The Outlander writerās room does its best work when it sticks to Diana Gabaldonās dialogue and plot - but streamlines it, enhances it, trims it, re-frames it.
Case in point is Jamie and Briannaās heartbreaking one-on-one discussion right at the beginning of 04x10. Now, this is one of my favorite sequences in Drums of Autumn, because it very quickly establishes a link between Jamie and Bree that they didnāt have before.Ā
They bond over their shared experience of being rape survivors. Itās Jamieās first true opportunity to act as a father for the daughter he has just met - to give her the kind of advice that he knows she will listen to, and respect, and value.
I was so very thrilled to see all of the key elements of the scene make their way from book to screen, namely:
Brianna expressing regret that she couldnāt have fought back
Jamie deliberately (though Bree doesnāt know this) goading her into a fight, to prove that there was no way she could have fought back
Brianna asks Jamie about his own rape - and his own rapist - and expresses her desire for vengeance; Jamie shares his experiences with her, and how he processed his emotions
Section 1 establishes Jamie and Breeās common vocabulary. Section 2 is emotionally devastating for Bree. In Section 3, the aftermath of Section 2, Bree is open and raw and honest - and demands the same of Jamie. Their bond is forged even stronger.
Now, whatās interesting to me is that this isnāt exactly the sequence with which the scene transpired in Drums of Autumn. In Drums, the order was 1, 3, 2.Ā
Itās the same ideas - the same dialogue. But to me, with a very different emotional impact.Ā
In the series, the fight feels more sudden; there is less preamble. And then Jamie and Bree have a very open and honest conversation in section 3 - a conversation that has a much stronger emotional impact *precisely because Bree understands that she couldnāt have fought back*.Ā
And Jamie, in return, is open and honest with her - talking about Wentworth onscreen for the first time since 02x06Ā āBest Laid Schemes.ā Being very reflective about it, and sharing that very, very private part of himself with her. For us viewers to see him do this - and to share this with his daughter - is certainly very moving, for we know the price he paid.
In the book, Jamie and Breeās conversation in section 3 takes place before the fight, and while the fight is unexpected, since theyāve already been talking for a while, there isnāt very much to talk about afterward. Yes of course itās still a great scene, and they talk about very difficult things - but when I re-read it after watching the episode, it didnāt pack the same emotional punch.
This is such a subtle change - yet itās monumental in terms of demonstrating where these characters are, and building their relationships with each other. Kudos to Luke Schelhaas.
