S02-E09: Je Suis Prest
- Now this was one of my favorite episodes from season two. I like almost everything about it, even though a goodly chunk was not in the book. For example, Claire's PTSD. Even though it's a new element, you could imagine that happening to her, and it was totally plausible. I LIKED that it was there. I also loved seeing Lord John Grey (a.k.a. William -- he even gave the same "middle" name as he did in the book). It's OK, I was confused by the two different names too in the books. William Grey REALLY IS Lord John Grey, not his younger brother. People online are confused. Hopefully it will all get straightened out in season three, based on Voyager. Since they're making changes anyway, I think a totally appropriate one would have been to simplify the John/William Grey name thing and just go with John from the beginning. Diana Gabaldon called him William in Dragonfly in Amber, then decided in Voyager she wanted another major character named William, so she after-the-fact changed it to John (with some weak story as to why).
- One thing I'm picking up on that is a bit frustrating: Over and over we're seeing things that Jamie did in the book being handed to Claire in the TV show, to make her seem more in charge? For instance, in S01-E11 The Devil's Mark, when Jamie takes Claire back to Craigh na Dun, in the show Claire tells Jamie to take her home to Lallybroch. In the book, Jamie tells Claire he's going to do the second hardest thing he's ever done, take her home to Lallybroch (first hardest was take her there). In S02-E07 Faith, Claire tells Jamie to take her home to Scotland. In the book, it's not even an option. They have to leave France per the King's command. In this episode, Claire is the one who decides to trick William (John) Grey into spilling the beans on the soldiers he's with, but in the book that was Jamie's plan. There are lots of other examples. They're making TV Claire out to be more demanding than book Claire is, and I don't like that much. I realize they have creative license to do this, but the more they deviate from the original story and change people's character, the more I don't like it. Sometimes their additions to the story are perfectly fine and entertaining. I liked Murtagh and Suzette's interlude, and Murtagh with Fergus outside the hospital. But it only works if the changes are in character and plausible (like Claire's PTSD in this episode).
- Also, there are a LOT fewer tender moments between Claire and Jamie than in the books. It started off with a shortened stay at the abbey (in the books it was 5 weeks, in the TV show only about 1 week). So Jamie did need some time to heal, but months? And even once they were back together, there's hardly any tenderness between them still. Even after they get back together at the end of S01-E07 Faith their reunion is pretty pale compared to the Nettles scene in the book. There are only a few episodes left and I'm hopeful they'll bring it back before Culloden, otherwise how season one started off won't make sense. They need to be solidly together, and it's just not happening yet in the story. Ron Moore has talked about this season being about a married couple, not newlyweds, like last season. Well, Ron, married people stay married by keeping and building on the intimacy that develops in the honeymoon stage. If they lose it, they likely don't stay together. And in the books at least, Claire and Jamie have it very strongly, which gives them strength to endure their time apart. My two cents...
S02-E10: Prestonpans
- Although most people consider this one of the best episodes so far, when I watched it the first time I really didn't like it. But considering, it's about battle, and that's not something I typically watch or think about, I can appreciate it even though it's not my cup of tea.
- There was a lot going on. Many different stories woven together. Some I liked more than others.
- Loved Fergus, as always. Even though he ignored a direct order and went to battle without Jamie's permission. Thank goodness he survived, but he will always be affected by this.
- I thought the battle scenes were filmed really well. I liked that the sound was off. The savagery and brutality came through very well.
- I hated what Dougal did with Lt. Foster. His true character was revealed, and he got his due with the prince witnessing Dougal's true nature. Yet Jamie stood up for him and he really was cunning with his solution.
- It struck me as a bit odd that the prince wanted to fight. Yes, he's incredibly nieve, but if Jamie had let him fight and he'd been killed, wouldn't that have solved everything and avoided Culloden? And how COULD Jamie have ordered the prince to stay back with the General?
- Hated Angus' death. It was a surprise, but well played.
- The part of the story that I probably liked the least was Ross and Rupert singing at the end. Just didn't get it. They were both grieving for their friends, but why sing a song about it? It didn't seem in character.
- Wished we'd seen a bit more of Claire and Jamie's love for each other. But there hasn't been much at all this season. If my husband was going off to fight a dangerous battle where he might be killed, even if I believed our side would win, I'd say more than "Off you go soldier" as he left me.
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