Dania Ramirez and Adelaide Kane in ‘Once Upon a Time’ season 7 episode 4 (Photo by Jack Rowand / ABC)
The short teaser trailer for ABC’s Once Upon a Time season seven episode four provides a brief glimpse of Belle as well as lots of craziness from Alice. Season seven episode three found Cinderella teaming up with Tiana, Henry, Regina, and Hook to take on Lady Tremaine. Meanwhile in Hyperion Heights, Jacinda made the difficult decision to do what’s right instead of taking the easy way out and agreeing to Victoria Belfrey’s proposal. And, Lucy spent the episode trying to get Henry to remember she and her mother are his family.
Once Upon a Time season seven episode four is titled “Beauty” and will air on October 27, 2017. Season seven stars Lana Parrilla as Regina/Roni, Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiltskin/Weaver, Colin O’Donoghue as Hook/Rogers, Andrew J. West as Henry Mills, Gabrielle Anwar as Lady Tremaine/Victoria Belfrey, Dania Ramirez as Cinderella/Jacinda, Alison Fernandez as Lucy, Mekia Cox as Sabine/Tiana, and Adelaide Kane as Drizella/Ivy.
The “Beauty” Plot: It’s Halloween in Hyperion Heights and Victoria forces Ivy to take Lucy trick-or-treating. Meanwhile, Tilly appears to be waking up from the curse and is intent on leading Weaver to the truth – but not if Victoria can help it. In a flashback, Rumple and Belle seek the answer to a prophecy that could cement their happy ending.
Gabrielle Anwar as Victoria Belfrey (Photo by Jack Rowand / ABC)Dania Ramirez as Jacinda and Adelaide Kane as Ivy Belfrey (Photo by Jack Rowand / ABC)Adelaide Kane as Ivy Belfrey (Photo by Jack Rowand / ABC)
Lionsgate’s unleashed a new trailer for The Commuter along with a new poster featuring Liam Neeson. The action-thriller reunites Liam Neeson with his Run All Night, Non-Stop, and Unknown director Jaume Collet-Serra. Collet-Serra also wrote the screenplay along with Philip de Blasi and Ryan Engle.
In addition to Neeson, the cast includes Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel), Patrick Wilson (Fargo), Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul), Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), and Sam Neill (House of Bond, Peaky Blinders). The PG-13 action film is produced by Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman.
The Commuter will open in theaters on January 12, 2018.
The Plot: In this action-packed thriller, Liam Neeson plays an insurance salesman, Michael, on his daily commute home, which quickly becomes anything but routine. After being contacted by a mysterious stranger, Michael is forced to uncover the identity of a hidden passenger on his train before the last stop. As he works against the clock to solve the puzzle, he realizes a deadly plan is unfolding and is unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy. One that carries life and death stakes, for himself and his fellow passengers.
Liev Schreiber as Ray Donovan in ‘Ray Donovan’ season 5 (Photo: Jeff Neumann / SHOWTIME)Showtime announced the critically acclaimed dramatic series Ray Donovan starring Liev Schreiber has been renewed for a sixth season. The upcoming season will move the series from Los Angeles where it’s been based for five years to New York City. Production is expected to get underway on season six early next year.
Per Showtime’s official announcement, season six of Ray Donovan will consist of 12 episodes. The network confirmed the show’s return just days prior to the season five finale.
“Ray Donovan broke new ground this season with its deeply emotional and innovative approach to Abby’s passing, without sacrificing any of the intensity that has been its trademark,” said Gary Levine, President of Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “We so appreciate that David Hollander is never satisfied with the status quo, and his creative plan for moving the show to New York reflects his relentless ambition for this series.”
“For our show, creatively, New York is exciting. Fashion, media, finance, theatre, culture. It’s going to present new challenges for Ray Donovan which mean new opportunities for us as dramatists,” explained showrunner David Hollander. “Ray came to Los Angeles to build a life for himself and his family. They’re not there anymore. Ray’s career has changed and he is looking for a place to rebuild his life. Ray thinks he went to New York to help his daughter. He’s going to find out he’s there to help himself.”
