In the third episode, “The Way Out”, Claire is hopeful that her healing skills will earn the trust of the MacKenzies who she is hoping will let her leave so she can return to the stones and hopefully find her way back to the future and her husband, Frank.
Claire has to find a way to apply 20th century medicine while being limited to the methods and equipment available in the 18th century. There is a very fine line that she has to walk otherwise she can raise suspicion. While Claire isn’t able to cure Toulouse-Lautrec syndrome, the ailment that has affected Colum, she knows that massaging the base of his spine instead of his legs will ease some of his pain. While Claire is able to ingratiate herself with Colum by her knowledge and skills, she could also just as easily raise suspicion if she isn’t careful.
In the 18th century, religion is used to explain the seemingly unexplainable. It isn’t just the uneducated who are suspicious. When Claire questions Colum and Jamie, she learns that they both believe that some things are the work of “Old Nick”. The locals refer to an old monastery ruin as “The Black Kirk” and think that it is overrun by demons. When Mrs. Fitz’ nephew falls ill after visiting the ruins, people assume that he has been possessed. After a trip to the ruins with Jamie, Claire is able to surmise that the boy has eaten something that was poisonous. She is able to save the boy’s life after administering a concoction to counter act the poison. Through her actions, she has made a new enemy in Father Bain who already thinks all women are evil.
While Claire is attempting to earn the trust of those around her, she also has to figure out how much of her story she can share with those around her. In a daydream, Mrs. Fitz calls her a witch after Claire reveals to her that she has come from the future. Claire has a growing friendship with Geillis Duncan. Claire is appalled to learn that Geillis’ husband may sentence a young boy to losing his hand after he was caught stealing merely because he isn’t feeling well that day. Geillis uses guile to convince her husband to be merciful. Claire can’t hide her shock from Geillis when she finds out that the boy is to be nailed by his ear to the pillory for an hour. This leads Geillis to question Claire about where she is from. Before Claire reveals that she had an unusual upbringing but she is saved from sharing more by Jamie’s arrival.
The relationship between Jamie and Claire continues to slowly build and is now an easy friendship. Claire asks for Jamie’s help in aiding the young boy who has been nailed to the pillory when she learns that he has to remove himself which will result in tearing his ear. Claire distracts the crowd by pretending to faint while Jamie removes the nail. Claire seems to be oblivious to the fact that Jamie likes her as more than a friend. She teases him after seeing him kiss Laoghaire. She tells herself that it is because she was jealous of their intimacy and that she misses Frank. Claire is attracted to Jamie and flirts with him after drinking too much although she holds on tight to the hope that she can be reunited with Frank.
After Claire saved Mrs. Fitz’ nephew, she is being called a miracle worker. She has been successful in earning a measure of trust from Colum. Although she realizes that instead of letting her leave, Colum now has more reason to want to keep her at Castle Leoch. She feels despair that she’ll ever be able to leave or be able to return to Frank even if she could get to the stones. She eventually joins everyone in the hall where she hears a folk-tale about a woman who has traveled to a distant land and returned back to her own land. She realizes that this tale is similar to her own and it renews her hope that she will be able to return to the future and Frank. She is determined that she must escape Castle Leoch and find her way back to the stones or die trying.
This was another excellent episode. I haven’t caught up on reading so I can’t say how closely it has followed the book or varied from it. Claire has to continue to navigate this new time. It is interesting to see how science and religion would have clashed. I liked that Jamie pointed out to Claire that he was educated when she questioned if he believed in demons. It wasn’t ignorance that lead him to believe a certain way. It is just the way things were. People sought a way to explain life and death which Claire realized wasn’t really all that different from the 20th century. It is just the methods are different.
I’m really enjoying the slow building of Jamie and Claire’s relationship. The actors have amazing chemistry which makes them very believable. Claire is still clinging to the hope that she can return to Frank because she does love her husband. That is very evident in the flashbacks of Claire and Frank. They had a happy marriage so it is understandable why Claire would want to return despite her growing attraction to Jamie.
I’m also enjoying the other relationships on the show. I find the friendship between Geillis and Claire intriguing. I’m not really sure how to take Geillis. Is she really a friend? Or does she have ulterior motives? I haven’t quite decided yet. And I think that is probably the way Claire feels as well.
What did you think of this episode? Are you enjoying the slow pace of the show and the relationships? If you’ve read the books, are you satisfied with the TV version?
About the Author - Tracie
Tracie is a wife and stay-at-home mom of 2 residing in NJ. She likes to unwind with a good book or in front of the TV. She is an avid reader of romance books. She likes to cook and bake. She loves to exercise and is trying to live a healthier life style. She watches a wide variety of TV shows ranging from reality TV to scripted dramas. Some of her past and current favorite TV shows are Sex and the City, Charmed, The Good Wife, and Hart of Dixie.
