If you’re looking for a good TV show to binge during these pandemic times, then settle in and get ready to get your Scot on. Outlander is streaming on Netflix, Starz, and Amazon Prime. Picture it: Girl meets boy. Wait, no. Girl touches rock, falls back in time 200 years, then girl meets boy. Why you should you watch it? Quite simply, it is a show that will make you love… love.
Outlander is based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon, and stars Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan as Jamie and Claire Fraser, whose love story is at the heart of the hit Starz show. She’s a World War II nurse, and he’s a 1700s Scottish Highlander. Balfe recently described the show as, “Time traveling, love and romance, with a little bit of brutality, action, and politics.” Seriously, it gets dark. So if you are looking for a story about a couple where everything goes well, this is not that story. If you want to watch a couple with great chemistry and every terrible that thing can happen to them does, then this is the show for you! Enjoy.
And if you’re not attempting to do a Scottish accent by episode 5, are you even watching? Also whisky. It makes you want to drink whisky. And there’s sex. A lot of it. Like, maybe don’t watch with this show with your family. Jamie and Claire are very good at sex, and the show does something that others shows just haven’t done well: it unapologetically depicts sex scenes with a focus on female pleasure. What?! Yes. Can you believe it? Women like sex, too! And Outlander isn’t afraid to show it. In fact, Jamie Fraser is a virgin when he meets Claire. And she’s not. Turns out she’s a good teacher and he’s a great student. And we’re the creeps that watch this class.
So here goes — our favorite episodes throughout seven seasons. If you’ve never watched the show, watch every single episode of Season 1. (That’s not a request, it’s an actual order. Sorry, I’ll stop yelling at you now.) Go on, start clicking, then get watching.
This article was originally published May 17, 2020. It was updated December 2024.
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Season 1, Episode 1 – ‘Sassenach’
Well, hello Claire, welcome to the 1700s. Hope you enjoyed your stone flight. This is Jamie, he’s a feminist on a horse! And hot and a Scot to boot. You guys are gonna have a lot of fun. Spoiler: You’re going to wear that white nightgown for a lot of episodes. You should have packed better!
Season 1, Episode 2 – ‘Castle Leoch’
In episode 1, Claire popped Jamie’s dislocated shoulder back into place. And the medical attention continues, where she sees he has scars from a brutal whipping he received from the English. This is the moment they realize they might like each other more than they want to admit.
Season 1, Episode 7 – ‘The Wedding’
This is probably the most-watched episode of the series. Jamie and Claire are forced to get married to protect her life. Jamie’s down, Claire’s sort of down, and then they get down — three times. The virgin groom learns all he needs to about love and sex from his new wife.
Season 1, Episode 9 – ‘The Reckoning’
This is probably the episode that catapults Jamie and Claire into official super couple status. And it’s a rough one. They have their first fight, then he spanks her. (It was 1743! That’s what dudes did). And then Claire taught him with a knife (mid-sex, mind you) that you do not hit your wife. Ever.
Season 1, Episode 15 – ‘Wentworth Prison’
If “love” triangles were made of nightmares. this would be the photo. To save Claire’s life, Jamie is brutally assaulted by Blackjack Randall (Tobias Menzies). These are incredibly difficult episodes to watch, but the work that Sam Heughan, Tobias Menzies, and Caitriona Balfe do here cannot be matched. Heartbreaking, shocking, and so damn good. But you’ll never want to re-watch these, so enjoy it on your first and only watch.
Season 1, Episode 16 – ‘To Ransom a Man’s Soul’
After repairing Jamie’s hand and bringing him back from wanting to commit suicide, Claire gives traumatized Jamie the best news: She’s pregnant, and they sail off into the sunset, hair blowing in the wind.
Season 2, Episode 1 – ‘Through a Glass Darkly’
Season 2 starts off on a shocking note. Claire has returned to the future. Noooooo! And she’s pregnant. But there is no Jamie in sight. Only Frank, who tells Claire he’ll take her back and raise Jamie and her child as his own. Oh Outlander, “frankly,” you crushed Claire’s and our hearts.
Season 2, Episode 2 – ‘Not in Scotland Anymore’
Voulez-vous coucher avec Jamie? (If you pronounce it “Jay-may” it rhymes, you’re welcome). That’s right, Jamie and Claire arrive in France where they decide they’re going to try and change history. The fashion is on point, and hello, Claire’s bosom. C’est bon!
Season 2, Episode 4 – “La Dame Blanche”
After Jamie’s assault at the end of season 1, he hadn’t been able to connect with Claire in the way they both wanted to. Claire tells Jamie Blackjack Randall is alive. After an incident at a brothel, Jamie and Claire have a big fight that leads to a long-awaited reconnection, in the form of a love scene that highlights Claire’s pregnancy. Look at Outlander, showing that pregnant women have sex too!
