Watch: Outlander Unexpectedly Introduces Social Distancing

TV Features Outlander
Watch: Outlander Unexpectedly Introduces Social Distancing

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Keri Lumm reviews “Better to Marry Than Burn” for Paste—you can watch the video above or read the transcript below:

This episode was so good, which means lots to talk about!

We learn about Jocasta, and while I love knowing more of her story, I also truly hate her story.

She fled Scotland after Culloden with her husband to the States, but he had brought some Stuart gold, and ultimately there is a firefight and the husband accidentally shoots their daughter.

It’s the worst thing. And they run away and leave the daughter lying in the road with the soldiers! I don’t know how one ever keeps living after that. Honestly.

But in our current timeline, she is still going to marry Mr. Ennis, and put her farm in trust to Brianna’s son Jemmy.

Jamie is there to be the witness to it and support his aunt in her marriage, and he and Claire seem to be having a lovely time at River Run.

Oh, to go to a wedding, or anyplace not at home!

While there, Jamie finds out that there was more than the pardons of the Aldsmuir prisoners: They are not allowed to congregate in groups of more than 10.

Yall. I’m sorry. Are we LIVING this episode?

He is of course concerned again about Murtaugh, but while he is concerned, Claire is re-introduced to someone from Season 4: Mr. Wylie, who has a super powdered face and takes a liking to Claire right away. She feels little uncomfortable, but then sees an opportunity to work with smugglers and make more money with Jamie’s whisky.

But in negotiating, what she finds out is that the guy in charge of smuggling is none other than Stephen Bonnet.

And now Jamie is hacked. He wants to hurt Bonnet.

Why couldn’t Bonnet have died the first time? It’s like Frank on repeat. I hope I never have more than one lethal enemy in a lifetime.

Meanwhile back at Fraser’s Ridge, Roger and Bree are facing a crisis: A plague of locusts. Roger feels uneasy being in charge because he does not think that Jamie trusts him.

Which of course, is true.

But as he is sitting there trying to figure out how to get rid of the locusts without modern pesticides, he remembers a story from his childhood about smoke creating a diversion and the locusts leaving everything alone.

He enlists the help of everyone and they work together so that the crops can be saved. And it works!

Meanwhile, Mr. Wylie is feeling amorous and tries to get it on with Claire in the stables. Thankfully, Jamie comes in to save her, and while he wants to kill the guy, he does not. But then, Jamie decides he wants Bonnet’s beautiful horse and decides to play Wylie for it in a card game. Wylie will only play for Claire’s two wedding rings and he comes and basically makes her hand them over.

She is understandably angry but goes along with it.

I wish she had said no.

He does win the horse, and Jamie and Claire have a somewhat physical fight that still feels consensual. I don’t know if that makes sense, but, they end up having rough sex in a barn.

And then things seem to be at peace between them.

But my favorite bittersweet moment was between Murtaugh and Jocasta. He comes secretly to her bedroom the night before her wedding and asks her to wait for him. And THEN she tells the story that we saw at the beginning of the episode.

That is good TV and amazing storytelling. Peak Outlander.

He begs her, but she won’t marry a man like her first husband again, one who is always fighting another war. And so he leaves, but he tells her he loves her. “This world may change but that will never change.”

She ends up married to the other guy.

And Bonnet finds out that his “son” will one day own River Run.

Intrigue, love scenes, wins … all adding up to a great episode!

Outlander airs Sunday nights on Starz.


Keri is a professional chatterbox who loves watching TV & movies, reading about pop culture, and gawking at any craziness on the internet. You can follow Keri on Twitter.

For all the latest TV news, reviews, lists and features, follow @Paste_TV.

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