For those suffering from Black Sails withdrawal – after a wonderful season finale, I might add – Starz is finally giving us the second half of Outlander, season one, beginning this Saturday. It’s been a long hiatus, but I can’t wait to return to the eighteenth century Highlands!
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| One of the best shows on television!* |
Outlander was the show that surprised me the most last fall. I had not read the books by Diana Gabaldon, and knew little more than they had a time-travel premise where a twentieth century woman is transported back to eighteenth century Scotland. What I discovered was one of the best shows on television. It’s the equal to Black Sails and Game of Thrones – and, yes, I truly believe that.
The show could not have been better cast, and I love the narration by Caitriona Balfe, who plays Claire Beauchamp, the series’ protagonist. Since watching the show last fall, I’ve begun reading Outlander, the first book in Gabaldon’s series. Much of the show’s narration comes straight from the text, and the show has been fairly faithful to the book. I’m barely a quarter of the way through, but it’s been a wonderful read.
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| The book’s been as good as the show! |
That said, I plan on reading the book slowly so it doesn’t spoil the show. Sometimes it’s better that way. In Game of Thrones, for instance, the Red Wedding was hardly a shocker since I’d read A Storm of Swords long before it aired. I think that spoiled it a bit. For Outlander, I’ve decided to let the show carry the day. And because the book’s so well-written, it remains a joy to read even though I know what’s going to happen.
But those are just my thoughts. Are you looking forward to Outlander? And, for novels that have become films or TV series, do you prefer reading the book first or waiting until after the show?
DAN ASUNCION
June 8, 2015 - 6:46 pm ·Hi, Joseph!
"Vellum"… when I saw that word, I knew that I must CLICK. 🙂
[I was looking at p.1 for OUTLANDER blogs, then
impulsively clicked on the 3rd page of results, instead.
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Yes, I too had never heard of the books, before the TV show.
Of course, the guy she discovers after tumbling through
time is much more muscular than her 20th century guy:
Isn't that ALWAYS the way!
But, I've seen an interview that TOBIAS did, arm in arm
with LOTTE VERBEEK, & he is utterly CHARMING. I
could imagine HIM being the GOOD GUY that she
discovers after travelling into the past; maybe the
muscular guy would play her CRUEL boyfriend in the
20th century! Actors are VERY good at what they do.
THEY CAN MAKE US BELIEVE… 🙂
Joseph Finley
June 9, 2015 - 5:38 pm ·Dan, thanks for the comment, and I'm glad you discovered the blog! Tobias is an incredible actor and really made the show. I'm watching HBO's Rome right now and realized he plays Brutus in that drama. Then I was reminded that he plays Edmure Tully on Game of Thrones. Quite the resume!
DAN ASUNCION
June 17, 2015 - 6:27 pm ·Joseph:))
Just to add to TOBIAS' resume – I saw him in Daniel Craig's
CASINO ROYALE – in MI6 headquarters, he talks, by phone,
to M.
P.S.
Thank you for replying to comments. Many bloggers
don't!
Joseph Finley
June 19, 2015 - 10:44 pm ·Dan, you are welcome. I'll look for him the next time I watch Casino Royale. It was the best Bond film in a long time. Still loving his work in HBO's Rome.
Paul Daniel Asuncion
June 29, 2015 - 6:56 pm ·"I'll Never Find Another You" by THE SEEKERS. Do you
remember this song, Joseph?
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It would've been an elegantly simple way to tell the viewers
that GEILLIS was from the future:
She could've quietly sung this song in order to
comfort CLAIRE, during their final night in that
BELOW ground jail cell. Of course, CLAIRE
would not recognize this song, maybe it would
help her drift off to sleep…
P.S.
A slower tempo than THE SEEKERS would be
especially poignant & dramatic for VIEWERS.
Joseph Finley
June 30, 2015 - 7:05 am ·I like the idea. My first clue was Geillis' use of the word "barbecue." At first I thought the writers had made a mistake in the dialogue, until the vaccination mark was revealed. The song would have been a better clue.
DAN ASUNCION
July 7, 2017 - 10:37 pm ·HAPPY 4th of JULY, JOSEPH!
STEPHEN HAWKING is a bit skeptical about
time travel: He asks – where are all of the
time travelling TOURISTS?
________________________________________
I dare say that, I dare to disagree with
THE HAWK: There's tourists here in
HALIFAX now, but sometimes I CAN'T tell,
at a glance, who's a local and who's from
"out of town".
TOURISTS are sometimes told, in some
countries, "Don't drink the water." MAYBE
TIME TOURISTS are told, "Don't give away
clues that you're not from here – or,
rather, from NOW!
____________________________
RONALD MALLETT, famous physicist, originally
got into physics because, as a grieving boy,
he had wanted to go back in time, and warn
his father that an early, fatal heart attack
was imminent, unless the father sought
medical advice…
BUT, I think that RONALD would have to resist
telling his DAD that he was his DAD'S future son
all grown up: RONALD, at best, could befriend
his young DAD, and become a confidant. Then,
RONALD'S DAD might listen to RONALD about how
it's important to take VERY GOOD care of one's
health…