Season 2, Episode 6 – ‘Best Laid Schemes’
Back in the past in Paris, Claire and Jamie enjoy Claire being pregnant and await their impending parenthood. Jamie tells Claire he’d like them to have 12 children. “LOL Jamie,” says Claire’s uterus. But then Jamie agrees to not kill Blackjack Randall (to save Frank, it’s complicated) if Claire agrees to go back to the future if it gets too dangerous.
Season 2, Episode 6 – ‘Best Laid Schemes’
Claire and Jamie run into Jamie’s rapist, Blackjack Randall, who’s alive and kicking. Jamie gives him an a**-kicking. And Claire is not happy.
Season 2, Episode 7 – ‘Faith’
After seeing Jamie and Blackjack fighting til the death, Claire miscarries their child, and Jamie goes to prison. Seriously, these two cannot catch a break. When Claire learns why Jamie had to fight Blackjack Randall, she forgives him.
Season 2, Episode 7 – ‘Faith’
Before they head back to Scotland, Jamie and Claire visit their daughter, Faith’s grave.
Season 2, Episode 13 – ‘Dragonfly in Amber’
Jamie and Claire discover she is pregnant again. Jamie sends Claire through that time-traveling rock, but not before they get their rocks off. Seriously, they have a quickie before she heads to the future and he goes to war. We love a couple that prioritizes their sex life. This heartbreaking, shocking finale puts some time and distance between our star-crossed couple.
Season 2, Episode 13 – ‘Dragonfly in Amber’ – Brianna
We meet Jamie and Claire’s daughter! Sophie Skelton joins the cast as Brianna Fraser, and she’s a perfect combo of her red-haired dad and mom, and has a teenage ‘tude to boot. Turns out, her mom having to hide the identity of her real dad, and the fact that she’s a certifiable time traveling doc, hasn’t helped their relationship.
Season 3, Episode 2 – ‘Surrender’
Back in the future, Claire has given birth to her and Jamie’s daughter, Brianna. Claire and Frank try to make their now loveless marriage work, without much luck. And back in the past, turns out Jamie survived the Battle of Culloden, after all! Quick Claire, grab your baby and jump on United Stonelines and travel back to Jamie.
Season 3, Episode 5 – ‘Freedom & Whisky’
Claire takes Brianna to Scotland on a fun family trip, where Brianna learns Frank is not her dad! She accuses her mom of being unfaithful to Frank, but then Claire tells her, her actual father was the love of Claire’s life, and is dead. Oh and also, “I’m a time-traveler.” Brianna did not take this news well. But luckily, family friend Roger helped smooth things over and then they all learned: James Fraser survived! Brianna told her mom to go be with her dad. But Jamie’s storyline in these episodes. Not our fave! We only liked this stage because of Roger getting Claire closer to returning to James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser – JAMMF!
Season 3, Episode 6 – ‘A. Malcolm’
With Brianna’s blessing, Claire travels back in time to Jamie and this happens. Claire: “I’m alive!” Jamie: “So am I.” Both: “Let’s have sex after 20 years!” A very long-awaited reunion complete with basically a 59-minute love scene, followed by huge fight because of a tiny little secret Jamie kept from Claire. Do not lie to Claire Fraser. You will get shot. (Not by Claire!)
Season 3, Episode 8 – ‘First Wife’
So Claire learns Jamie had married the woman, Laoghoaire, who tried to kill her. But he pleads he married her out of sympathy and loneliness, and did not love her. They have a big fight that ends with them starting to have angry sex on the floor. Jamie’s sister Jenny was not a fan of this, and threw water on those little Fraser rabbits to get them to stop. (Not cool, Jenny). Then Laoghaire arrives with a gun to shoot Claire, but Jamie gets hit. Claire saves his life with a little penicillin she brought with her. Jamie’s reaction at a shot in his bum is worth re-watching.
Season 3, Episode 9 – ‘The Doldrums’
Jamie and Claire work through their problems, and set out on a mission to rescue their nephew Young Ian, who was kidnapped. They end up on a boat, where Jamie gets seasick, but then gets acupuncture, and he and Claire reunite (again) on that boat. If that boat’s a rockin’, don’t come a’ knockin.’
Season 3, Episode 11 – ‘Unchartered’
But Jamie and Claire aren’t allowed to have happiness for more than six minutes. Claire is kidnapped by another boat who needs her medical expertise. She and Jamie are again separated, and Claire’s a castaway on some island, where she meets a snake, gets super dehydrated, and talks to a coconut. Thankfully, Jamie finds her, and they reunite over turtle soup and some feverish sex on a boat. If you like boat sex, then season 3 is for you.
Season 3, Episode 13 – ‘Eye of the Storm’
Look at these sexy beach monsters. Forget Loch Ness, they’re like the Hot Ness Monsters. Actually, they look super epic, but they both had almost drowned seconds before. Season 3 ends with our favorite couple washing up on a shore in a place called, “America.” Oooh.
