- First of all, this is the first time we see Jamie wearing breeches (pants)! Makes sense, since the Duke of Sandringham makes his appearance and we know he has a fondness for Jamie. Pants would provide a little more protection from a pervert than a kilt would. In the book, the first time Jamie wears pants is at Quarter Day, which cooresponds to episode S01-E12.
- This episode is very different than the corresponding chapter, with the same name, in the book.
- It plays up the political differences between the MacKenzie brothers (which I think was necessary for time) and ramps up the drama a bit (again, necessary for the medium).
- The Duke of Sandringham part is quite different, although I think they got the jist of him spot on. They added Claire meeting with the Duke surrepticiously, the whole part about Ned writing a letter for the Duke to try to get Jamie pardoned, and the duel where Jamie was his second wasn't in the book (I like the book version better, but I see the need to condense it down for TV and heighten the drama, still they left out one of my favorite stories about how Jamie avoided the Duke's amorous intentions when he was 16). Neither was Geillis' witch-dance in the woods in the book.
- Dougal's wife Maura dying right about the time that we find out Geillis is pregnant, and how Arthur dies are pretty close, except Dougal didn't freak out in the book.
- They changed the reason why Jamie was away when Claire was arrested for witchcraft. In the book, he went on a stag hunt with the Duke of Sandringham (to try to get his support for a pardon). But having him go with Dougal to keep an eye on him served the purpose. I would have thought though that Jamie would have left Murtagh behind to keep an eye on Claire (lessons learned from her past non-obedience to his orders). But if Claire hadn't ignored Jamie's warning and hadn't been arrested, the story would have gone off-track.
- And they left out a really cute scene of them meeting in the barn loft when Hamish comes in downstairs wanting to ride Donas, a really spirited horse that is WAY beyond his equestrian skills. He asks Jamie a loaded question: "He-said-ye-must-serve-a-lass-like-a-stallion-does-a-mare-and-I-didna-believe-him-but-is-it-true?" This sort of ties into Jamie's lack of knowledge on the subject on his wedding night. How he answers Hamish is cute.
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