Outlander Review: The Birds & The Bees (Season 4 Episode 9)
Outlander Season 4 Episode 9, “The Birds & The Bees,” is the happy family reunion this show has been building to for four seasons now — and it does not disappoint in the slightest.
This episode has the element of surprise on its side but chooses to be hasty and deliver the moment we have eagerly been awaiting before the catchy opening credit song can even leave our heads.
It is a bold and appreciative move on Outlander’s behalf, and ultimately a move that easily propels this episode towards greatness before the first fifteen minutes are through.
Jamie and Brianna finally meet and it is epic in every sense of the word.
Of course, Jamie would have his pants down pissing when his daughter sees him for the first time and of course he would think she was some kind of prostitute. Not only are these details straight from the book, but they are so accurate to the humility and essence of Jamie’s character in these softer moments.
That brief comedic introduction quickly dissolves into tears for both the characters and us as Jamie nearly collapses at the sight of who he now knows is his daughter.
His comment about only ever picturing her as a child just makes the entire emotional exchange hit us harder.
Both Jamie and Brianna portray that balance of happiness and loss in separate but equally heartbreaking ways as they each take a moment to cry in the other’s arms.
As far as living up to expectations go, this scene holds nothing back as it delivers a family moment so pure and absorbing it nearly takes your breath away.
Thankfully this beautiful moment doesn’t stop there.
Claire is reunited with her daughter moments later in a casual setting as Jamie and Brianna sit on a bench and wait for her to come out of the shop. The whole meeting flows nicely from one interaction to the next with sincerity and softness that immerses viewers in the family embrace.
It’s comforting to see Claire burst into happy tears when she realizes Brianna as come through the stones to be with her.
Sometimes Claire’s independent nature and confidence can give the impression that she is a generally cold person. We know that not to be true but interactions like the one with her daughter in this episode help to round the character out and give her actions more of an emotional backbone.
Claire leaving Brianna to be with Jamie was hard for her, but the difficulty of that choice has never really translated on screen until we see her nearly buckle at the sight of her daughter.
It makes one look forward to seeing how Claire’s dynamic as a mother will change now that she has Jamie by her side instead of Frank.
The only unfortunate thing about the first part of this episode being so incredibly good is the fact that anything that comes after will simply not hold up to the same standard.
But Outlander tries its best by throwing the Fraser family into frontier life once again with the addition of Brianna and Lizzie.
And for the most part, time spent with the reunited family is enjoyable. We are treated to so many great moments between Jamie and Brianna as they go hunting for bees that any scenes they don’t spend together feel lesser somehow.
Brianna’s interactions with Ian and Murtagh bring interesting elements of time-travel back into play as the viewer has to realize Brianna would never have naturally met any of her immediate family or cousins because they all lived two hundred years before she was even born.
Each and every interaction between Brianna and the other characters pushes the episode’s story forward and defines how they will begin to operate as one big family now.
Outlander doesn’t let “The Birds & The Bees” go out on a weak note either.
Poor Roger pays his debt to Bonnet and rushes right over to Fraser’s Ridge to find Brianna. Unfortunately, what he finds is a terribly misinformed and enraged Jamie who promptly beats him from within an inch of his life.
Honestly, it’s no surprise that Jamie would be the kind of father to beat men up for Brianna and ask questions later. He takes me as the type that under better circumstances would still introduce himself to Brianna’s boyfriend with an unbearably strong handshake and a rifle gripped in his other hand.
I mean that ending sucks for Roger but what an ending! Here’s to hoping what is left of Season 4 will be as epic and as pleasing as this episode has been to watch because seriously, TV doesn’t get much better than this.
What did you think of this episode of Outlander? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Outlander airs Sundays at 8 E/P on STARZ.
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Alicia Gilstorf
Alicia is a Rotten Tomatoes Certified Critic and a Critics Choice Association member. She credits her passion for TV to workplace sitcoms, paranormal dramedies, and coming-of-age stories. In her free time, Alicia loves to curl up with a good book and lose herself in a cozy game. Keep a lookout for her coverage of Ghosts. You can also find her work on Eulalie Magazine and Cool Girl Critiques. Follow Alicia on social media: @aliciagilstorf