Season 4, Episode 1 – ‘America the Beautiful’
Jamie and Claire settle into America. Things are going great for four minutes, and then they are robbed by Stephen Bonnet, who violently takes Claire’s wedding ring from her. They visit Jamie’s Aunt Jocasta, his mother’s sister. This season, Jamie makes a deal with the English, and he gets some land that they call Fraser’s Ridge. It comes with a lot of strings attached.
Season 4, Episode 9 – ‘The Birds & the Bees’
This is by far the best episode of Season 4. Jamie meets his and Claire’s daughter, Brianna, for the first time. It is a scene worth watching and re-watching. Prior to this moment, Brianna had traveled through time to try and save her parents. She had a joyful reunion with Roger who followed her through time. But then they had a fight, and she was assaulted by Stephen Bonnet.
Season 4, Episode 9 – ‘The Birds & the Bees’
Look how happy they are! It all goes to crap. Brianna tells her mother she was raped and is now pregnant, and doesn’t know who the father is. Time-traveling is not safe. Lizzy, Brianna’s new admin assistant, tells Jamie that Roger was the one who attacked Brianna, and then things go from good to terrible. Jamie beats Roger almost to death, young Ian sells him to the Mohawk. Lizzy says, “Oopsie.” And then Brianna slaps everyone, and tells her parents to go get Roger back.
Season 4, Episode 13 – ‘Man of Worth’
Most of season 4, Jamie and Claire are on the road trying to rescue Roger. They finally find him, as Brianna gives birth. And Young Ian decides to stay with the Mohawk in exchange for Roger. After learning Brianna is pregnant, and that the baby may not be his, Roger tells Jamie and Claire he needs time to think and does not return with them. Jamie is deeply disappointed. But Claire and Jamie have a bittersweet reunion with their daughter and her new son. In the last few minutes, Roger returns to Brianna.
Season 5, Episode 1 – ‘The Fiery Cross’
Brianna and Roger get married! Claire’s happy. Brianna’s happy. Roger’s happy. Jamie is not. He’s still not over Roger’s hesistation in returning to Bree last season. Brianna learns Bonnet is alive.
Season 5, Episode 4 – ‘The Company We Keep’
The joy for the Frasers continues, and Jamie dances. Like, a solo dance.
Season 5, Episode 7 – ‘The Ballad of Roger Mac’
This is one of the strongest episodes of the entire series, and Sam Heughan gives a heartbreaking performance when Jamie’s godfather, Murtagh, dies in his arms. Claire, Brianna, and Jamie also find Roger has been hung from a tree. Thankfully, Roger survives when his mother-in-law performs an emergency tracheostomy, as Claire is known to do.
Season 5, Episode 9 – ‘Monsters and Heroes’
Jamie gets bitten by a snake. Roger gets him back to Claire, but things do not look good for James. Especially, since Claire doesn’t have her magic penicillin anymore. Luckily, all Jamie needs is Claire, so she heals him in a way that would only work for Jamie and Claire. But it results in one of the most beautiful shots in the series. Brianna also saves the day by making a syringe from the snake’s tooth and saves her Da’s leg.
Season 5, Episode 11 – ‘Journeycake’
Season 5 is filled with lots of great Jamie and Claire moments. We see them being grandparents together, and we see Claire explaining sperm and biology to Jamie. Turns out he’s a big fan of his sperm! This episode is bittersweet when the family learns that Jemmy can time travel, and Brianna and Roger decide to go back to the future. The episode has them leave and Claire gets kidnapped. Outlander won’t let us have nice things ever.
Season 5, Episode 12 – ‘Never My Love’
Ahhh… Season 5 gives us some of the greatest joy and then ends with one of the toughest finales in the show’s history. This is one of Caitriona Balfe’s strongest performances in the series. When Claire is kidnapped and brutally assaulted by multiple men, Jamie rescues her, uttering the words, “Kill them alll.” Balfe has Claire deliver a speech that she will not let this break her. And in turns, breaks us. The season ended on a hopeful note, in a sad, but beautiful shot of Jamie and Claire entwined together.
Season 7, Episode 11 – ‘A Hundredweight of Stones’
Jamie Fraser dies! Or so they thought. Claire re-marries, but only because her spy life gets her in trouble, and Lord John must marry her to save her. Like, honestly, 2 out of 3 of Claire’s marriages now have been for that very reason. Girl, you’re good. It’s more like Claire Fraser will save you, talking to you, all her multiple husbands! This episode is Balfe and David Berry’s to boot. Balfe delivers such a heartbreaking, desperate performance, as she shows Claire contemplating taking her own life, mourning Jamie and then having to suffer saying wedding vows to another man, not even 24 hours after she’s learned she’s a widow. From widow to bride in the blink of an eye. But our favorite Bridow isn’t Lady John Grey for long. Jamie returns very much alive. Just wait til he finds out his best girl and best friend had um, carnal knowledge of each other. Get the popcorn. And Claire, get ready. But it’s what we love most, when Jamie and Claire fight and make-up. Bring it.
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