The Season 5 Plot: The current season of Ray Donovan finds Ray (Schreiber) turning his attention back to Hollywood and his celebrity fixer firm, while struggling to deal with the recent death of his wife and family matriarch Abby (Paula Malcomson). As the season comes to a close, Ray’s fractured relationship with his daughter Bridget (Kerris Dorsey) draws him to New York to make amends for a past wrongdoing. In the riveting season finale airing this weekend, Ray enlists the help of Hollywood mogul Sam Winslow (Susan Sarandon), who agrees to help Ray, but on the condition that Ray commit a brutal act. Meanwhile, Mickey (Jon Voight) tries to get himself out of jail by turning the tables on Ray.
The cast also includes Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok, Steven Bauer, Katherine Moennig, Pooch Hall and Devon Bagby. Additional season-five guest stars include Brian White (Chicago Fire), Adina Porter (American Horror Story), Rhys Coiro (Entourage), Lili Simmons (Hawaii Five-0), Tara Buck (True Blood), C. Thomas Howell (Criminal Minds) and Dominique Columbus (Sickhouse).
CBS All Access announced the new Star Trek series, Star Trek: Discovery, has been renewed for a second season. The sci-fi series airs on CBS’ digital subscription service and stars Sonequa Martin-Green (First Officer Michael Burnham), Doug Jones (Lieutenant Saru), Jason Isaacs (Captain Gabriel Lorca), Shazad Latif (Lieutenant Ash Tyler), Anthony Rapp (Lieutenant Paul Stamets), Michelle Yeoh (Captain Philippa Georgiou), Mary Wiseman (Cadet Sylvia Tilly), Chris Obi (T’Kuvma), Mary Chieffo (L’Rell), James Frain (Ambassador Sarek), Rainn Wilson (Harry Mudd), Terry Serpico (Admiral Anderson), Maulik Pancholy (Doctor Nambue), Damon Runyan (Ujilli), Rekha Sharma (Commander Landry), Kenneth Mitchell (Kol), Clare McConnell (Dennas), and Sam Vartholomeos (Ensign Connor).
Alex Kurtzman, Bryan Fuller, Heather Kadin, Gretchen J. Berg, Aaron Harberts, Akiva Goldsman, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth are season one’s executive producers.
Season one debuted on Sunday, September 24, 2017 and will air in two chapters. Chapter one’s episodes run September 24th through November 12th. Chapter two will premiere in January 2018 and will consist of six new episodes.
“In just six episodes, Star Trek: Discovery has driven subscriber growth, critical acclaim and huge global fan interest for the first premium version of this great franchise,” stated Marc DeBevoise, President and Chief Operating Officer, CBS Interactive. “This series has a remarkable creative team and cast who have demonstrated their ability to carry on the Star Trek legacy. We are extremely proud of what they’ve accomplished and are thrilled to be bringing fans a second season of this tremendous series.”
The Plot:Star Trek: Discovery follows the voyages of Starfleet on their missions to discover new worlds and new life forms, and one Starfleet officer who must learn that to truly understand all things alien, you must first understand yourself. The series will feature a new ship and new characters, while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers.
Focus Features has released the first official trailer and theatrical poster for the dramatic film, Phantom Thread. Phantom Thread reunites Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis with writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson. The two previously collaborated on the Oscar winning film, There Will Be Blood. Phantom Thread also marks the final film with Daniel Day-Lewis before he retires from acting.
In addition to Daniel Day-Lewis, the cast includes Lesley Manville and Vicky Krieps. Phantom Thread will open in theaters on December 25, 2017.
The Plot: Set in the glamour of 1950’s post-war London, renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at the center of British fashion, dressing royalty, movie stars, heiresses, socialites, debutants and dames with the distinct style of The House of Woodcock. Women come and go through Woodcock’s life, providing the confirmed bachelor with inspiration and companionship, until he comes across a young, strong-willed woman, Alma (Vicky Krieps), who soon becomes a fixture in his life as his muse and lover. Once controlled and planned, he finds his carefully tailored life disrupted by love. With his latest film, Paul Thomas Anderson paints an illuminating portrait both of an artist on a creative journey, and the women who keep his world running.
Turns out there’s a legitimate reason Warner Bros Pictures chose not to screen Geostorm for critics in advance of its theatrical opening. The $120-ish million disaster film which marked the directorial debut of writer/producer Dean Devlin played to near empty theaters, ringing up a measly $13 million over its first three days in release. The Snowman, based on the bestselling novel by Jo Nesbø and starring Michael Fassbender, is also a box office loser. The film was slammed by critics and apparently in this particular case, ticket buyers agreed with the reviews. CinemaScore has The Snowman sitting at a D as voted on by audiences, and Rotten Tomatoes has the thriller registering a 9% approval rating, with 11 fresh reviews and 113 rotten.
