Outlander Season 2 Ends

And I’m a mess.

Claire and Jamie watch Fergus leave for Lollybroch, and it’s heart-breaking.

I stayed up late Friday night to watch Outlander‘s season 2 finale, “Dragonfly in Amber,” since Starz made it available OnDemand at that time.  At a special 90 minutes length, there was a lot to take in.  I teared up a little.  I didn’t watch again until the episode had its network airing Saturday evening.  That’s when I joined the live tweeting at The Scot and the Sassenach, something I’ve done for the past few episodes.  (This was quite an achievement as I am an immense Twitter-phobe.)  Towards the end of the episode, I kept putting my tablet down to watch the scenes.  And I cried—enough to bother my sinus and get a headache, thus requiring some pain reliever before bedtime.

Tuesday Night TV (at least on the CW)

iZombie

Scene of the crime.

I know I said I was going to cover iZombie this season, but this episode “Grumpy Old Liv,” left me uninspired.  So much so, I wasn’t going to write about it.  As it is, it’s taken me almost a week to post.

What did you think?  Did you feel the season premiere was a little dull, too?  Perhaps it’s because a so much time was spent building the over-arching scenarios for season 2; you know, much like series pilots are exposition-heavy by necessity.  We had to learn that Liv’s brother Evan survived, but wants nothing to do with her because she refused to donate her blood (like they’d take it anyway); that Blaine now runs a funeral home-slash-Utopia den; and that cured zombies (all two of them*) have a spidey-sense. for zombies  *Oops, I take that back.  There are three cured zombies—I forgot zombie-rat.

Outlander: To Ransom a Man’s Soul (116)

Angus, Claire, Murtagh, and Rupert keep Jamie safe, for now.

The television series Outlander has had a difficult road to travel.  It came with a pre-installed fan base who’d had images simmering in their minds for over two decades, with preconceived ideas of how the story would be told.  The source material had a number of controversial scenes that would surely garner criticism and debate.  Perhaps most difficult, what began as a touching, adventurous love story then veered into raw, gut-wrenching darkness.  All these things—plus some poor pacing choices by the producers—led up to a highly volatile season finale that exploded in an uproar of emotions, attitudes, and widely disparate reviews.

“To Ransom a Man’s Soul” was not an easy episode to watch.  I wondered if those who hadn’t read the books, who had been enchanted with delightful characters and gorgeous Scotland, would be turned off by the events of Wentworth Prison.  The answer?  Many have been.  In fact, had I come into the episode without having read the book (which I started only after the mid-season finale), I might have been among them.

Supernatural: Brother’s Keeper (1023)

The synopsis of “Brother’s Keeper” starts something like this:

Dean comes to a stunning decision that will alter his life — as well as Sam’s…

Yeah, Sam’s life would have been altered, all right—in that he wouldn’t have had one.  Talk about understatement!

Can Sam be Dean’s “keeper’ if he’s dead?

The other night I was trying to recall the various Supernatural season finale’s over the years, in anticipation of how bad this season’s might be.  We’ve had an epic car crash, a couple deaths, a crossroads deal, the beginning and the end of the apocalypse, demons released from hell, and angels released from heaven.  Given the events of the last few episodes, this season was definitely heading for an Epic Cliffhanger of Winchester Angst (ECWA, for short).

Outlander: Wentworth Prison (115)

Claire (almost) saves Jamie.

Dear Kristin Dos Santos and Diana Gabaldon,

I hold you both personally responsible for the internet frenzy over the final two episodes of Outlander.

First you, Kristin.  You take your inside knowledge of the episodes and make several posts about their brutality and horror at Eonline.  One post would have sufficed.  It’s like you’re gloating, “I know something you don’t know.”

And you, Diana!  For a highly intelligent woman, you continually put your foot in your mouth.  No one else on the Outlander team interacted with the worried fans.  Why would you even bother posting at all, let alone state that one of the “alleged” rapes is not defined as such?  Talk about adding fuel to the fire.

I suppose it worked, though.  It certainly garnered a lot of free publicity for Outlander and Starz.  I suppose the best thing about all the hysteria is that it prepared us for the worst.  (Even if the worst is yet to come.)

Much like Supernatural’s “The Prisoner,”   “Wentworth Prison” was extremely well done, with great writing, excellent direction, and superb performances.  It pulled at our emotions and kept us riveted to the screen.  Whether it was “enjoyable” depends on your definition.  A well-executed production?  Yes.  Made you happy?  Uh, no.  Still, I have highlights.

Supernatural: The Prisoner (1022)

Dean and Sam say a final farewell to Charlie.

Season 10’s penultimate outing was an excellent episode.  It was well written; taut, suspenseful, action-packed, and emotional, with great performances all around.

You know what I liked about it?  Nothing.  So much so, I deleted it from my DVR without rewatching  it.

Mood-wise, the show is at an all time low.  I’ve never felt this depressed, even at the height of the apocalypse at the end of season 5.  But then, I didn’t like that storyline very much.

Arrow: My Name Is Oliver Queen (323)

Remember the good ol’ days when it was just Oliver, Diggle, and Felicity?

Arrow has wrapped up season 3 in a neat little bow.  One thing I love about Arrow is they don’t leave the audience hanging with a cliffhanger.  This season’s ending signaled an end to the Arrow and a new life for Oliver Queen.  I’m not sure I can live with this much finality for four months, considering it’s a finality I don’t particularly like.  Then again, maybe it’s good for Oliver to take a vacation with Felicity; for John to spend some quality time with Lyla and Sara; and for the new masked heroes to keep Starling City safe.

Outlander: The Search (114)

This Outlander post is brought to you by Highland Park 12 year old Scotch.  I was thwarted in my plan to follow the Sam Heughan whisky taste test as the liquor store was out of Oban.

Claire and Murtagh search for Jamie.

Gentlemen,

Would you watch a television series featuring two women riding horses, having adventures, engaging the enemy?  Not sure?  How about if we throw in a little breast milk?  Great, yeah?  I know!

The Flash: Grodd Lives (121)

Searchin’, searchin’, searchin… (It’s an old song lyric)

Catching up on this week’s shows, with the first to air the last to be covered.  Or FILO, as they used to say in the olden days of computer lore.  Who came in first among our players?

1.  Iris!

Iris now knows that Barry is the Flash.  Thank goodness that dead weight of a plot point is over!  Throughout the episode she learns that she’s the only one who was kept in the dark.  Well, Captain Singh doesn’t know either, but he doesn’t count since he’s a recurring character and not a regular.

Iris actually handles these reveals with grace.  She’s not so much mad as disappointed.  Guess what, guys?  She’s as smart, strong, and capable as we expected.

Outlander: The Watch (113)

This Outlander review/recap/commentary/list/whatever is brought to you by Laphroaig Quarter Cask.  In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m basically going through the Scotch whiskies that were featured in Scotch Tasting with Sam Heughan and Kristin Dos Santos.  It’s not the same Laphroaig as in the tasting, but the Quarter Cask was on sale.  It’s very smokey.

Jamie Fraser vs. four Watch men? No problem!

Outlander is gearing up for its season 1 finale; “The Watch” signifies the beginning of the end.  Jamie and Claire’s peaceful life at Lallybroch couldn’t last, lest the show lose its male viewers.  (Some were bored with last week’s episode which focused on Jamie’s personal growth.)  The idyllic life came to an abrupt end last week in the form of a gun pointed at Jamie’s head.  If you didn’t guess the perpetrator of this abomination, it was the Watch, those pesky highwaymen who are loyal only to the highest bidder.