The dilemma of how much she might 'tempt fate,' as she puts it at one point, weighs heavily upon her, with her making a few bold moves in season five to not just accept the status quo of the 18th century. This was a growing factor in season four, but season five has to confront this even more directly: Whereas Claire's original trip to the past was an accident, one which sent her to a time period she wasn't that familiar with, when she returned to Jamie's time (give or take 20 years) she did so knowing full well what was in store for their future, and also what it would mean for her, as a trained doctor. As Jamie and Claire are now actually living as man and wife, the primary obstacles to their happiness have become external ones, the most notable of which is the looming Revolutionary War. However, while the series has reached a point of stability, it does bring with it concerns about what's to come in the future. The show's narrative thrust no longer revolves around the state of Claire and Jamie's relationship, which means that Outlander has the opportunity to do something that too often feels rare for a long-running television series: depict a stable and loving marriage between adults. (What is the grandfather version of 'zaddy'? Grand-zaddy? Whatever it is, Jamie is that.) After surviving the brutal battles of the Jacobite uprising, a long separation across time, and a harrowing journey from Scotland to America, Jamie and Claire are now trying to build a home for themselves in a dawning nation - despite knowing that bloodshed will soon come to these lands. It's still a bit odd to remember that over the past four seasons, one-time highlander Jamie ( Sam Heughan) and unstuck-in-time Claire ( Caitriona Balfe) have experienced over 20 years of life, and now have a grown daughter and grandchild. While the early seasons had a habit of wavering in quality, especially when it came to the pacing and an over-reliance on voice-over, the series has now found a new level of maturity which matches its central characters. The return of Outlander (after a longer-than-usual hiatus) brings with it some good news: In its fifth season, the time travel period romance has truly found its footing.

Best outlander episodes