Welcome back to the season five ONC Administrators’ Choice Awards! Now until the end of this season, (we refuse to think about it), some of the ONC administrators and myself will be voting on our “Bests/Mosts/Leasts” from the latest Outlander episode. We enjoyed this fun way to briefly recap each episode last season, and hope you enjoy it as we do! This week’s voting contributors are Dawn Woo, Mitzie Munroe, and Cameron Hogg. So, without further ado, the winners for episode 8, Famous Last Words are…
Dawn: Scene where Ian has buried his weapon and is about to drink the poisonous tea and Roger kicks it away. Ian tells Roger he buried HIS weapon – his voice. Roger tells Ian to pick up his weapon and fight. They are rescuing each other. It almost parallels the scene when Roger is being rescued from the Mohawk camp. Ian saves Roger. But it also provides Ian with the adventurous life he yearns for. They save each other.
Mitzie: Jocasta singing at Murtagh’s cairn. I had hoped at some point we would hear Maria singing in some fashion on the show so I was tickled to hear her sing on this episode, though it was so somber a song.
Susan: When Roger finally overcomes his silence while out in the woods with Ian, even if Ian attempting suicide was the reason for him for finding his voice.
Cameron: It was in the scene between Ian and Roger, when Roger says he had buried his weapon, but now he knows it’s time to dig it up again and fight.
Dawn: Brianna- “A sheet of paper is not made to fly. But sometimes we have to adjust our expectations to bend and reshape ourselves. There’s a reason the 1st anniversary gift is supposed to be paper…and after the pressures of 60 years, it’s diamond-the hardest substance on earth. I want our marriage to grow into something that strong.”
Mitzie: JOCASTA: “How careful we’d be if we kent which goodbyes were our last.” That spoke volumes to me; as to what’s happened in the past and to what’s still to come.
Susan: Jocasta telling Jamie about last goodbyes–very true words.
Cameron: John Bell- being a book reader, I knew what happened while he was away, before he opened up a bit to Roger and in more detail. With that context, his portrayal of Ian’s homecoming was really perfect, displaying how complex those emotions and that adjustment would have been. I’d have to go back to the books, but I feel like that piece of his homecoming was highlighted here, even more so than I remembered it in print.
Dawn: Richard Rankin/Roger – Without words, he portrayed so well being lost in his own hopeless, helpless hell.
Mitzie: Richard had few speaking roles this time but had to deliver numerous lines using pure emotion and I felt he did beautifully with his eyes, hands and general presence.
Susan: Rickard Rankin was great, showing Roger’s pain and frustration without words.
Cameron: I think they did a nice job of setting up the assumption that Roger was the one who intended to use the water hemlock, but the twist of shifting that storyline to Ian was well done.
Dawn: Ian’s return. I loved the fear factor involved when Jamie and Claire first saw him atop the Ridge after he killed the boar-such an ominous figure. Even after they recognized him, there was a presence about him…foreboding figure.
Mitzie: Young Ian’s arrival. I knew he’d be back, but thought it would come next episode and have this one stay focused on Roger, but I was very happy to see that he has finally come home to the Ridge.
Susan: Ian’s return
Dawn: Ian’s return/John Bell’s performance. He truly looks like he is in a deep, dark place…the anguish on his face. He definitely portrayed that pull between being “relieved” to see family again and not being with his Mohawk family. He just looks torn and lost.
Mitzie: We almost have it all with Ian’s arrival. Especially when they are having a big family meal, at the big table, in the big house, but without Roger (and yes I wish Murtagh could still be in the picture), and perhaps LJG not leave as of yet, it was just a fleeting glance, but I loved seeing its potential. It really could have been something to see, that big ol’ table packed with all the Frasers and extended family and friends. I hope we get to see something similar very soon. I need that feel good moment after these past few episodes.
Susan: It was good to see Ian, though his homecoming is sad for him, everyone else is thrilled to see him, after thinking they’d likely never see him again.
Cameron: I didn’t love the silent movie scenes as a device to tell the story, but it was a unique way to incorporate Roger’s flashbacks.
Dawn: I did not like how they “slid” the Tarot cards in the episode with Marsali playing with them….as superstitious as Leoghaire was…seemed like a “forced scene”. And I’m not sure that viewers will be curious enough to explore the meaning of The Hanged Man to know how it relates to the story. In the book, it is Brianna dreaming about her friend playing with the Tarot cards and telling her about the The Hanged Man. It represents the process of surrender and sacrifice. Self-surrender leads to transformation of the personality. The person has to accomplish his own regeneration. I’m not sure the tv audience would connect that. It just looks like it is an awful coincidence that the card is coming up in the scene.
Mitzie: Using the silent film effect to convey Rogers PTSD flashbacks. I felt like it robbed me of my opportunity to fully connect to the hanging event and how traumatic it was emotionally for Roger. As a viewer, I understand it was Roger’s way of disconnecting from what happened, but as a viewer it also disconnected me and I just couldn’t get through the effect to sympathize with Roger’s situation.
Susan: I didn’t care for the silent film/hanging scenes to portray Roger’s PTSD. I get what they were trying to do, but it didn’t do much for me.
Mitzie: Marsali drawing The Lovers tarot card and then comments about having too many bairns. That was cute.
Susan: I laughed at Marsali’s comment about her many babies, too.
So, now that we’ve voted, it’s your turn! Agree? Disagree? Tell us in the comments who or what gets your votes for Episode 508, Famous Last Words.
2 Comments
One thing I agree with is that the constant replaying of Roger’s hanging was just unnecessary and bothersome after about 2 replays. I love this show but they overdid the black jack randall brutality constantly….and btw…if he were scheduled as a guest at the event in NC…I would not attend. I know, its only a tv show but I am willing to bet he has a darker side than most people I want to know!! IMO
You’re right about the Tarot card and the meaning behind it and how it related to Rogers transformation. I didn’t like how Roger got his voice completely back. Like Jamie’s hand . Lauren’s Marsil so far has been the highlight/light moment in most of the episodes. But mostly I hated the Ians return and his imo, Halloweenish outfit. His tattoos look like I took a brown permanent marker and made dots. !!! I love John Bell but he need to look like book Ian and his suicide was all wrong imo.