Only the Brave came in at $6 million which was pretty much what everyone expected. The film has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and audiences gave it an A, according to CinemaScore. However, it just couldn’t generate much business despite being based on a heroic true story. It’s possible strong word of mouth will help Only the Brave out next weekend, however it’ll have strong competition from Thank You for Your Service which is going after Only the Brave‘s target audience.
Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! took the top spot, as expected, but it pulled in $7 million less than the original film. Despite not matching the first film’s opening numbers, Boo 2! is still sitting pretty on top of the box office chart at $21 million.
Next Up: Opening in theaters over the Halloween 2017 weekend is a new addition to the Saw franchise, Jigsaw. Jigsaw should take over the top spot fairly easily, given the Saw audiences’ support of past entries in the horror film franchise. Suburbicon, directed by George Clooney and starring Matt Damon, is also heading to theaters on October 27th.
Box Office Top 10: October 20-22, 2017
Tyler Perry’s Boo 2! A Madea Halloween – $21,650,000
The CW’s Supernatural season 13 episode three welcomes back Loretta Devine (The Carmichael Show, Being Mary Jane) as Missouri Mosley. Psychic Mosley was first introduced back in season one of the series in an episode titled “Home.” Season 13 episode three was directed by Robert Singer from a script by Robert Berens. Titled “Patience,” episode three will air on October 26, 2017.
The season 13 cast includes Jensen Ackles as Dean, Jared Padalecki as Sam, Misha Collins as Castiel, Mark Pellegrino as Lucifer, Alexander Calvert as Jack, and Samantha Smith as Mary Winchester.
The “Patience” Plot: LORETTA DEVINE RETURNS AS MISSOURI MOSLEY – When her friend is murdered by a wraith (guest star Jon Cor) with a taste for psychics, Missouri (guest star Loretta Devine) enlists the help of Dean (Ackles) and Jody (guest star Kim Rhodes) to protect her granddaughter, Patience (guest star Clark Backo), who has no idea she shares her grandmother’s trait and could be next on the wraith’s hit list. Meanwhile, Sam (Padalecki) continues to work with Jack (Alexander Calvert) on learning how to control his powers.
The Season 13 Plot: The exciting journey of the Winchester brothers continues as Supernatural enters its thirteenth season. Sam and Dean have encountered every kind of supernatural threat, facing down monsters, demons, and gods. Saving people, hunting things, and keeping the world safe. In the show’s twelfth season, the Winchesters were reunited with their long-dead mother, and joined forces with the British arm of the Men of Letters. But things turned from bad to worse, with the return of Lucifer and the surprising revelation that the Devil is expecting a child. Now, Sam and Dean find themselves facing a creature of almost unimaginable power… one that could save the world… or destroy it.
The CW’s Arrow season six episode two found Oliver working with Team Arrow to come up with a legitimate reason there’s a photo of Oliver in the Green Arrow suit all over the news. Episode two of the current season also revealed Oliver’s son is being picked on in school, Felicity and Curtis are exploring the formation of their own tech company, and – most importantly – Oliver is turning over the Green Arrow suit and duties to John Diggle.
Up next, season six episode three directed by Kevin Tancharoen from a script by Speed Weed and Oscar Balderrama. Episode three is titled “Next of Kin” and will air on October 26, 2017.
The cast of season six includes Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen/Arrow, David Ramsey as John Diggle/Spartan, Willa Holland as Thea Queen/Speedy, Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak, Echo Kellum as Curtis Holt/Mr. Terrific, Katie Cassidy as Black Siren, Jack Moore as William Clayton, and Rick Gonzalez as Rene Ramirez/Wild Dog.
The “Next of Kin” Plot: DC CHARACTER ONYX VISITS STAR CITY — A rogue black ops team led by Onyx (guest star Chastity Dotson) breaks into Kord Industries and steals something lethal. Oliver (Amell) struggles to connect with William (guest star Jack Moore) so he reaches out to a surprising source for help.
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 8 Episode 1 (Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC)
Lingering closeups of a weary Rick (Andrew Lincoln), a cane, flowers, and the face of a clock reading 8:21 kick off season eight of AMC’s The Walking Dead. As season eight episode one – the show’s 100th episode – begins, Rick is standing at the foot of a grave. An unspecified amount of time has gone by, and in another clip, we see members of Rick’s group gathering metal.
