Outlander: Blood of my Blood Season 1 Episode 3 Review: School of the Moon

Alas, Outlander: Blood of my Blood Season 1 Episode 3, “School of the Moon,” claims that darkness sheds light on who we are. Yet, by the end of this third outing, we are left questioning the show’s identity.

By all means, the steadfast dialogue and character-forward storytelling are still present. The highlands of Scotland thrive in the doom and gloom of the clan scabbles.

But the magic of the first two episodes is noticeably dimmed.

The two-episode premiere thrived with the distinction of giving each couple a full outing to introduce themselves. What works for an introduction becomes tedious when the third episode devotes itself entirely to one storyline once again.

Henry and Julia feel like ghosts in their story, and the choice to toss in an update on the couple at the end of the installment no longer feels like an extension of the narrative, but rather an afterthought.

Even so, the episode doesn’t frame the MacKenzies adequately either.

It is so hyper-focused on Colum and Dougal’s fight for the Lairdship and winning over these largely unimportant side-characters that all threads of the love story between Brian and Ellen are abandoned.

It’s thankfully not a disappointment to see the show give itself over entirely to Dougal, Colum, and Ellen’s bond, which strengthens their bid for power beyond the decision of who gets the title.

That said, there is an expectation that if an episode is going to dedicate itself entirely to one cause — when it could continue to weave the rich tapestry of stories it laid out for us — it should finish the job on a high note.

Colum and Dougal joining forces is the perfect outcome. However, after excruciating care throughout the episode to follow them separately through their campaigns, the episode steamrolls over the union that unites the brothers behind closed doors.

We don’t see the context that leads them to this decision. We don’t feel the emotion behind the siblings bowing to each other.

In fact, it feels somewhat out of place after an episode of these two refusing to work together. Much like Ellen swearing she would not let a man into her life, just to run off to meet secretly with a stranger in the next breath, this episode leaves out essential context clues to the change of heart.

An age-old rule that even book adaptations must follow: show us what happened, don’t tell us what happened.

When it comes to Ellen MacKenzie, however, nothing is dimming her spark.

She is comfortable taking on the weight of this story. She isn’t afraid of confrontation, which leads to tantalizing exchanges between her and her brothers — boys used to being spoken to by their sister in a way few Scots would tolerate in this time period.

Ellen has carved out the privilege to be the character leading the charge on any and all Castle Leoch storylines. By establishing how boxing her in with marriage would hinder the story itself, we have stakes in seeing the woman succeed beyond her romantic ties to Brian.

The success of prioritizing Ellen in a sea of Scotmen only stands to increase whenever the show extends that spotlight to the other strong and vibrant women at her side — like Jocasta and Mrs. Fitz.

The episode, however, does undercut Julia’s time in the spotlight.

We witness a very intriguing interaction between her and fellow servant, Davina Porter, which effectively puts Julia’s pregnancy in the spotlight while revealing that Davina is Brian’s mother. It’s all fascinating, and we eagerly await returning to that conversation.

When we do, we are treated to a powerful final scene that cements Julia as a force within this large ensemble once again.

There’s no shortage of chills racing up our arms as she pleads for Henry’s forgiveness before entering Lovat’s bed chambers to ensure Claire one day meets her sibling.

It is a power move that is not treated entirely with the respect it deserves. Instead of letting the tension surrounding this heartbreaking decision simmer, her thought process on the matter is tossed in at the very end of the episode to serve continuity rather than the natural progression of her story.

Julia has proven herself a force in our books, and Blood of my Blood has to find a balance between its two leading women.

Blood of my Blood is a rich field of wonders and war talk; it has and can do incredible things in the cover of night.

Alas, it has chosen a very ambitious tale that requires moving between worlds and characters with ease and equal measure. If it cannot effectively showcase both Claire and Jamie’s parents, any good grace it has will soon wither away.

We learn a great deal about the strengths and weaknesses of this season during Episode 3. Important story threads are pushed to the side, and flashbacks are carelessly clumped in the middle of the outing. Yet, a dedication to dialogue and this expensive ensemble offers a feast of words.

“I do not fear war. Tis the lengths to which my brother would go to maintain peace that worries me” and “Grief sometimes feels a lot like fear” are absolute banger one-liners.

So, hopefully, with the pen more intentionally gripped in hand, Outlander: Blood of my Blood will recenter itself around Ellen and Julia’s love stories.

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Outlander: Blood of my Blood airs Fridays at 8/7c on Starz and all available Starz streaming platforms.

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