tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post1089722291678536657..comments2024-03-28T10:18:52.493-04:00Comments on Doux Reviews: Outlander: The Ballad of Roger MacBillie Douxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-19714228620455182062020-12-08T12:35:06.948-05:002020-12-08T12:35:06.948-05:00Here are my notes on the podcast for "The Bal...Here are my notes on the podcast for "The Ballad of Roger Mac," episode 5x7. Commentary was by showrunner Matt Roberts. He said that the performances in this episode were phenomenal, as well as the writing and direction, and the production values were off the charts -- a stellar episode.<br /><br />The writers started talking about Murtagh's possible death at Alamance all the way back in season three. Roberts told Duncan Lacroix at the beginning of the season five because he didn't want him to find out just reading a script, and Lacroix said he had felt it coming. <br /><br />Murtagh's death was a such a huge moment for the series since Lacroix was the last member of the original cast (other than Sam and Cait). They did some additional filming of Murtagh's death scene a month later because they wanted to get it right. (You can see Sam's breath in some scenes and not in others because the second time, it was colder.) Roberts also said Lacroix is a terrific guy and everyone was sad about losing him as a colleague.<br /><br />Roberts said that some shows have car chases and battles, etc., but where Outlander lives and breathes is the connection between Jamie and Claire. The tent scene was intended to show what Jamie was fighting for. It was Sam Heughan's idea that Jamie don a red coat. Roberts didn't like the idea initially because he didn't think it was something Jamie would do (obviously, Roberts changed his mind). He said Sam knocked it out of the ball park with his performance.<br /><br />The Alamance battle scene was different from all the others they've done because they had to film intimate scenes like Murtagh's death, so it had to be wooded. They did a lot of second unit shooting this time because it was a huge episode with so many extras and there was so much to fill in. <br /><br />Production notes:<br /><br />Roberts praised Tim Downie's performance as Tryon, Sophie Skelton's, and of course, Sam Heughan's.<br /><br />Caitriona improvised the birthday song in the tent. <br /><br />They didn't pre-record Richard singing; they just filmed it live. Richard has an amazing voice.<br /><br />They digitally de-aged Graham, like they did with Duncan in that scene at the opening of the season. Buck has a lot of Dougal's qualities, too.<br /><br />They created the medical tent twice, on location and in the studio, in case of weather.<br /><br />During Murtagh's death scene, the "blood" was full of sugar that drew wasps that had to be taken out digitally. <br /><br />The night scenes with Roger and Murtagh required careful planning because in summer in Scotland, it's only full dark between eleven and three a.m. Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-53967941200528288452020-05-19T01:23:22.557-04:002020-05-19T01:23:22.557-04:00Milo, thank you for invoking the 10th Law of TV! I...Milo, thank you for invoking the 10th Law of TV! I am also holding out hope for poor Roger. <br /><br /><i>I also liked that Jamie insisted on backwoods tactics, even though it clashed with that red coat.</i><br /><br />Whenever I see the redcoats, I think of that skit--it must by Monty Python, but I'm not sure--about the French going to their first WWI battle wearing literal targets. (A dig at the fact that it took the French a while to realize that 20th-century warfare wasn't about bright colors.) Guerilla tactics and the British uniform have the same issues.Josie "Sad about this Ep" Kafkanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-69425684837748258092020-04-18T06:47:34.857-04:002020-04-18T06:47:34.857-04:00I just went back and double checked my gut feeling...I just went back and double checked my gut feeling. Murtaugh is the Scot who rescues Claire from Black Jack right after she has come through the stones in the first episode. In effect, he was the first person she met and it was he who took her to Jamie.<br /><br />What a role he has played. Sigh...ChrisBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10843864158239536750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-73473756041030242692020-04-18T01:57:17.510-04:002020-04-18T01:57:17.510-04:00Excuse me while I get another box of tissues. OK -...Excuse me while I get another box of tissues. OK -- better. <br /><br />As Claire pulled the sheet over Murtaugh's face, I realized that we have just said goodbye to the last of the initial Scotland tribe. They are all either dead or back in the home country. I have loved Murdoch since his conversation with Jamie in the stable before Jamie's wedding. Since then, he has always been there, always keeping his word to Ellen.<br /><br />But, speaking of the first season, when I heard "Dougal's" voice, I shouted at the TV. When they first showed Buck, I had to pause the screen to make sure I was looking at what I was looking at. What a genius move to bring McTavish back as Dougal's son. Although, he's still a hothead, isn't he.<br /><br />Again, flashing back to the first season, Jamie putting on that red coat gave me chills. All I could think of was Black Jack. The thoughts that must have gone through Jamie's head as he slipped it on I can't even imagine. I cheered when it threw it at Tyron's feet.<br /><br />What a great episode. Seriously. Just when I am finding this series nothing but eye rolling, they give me an episode like this and I back in.ChrisBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10843864158239536750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-88328086998819852382020-04-08T15:57:49.024-04:002020-04-08T15:57:49.024-04:00Juls, I'm glad that Justin got you watching. I...Juls, I'm glad that Justin got you watching. I did the same thing -- watched the pilot, and then I didn't get back to it for quite awhile. I hope you do get a chance to catch up on the earlier episodes. Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-48480480601965353232020-04-08T13:57:12.073-04:002020-04-08T13:57:12.073-04:00I watched the pilot ages ago (and commented here, ...I watched the pilot ages ago (and commented here, which I'd forgotten!) but then didn't get around to keeping up with it until I moved in with Justin and he watches it, so I came back in at the beginning of season 3. I've been meaning to catch up, if Justin ever gets back to work he'll be travelling a lot and hopefully I can watch it then!Juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-65149149080458545942020-04-07T16:19:59.936-04:002020-04-07T16:19:59.936-04:00Juls, you haven't seen season two??? It's ...Juls, you haven't seen season two??? It's my favorite. <br /><br />The lead actors both turned, or are turning, 40 this year, so they're not *that* much younger than their characters. They were both 34 when the series began and were playing characters in their twenties then. They do definitely look different now than they did in the pilot episode.Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-31041657667669974722020-04-07T16:11:34.276-04:002020-04-07T16:11:34.276-04:00I started watching the show partway through season...I started watching the show partway through season 3 I think (or maybe the beginning of season 3) so I haven't seen the earlier episodes. I really like the frontier feel and the American setting, though it's increasingly obvious how much younger the actors are than their characters!Juliettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00203399623895589924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-69996881678679194552020-04-01T10:28:27.239-04:002020-04-01T10:28:27.239-04:00While I think the first two and a half seasons wer...While I think the first two and a half seasons were the strongest, there's something I really enjoy about seeing Jamie and Claire getting older. It's a subversion of the happily-ever-after thing, and an affirmation that older people have passionate love affairs, too. <br /><br />I should have said fifties, not forties, in my previous comment, since Jamie just turned fifty and Claire is at least four years older than he is. Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-16665524362689991132020-03-31T21:46:31.293-04:002020-03-31T21:46:31.293-04:00It was very interesting that they cast a child tha...It was very interesting that they cast a child that looks so much like Bonnet (not just the blond hair, but his face around the eyes as well) for the slightly older Jemmy.<br /><br />Yeah, I'm definitely not enjoying the show as much with it set in America (and that's with the American Revolution being one of my favorite periods of history). Maybe just too much of a frontier feel?Katie Hart - Pinterest Managerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14892763965326103296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-73261943590374009612020-03-31T17:45:54.636-04:002020-03-31T17:45:54.636-04:00Valerie, thanks for your comment. The series defin...Valerie, thanks for your comment. The series definitely changes, and I'll agree that the first three seasons are the strongest. It's probably the difference between characters in their twenties in Scotland, and characters in their forties in America. It's a different feel.Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-89494309872335852862020-03-31T16:52:47.687-04:002020-03-31T16:52:47.687-04:00This episode was such a gut punch. I've read t...This episode was such a gut punch. I've read the books which has prepared me for many of these moments. Oddly it was Jamie wearing that red coat that most unsettled me. Murtagh is one of my favorite series characters and like you mentioned in your review, our last link to season one. But I am comforted that this time around he got to see Jamie and Claire again and even meet Bri even if they didn't get enough scenes together.<br /><br />I don't know what it is about these last two seasons of Outlander, but they just feel different. it's like we barely spend time with the characters. Fergus is on screen for maybe 30 seconds each episode. I still love the show, but I am just not as excited for it as I used to be.Valerienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-31625814526631600462020-03-31T15:31:39.320-04:002020-03-31T15:31:39.320-04:00Ah, Geillis! What a wonderful villain! I do miss h...Ah, Geillis! What a wonderful villain! I do miss her.milostanfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601982445850157037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-14896885896788774982020-03-31T15:24:49.475-04:002020-03-31T15:24:49.475-04:00milostanfield, they all did bring their A game, di...milostanfield, they all did bring their A game, didn't they? Caitriona Balfe is always good, although it was definitely Sam Heughan's episode. Richard Rankin and Sophie Skelton were great, too.<br /><br />I don't know why, but I keep thinking of what Geillis said to Claire about her baby, the only time she got to see him. "They let me hold him, and he was as warm as his father's balls." Buck didn't seem all that warm to me. :)Billie Douxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17141769005175631213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13727952.post-9983870538618713532020-03-31T15:03:19.708-04:002020-03-31T15:03:19.708-04:00Excellent episode. Also devastating, dark. And we ...Excellent episode. Also devastating, dark. And we haven't even gotten to Bonnet yet. One that you pace around the living room trying to come down from. All four of the main stars brought their A games.<br /><br />For now I'm in denial about Roger, and hanging on to Billie & Josie's 10th rule for dear life, hoping April 12 will bring a pleasant surprise. But you seem to have accepted his death as fact. I know, you can't spoiler, Billie, and I respect that, but the fact that you've read all the books, and like a time traveler, you know the future, I'm worried now. Still, fingers crossed.<br /><br />Also a bit pissed that they used his death(?) to do a totally unnecessary cliffhanger. After 20 minutes of awful 18th century carnage, after Murtaugh, they couldn't show one more dead body. Why do that?milostanfieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12601982445850157037noreply@blogger.com