The scene shifts to Rick telling the citizens of Alexandria, Hilltop, and the Kingdom the bigger world is theirs by right. He believes that’s even more true since they came together.
An arrow’s shot and lands near Dwight (Austin Amelio). He unfurls its message and it simply states, “Tomorrow.” Dwight scribbles on the note and reattaches it to an arrow. He shoots it back at Daryl (Norman Reedus) who’s outside of the Saviors complex.
Rick continues his speech, saying it’s time to end the rule of those who take the world and call it their own. Only Negan has to die, and Rick vows to kill him himself. He’s also ready to take down those who stand with Negan and those who turn a blind eye.
“Together” is the key theme to his speech, and King Ezekiel (Khary Payton) joins Rick and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) to declare those who join together his brothers and sisters. Maggie adds her voice, saying they practiced this repeatedly and the plan doesn’t end this morning, reminding them they all have to keep their faith in each other. “If we can hold onto that with everything we have, the future is ours. The world is ours.”
Tara (Alanna Masterson) and Carol (Melissa McBride) make notes of times and movements. A large horde of walkers pass under the bridge they’re positioned on.
Rick glances down at the grave again. Once more to the closeup of the cane, flowers, and clock stopped at 8:21. The closeups lead into a shot of an older Rick in bed, with a full, neatly trimmed beard and lots of grey in his hair.
Once more to a shot of Rick, tears flowing, eyes bloodshot, and looking exhausted.
Carl (Chandler Riggs) drives a van down the road, stopping at a gas station. He hears a man going off about being shot, mumbling about lessons his mother taught him. Carl locates the stranger and as they begin to talk, Rick shoots over the guy’s head. Rick wants him gone, believing he might have been a spy. He doesn’t kill him and if he’s not a spy, Rick admits he hopes he makes it.
The note Dwight wrote reveals the locations of Negan’s lookouts. Each location is crossed off the list after Daryl, Morgan (Lennie James), and Rick take them out.
It’s 30 minutes to attack time and Father Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) asks Rick if he’s ready. Rick claims just one person brought them to this and Gabriel advises him this preparation for war is also rooted in just one person – Rick.
Tara and Carol are joined by Morgan and Daryl on the bridge at 7:49.
Rick kisses his young daughter goodbye and then shares a passionate kiss with Michonne (Danai Gurira). Carl watches and then he and his dad hug. “This is the end of it,” says Rick as he gets into a truck and leaves, followed by a brigade of vehicles all plated in scrap metal. Carl remains behind as do Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Michonne. They’re ready to defend Alexandria.
Rick stabs one of Negan’s men and then goes through his supplies. The man struggles to speak, saying he remembers Rick begging and crying. Rick crosses that location off his lookout list and then turns a walker loose on the barely-alive man. He signals the group and the caravan appears.
The caravan makes its way to a field and now we’re caught up with the moments prior to Rick, King Ezekiel, and Maggie’s speech. The well-armed fighters prepare to go to war. Some pray, some make new friends. Maggie is ready for this, joking that you can wage war through the second trimester. She needs to stand with the Hilltop, at least for the first part of the battle, since she convinced them to stand up to Negan’s Saviors.
Rick actually laughs at Maggie, and then they discuss what tomorrow might look like. Rick is anxious and can’t wait for it, and Maggie assures him there’s just one more fight. King Ezekiel tells Maggie they have a doctor in case she’s worried, but Jesus believes the Hilltop will get theirs back. King Ezekiel declares they’re going to reshape this world. As the leaders break up their talk, Rick tells Maggie that the Hilltop is lucky to have her. He also reveals that after this, he’s following her.
7:50am. Tara, Carol, Daryl, and Morgan wait as Tara counts down 10 seconds. Nothing happens and Tara says, “Shit!” A few more seconds pass and the horde is now approaching the bridge. The team race away, Daryl on his motorcycle. The vehicle left on the bridge explodes.
Back at the Saviors’ camp, radio communications indicate the explosion on the bridge was heard. Two cars, 10 guns, and a few motorcycles are sent out, but they assume it’s probably just something that was left under a dead body. (It’s Dwight on the radio commanding the group.)
A cord is stretched across the road as Carol, Morgan, Tara, and Daryl stand on an overhead pedestrian walkway over the street the Saviors will take to investigate the explosion.
