This week was all about family drama and with the holidays coming up, all I can say is… I hope your holiday dinner table discussions are a little tamer than the Fraser-Grey-Ransom-Murray’s.
Story
This was a JUICY storyline and Writer and Executive Producer Toni Graphia KNEW she needed to get in on the action. And you know what? I absolutely feel that.
The Market
The market set that Jamie escorts John through wasn’t just a feast for the eyes on screen, it was a feast for the eyes in real life too. All departments worked together to create a physical world for the cameras to play in.
I’d say they knocked it out of the park – though let’s be honest, I wouldn’t expect anything less from our talented teams!
Take a look at some of the early sketches and renderings that helped bring the New Market set to life.
Said Production Designer Mike Gunn, “It was quite exhilarating… I remember walking off that set thinking, man, that’s a real set. That’s a proper set for a film camera to go in and just have fun… Something special happened down in Liverpool [where we filmed Philadelphia].”
The Set Decoration team researched paintings and history books to bring the vision of an 18th century market to life. Foundries, wheelwrights, tanneries, cannon makers, carts, carriages and even a mobile theatre make an appearance—a true feast for the eyes!
The cannons include a little nod to Production Designer Mike Gunn and Set Decorator Stuart Bryce. Made originally for the battles in the first half of Season 7, Gunn and Bryce couldn’t resist the opportunity to immortalize their names in metal when they were rebuilt for the market in Part 2.
Another Easter Egg: some of the background signs display the names of our hardworking and talented Outlander crew!
Not only are the signs an opportunity for the Art Department to have a bit of fun and feature their names in the show, but it actually helps with legal clearances too, moving them through much faster.
John & William
Who else was shocked seeing the usually so dignified Lord John battered, bruised, and a little bit unhinged?
To create the effect, David Berry traveled to London to have a mold taken of his face. Then, a prosthetic was made to fit over his eye (which, by the way, cut off his vision). Application took an hour.
“It looks very realistic,” said Berry. “So realistic that the amount of sympathy and shock I got from people on set was quite a thing to experience.”
I definitely feel for William but can we all agree he was a little bit messy this episode? So was the fight scene location.
Said Charles Vandervaart, “That was such a miserable day in terms of weather. There was so much rain. Lots of mud. I felt really bad for the wardrobe people because every time I would fall over I would just be covered in mud and they’d have to scrub it off for the next take. But it was also such a great day. I’m so fortunate to have great cast mates like Izzy and John.”
The drama continues for William at the brothel, where he meets the intriguing Arabella aka Jane.
For the screen, liberties were taken to highlight Silvia Presente’s beautiful hair. Said Hair and Makeup Designer Ann McEwan, “Silvia’s hair is gorgeous. Everyone was really happy with it… The producers wanted her hair down, which wasn’t common for the time, but it suited the part and suited her.”
The Brothel
As for the brothel space, Production Designer Mike Gunn and Set Decorator Stuart Bryce opted for a dark, simple color palette, electing instead to build color and texture through textiles, props, and an abundance of flowers.
Promotion
In this episode, Jamie Fraser is reacquainted with the one and only George Washington, who bestows upon him a great honor: a promotion to Brigadier General.
Though WE of course know Jamie Fraser as the King of Men, the writers put a lot of thought into making sure his ascent up the ranks this season felt earned. I’m just glad the future President of the United States now sees Jamie the way that we do.
