Image via IMDB

The first time I heard about this Netflix series was on another show in a hilarious punchline that I have since forgotten. During isolation, I’ve been scraping the bottom of the barrel on Netflix, or so I thought. I’ve watched a lot of good recent movies/series, but Outlander, my friends, is in a league of its own. This is one of the first TV series that was birthed from a series of novels in which I did not read the books beforehand. I’d watched an episode here and there, but wasn’t really drawn to it. Then I BINGED season one, and it’s taking up so much rent-free space in my mind, and if I’m being honest, in my heart.

When I was a child, I could get so entranced in a book, movie, TV series, that it felt like I was soaring over the Quidditch field or flipping and yelling alongside Xena, Warrior Princess. I was so spellbound that I carried those characters in my brain and heart to my math tests or flute lessons. I lived in my head, in clouds of plots and protagonists, hoping one day I would experience their adventures, their triumphs, their trials. Which eventually caused my grip on reality to erode. Another vulnerability moment, I used to primp and preen before I’d open the book because I wanted the characters to see the best of me. I joked I had a date with Harry Potter and disappeared into my room for hours upon hours voraciously devouring with my bangs curled to the highest heights.

But as friends and family increasingly complained that I wasn’t around physically, emotionally, or overhead conversations about how “that girl” always had her nose in a book, I realized my fantasy world wasn’t sustainable. I began to withdraw, to put a distance between myself and the characters’ worlds. Since then, I am generally able to maintain that distance, preferring to create a life full of daring escapades such as traveling solo. But every now and then, a new fantasy world draws me in completely, body and soul. And I let it.

Enter Outlander. Sci-fi, historical drama, fantasy rolled into a beautiful package of a narrative with gratuitous sex scenes (who doesn’t love those, amirite?). The main characters’ relationship is stuff of legends, literally. I highly recommend watching it. Is it occasionally cheesy? Yes. Does it lack a diverse cast? Yes again. (For a more inclusive cast, check out Bridgerton on Netflix.) Is it worth the time? Oh, absolutely.

Have you seen Outlander? What did you think? I NEED to talk about this with someone!

xMaegan