Jamie’s killing me. His reaction to Claire being shot and his resignation in blood on the back of a soldier. So emotional…
Where is Jamie & Claire?
First off, did everyone spot the familiar faces in this week’s opening titles?
This episode was directed by Joss Agnew, who also directed the big battle episodes in Season 7, Part 1: Episodes 708 and 709. I’m declaring him our official war expert and wow, did he deliver!
Claire’s Costume
Let’s talk about Claire. This episode, the Costume Department had to craft an ensemble that not only looked good, but served the heart-breaking story as well.
Caitríona Balfe was a fan as well, saying, “To me, this costume–the linen waistcoat and jacket when she’s in the field hospital–screams practicality but it also looks cool. That, to me, is just very Claire.”
Jamie’s Uniform
Speaking of costumes, can we hear some commotion for Jamie’s uniform? Our JAMMF is now a Brigadier General with the official get-up to match.
The iconic blue and buff colors match the Continental General’s uniform worn by Washington himself, while the red sash identifies Jamie’s rank as Brigadier General.
New Sets
This episode introduced a brand new set, the Tennent Church, which had interiors in the studio and exteriors on location.
The Old Tennent Church is actually a very real church that still exists today that was indeed used as a hospital during the 1778 Battle of Monmouth.
Take a look at some of the Art Department’s renderings for this set below.
The Art Department also continued their work on the military camps they’d established in Part 1.
Said Set Decorator Stuart Bryce, “As the season progressed, we applied more decay to the environment. The tents got ripped. We patched them up even if they didn’t need patching up. Everything was muddy or grubby. The weather helped us. As we went from Saratoga to the Battle of Monmouth, the camps got bigger. We used every single asset we had and half of it blew away every other day.” Ah, Scotland!
This episode, we once again see the juxtaposition between the more rigid British standards versus the more freeform look of the Continentals.
William
While the British are *supposed* to be all buttoned up, that hasn’t necessarily been the case for our poor William lately (much to his superior’s chagrin), who has really been going through it over the last few episodes.
As well as putting his costume through the ringer, Charles Vandervaart has three wigs in order to play William: a tidy wig, a riding wig that won’t fall apart as he’s galloping, and an untidy wig. I’d say the untidy wig is seeing a little more use lately…
William found himself in quite a sticky situation this week and Charles Vandervaart was fully committed to making it all look realistic, much to his discomfort.
The Desk & Book
The time travel magic facilitated by the laird’s desk felt like classic Outlander.
The desk, which had been covered with a velvet cloth in earlier seasons, now had to send messages through time. To create a design that looked good in both the 20th and 18th centuries, Set Decorator Stuart Bryce said: “We came up with something slightly rococo… A lot of cabinetry in those days did have secret compartments. They were so clever. The ingenuity of the design in the 1600s and 1700s is inspiring.”
Before Bree finds that fateful letter, she pulls a book by the late Frank Randall off the shelf. Here’s a detailed look at that book…
Roger & Buck Costumes
Roger and Buck have been on quite the epic side quest this season.
For their looks, the team took the clothes from their previous travels and let them get dirtier as the episodes progressed. Same for their hair and make-up. Said Designer Ann McEwan, “They’re outside all the time, so we weathered them up. We broke up Roger’s beard line so it’s not so carved–he’s not tidying himself up. Buck’s wig was left to go untidy. He was quite an untidy character when he arrived, so he’s not too changed.”
Diarmaid Murtahg
Few characters have had quite the transformation Buck MacKenzie has, and most of that comes down to the talented Diarmaid Murtagh, who helped bring Buck from enemy to beloved family member.
