The eighth and final season of “Outlander” is nearly upon us, and the show’s cast has a message for their faithful fans: Brace for impact, sassenachs.
TVLine was on the red blue carpet at the Starz series’ premiere event Monday in New York City, where I chatted with series stars Sam Heughan, Caitríona Balfe, Sophie Skelton, Richard Rankin, Lauren Lyle, César Domboy, John Bell, Izzy Meikle-Small, Charles Vandervaart, and David Berry, as well as executive producer/showrunner Matthew B. Roberts, EP Maril Davis, and author Diana Gabaldon.
We covered a wide array of topics related to the time-travel drama, including: a new baby on Fraser’s Ridge, William’s “stinky” attitude toward both of his fathers at the start of the season, the return of Marsali and Fergus (and the trauma heading their way), and a reunion that might come sooner than you’d think.
And for those of you Gabaldon devotees who’ve read the series of novels on which the show is based, and therefore think you’re prepared for the episodes ahead?
“If you’ve read the books,” Lyle tells us in the video above, “you still don’t know what’s coming.”
All about Outlander’s final season premiere
“Outlander” Season 8 will get underway Friday on Starz (midnight ET on the Starz app, streaming and on-demand; 8/7c on the linear network).
The official season synopsis reads: “Jamie and Claire soon find the war has followed them home to Fraser’s Ridge, now a thriving settlement that has grown and flourished in their absence. With new arrivals and changes made during their years away, the Frasers are confronted with the question of what they are willing to sacrifice for the place they call home and, more importantly, what they would sacrifice to stay together. While the Frasers keep a united front against outside intruders, family secrets finally coming to light threaten to tear them apart from the inside. Although they’ve left the war for America’s freedom behind, their fight for Fraser’s Ridge has only just begun.”
Trailers for the final season have hinted that Sam Heughan’s Jamie might not survive, which would be a major departure from Diana Gabaldon’s books: As of the end of the latest installment, “Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone,” both Jamie and Claire are very much alive.
But don’t worry, the blue-carpet conversations in the video at the top of this post aren’t entirely serious. At one point, Heughan re-enacts one of Caitríona Balfe’s funniest moments on set, while Balfe watches and giggles. David Berry gives us a cryptic update on the viability of a Lord John Grey spin-off… and then Maril Davis and Matthew B. Roberts put a finer (and very exciting) point on it. Finally, John Bell — who is one of the few who’s seen the series’ last episode — gives us his thoughts upon watching the final scene ever of “Outlander.”
Press PLAY on the video above to see it all — and much more! — then hit the comments with your thoughts about the upcoming final season!
