Outlander Review: Free Will (Season 5 Episode 3)
Bodily fluid, battered twins, Sassenachs, oh my!
Outlander Season 5 Episode 3, “Free Will,” takes us to the darkest corners of the American frontier and bathes us in visuals of rotting flesh, maggots, and human filth.
This is an abrupt departure from the comforts of Fraser’s Ridge and the fresh air surrounding the beginning of this season — so much so that one might be feeling a little homesick right about now.
This psychological thriller of an episode showcases the darkness lurking in the shadows of this old world, and the strength of the couple forced to endure its wrath.
The beginning of this episode plays out much like one expects an episode of Outlander to go.
We get some fun segments with Claire and Marsali as their attempts to recreate penicillin are still a work in progress. We get a concerning tease involving Fergus and some infectious materials that will likely come into play later. Brianna finally lets her hair down and her red hair looks so glorious it must be mentioned as an important plot point.
Fraser’s Ridge is as busy and as lively as ever. One could easily be lulled into watching another episode built in its entirety around the moulding of bread and hunting of turkey thanks to the comforts of this new home.
However, comfort is not something we associate with this series, and for good reason. This show is teeming with time-travellers and Scots after all.
Soon enough, the creature comforts of this place are ripped from our grasp an replaced with the visuals of maggots crawling out of open wounds — because we can’t have nice things!
Despite the overpowering stench of horror, this episode is very much a Jamie and Claire afternoon special. It’s just packaged differently.
The couple shares a quiet moment by the fire as Jamie prepares for a recruitment trip and Claire makes an interesting observation about the Regulators’ lack of presence in the history books. This mundane conversation is something we don’t always get to see from two people run off their feet every day trying to prevent wars.
Their time on the road is even better as Claire watches her husband have his fun with the lads over a few drinks at the campfire. And thankfully, Jamie only utters Bonnet’s name once in hopes of not provoking him forward during the reveal to Claire that he is still alive.
It instantly feels like we have been transported back to the lush green hills of Scotland and the early days of their relationship. Only this time Claire has her own horse to ride!
However, it is ultimately Jamie and Claire’s time spent in the Beardsley house of horrors that sees the greatest payoff.
Jamie and Claire in close quarters with each other for an entire episode was once common practice for Outlander, but these days to see such a thing is somewhat of a miracle.
So we won’t bock at the chance to see these two lovers bond, even if the bonding involves unravelling the terrors of an abusive marriage together.
Seeing these two kick-ass and deliver babies without breaking a sweat is everything we could want from Fraser date night. So much so, that Claire and Jamie having an open discussion about sending their family back through the stones feels like sweet icing on the cake — when it really should be the entire cake.
Not with this bonkers episode, however.
It’s not that I dislike the spooky tones that have come to define this episode. Seeing Outlander embrace such a dark storyline from the music to the set, is actually quite exhilarating.
The confined space gives us plenty of one-on-one time with Claire and Jamie, offers a masterclass on what not to do when greeted at the door by a strange woman (you don’t go inside and you definitely don’t go upstairs to see where the smell is coming from guys), and introduces us to the twins under circumstances that immediately make us want to embrace them in a big hug.
That being said, this storyline does stall much of the forward-moving plot already introduced.
On top of that, the episode itself doesn’t do a good enough job of juggling the Frasers’ new nightmare and Roger’s recruitment blunder, leaving the balance between the two storylines feeling skewed.
In the end, “Free Will” is likely a breath of fresh air to anyone that has read the source material, regardless of the horrific smells being described to us.
But it’s not exactly the best we’ve seen of the series on the small screen — and we’ve seen Roger playing guitar in a turtleneck!
In the spirit of free will, I can’t say I’ll be choosing to include this one in my next Outlander binge.
What did you think of this episode of Outlander? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Outlander airs Sundays at 9/8c 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