Dwight leaves his post as two of Negan’s lookouts at the camp are shot. The armored caravan, which includes the motorhome, arrives outside Negan’s gates. The fighters all get into position behind the armor and a few fire their guns in the air at Maggie’s command. They then wait for action and it doesn’t take long before Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Dwight, and a few of his men emerge from the building. Negan smiles.
Once again, we return to the red-eyed, worn-out Rick. He looks up at a stained glass sign. He’s alone.
And now we’re back to the older Rick in bed. He checks his watch and then greets Michone in the kitchen, chiding her for turning off the alarm. She smiles, reassuring him they can manage without him for one morning. He’s walking with a cane.
Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes in ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 8, Episode 1 (Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC)
Back to the action, Negan has five people with him (including Eugene) as he claims they don’t need to shoot it up, reminding Rick his d*ck is the bigger of the two. He doesn’t look worried as he says he actually doesn’t care if his penis isn’t bigger, he’s not going to let his people die over this particular contest. But, he says Rick’s about to let his men die because of it. Negan wants to know what he can do for Rick, and Rick begins calling out the names of the people assembled behind Negan. Eugene starts to talk but Rick immediately cuts him off.
Rick tells the five, and the Saviors inside the building within earshot, they have a chance to survive if they surrender. Now’s the only time Rick can guarantee that. None do, and Negan smiles again.
Back at the overhead walkway, Morgan’s forced to go back to the street level to kill a walker who might set off their explosion.
Negan thinks Rick’s offering his people a good deal. Then he asks about himself, and Rick reminds him he’s twice told him what’s going to happen. Negan thinks Rick has no idea what’s about to go down. He also wonders if Rick has the numbers for this fight, and then answers his own question saying Rick doesn’t.
Gregory, the leader of Hilltop, emerges next to Negan. Gregory announces the Hilltop stands with Negan and the Saviors. If anyone takes up arms, they will no longer be welcome in the Hilltop. Plus, their families will be thrown out. Negan urges him on and Gregory says to go home now or there will be no home to go back to.
No one moves in Rick’s group but Maggie tells the Hilltop members near her to do what they have to do. Again, none budge. Negan suggests the Hilltoppers leave and go back to whatever they normally do with their daily lives. Maggie calls out that no one is leaving and Jesus interrupts Gregory when he tries to say once again that the Hilltop stands with Negan. Jesus shouts, “The Hilltop stands with Maggie.”
Returning to Carol’s team, Morgan spots the Saviors’ cars approaching and doesn’t have time to make it back to the bridge. He shelters in place instead. The cars blow up as they hit the tripwire.
Negan’s number two, Simon (Steven Ogg), expresses his disappointment in Gregory and shoves him off the platform.
Outside the Saviors’ complex, Rick and Maggie nod when they see the smoke from the explosion. The nod is passed on by King Ezekiel and goes down the line.
Rick once again tells Negan’s lieutenants to make up their minds. Negan’s smile is gone but as Rick begins his countdown from 10, it returns. Rick stops at 7 and begins firing. Negan and his men make a run for it as the combined forces begin firing into the building’s windows.
Morgan walks through the wreckage as the horde of walkers approach their location. Tara and Morgan leave in one car as Carol gives Daryl a hug and tells him to be careful. Daryl says, “Shit, this is going to be fun,” but Carol says it isn’t. They do agree it’s better than letting things be.
Back at the Saviors’ complex, Maggie screams, “Now!” and most of the group return to their vehicles.
Daryl is just feet in front of the massive horde when he starts up his motorcycle. He shoots at specific targets as he leads the group forward, each shot setting off a fiery explosion so the horde can easily follow his path. It also alerts Rick and Father Gabriel as to how close the horde is to the Saviors’ complex.
Rick and Father Gabriel remain in place and fire at the complex. At a specific moment, Father Gabriel gives the signal and Rick blows up the motorhome. Negan limps out of the building and Rick fires at him. Gabriel pulls him away, reminding Rick it’s not about him since Rick doesn’t want to stop shooting at the place where Negan’s barely concealed. Before he runs away with Father Gabriel, Rick snaps a Polaroid of Negan hiding.
Rick and Father Gabriel get in the two remaining vehicles as the massive zombie horde approaches the Saviors’ complex. Father Gabriel’s about to drive away when he sees Gregory, injured and asking for help. Father Gabriel can’t leave him so he rushes out to help Gregory. He assures him he’ll take him to safety as the Saviors begin shooting at the horde. Gregory panics and runs to Father Gabriel’s car. He drives away leaving Father Gabriel at the mercy of the zombie horde.
