The answer to that is “yes”. God forbid that all white people and western civilization were NOT portrayed as undiluted evil, the rights and wrongs of history not exclusively the domain of every person whose ancestors originated in Europe.

I did a couple of anthro units when completing an economics Masters and vaguely remember reading that mental illness was almost unheard of in many tribal cultures the proposition being that widespread mental illness became a malady associated with the industrial revolution.

I agree. Turning the past into a morality play, in which grandstanding moralists and, dear god, TV shows act as saviours, can have deleterious consequences for the way we understand it. Looking back on earlier times is a privileged and elevated position from which to view it, one that is often distorted by current…

How much raping and mental illness happened in indigenous populations, do you think? I know it’s been said before, but Gabaldon’s obsession with rape is extraordinary.

Both the character Brianna and the actress playing her are both pretty awful. Given Outlander’s good record of turning unknowns into superstars, it was likely they’get one wrong. Must be hard turning an unlikable book character into a likable TV character and perhaps that’s not the point.

Yes, they do. From here on in the book plots become absolutely bonkers.

Remember they were going to boot us out last year? I’m grateful that AV Club allows us this place to play/disagree and that the reviewer allows us to disagree with her without censure.

There are different types of Magical Goat Ladies? I’ve got to get out more.

I miss Murtagh. Jamie seems off centre without his pigeon pair.

I think the reviewer has an interesting perspective in that she hasn’t read the books. Last night I thought, “Huh” when the goat lady helped Claire to escape and then I remembered the much longer and better developed plot from the books.

She’s been almost raped so often, it’s a conditioned response now.

She rushed out into the danger to do something stupid....AGAIN. Perhaps they don’t want her back.

Russell Crowe, Punks. In sweaty, tightly fitting clothes.

I mean “claudia storer”. So hard to keep ALL my identities straight.

I have 2 Masters, one in science, and my husband seems to think that my inability to diagnose that lump on his elbow is sheer laziness.

Exactly! Where has been all this time? HAving a life? Pfffft!

Then there’s hope for the Brianna haters?

Hey Punky. Claire has almost stopped crying in this season. And she’s barely scowled once. Where have you been by the way? I think I was “Australia” last time we spoke.

Get’s me every time.

Agreed. I wonder how non-book readers are faring with this whole season. Without the books, the sequence of events and the characters feelings and motivations must remain somewhat of a mystery at this point. It must seem very rushed and somewhat opportunistic.