Outlander: The Birds & The Bees | Season 4, Episode 9 | Rating: 10.2/11 | 
How do you pick up after such a heavy ending to last week’s episode? Apparently by diving straight into the aftermath of rape, literally moments following the incident. The Birds & The Bees kicks off with a focus on Brianna as she dresses for bed and tries to continue about her life moments after being raped by Stephen Bonnet, trying to shove away the memory. Bree’s maid, Lizzie, fully aware of what happened and unable to help. The shock, the pain, the bruises, the blood on her clothes, it’s all there. Sophie Skelton proving she has the acting chops to match her TV mother Caitriona Balfe.
But the episode isn’t all dark. The next morning Brianna sets out to find Roger who has already set sail for Philadelphia aboard the Gloriana. Before Bree can take in the fact her husband has left town, Lizzie brings her news that Bree’s parents are in Wilmington and only a few hundred yards away. That’s right, the meeting that’s been 200 years in the making is here! Bree meets her father Jamie, reconnects with her mother Claire and brings them the news of their impending death as they travel together back to Fraser’s Ridge.
The rest of the episode is dedicated to developing a family bond as Bree gets to know Murtagh, Young Ian and Jamie. That is until Claire discovers Bree has been raped, and is now pregnant. Lizzie spies Roger near Fraser’s Ridge and assuming it was he who raped Bree rounds up Jamie and Young Ian for help. Jamie, unaware that Stephen Bonnet was really responsible for violating his daughter, takes his rage out on Roger leaving Roger within an inch of his life. What an emotional roller coaster!
THE LOVE OF A FAMILY
What is so special about Outlander is it’s ability to enrage us, disgust us and then immediately make us fall in love. Brianna, Young Ian, Jamie, Claire and Murtagh sitting around the dinner table was the most heartwarming sight. The amount of acceptance and love immediately given to Brianna emphasizes that there’s nothing quite like the love of a family.
The montage over several weeks of Bree getting to know early American life is simplistic and breathtaking. There’s also something to be said for the ability humans have to connect when less distractions are present. With no internet, no television, no convenience stores, no telephones, no airplanes or even automobiles you have to be present in the moment. This allows even Jamie to know there’s something amiss with Brianna. And as much as Brianna tries to withhold her traumatic incident from her mom and dad, they both know better.
For the simplicity of it, I almost wish we as a society could experience life in simpler times even just for a holiday. Give us time to reconnect with ourselves and our loved ones. Would be a solid idea for a future immersive experience.
WINNING WARDROBE
As Brianna sets sail for North Carolina she’s given a trunk of her mother’s old clothes, which comes in handy after her encounter with Stephen Bonnet. But what I didn’t expect was for Bree to choose my all time favorite dress of Claire’s as the outfit she’d be wearing when she first meets Jamie. This happens to be the dress Claire receives during her first visit to Lallybroch, a time when Claire is being introduced to Jamie’s family.
Kudos to the wardrobe department. Brilliant.
Outlander Season 4 Episode 10 airs on Sunday, Jan 6th at 8pm EST/PST.