Have Your Impressions Changed Due to Book vs. Tv Series?

[[deleted user]]

Julianna, as I mentioned earlier, I don't think Cait's acting is stellar. Yes, I wish they would have found someone else. But she's growing on me, and I find her beautiful. A classic beauty.
But I would never comment her appearance as you did. First because she's got the guts to get naked on camera, and I sure wouldn't. Second because she's a normal woman, she doesn't have to have a spectacular body. And isn't our Claire just a normal woman?!
Then the subject of her height. The height difference works in a book, not on camera. In a close up, a short actor/actress acting with a tall partner needs to stand on a stool. Can we please take a minute to consider the inconvenience?
I hear you about the costumes. Creative license. Need to appeal to male viewers...
So no, the show is not perfect. Anyways... your version of perfect would probably not be mine.
So can we please put the all negative criticism to rest and find a middle ground? Got anything good to say about the show? If not I suggest you create a group called "I hate this show!"
Kind regards.

[[deleted user]]

I enjoy Sam and Cait's chemistry. I love the longing looks, the hand holding. And I find that the gifs on the page Sexier Than Brave heart helped me see all the subtleties in The Wedding. So thanks to the webmistress (I love that word, sounds kinky to me ;) )
I would have loved to hear the hedgehog joke. You can't have it all ;(
Also, like many of you, I'm bummed about the ring and the necklace that I find too plain. Yes, I get that those two men have to be very dissimilar in Claire's eyes and to the non-readers. The fanatic in me is sad. But I can't wait to hear the story about the key. Jamie was so obviously lying about it just being something in his sporran.
Can it be Saturday already? I want the cliffhanger to be Jamie appearing at the window. That would be fantastic. Right?

[Donna]

Zoey wrote: "Like Cait or not, there really is no reason to make derogatory remarks about her appearance. Say she doesnt look like "your" Claire - Fine, Say you dont like her acting - Fine. But I dont understan..."

Zoey, this is EXACTLY what I meant but you said it much better than I ever could. It's extremely offensive to me to put someone down, to say they resemble a giraffe, that they aren't pretty, etc. etc. Women need to back each other up, not tear each other down. It's mean and unkind to say those things about another human being.

[Jena]

Could we just . . maybe find some stones, and go three months into the future, so we don't have to deal with the midseason break?

[Zoey]

Donna wrote: "Zoey wrote: "Like Cait or not, there really is no reason to make derogatory remarks about her appearance. Say she doesnt look like "your" Claire - Fine, Say you dont like her acting - Fine. But I d..."

Women need to back each other up, not tear each other down. It's mean and unkind to say those things about another human being.

Yes we sure do Donna, and if we start finding faults in the looks & body of a former Victoria Secrets Model, what hope have the rest of us mere mortals got :)

[Kathy Anne]

Barbara
Jamie pouring that drink wasn`t his first time out he spent some of his teen years in Paris and had a girl there,he speaks several languages ,he is well traveled,well schooled in fighting and will be warrior chief ,extremly well educated, and Laird of the Fraser Clan.
I hate to say it but his education puts most of us now days to shame and that includes me.I don`t think that is brought out enough in the books or movie and I certainly think his manners put all of us that I see nowdays to shame,and I see all of this as being sophisticated especially in his actions with others as in saving Leghairs behind at the gathering and this is one aspect that makes me admire the guy so much.

[Mrsbooks]

I was wondering if perhaps they will add some scenes that were missed later. Perhaps they've just moved some of these discussions we feel are so important?

They could always end up doing a flash back and add scenes to the day they were married that way.

I was thinking maybe that's why they skipped over Claire fainting and waking up with her head on Jamie's lap just after they were married. That scene is quite sentimental and important in relation to what happens in book 3.

[[deleted user]]

Kathy Anne wrote: "Barbara
Jamie pouring that drink wasn`t his first time out he spent some of his teen years in Paris and had a girl there,he speaks several languages ,he is well traveled,well schooled in fighting a..."

Yes, you're right, all those things happened. I was just commenting on the fact that Sam's portrayal of Jamie this far into the series hasn't exactly captured the level of sophistication I know he has from having read his backstory in the books. We've missed a lot of the dialogue that would have created and reinforced that impression. He did mention to Claire when they were at the Black Kirk that he was an educated man but because we've missed so much of what he's shared with Claire by way of conversation, his pouring the whiskey just seemed like a stand out moment to me :)

[Kathy Anne]

Barbara I agree and Pouring that drink was so almost beautiful and I thought from the time he told Dougal the wedding would be perfect(and it was)we saw how classy Jamie and the whole wedding was.I thought wow it`s as classy as any wedding now days and I think he even made the other men remember how to do things right.And Ned standing there with the little hooker blew me away (they were so cute) but anyway the guests were all in their finery and best manners too.Wouldn`t it be great if Ned got a companion too?Barbara I wish all the writers including DG had portrayed Jamie like that much more often is all I`m trying to say and don`t do a very good job,I`m not good with words.

[Gwennie, biblioholic]

Well said, I agree completely gertt

[[deleted user]]

Kathy Anne wrote: "Barbara I agree and Pouring that drink was so almost beautiful and I thought from the time he told Dougal the wedding would be perfect(and it was)we saw how classy Jamie and the whole wedding was.I..."

