Outlander (TV Series) The Doldrums (2017) User Reviews

Surprisingly good!

[CeeBee86 · 8/10 · 15 November 2017]

Sometimes I regret reading the books. Knowing what is about to come in the episodes. Knowing where the story line is taking us. And comparing the show to the book (Even though I shouldn't do it). Which is also the reason why I refuse to re-read book 4, before season 4 starts.

I didn't really look forward to this boat episode. The voyage to The West Indies was never a favorite part for me. But this episode surprised me, in a good way. It was a lot better than I expected.

Jamie and Claire were just so sweet. I loved seeing their love for each other. Their little moments together. Especially the one at night on deck.

Marsali. I never connected with her in the books. But I love her in the show! She's awesome!

Mr. Willoughby. I still don't understand why he's even in the show. I liked the story he told. But I just don't see the addition of his character in the show (As a book reader, I know what's about to come. But I wonder if that is going to play out the same way as in the books).

It was nice to see that they stayed so close to the book, and yet made some nice changes to it.

Overall a good episode!

Voyager the Book

[bshichtman · 7/10 · 13 November 2017]

I'm sorry but compared to the book the episodes don't reach the same rating, especially since this is the very best of all the books. The books are written with Claire doing the commentary. The show is done as if it is almost always a man's view. The funniest of stories are in the book, the only funny thing this week was on the boat, and with no lead in it kind of fell flat. I love the characters(Jamie and Claire) so I vote 7 but I'd love to vote 10 if it kept closer to the books.

Jamie and Claire overcoming hurdles,slow return

[magical-kingdom · 8/10 · 19 November 2017]

Very good! Favorite scene: Jamie likes Claire's gray hair. The way the light hits it,a piece of silver moonlight. Claire: "How could I not love a man who says such things" "If you were to say that in the 20th century...The King of all Men" Loved the closeness, connection between Claire and Jamie. Also love the of the man in the moon. Claire telling Jamie stories of Bree as she grew up,sentiment of longing, missing her. Before leaving with Jared. Jamie told Claire he was being punished for wanting her. Claire's response: No God,worth his salt, would have your nephew kidnapped because you want to be happy. Liked Mr. Willoughby's story. His acupuncture, to help Jamie's sea sickness. Jamie afraid to hurt Claire feelings,giving her more reason to leave. Claire assured Jamie although she was confused/frustrated coming back that she LOVED HIM.♥️

Modern Man lands on moon, 18th Century Man shrugs

[flyinghorseart-01587 · 6/10 · 5 October 2020]

Claire and Jamie looking at the moon in the late 1700s A.D. Claire: Men flew to the moon. Jamie: Hmmm.

I believe the writers had the doldrums, hence the title.

Really? Has the whole time-travel storyline become so blasé that a needle full of penicillin become more interesting than interplanetary travel?

The Doldrums: A Fitting Name for a Forgettable Episode

[jmansmannstjohnslrev · 6/10 · 26 March 2021]

The Doldrums is aptly named, because it feels like the story hits a bit of a windless sea in this episode. This part in the Voyager novel was always a bit odd because it felt like a story that doesn't really fit with any other part of the series. It's kind of this weird journey to Jamaica that that sort of serves as the mid-point between the Scotland Centric portion of the story and the Pre-Revolution portion of the story. Plot-wise, the episode really seems to exist to get the characters to the more interesting part of the story, the Porpoise and the subsequent events after Claire's abduction from the Artemis.

The episode itself as well is somewhat disjointed, as the showrunners tried to fit too much from the Artemis portion of the Voyager novels into an hour long episode. It is a shame for two reasons, because the theme of uncertainty in the episode is interesting, and because as usual, Cait and Sam are just so good with the limited material that they have to work with here. There is this cloud of uncertainty in their relationship that is so interesting, and I wish the episode had spent more time on it. Not uncertainty in their feelings towards each other, but uncertainty in Claire's return, and her ability to reacclimate into 18th century life. I think the best scene of the episode is when Claire finds out that Jaime has been treated with acupuncture. There is a tension a nervousness when Jaime says that he fears Claire will feel she doesn't belong there. Fegus and Marsali's relationship as well is so interesting, because you see Jaime acting as a father and being pushed by his surrogate son and daughter, challenged on his refusal to give his blessing to the union.

Unfortunately, there are so many competing threads these matters get cursory treatment, when I might have made the focus of the episode on these uncertainties. One of the things I love about the Outlander series is that, as a whole, the characters are continually face with new challenges that they have to contend with. This episodes alludes to such challenges but doesn't have enough meat to really delve into them in a meaningful way.

When she is

[fh_3 · 5/10 · 1 May 2020]

The writers do a great job of making her a strong character but Claire is a 20th century woman living in the 18th. Arguing with a ship captain about superstition to make your point was not needed; especially when he agrees.

The Doldrums

[bobcobb301 · 6/10 · 13 May 2018]

The scene near the end with Claire walking into the infested part of the ship really hit home for the first time in awhile how different this time period is from now, or even the late 20th Century where she was used to.

Some interesting moments, some odd moments in this episode, but this season has lost its way a bit in my mind.