‘Outlander ’ Goes Full Frontier Partisan

Season 6 of Outlander approaches, as does the American Revolution. Things are getting tense at Fraser’s Ridge in the North Carolina backcountry:

The sixth season of “Outlander” sees a continuation of Claire and Jamie’s fight to protect those they love, as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life in colonial America. Establishing a home in the New World is by no means an easy task, particularly in the wild back country of North Carolina – and perhaps most significantly – during a period of dramatic political upheaval. The Frasers strive to maintain peace and flourish within a society which – as Claire knows all too well – is unwittingly marching towards Revolution. Against this backdrop, which heralds the birth of the new American nation, Claire and Jamie have built a home together at Fraser’s Ridge.

They must now defend this home – established on land granted to them by the Crown – not only from external forces, but also from the increasing strife and conflict in the community within their care. For the Frasers and their immediate family, “home” is more than simply a site in which they live, it is the place where they are laying the foundations for the rest of their lives.

If Season Four asked “What is home?” and Season Five asked, “What are you willing to do to protect your home?” then Season Six explores what happens when there is disharmony and division among the inhabitants of the home you’ve created: when you become an outsider, or an “outlander” so to speak, marginalized and rejected in your own home.

Outlander has been Frontier Partisan romance and drama since its inception — the Scottish Highlands, after all being a frontier zone and the Highlanders a frontier culture. Fraser’s Ridge, though, is classic American backcountry frontier — the source material, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, leads right into the wheelhouse. I continue to be pleased with the depiction of the Cherokee, as you can see in the trailer.

If you have yet to fall through the stones at Craigh na Dun, I recommend you start at the beginning. Seasons 1-4 are available on Netflix, and the East India Company Amazon Prime carries all five seasons as a paid subscription. Or, of course, you can get STARZ. If you subscribe to STARZ via Prime, you can also watch all four seasons of Black Sails, which… well, you should. (Season 3 of Outlander used Black Sails sets and ships; it was kinda fun to focus in on that on a second viewing).

As love and marriage are at front-of-mind around here at the moment, it’s worth noting that the core of the story is long-term, passionate married love. That’s not a common thing to see, and it’s meaningful and refreshing.

The exigencies of filming under COVID conditions in Scotland limited the season to eight episodes, which is unfortunate, but we must all adapt and overcome. Looking forward to March 6.