I’m hearing from folks who are adoring the series!  They still can’t believe that they are seeing their favorite characters in the flesh and they believe that the show is doing a great job.  In fact, they are constantly pointing out how, in some ways, the show is better than the books because seeing action and hearing dialogue helps them fill in the gaps that naturally occur when a story is told from one character’s viewpoint.  They delight in the visual feast they have been presented with and find themselves looking forward to watching the episodes to see how things are the same AND different. They don’t always like everything and wish some scenes would be included, but if they aren’t …they can let it go.  They are able to enjoy both book and show.

Other folks fear that the show runners have taken Jamie and Claire too far away from the couple the book lovers know them to be! I know this because I’ve heard form some of these folks too!

Read the rest of the article after the jump!

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Their concern is very understandable.  These book faithful have tuned in to the show in hopes of seeing the Jamie and Claire they fell in love with on the page transferred to the screen.  They don’t understand why there needs to be changes to what they see as perfectly good scenes and dialogue. “Why change it?” they ask, “especially when they say they want to make fans happy! It would only take a moment to add some of this stuff!  They could have given us ten minutes less of “The Watch” and “The Search” so that they would have had more time for Jamie and Claire!”  Of course, I’m completely compiling and paraphrasing, but I think this pretty much sums up their concerns.  They are tired of waiting to see the Jamie and Claire they fell in love with.

Personally, I think the show is giving us the characters we fell in love with.

HERE IS THE JAMIE AND CLAIRE I’VE SEEN PORTRAYED ON THE SHOW

Jamie:

• loyal
• brave
• strong
• funny
• clever
• capable of loving and expressing deep love
• emotionally mature
• lusty
• caring
• willing to do anything for Claire

 

Claire:                                                                              

• strong
• pragmatic
• caring
• intolerant of injustice
• honest
• principled to a fault
• frustratingly unable to keep her mouth shut
• wise
• loving
• lusty
• willing to do anything for Jamie

******************Am I missing something here?*******************

There seems to be some argument over what the two would or would not do, what they would or would not say and the fact that Jamie looks weak. Some fans have suggested that they have “dumbed down” Jamie to make Claire look better. Any change to a character that TRULY departs from what we have known them to be as people, should be fought against and I hope someone IS fighting to preserve their wonderfulness, but, so far, I haven’t seen anything that “might not have” happened.   It isn’t happening exactly like it did in the books, but it could have.

It really is subjective isn’t it?

Those viewers who haven’t read the books and some of whom never intend to are weighing in on the show too!  That includes a boat load of critics, some of my favorites are Maureen Ryan, Emily Nussbaum, and Tom and Lorenzo.   I have seen very few negative reviews and continue to see more praise for the show daily.  The story isn’t being told only to the book readers.  Each episode has to have its own story arc and be able to stand on its own.  And, …the numbers of folks watching and enjoying seems to be growing

or a Gabaldon novel 😉

I’ll admit to not knowing a lot about the business of film and TV.  So, I’m thankful that every once in awhile, I hear from folks who are in the business :

Beth, thank you for so succinctly giving perspective on the culmination of this season’s events. I always find it challenging to express to people how difficult/tremulous it can be adapting a novel. The adaptation in itself is an art form. There are only a handful of screenwriters that can ever strike the perfect balance and they are coveted like gold. As much as readers would like to be truthful to source material, the visual medium does not allow for such deep introspection into characters. That is why it is such a gift to have actors such as Cait, Sam, Tobias, Graham, Duncan, Gary, Laura and Lotte (just to name a few) who are able to so expertly express the inner feelings/thoughts of the characters with just a look, gesture, or blink of the eye. I think this show has done the NEAR impossible of taking a beautiful novel and creating a life for it that is woven into the material and still keeps its own vitality. Game of Thrones has received a lot of flack for digressing and making choices independent of the novel. Not to make too fine a point, but I feel like some of it is fair and some of it unfair. The difference here is that GoT gained the viewers trust over many seasons and continues to seemingly throw that trust away. What we witness in Outlander is the knowledge that everything comes back into play and nothing is taken for granted. What we will witness tomorrow will be vile, difficult, sad, sick, tragic, and ultimately touching. There is a truth to it that can not be denied. Our faith & trust in the showrunners is never taken for granted and the honesty shown can not be denied. So far, I have not read one single review where the writer didn’t understand WHY they were being shown such graphic and ugly material. They saw the phenomenal work being done on and off screen. I believe that is what we viewers experience as well. I know there will be many more discussions in the weeks to come, but this feeling I have now is palpable. The Emmys are such a strange game that is played behind closed doors, but I know in my heart I have witnessed a superior art form, regardless of the accolades.   @sassypants25

I appreciate these folks sharing their unique knowledge and perspective, it really adds a lot to my own understanding of what it takes to make a successful adaptation.

SO, WHAT’S IS ALL THIS FUSS  REALLY ABOUT?

We love Jamie and Claire because they represent the best in ourselves and reflect our desire to have a relationship with someone who sees us as their equal. Jamie and Claire’s love and attraction for one another is passionate, committed and mutual. Their lives are never easy, but their love never fails. This mutual love is rare and few of us are ever lucky enough to find it. We would like to believe that such a relationship is possible.  We would like to love and be loved in return like Jamie loves Claire and Claire loves Jamie.

In one of the trailer’s for the show, Jamie is heard saying “Promise me we will always find a way back to each other.” (click here to watch)

I’m beginning to suspect that this is a theme for the whole season.  Isn’t it always about finding your way back to each other in a marriage?   It doesn’t have to be getting carried through the stones or PTSD; it can be something as mundane as a career or as challenging as raising children that causes a couple to lose touch with each other, grow distant, and lose intimacy.  Ask any married duo if they did not struggle to maintain their identity as a couple through different phases and events in life.  It pains us to see our ideal pair estranged.  We want to luxuriate in their obvious love for one another. However, I can’t help but believe that this more realistic portrayal of a relationship makes this MORE about what the books were about, not less.

At the first Comic-Con attended by Outlander folks, author Diana Gabaldon responded to a question about whether or not Outlander could be considered a romance.  She responded by saying that there is definitely a romance element, but that most Romance novels are about what happens when people fall in love and that she thought it would be interesting to write about how people stay in love…for fifty years.  I think the approach the writers and producers are taking bodes well for showing us how people stay in love, and how they find a way back to each other through the myriad of things that happen to people.

I’m looking forward to episode 2.4 as the next piece in the series puzzle and I’m holding out hope that by the end of the season, we will so understand the love between these two that Claire’s anguished screams will feel ripped from our own hearts.