I’m still watching. I’ve been very underwhelmed this season but I have to say that I really liked this week’s episode. Very well written and acted. Still can’t wait for book 9 to come out!
I’m watching. I’m not captivated by the series. Caitriona Balfe and her Claire is the only main character that rings true to me from the books. I find I’m distracted by constantly comparing the others to the book. I think many of the secondary characters have been cast better: Jocasta, Marsalis, the twins, Geillis.
I’m glad that happened this episode. I’ve never liked the deviation.
I did find the last scene unsettling and remember how horrified I was when reading it.
I actually quit comparing to the books for the most part in season 2 or so. I have enjoyed the TV show on its own merit.
The only casting which I really objected to was Brianna. Everyone else has been fine by me. DH never read the books, and he cannot imagine anyone else playing Jamie.
I think the show did some things better than the books. I loved Tobias Menzies as Frank and I hated book Frank. I think because we only saw him through Claire’s eyes in the books, I never got a chance to really consider him in the depth that the show was able to convey. I also adore how David Berry is portraying Lord John. (Hope the spinoff happens!)
I also don’t love the casting of Brianna. On many levels. That said, I thought she did a great job in this last episode.
I stopped trying to compare the two as well, but until this current episode, I was ready to call it quits after this season with my Starz subscription. I’m now going to hold off and wait to see how the rest of the season plays out.
I’ve read all the books a couple of times as I’m a fan of historic fiction and Sci/fi. The first couple of seasons they seemed to attempt to create a close facsimile to the books . Ever since they have created a story which while keeping the same premise and characters and some specific events from the books really seem like a completely different story all together. I think I knew all was lost when they cast 5’6" or so Sophie Skelton to play a 6’ plus Brianna. I continue watching the series as a different story and wondering how they will weave the books into the series not how they will adapt the books.
I watch the series as a different story also. In some ways I like that the TV show has cut out many extraneous plots and characters. I didn’t like that they seem to have cut out Amanda from the plot in Sunday’s show.
It ceased being the Outlander book I love awhile ago. I watch it now for what it is. I was so terribly disappointed in The a tree who plays Bree…a totally different person it only physically (which is a big part of her personality), but the personality, too. Sits a completely different daughter. Roger is not as bad, but not as near good looking as in the books.
I don’t like that they don’t age Jamie and Claire, especially Jamie looks so young…could be Bree’s husband.
I’ve read Outlander 4 times, books Two - six 3 times and the newest ones only once as I don’t really like them.
I will say that casting Graham McTavish as William “Buck” McKensie was excellent. I didn’t see that coming. Now we will see where they go with that plot line or if it dies. I think Sophie Skelton is a fine actress. I think her acting suffers when she attempts her “American” accent. Her speech gets kind of mushy for lack of a better term. Almost like she’s talking in a loud whisper but that’s not really it. I’ve heard her in interviews in her own accent and that is gone.
I really enjoyed the finale, neat the way it went back and forth in time I thought.
Spoiler
I thought it was really well done. Claire’s disassociation from the trauma she was experiencing by traveling to the 60s was surprising, but actually pretty interesting imo. I’m pretty sure that was Geillis Duncan’s 60s house .
Acting was stellar I thought.
And go Marsali!
I loved it too! Cat did an amazing job and I really like how they are developing Marsali’s character on the show.
Was really hoping book 9 would be out by now and fill the drought-lander void but I read that Diana broke her shoulder 
Caitriona was fabulous. I really think she is an outstanding actress. “Enjoyed” isn’t the right word because of the subject matter, but I can’t find a better word to describe seeing all of them in the present. It was a fun deviation from the books. (For a change).
In the books I loved Red Jamie in this scene. Although Sam did a nice job acting as the angered husband, I just didn’t see Red Jamie. In the books, he couldn’t even speak English he was so crazed. I didn’t see controlled crazed in Sam’s acting, so I found that disappointing. They did a terrific job with this episode.
Love Marsali, you go girl!
I loved Books 1 - 6. I’ve liked but not loved the series based on them. I havent enjoyed the remainder of the books since then, other than different “scenes” within them that were brilliant. For the most part I felt they are a tad boring, lots of filler, not up to par with her earlier work. I was so shocked at how she took the story in the last one that just didn’t ring true to me. I felt it was to shock her readers.
So, what I’m getting at is I hope i think I’ll enjoy the series more than the books from here on out.
The series has tighter story telling than the books. The story lines in the books meander all over the map. There are characters that just lead to dead ends and endless pages of unnecessary description.
I finally caught up binge watching and finished the season. I read the books many years ago and mainly remember loving the first two, then disliking them more and more. The show has been an entertaining watch - I guess it’s a good thing I don’t recall the books because so much has changed. I do remember liking Roger and Brianna more in the books (agree her casting forced changes to the character) and Lord John less (excellent casting for the show helped).
I am very impressed with the majestic mansion in Fraser’s Ridge, paneled walls and furniture and all. It would definitely earn its own thread here!
@conmama, by any chance do you remember the Red Jamie chapter you referred to above? I’d like to go back and read it, but it’s been so long ago, it would probably take me forever to find it.
@Nrdsb4 , I know it’s in ABOSSA, they combined books 5 & 6.
Found it - chapter 26:
Also:
Thought I would try to find it just for fun and learned you can find the whole book online for free. https://novels77.com/2434457-a-breath-of-snow-and-ashes.html#list-chapter Just reading the summary helped me remember how the books had soooooooo much convoluted and complicated and confusing characters and circumstances.
I gave up after the third book, but H and I really like watching Outlander together. H grew up in Scotland as he went there for boarding school and university and we have traveled there many times. H really enjoyed all of the scenery when the show was shot in Scotland.
My Dh has not read any of the books and has zero interest in doing so. But he loves the show. “What time is ‘Big Red’ coming on?” Every Sunday night. 
The show is still shot in Scotland, not North Carolina. But I liked it better with castles and Scottish villages too.