger (Richard Rankin).
With their young son Jemmy taken by supposed colleague-turned-friend Rob Cameron (Chris Fulton), all eyes were on season 7 part 1's finale to see if Roger or Bri would be able to find their son.
But as is the way in any good mid-season finale, the episode kept us gripped and on the edge of our seats as Roger and cousin Buck (Diarmaid Murtagh) go back through the stones to time travel back to the 1700s in order to find Jemmy and Rob.
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Speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com about the mid-season closer and the weaving in of Rob's slightly evil character twist, Outlander executive producer Maril Davis admitted: "Well, this was such a tough season in general. Three different storylines we’re following, almost four or five."
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She continued: "Obviously we’re doing two different time periods: we’re doing Brianna and Roger in the late '70s/early '80s; we’re doing Claire and Jamie in the 1700s. And just that alone was difficult.
"But each time period certainly has to have its dilemmas, its dramatic stuff and its villains to move the drama forward."
Davis said: "Certainly Rob Cameron comes in and we don’t know what he’s like – we don’t like him that much because of the hazing they do with Brianna in the beginning, but then we think that maybe he’s an OK guy, and now, for this twist, it’s really interesting.
"What’s great about Rob is that he still ties into the 1700s and it connects those stories in a way that I think is important as the story goes forward – everything always comes back to Jamie and Claire. I always think of them as the centre of the wheel and everything kind of spokes off of them."
She added: "I love the fact that Roger and Brianna have come to this time to save their child but also to try to come to a safer time. But no time is safe and we’re seeing that with Rob Cameron.”
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Never has a truer point be made, right? Well, even though things ended on a far from happy note for Roger and Bri, the situation looked slightly more positive for Jamie, Ian and Claire.
As for when we'll find out if Roger and Buck are successful in finding Jemmy and perhaps seeking revenge on Rob, we'll be left waiting for a while yet.
Season 7 part 1 has obviously given us many a plot twist, but the second half of the new season isn't due out on our screens until some time in 2024, with a date yet to be confirmed.
Outlander season 7 is available to stream on Starz in the US and on Lionsgate+ in the UK. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon.
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