Carl returns to the gas station where he saw the stranger and leaves him some canned food with a note reading, “Sorry.”
The cars have reassembled away from the action and King Ezekiel smiles.
Rick and Daryl wait outside of town with part of the group for Father Gabriel, but he should have been at their location by now. Rick explains that Father Gabriel stopped to get him instead of fleeing, but he’s unaware Father Gabriel also stopped to save Gregory. They have to head out and Rick repeats Father Gabriel’s words when Daryl asks if he’s okay. “This is not about me,” says Rick.
Morgan, Tara, and Dianne (Kerry Cahill) are positioned outside the gate at a Saviors’ facility. Dianne’s not sure she can hit the guards with arrows given that there are so many zombies being kept inside the fence as undead shields.
At another gate, Daryl takes out a guard and he and Rick push open the gate.
Carol, King Ezekiel, and a group of the Kingdom’s men march down a street. They fire at a Savior, but he tosses a grenade their way.
The horde makes its way into the main Saviors complex. Father Gabriel tries to flee and finally makes his way into a building. Unfortunately, it’s the same small building where Negan is holed up. “I hope you’ve got your shitting pants on,” says Negan, clearly gleeful at this turn of events. Walkers surround the building.
So, apparently the older Rick isn’t that much older as his daughter’s still fairly young (five or six-ish). They’re all preparing for a festival and she tells him they’ve built a big owl and it’s right outside. She holds his hand and he sees the owl and people tending to gardens.
Yet another scene of Rick with bloodshot eyes and tears running down his cheeks. He says, “My mercy prevails over my wrath.”
The scene transforms to Rick finishing up his speech, saying he doesn’t want to wait for this anymore, and neither do any of the rest of them. “With everything we’ve beat, everything we’ve endured, everything we’ve risen above, everything we’ve become, if we start tomorrow right now, no matter what comes next we’ve won. We’ve already won!” The crowd cheers.
Episode 100 ends with title cards reading “In Memory of John Bernecker” and “In Memory of George Romero.”
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 3 episode 6 (Photo Courtesy of Starz)
Slainte Mhath to our Sassenach and A. Malcolm!!! After I watched this week’s episode of Starz’s Outlander, one word came to mind (after the word passion of course) …AWKWARD!!! Every touch, every conversation, every renewed acquaintance has an undercurrent of awkwardness and tension to the situation. But wouldn’t that be exactly what would happen after 20 years of being thought dead by everyone but Jamie (Sam Heughan)? Claire (Caitriona Balfe) must convince people she isn’t dead, but I am getting ahead of the events of Outlander season three episode six. Let’s start back at the Print Shop of Alexander Malcolm. {Fan tidbit, the set for the Print Shop was reworked from Master Raymond’s Apothecary in season two.}
At the end of season three episode five, “Freedom & Whisky,” we watched as Claire took her trip toward the print shop of A. Malcolm. This episode starts with A. Malcolm, Himself! Jamie looks so dashing heading down High Street, but I do miss the kilt. He reaches the shop and wipes a smudge off the same sign that Claire would be touching in a matter of minutes. He heads into the shop and goes about his business. Jamie’s business is not just simply printing, but has a bit of a knack for seditious printing. At least it was seditious, according to the Crown. What would we expect from our dashing hero who has almost been killed for treason so very many times already in his life?
After sending some workers away with tasks to attend to, he begins to work on a printing project. Jamie takes out a pair of spectacles to view his handiwork. (The glasses are new. With all he has been through, it’s amazing he only needs glasses.) The bell at the front door rings as someone enters, and here is Jamie’s perspective of Claire’s entrance back into his life. He looks up, falls back on the press, and promptly faints. Cue the “The Skye Boat” music. It was great they gave us Jamie’s side of it; we don’t get that very much in the books since things are told from Claire’s point of view.
Jamie’s eyes clear and he sees Claire leaning over him. She made her way down to him on the floor while he was passed out. They both are wrapped in incredible emotion all at once. During Jamie’s fall, he knocked the ale he was drinking onto his pants. He thought maybe he had lost all control of his faculties but was relieved when it was just the ale on his breeks. He’s rather shy of taking off his pants in front of Claire, but she reminds him they’re still married.
