Stormy days are ahead for the Frasers when we return for the long-awaited conclusion to the seventh season of the fan-favourite drama series Outlander. Will the perils of time and ocean threaten to tear them apart once and for all?
The American Revolution is just one of the battles they continue to fight in the second half of season seven, where we find Claire (Caitriona Balfe), Jamie (Sam Heughan) and young Ian (John Hunter Bell) leaving the colonies and arriving in their beloved Scotland. Jamie and Claire’s marriage is tested like never before as the war forces them to choose between standing by those they love and fighting for the land they’ve made their new home.
When stars Caitriona and Sam sit down together with TV WEEK just weeks after filming the eighth and final season of the series, due to air in 2025, they’re excited to share what the future holds, not just for Jamie and Claire, but for them too.
How are you feeling about filming the final season?
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Caitriona: It hasn’t quite hit us yet, but it was very emotional. I think it’s going to take a long time to fully feel the impact of what the show has meant to us, because it’s been such a huge part of our lives and such a special gift.
Sam: We’ve had lots of goodbyes and moments where we say goodbye to certain characters, actors or crew. We do have to go back and do pick-ups [minor shots filmed to augment existing footage] – and obviously we’re doing media next year – but it’s been a huge part of our lives. I think we’re only now beginning to feel the repercussions of saying goodbye.
Claire and Jamie are never out of danger for long. How does the second half of season seven compare to what they faced in the past?
C: I think there are many different threats. There’s danger whenever the Frasers are separated. Some of their challenges as a couple are some of the greatest they’ve ever faced. But once we get into how history converges and weaves itself into the story, it’s also some of the worst danger they’ve faced.
S: A lot of the challenges are about relationships. There’s a moment this season that really challenges Jamie and Claire’s relationship. Over time, we had the ‘will they, won’t they?’ thing, but now they’re an older, mature, solid couple, so it’s more about choosing to stay together.
What does the continuation of the Revolutionary War this season mean for Claire and Jamie?
C: They’re in the thick of it, and we’ll see that play out this season and into the next. It’s hard for Jamie to figure out where his loyalties lie, so he’s tested again. But Claire is always by his side and they go into these fights together.
S: Over many seasons, Jamie and Claire have tried to change history or dodge history – which, as we see, doesn’t work. They’re invested in not only America and their future together, but their families and generations to come. They decide that if they can’t change history, they might as well try to guide it or be on the right side of it.
Are you still learning new things about your characters?
C: It’s a testament to Diana Gabaldon [the US author of the Outlander series of novels] that she’ll throw in curveballs. This season is no different. Our writers have done an amazing job of keeping the core element of these characters, but sometimes they’ll do something that’s shocking and surprising.
What have you learned from your characters that you’re taking into your own lives?
S: Jamie has evolved. His tempestuous, fiery side isn’t dampened, but he’s controlling it more. I think it’s because he’s a figurehead of a family now and more steadfast. Something I’d like to do, now that we’ve finished filming, is invest more time in my friends and family.
C: Claire has a keen sense of justice, what’s right and wrong, and standing up for that. That’s probably something I’ve taken on – maybe too much sometimes – but I love that about her.
Did you ever expect the show to be so successful and go on for so long?
S: My driver in Scotland always reminds me that he asked me, on the first day he drove me in, how long it would last. I said maybe a season or two. After eight seasons and 11 years, it’s quite a journey.
Has the story gone where you expected it to?
C: I was so naive when we started. I had only read the first book set in Scotland, knew the second book was [set] in France and the third book took place somewhere else. None of it ended up going where I expected.
S: I was happy to be in Scotland for so long, but then suddenly we’re in France and then America, which was never part of where I saw the story going. I probably should have read the books before we started filming! [Laughs]
Outlander season seven part two will release on Binge November 23, 2024.
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