Outlander (TV Series) Surrender (2017) User Reviews

Surrender is an opportunity for hope

[GettrEal · 9/10 · 17 September 2017]

Outlander is definitely one of a kind when it comes to romantic drama. "Surrender" keeps that alive with Claire and Frank getting a feel for each others' predicament in dealing with the present and the past. Even though getting on with life is necessary, we can see both mixing desire with caution. Now the question is, 'does desire win out over caution?".

Claire not only has to deal with her personal feelings. It's gone beyond love and survival. Now she has to deal with current day dreams of success. Adapting to life in the 1700's, she must have thought life in 18th century Scotland was backward as she had to fight to get respect and then explain how she had so much knowledge even beyond that of men of those days. Now, in the mid 1900's,even when she knew she had done more than most men of that day, she finds herself having to deal with prejudice and ignorance that may not have been so noticeable prior to traveling to the past. "Surrender" kind of proves that Claire isn't going to be a part of that thought process. She obviously will have to regain strength that she found in the 18th century.

Jamie, a recluse of sorts now, is lost without Claire. Just as bad, he seems to be losing his place in the hearts of his sister and her family. In the meantime, someone appears to be working her way into his life. Could she help him, hmmm? His arc in this episode is lacking(perhaps simmering is a better term) in heartfelt matters. It feels like we are being led to believe he becomes more wily and cunning. It was mostly apparent with the closing of his part in this episode.

I did appreciate the characters, Jenny and Fergus more than anytime prior to this season. Both had to experience gains and losses. What God hath given, the British Soldiers took. I felt more sorry for Frank although there was more hope for him now than in Battle Joined.

Things are going to change for everyone throughout this season I am sure. What will likely not change is my love for Outlander. Once again we get great contributions from all involved.

9 of 10

Surrender: Can a Broken Person become Whole

[jmansmannstjohnslrev · 8/10 · 1 March 2021]

Surrender is an appropriate name for this episode, because both storylines are really about the same thing, broken people trying to find something to make them whole. This is one of those episodes that would be largely forgettable with a lesser cast, but the actors give their usual compelling performances and draw you into to the tale that's being told.

For Claire and Frank, this episode should be very familiar because we've seen this pattern with them before, in Inverness during season 1. They again try to rely on physical connection to generate some emotional connection but it clearly isn't present. I think what makes the storyline compelling is that it's unfair to both characters. Frank loves Claire, and wants Claire to love him, to be with him both physically and emotionally, but she is unable to do so. When she lies with Frank, she sees Jaime. I think what Outlander has done very well is to avoid the love triangle crap that you see in many shows. It never feels like Claire chose Jaime over Frank, like one would choose between brands of cereal or clothes to wear. You can see over the first two seasons that Jaime and Claire just have a different type of connection than Frank and Claire. I think that is ultimately what makes Frank and Claire's story line so compelling. I never get the sense that either person is at fault for their relationship deteriorating. The simple fact is, the woman that Claire has become does not love Frank in the way she probably used to before World War II. In real life, people change, and Outlander shows that it's no different in the fictional world.

Jaime's storyline is just plain sad. Gold stars again to Sam Heughan, particularly during the cave scene. The level of anguish that Sam was able to muster during the kiss was just hard to watch. It's tough to see the husk of Jamie Fraser just milling around without any sort of plan or purpose for the future. I did enjoy that it was Fergus, the same Fergus who was instrumental in aiding Claire's recovery in season 2, put Jaime on the path to recovery in this episode.

Despite having divergent storylines, the episode ends with both characters trying to find some purpose to keep them moving forward. For Claire, it's becoming a doctor and getting back into medicine. Considering Claire's experiences in the past, it's unsurprising that she would pursue this path. For Jaime, it's protecting his family. It's strange because in going to prison, he's taken the first steps in freeing himself from the prison that he was in for six years as the Dunnebonnet.

