All of Outlander Season 1 Episodes: Ranked

5. “To Ransom a Man’s Soul” Episode 16

One thing Outlander understands better than any show is how emotional pain can be just as detrimental as physical. The aftermath of Jamie’s rape at the hands of Randall is handled with the care that is not seen on television. Shows like Game of Thrones and Black Sails have used the rape trope but never delved into the aftermath. Some might say it’s because it’s too hard to write or they don’t want to bog down the storyline. To that, we say if you are not willing to deal with the aftermath of rape for your character then you shouldn’t do it. Outlander, on the other hand, chose to dive in and deal with the effects of Jamie’s rape. Here’s the thing. Jamie wanted to die in that prison cell, and even after he was rescued, he still wanted someone to kill him. Nothing changed for him except his location. Outlander also doesn’t shy away from how the rest of the group including Claire are also suffering from Jamie’s rape.

Our only real criticism of the television show was Jamie’s recovery was handled a little bit more quickly than I would’ve liked. Book readers know Claire and Murtaugh spent weeks trying to get Jamie back.

The decision for Murtagh and Jame’s conversation to be in Gaelic was the right call. It added authenticity to their conversation not to mention it sounds beautiful.