Kathy Anne, you're just fine with words :) I thought Ned and his little hooker (your description made me smile) were a cute couple as well. I know the part with Ned in the whorehouse wasn't exactly as originally written, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It's like DG said at one point, the scenes that have been added are scenes that all could have happened along the way.

[Ellen]

At one point in a recent interview, Herself said something like : the added scenes are, as Ron Moore says, scenes that were always there, but happening in the wings. I love that idea of a flow between book and series that allows for everything and accepts it all as a broadening of our glimpse into these lives.

[Mia]

I am only 2/3 through book 4, DoA. So far I am,for the most part, enjoying the show. The first few episodes were beautifully edited staying closer to the book than I have ever seen a show do. For an adaptation this fine alone, I would keep watching.
On casting: Sam for Jamie - image is dead on and will continue to be even when his hair is longer and braided. For character, I think they have made him less mature than in the book. That hurts and they need to work on it,as pointed out in earlier posts. I do think the actor's portrayal and delivery is verra good indeed.
Kate for Claire: image...she didn't fit my image at first, but has really grown on me and do see her as Claire now. This actress is also very very good in her portrayal. Claire is sharp from the start and I was afraid they would dumb her down.
I' m not sure, but I think they messed up Angus. I found him to be somewhat wary but cordial to Claire in the books, and got the feeling he cared for Jamie like a father figure. None of that in the show.
I miss Murtagh of the book so far. There is a bond between him and Jamie that is missing in the show.
In my minds eye, Dougal was a little younger looking.
I liked Frank in the books better. The genuine warmth and love he has for Claire is not coming accross for me.
Overall, great casting, writing, directing, and acting. I'd say it is the best book to TV adaptation I have ever seen (so far).
I hope they continue to keep it as close to the books as possible and not add too much dramatic license items to it. There is enough everything in the books to make a great show. I would hate to see this turn into a True Blood which was so far from the books that a lot of the readers, that I know, stopped watching half way through the second season.

[Ellen]

A thought about Claire:
Since I read the first of Outlander, in tandem with watching the series, my impressions of Claire/Caitriona were that she was perfect. For those of you in love with a plumper idea of Claire, here's a thought: WWII waists were a bit smaller because of the rationing, etc. England was under attack, and Claire was on the move as an army nurse. Her diet would have been restricted. Therefore her weight would have been much reduced from what we might envision as a "normal" more buxom Claire. Bear in mind also that WWII Britain gave us ( as a result of that aforesaid rationing et al) children like Twiggy, Leslie Caron and Penelope Tree. Reduced in size, but not in determination, is our Claire . I , for one, heartly enjoy the casting in this show. There's personality, expressiveness ( I cite Angus, especially), character and a deeper knowledge of their motivation based on historical fact and DG's (see, I didn't say "Herself"!) luscious storytelling. What's not to like here?

[Ellen]

@Gertt TY for adding that. I've been reading so many disappointed fans mentioning her weight that I wanted to add my two cents. Yours is icing.

[Ellen]

I think it's important to bring true fact into play as historical perspective in judging character/casting so as to broaden everyone's horizons and point of view. Although Cait has a perfect Hollywood appeal, so that's probably part of it. And she "marries" well with Sam, so onscreen, they totally work as a visual and emotional couple.

[Mia]

I think the show is cast as close to perfectly as you can get. Cait actually is far better suited to Claire than the woman I pictured. I do have a little problem with her hair color seeming too dark, but she still portrays the character so very well. The only "image" that seems off to me is Dougal as I really felt he looked younger. However, it was far more important to cast a man who has a really great strong presence, and this actor has that, rather then a younger looking. Not evey actor has that kind if screen presence. You can't take your eyes off him when he is on screen.
Yeah, kudos to casting (my hollywood dream job) for a casting job as close to perfection as possible. Also I am humbly awed by the writers who have adapted the story for screen and by the directors who help the actors bring these beloved characters to life while keeping them so very close to as written by DG. I am loving the books but am also really enjoying the show. I am REALLY ticked at having to wait SIX months for more! -xo

[Diane]

I agree with the fact that Claire would have been thin during that time because of the war and her life in the field with uncle Lamb growing up. (view spoiler)[ If you read through the series Clair asks Joe Abernathy how she looks and he says in his opinion too thin and that is after she has been in the states with plenty of food for 20 years with the potential middle age spread (hide spoiler)] I also think that when Jamie comments about her being plump it is in jest. I do feel she is too tall only because it makes Jamie's height seem less so when she is with him, I can get past that though and focus on the story. As far as hair color goes it is brown and was supposed to be brown. Seeing dark brown hair in the light up close you see many colors reflected and highlighted. That is what Jamie comments on when he is looking at her hair in the light. He notices because he wants to see and savor every detail of her. WE see her as anyone else who would not be noticing those minute details. If her hair color was wrong don't you think they would change it? Seriously dying it takes 30 min. The only thing that still bugs me about Cait is the way she says Jesus H Roosevelt Christ. It sounds unnatural and forced to me. I personally would rather not hear that from her (I didn't really get the line in the book though either) but I know that phrase is such an integral part of her character that people would be in an uproar if it were not in there. It will either get better with time or I will get over it. It is not worth complaining about and such a small detail that I wouldn't let it ruin a great show of an amazing book.