Outlander Is the Genre-Busting, Convention-Breaking Show We All Need Right Now—Thanks to Its Deliciously Complicated Leading Ladies

Outlander, the genre busting and wildly entertaining Starz series, adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s best-selling books, has built a true fandom over its past five seasons. While many of the TV series that inspire deep devotion tend to be—we’ll just come out with it— a little nerdy, and more than a little male-oriented, Outlander is as riveting as it is relatable. And while fans painstakingly unpack episodes, trade theories about plot points and obsess over the show’s historical underpinnings, it’s ultimately a character-driven enterprise. The action hinges on time-travel, and there’s no shortage of romance, but the appeal of the drama is its expertly-drawn characters—especially its female protagonists. Never stereotypical, the series shows women as the multi-dimensional forces they are. “You know, it’s funny, my knee jerk reaction is always that we’re not setting out to make a statement about women,” says executive producer Maril Davis. “We’re just trying to show women as they are, in their most natural, amazing state.”

Continue ReadingOutlander Is the Genre-Busting, Convention-Breaking Show We All Need Right Now—Thanks to Its Deliciously Complicated Leading Ladies

Find Out Why Outlander Executive Producer Maril Davis Calls Season 6 ‘a Rollercoaster Ride More Than Any Other Season’

When Outlander returns for its sixth season on Starz beginning Sunday, March 6, fans will finally witness the aftermath of Season 5’s heinous attack on Claire (Caitriona Balfe). What happens next with her and husband Jamie (Sam Heughan) as they deal with the fallout? In a departure from the Diana Gabaldon novel, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, on which Season 6 is based, more focus will be placed on Claire’s struggles to recover and deal with what we would today label PTSD.

“When we read the books, it’s dealt with in little bits and bobs here and there, but she never really deals with it,” Outlander executive producer Maril Davis exclusively tells Parade. “And it felt like such a traumatic experience that it didn’t seem like we could ignore that, and it didn’t seem like we did justice to the character if we did. And so, we really leaned into that. I think the writers did an amazing job with coming up with this coping mechanism for Claire.”

Continue ReadingFind Out Why Outlander Executive Producer Maril Davis Calls Season 6 ‘a Rollercoaster Ride More Than Any Other Season’