He takes off his pants and is standing in his shirt and vest before her. She has unshed tears in her eyes as he grabs her hand that bears his ring. He leans in a bit and she steps back a bit, both actions are very clumsy and awkwardly cute. Jamie asks if he can kiss her ever so formally and polite. They press lips so gently and remain leaning forehead to forehead, both with tears and tenderness engulfing them. Jamie mentions how he would see her at various times, but she would never touch him. Claire says that she can touch him now, as they stand there holding each other tightly. In the book, it was that Claire never said anything to him in his visions of her, but that was shot out the window as a reason when she spoke to him in the first episode this season when he was wounded on the Moor.
After one of Jamie’s associates catches them standing together, Jamie without trousers, they both share a bit of a laugh and head to the back of the shop for him to get a spare pair. After putting on the pants, he finally thinks to ask about the child Claire was carrying when she left him. Claire reaches into one of her ‘bat suit’ pockets for a stack of photographs. Only the rare tintype or a painted amulet was used during Jamie’s time so, naturally, he has no idea what a photograph is.
Claire tells him they have a daughter, and that she knows of him. Jamie has to pull the glasses out of his pocket; the action shows Claire that he did have some changes due to age. Claire admits she dyed the gray out of her hair. Time marches on for us all, and I love that the story makes honest points about the everyday subtle underpinnings of life.
As Jamie looks at the first picture – it’s of Claire holding Brianna as a wee bairn – Jamie’s so overcome he must sit down on his cot. He croaks out a request for her name. Claire says she named her Brianna. Jamie smiles and says that’s an awful name for a lass. Claire defends the choice and says she had promised to name the child after Jamie’s father, Brian. Jamie asks to know of her, so Claire shares some of the traits Bree had that are like Jamie. Her first words, smiling in her sleep like him, her red hair from her father…just as Faith did. Keep in mind, Jamie had not seen either of his daughters face to face.
The next picture is Claire and Bree after Claire graduated from medical school. Claire mentions that she’s a doctor, a surgeon. Completely unsurprised, Jamie says she’s always been a doctor, it’s just now she has the title as well. The next picture of Bree is of her almost grown, as a teenager, sitting and reading a book. Then a picture with Bree and their dog. The following picture is Bree with an axe. Jamie sounds proud that she’s strong enough to split wood. The next picture takes Jamie by surprise. Bree’s sitting on the beach in a bikini. Remember Da, 200 years difference here!! The last picture is of her smiling, holding up some small fish she caught. The colors are faded in that photo.
Jamie gets a look on his face, stands, and goes to the hearth. Claire thinks he’s angry about the bikini Bree was wearing, but Jamie returns with a small item. Jamie begins explaining about his son, Willie. Claire asks if Jamie loved the boy’s mother, and Jamie says no, he did not. That tale of his son came much later in the book. Again, the books are from Claire’s point of view so we know about it when Claire did.
Claire tells him that she knew he would have had a life while they were apart. Jamie asks if Claire left Frank to return to him, and she admits that she did not. Frank died a few years ago, she says. They get into the back and forth of events and how Frank raised Brianna as his own daughter.
Jamie suddenly remembers after the clock chime that he was supposed to be at the tavern. On the way to the tavern, they encounter Fergus (Cesar Domboy). Claire notices the false hand on Fergus’ left arm and asks what happened. In the book, he had a hook, but the show had an artificial hand. Claire naturally asks what happened, and Fergus explains he lost it fighting redcoats. Then he asks her where she’s been. Claire’s story in the show was different than the books. She explained she went to America in the show; the book had her going to France as her original tale to the MacKenzie’s in season one.
Fergus and Jamie have a side conversation a little away from Claire that eludes to a legal matter now that Claire is back. Book readers know what this little breadcrumb means, but show-only fans will have to wait to find out later what they are referring to. They must go to the tavern, The World’s End, to deal with Mr. Willoughby (Gary Young). He’s a rather eccentric Chinese man with odd sexual fetishes.
Jamie picks the man up off the floor when they enter the tavern and then pays a barmaid for Willoughby’s actions of licking her elbow. In the book, he freaked the barmaid out by grabbing her feet. Jamie makes him sit down and watch after Claire as he rushes off to his meeting. Claire asks Mr. Willoughby what his real name is, and he explains that his original name was very close to a rather rude Gaelic word so they chose something that would serve better for Scotland.