Other than that, the episode didn't have any moments that were all to memorable. Instead, the episode is held together by the strong cast and while forgettable, is probably necessary to further the story.

EVERYTHING WAS SURRENDERED

[caf-19 · 9/10 · 24 May 2020]

What the other reviews failed to grasp about this episode is that for Jaime, Claire, Ian & Janet, certainly for darling Fergus, and especially for Scotland - Everything has been surrendered. Everything is gone. Several years have passed since the rebellion at Culloden was lost by the Scotts. Now England has determinedly and systematically brought the ornery Scott's to heel, robbing them of most of their civil rights, taking their guns (Pay Attention you libs in America who naively think that it's all about 'safety') chasing down any last stragglers who may have had a hand in previous rebellions, not allowing them to continue many of their cultural traditions... It was a surrender of the traditional Scotland forever.

On a personal level each of the characters surrendered an important part of themselves as they protected Jaime from capture and tried to adjust to their new lives with England's boot on their neck. Ian was stripped of even the most basic respect as an estate owner. Janet surrendered her dignity and the beauty of her newest baby's birth to the rude invasion of British soldiers literally minutes after childbirth. The housemaid, Mary McNab, fully surrendered all her pride as she seduced Jaime, trying to give each of them a few moments happiness. Poor Fergus, still the spirited young rebel for Scotland's cause, surrendered his entire lower arm. Lastly, after years of tireless torment of the people at Lally Brach, the Brits effected Jaime's surrender for his alleged treason.

In the future, Frank surrendered his pride, dignity, and a good deal of self-confidence for his love of Claire and his heartfelt efforts towards making their marriage, and new life, work. Now that brings us to Claire; what did she surrender? Not much. She couldn't. She just couldn't, although she did try a little bit at first, in her new role as the 1950's pregnant housewife of a high-status Harvard professor. She did surrender a healthy dose of her willfulness as she encountered the arrogant department head of her husband's history department, and politely acquiesced to the obnoxiously full-of-himself patronizing boss for the sake of Frank's career; for which Frank was exceedingly grateful.

But as time went on in their marriage, as she started going to med school, living in an 'open' marriage with Frank, and breaking sexist roles in education and career, Claire tenaciously refused to surrender anything. For some odd reason, she even refused to divorce Frank. The impression from this excellent, but a bit sad, episode was that Claire would not surrender her memories and love for Jaime, her possessiveness of her daughter, or her desire to live her life her way.

But her level of stubbornness, the "take-no-hostages" kind, especially her refusal to give love with Frank a real chance, was, in a way, a type of surrender to a permanently unhappy life in the modern world.

Unfair to Frank

[fh_3 · 6/10 · 24 April 2020]

Claire needs to (1) tell Frank what she knows about Black Jack, (2) how he 'resembles' Black Jack, and (3) that she doesn't love him. She's just using him for food, lodging, and now tuition. Such a modern woman even in that era would not stay in this relationship.

Surrender

[bobcobb301 · 7/10 · 4 February 2018]

The episode was a little slow at times, but three seasons in we know that is what Outlander is going to be. It was entertaining though. I was kind of surprised they had Jamie be shellshocked for that long and that a boy losing his hand did not even immediately snap out of it. Now with him back to normal the show can back to the crazy fighting and time jumping we know and love.

Only half entertaining

[schubej-1 · 5/10 · 30 November 2018]

I really enjoy the Jamie storyline in Season 3 but the Clair/Frank story line as important as it may be in is just boring.

I can't take it anymore!

[Internet-Police · 7/10 · 19 September 2017]

Ugg, get on with it already...how long are we going to suffer watching you drag this story out? The first few seasons had it's ups and downs and for the most part was a very good show. You see Jamie out there looking like a hillbilly feeling sorry for himself and Claire treating her husband like crap and him kissing her ass every chance he gets. Everything that made this show interesting is now gone... it's so slow and boring now. it's getting unbearable.