Outlander Recap: “Creme de Menthe”

Last week’s episode of Outlander ended with Claire – having only been in 1766 Edinburgh for one day – already finding herself in jeopardy, interrupting a strange man searching Jamie’s rooms for his “ledgers.”

Naturally, last night’s new episode picked up right where last week’s episode ending with that strange man – who turned out to be John Barton, an excise man – who was put on the trail of Jamie’s illicit dealings in alcohol by Sir Percival Turner, the rich man of Edinburgh who has been throwing a blind eye to Jamie’s extracurricular activities [while making a steep profit off Jamie, I might add]; and his attack on Claire – who naturally fought back.

The rest of the episode was set around dealing with Barton, the contraband that had to be hidden from Turner, a surprise visit from elder Ian Murray looking for his wayward namesake, Claire putting herself and Jamie in harm’s way – even if she meant to be doing good – and Jamie losing his business [among other things].

Here is the official description for the episode:

“Claire follows her conscience as a surgeon despite the risks to her and Jamie’s lives; Jamie tries to evade the reach of the Crown as its representative closes in on his illegal dealings.”

Keeping Secrets

As it was alluded to last week, Jamie is keeping a secret from Claire; one that everyone else knows about and one for which Jamie felt he had to reach out to Ned Gowan (how is that man still alive 20 years after Claire’s returning to her own time?) to get legal guidance. And, as viewers clearly heard at the end of the episode via a comment by Fergus – Jamie has another wife!

NOTE: For those of us who have read the book “Voyager” – on which the third season is based – we know the identity of that other wife. It is going to be nothing short of interesting to not only see Claire’s reaction to the news but also how those who haven’t read the book react to that the reveal of her identity.

What’s worse is that Jamie is lying to his own brother-in-law about where his young son has disappeared. It seems young Ian isn’t content to stay at Lallybroch and has gone “a wandering” numerous times, ending up with Jamie in Edinburgh. Perhaps Jamie taking young Ian under his wings is his way of attempting to raise a child – since he has been deprived three times of that opportunity – but, personally, his lying to Ian (and his firebrand sister Jenny) is going to come back and bite him in the ass – just as badly as his lying, albeit by omission, to his own firebrand of a wife.

Always the Doctor

Even though John Barton attacked her [and thankfully she fought him off before he could do her any harm], he did trip and fall into the fireplace in Jamie’s room at the brothel. That fall should have killed him, but it didn’t; and Claire [ever the doctor]] attempted to save his life. As we all saw, she lost her patient [something that hasn’t happened much since she became a doctor]. The problem is Barton worked for Turner, and when it is discovered he has gone missing – or inadvertently found in one of those damn casks of Crème de Menthe – this will be another incident that will come back to bite both Jamie and Claire in the ass.

Then there is also the introduction of the Archibald and Margaret Campbell, the latter of whom becomes a very short-term patient of Claire’s [at least in Edinburgh]. I am curious as to how the Campbell siblings will be included in later episodes in comparison to the roles they play in the book. And just what do you think Margaret’s ramblings to Claire really meant? Is she meant to be a scarier version of Mrs. Graham from season one?

Ashes to Ashes

Much like how the story played out in the book, Jamie’s print shop went up in flames due to another goon working for Turner – I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of Turner much like Comte St. Germain in season two – and Jamie also made a daring rescue to save his young nephew, who was bedding a lass for the first time in the back room of the print shop before being interrupted by Turner’s goon.

Due to this act of vandalism, and the fact the goon (named Harry Tompkins) fought with young Ian and ended up finding Jamie’s treasonous pamphlets, Jamie needed to get both Ian and Claire out of Edinburgh. Jamie wanted to take him elsewhere, but Claire convinced him that young Ian needed to go home.

Illegal Dealing vs. Immortal Actions

Which is worse? Jamie’s illegal dealings with smuggling alcohol or his argument with Claire over how she and Frank raised Brianna [when he was the one who made Claire go back to her own time, I might add!] as well as his anger over allowing Bree to wear that “rigging called a bikini.” We all know that Claire and Jamie love each other unconditionally, but that doesn’t mean they “canna’ fight like cats and dogs over any subject for which they even remotely disagree. We’ve seen it many times before and we’ll see it many, many more times to come for sure, but the question still remains – which is worse?

Memorable Quotes

“Stubborn as always.” – Jamie about Claire as she prepared to leave for the apothecary

“The years apart canna erase the meaning of that look.” – Jamie to Claire after lying to elder Ian

“Milady doesn’t yet know about your other wife.” – Fergus to Jamie

“I’ve caused you so much trouble. Just dropped in out of the clear blue sky. Put your livelihood, your life, in jeopardy.” – Claire to Jamie,

“Sassenach. You came thousands of miles and 200 years to find me. I’m grateful that you are here, no matter the cost. I would give up everything I have for us to be together again. Don’t you see? Since you left I’ve been living in the shadows and then you walked into the print shop and it twas as if the sun returned and cast out the darkness.” – Jamie to Claire

What are your thoughts about this episode? Please share them in our comments section below.

The next new episode of Outlander will air next week on Starz on Sunday, November 5 at 8/7c.