Outlander

OUTLANDER

    Alright. It had to come to this. I've finally begun watching Outlander, being the Scotland nerd that I am. However, I've got several problems with it, (as well as few good things to say as well, never fear.), and I will try to keep my arguments logical and not something akin to a rant.

    Outlander is notorious for the number one item on our not-so-good list, so that's why I recommend watching the show with Vidangel. It removes everything nasty, from bad words to the child-unfriendly scenes (of which there are a lot), and you still get that sense of historical Scotland.

Let's get to it!

 

Five Things Wrong with Outlander

Here is the list of problems I have with this Scotland-oriented TV show.

Sex

    The biggest thing about this show is that there are innumerable sex scenes. It's also my biggest problem with it. For some odd, more-than-a-little-disturbing reason, people have said in many different places online that there isn't enough sexual scenes in this TV series. This is just disgusting to me. 

    From what I've read about Scotland, I highly doubt there would be as much as there is (not only between Claire and Jamie, but all the advances Claire had to deal with), though I wouldn't put it past a drunken Scot to do some of the stuff they did. The first season especially is so chock-full of immorality, I just have to question it's historical accuracy. (I can't question Claire and Frank's episode of this in Inverness on their honeymoon, but the rest of it, I absolutely cannot agree with.) And don't even get me started on the rape. It's like Black Jack Randall's go-to for when he finds somebody in his room, or a way to extract information from them. There's just way too much sex in this show! 

    The author's view was that having lots of sexual scenes and content in her books was that it was the strongest form of expressing your love for another person. This is absolutely not true! There are plenty of ways to express love for someone without both of you losing your virginity!!! I simply cannot agree with Mrs. Gabaldon's reasoning here.

Tartans

    Yes, I know there were no clan tartans in the 18th-Century, but why didn't the costume designer use the accepted tartans for the clans? Everything is so dull and drab. Tartans were colorful for a reason. They used plants and other dyes, and yes, while they were not as bright as they are today, couldn't you have used the ancient tartans. Another idea would be to actually weather them (like with the costumes of Pirates of the Caribbean): Soak the tartans in water, get them dirty; make them look used! Yes, I've read the costume designer's reasoning, and it does make sense. However, wouldn't she have maybe saved some time and perhaps money by just using the tartans attributed to Fraser, MacKenzie, MacDonald, and the other clans? (I'll cut some slack with Fraser, as the Fraser tartans were designed in the 1800s by the Sobieski Stuarts) For every Scottish movie I know of, this is one mistake they all make, or very nearly all make: Not using proper tartans.

Clans

    In my research about it, long before watching the show, I learned that Outlander did not include the MacLachlans charging across the field at Culloden. The MacLachlans are not included to my knowledge of the show at this point. Some people might think this is my bias towards my clan. Perhaps it is. The MacLachlans and their chief played a very important role in this Rising (not downing any of the other clans by any means whatsoever) I haven't gotten very far (I'm only in season two), but to my knowledge, the MacLachlan clan will not be present in the series.

    I also think there needs to be more clans besides mine introduced. Ewen MacPherson of Cluny played a pivotal role in the Rising, but I have yet to see him. And there are others, like Cameron of Lochiel that is a large figure in this Rebellion. Also, from what I know about Lord Fraser or Lovat, he wasn't so reluctant about joining the Cause. (On a positive note, his what's-in-it-for-me attitude was accurate, if I'm remembering rightly.)

MacKenzie Chief

    I am not sure if Colum is supposed to be the Chief of the entire MacKenzie clan or just one branch of the clan, but the name of the MacKenzies' chief during the '45 was not Colum. The chief who died in 1740's name was William MacKenzie, 5th Earl of Kintail. He was a Jacobite, and was present at the battles of Sheriffmuir and Glenshiel. His successor was Kenneth MacKenzie, but he was not a Jacobite. He could however be Gabaldon's inspiration behind the chief of MacKenzie in the show, which as a writer, I can respect, but why not just use the real chief int eh story? He did not openly support the Jacobite cause, but might have in secret.

Fraser/MacKenzie Rivalry

In the episode titled "The Fox's Lair", Lord Lovat describes Colum MacKenzie as his rival. The MacKenzies and Frasers were in fact allies, which is likely why Jamie's mother was a MacKenzie. A man and woman from a rival clan absolutely wouldn't not have married one another. (Though, again on a positive note, in the episode where Jamie gets in a fight with the MacDonald clansmen after the duel with Sandringham, he fights because they think he's a MacKenzie. The MacKenzies were rivals with the MacDonalds. He also doesn't like them, like Angus and Rupert don't, because the Frasers and MacDonalds are also rivals. This accurately portrays the clan rivalries.)

Six Things Correct on Outlander

Now for the pros. What aspects of this Scottish TV series are historically accurate?

Weapons

    There it is. Of course I brought it up. Aye, the swords and guns used by the MacKenzies, MacDonalds, Frasers, and the Redcoats and Jacobites as a whole are correct.

Kilts

    The show accurately portrays the great kilt, or belted plaid, from how Jamie demonstrates putting it on, to how the clansmen each wear it according to his personal tastes. During this period in history, small kilts had very recently come about, so I would have liked to see a couple of them every once in a while, but the great kilts present are very nice to see in this show.

Women's Clothing

    Claire's dresses given to her by the MacKenzies and other are period correct, as well as the outfits wort by Geillis Duncan and Jenny Murray. The tartan cloth worn over the skirts by the women is known as an earasaid, and it the feminine version of the man's great kilt. It was pleated, and held on with nothing except a belt and sometimes a broach or pin of some kind.

Bonnie Prince Charlie

    I have His Highness as a topic because he was all-around accurate in the show: Self-centered, a drunk, and having affairs (and illegitimate children) with several women. His wife's name was Louise, as was the girl he had an affair with in Paris. He was well known for getting into arguments with Lord George Murray about tactics, shoes for the men, and throwing tantrums if it got his way, even if he was at the time in a war council with his generals and advisors.

Diverse Army

The Jacobites were a varied bunch. From rich lairds like Lachlan MacLachlan and Alexander MacDonald of Keppoch (sorry, Jamie), to poor farmers armed with Lochaber axes and pitchforks, they had every background and standard of living among them.

Conscription

Dougal's mention of conscription in the "Je Suis Prest" episode was a fact of that time. Many man were forced to join the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion (some with threats towards their families and lives and land).

Did I miss anything, or get anything wrong? Let me know in the comments. I recommend the show, just watch it with Vidangel if you want to get into all that beautiful Scottish history, but not have to see the atrociousness of all that bad stuff.