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 3 episode 6 (Photo Courtesy of Starz)
After paying the bribe money in the backroom, a.k.a. Jamie’s appointment, he comes back out to retrieve Claire. Claire and Jamie head down the street to his room in the attic of a brothel. Madame Jeanne (Cyrielle Debreuil) is very surprised, to say the least. The height of awkward! The Madame looks rather jealous and Claire’s completely frigid. They make their way up to his room in the attic and Claire starts the inquisition. (She was much more reserved about it than I would be.) She asks if he was a customer, and Jamie says that SHE was a customer of his. It’s a convenient arrangement for him to have a room away from the Print Shop at times, so he stays there for a warm bed and hot meal.
Jamie suddenly blurts out the question I’m sure he had been thinking the entire time since she arrived. “Why have you come back?” Claire admits her timing had to do with her assumption he was dead. He asks how she found out he was alive and where he was. Claire explains a young historian helped her find him. They both are getting deeper into the abyss of their fears about why the other was there. Claire was afraid that Jamie possibly had other reasons for wanting her to go. Jamie was afraid of how little they knew each other, that he was so different that she would not want him. They both get close enough to be in the other’s space, and finally say the equivalent of ‘damn the torpedoes.’ They kiss and a knock at the door announces their dinner has arrived. They sit down to a meal, glass of wine, and some much-needed catching up…always desire in the eyes. Jamie asks Claire if she would come to his bed with him. Might I say for her, YEAH BOY!!!
They rise and make a ritual out of disrobing one another. Each taking one piece of clothing off the other in their turn – very cute, and clumsy. Claire’s ‘new’ corset has a zipper instead of laces, and it throws Jamie off a bit. One more sign of her new arrival from the future. Jamie eventually has Claire completely without clothes, while he stands in his shirt. Claire’s bashful and jokes he’s losing his sight after all when he says she’s the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Claire says she wants to see him and takes off his shirt. (The statement harkens back to their wedding night.) They both admit they’re scared and Claire verbally brings up their wedding night, that it was easier if they started touching like Jamie suggested then.
They try to get into the bed and fumble it terribly. Jamie headbutts her by accident, and she thinks her nose is broken. Again, AWKWARD but cute! Who hasn’t had a totally unromantic experience in a bed with a partner? But they kick things off in fine fashion and have a rousing and aggressive love-making session. They both eventually melt into each other’s arms.
Jamie starts talking about how beautiful her skin is and how much he has always wanted her. They continue with cute pillow talk and finally get around to Claire asking Jamie what he REALLY does for a living. Jamie asks her to guess as he gets out of bed for food. They run down a list of things, joking along the way, but Claire mentions she knew he was in prison at one point when they are talking of his treasonous activities. Jamie eludes to the fact that his life is still dangerous. Claire mentions she’s not going anywhere. Jamie finally gets around to telling her he’s a smuggler. They use the brothel as an offloading point and storage.
The couple maneuver themselves into a second round of passion, this time much softer and slower. Before drifting off to sleep in the arms of the other, Jamie brings up Brianna and how glad he is that she is alive and safe. You can see on Claire’s face that she misses Bree. They finally drift off to sleep together. Finally, together.
In the early hours of the morning, Claire leans back over to catch Jamie watching her. They still talk about changes of age, but they also harken back to Jamie asking what it was between them. Neither knows, but they do know it continues to be there between them. It is obvious Jamie has been with other women, so Claire asks if he ever loved anyone else. Jamie says that he never had and never will love anyone but her. They have sex again. Mid-life with that kind of stamina…mmmm boy!
Later, Jamie’s up and dressed when Claire wakes. He must attend to some business but will return later, so she slips off to sleep again. A while later wee Ian (John Bell) comes looking for Jamie. Claire and Ian meet for the first time and Claire must explain that she’s his aunt and that she’s not dead. He runs off after a short time, and Claire heads downstairs looking for something to eat. She has a very entertaining chat with the ladies of the brothel before the Madame comes in and asks why she’s out of Jamie’s room. Claire mentions she came in search of food, but has had enough to eat and heads back upstairs.
When she arrives in their room, a man’s there turning things over looking for ledgers, so he says. Claire tells him to leave. He grabs her and the episode ends abruptly. Quite the cliffhanger to end on. Those who have read the books know what happens, but it didn’t happen in Jamie’s room in the book. I’m not about to spoil it for you, so join me next week to find out what this man is doing and how Claire handles her first danger since coming back through the stones.
