TV Show Review

TV Review: OUTLANDER: Season 2, Episode 5: Untimely Resurrections [Starz]

Caitriona Balfe Sam Heughan Outlander Untimely Resurrections

Outlander Untimely Resurrections Review

Starzs Outlander: Season 2, Episode 5: Untimely Resurrections, as the title suggested, featured the reemergence of a particular character that had not be seen this entire season. When that character, the shark of the series, appeared in Paris, the shark’s reemergence (and the scene that it was contained in) was every bit as entertaining as it could have been yet surprising in the same instance.

As jealous Annalise de Marillac (Margaux Châtelier) put it, the shark was “dashing” in its brazen observation and approach on Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe). Claire had attempted to manipulate time since the season began, noticing time’s curiosities along the way. During their reunion, it was the shark that noticed and noted them, making Claire uncomfortable on many levels. Like Ramsay Bolton, the shark reveled in Claire’s growing uncomfort, making the shark the more interesting of the two (the shark and Claire).

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The “F*ck the King” comment was right out of Game of Thrones, a provocative, Sandor Clegane sentiment that was profoundly untimely in this case. When the shark bowed elaborately, the viewer knew what was about to unfold before Claire did. It was Claire’s Edward Rooney moment.

King Louis XV of France (Lionel Lingelser) is becoming a magnetic character, created right before the viewer’s eyes. His way of speaking (pleasant and accommodating one moment, scolding, or talking down to the next), hand movements, asserting his authority, etc. forced the viewer to focus on him, even-though more familiar characters were on-screen with him. The King’s assertions were immaterial during his scene. It was his manner that spoke volumes.

The Duke of Sandringham (Simon Callow) pointing out Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan)’s ability to judge horse flesh and his inability to judge human beings was another instance of the Duke’s intelligence shining through from underneath his bluster, pompous airs, and expensive hair piece. That match in intellect are why the Duke and Jamie get along so well.

Mary Hawkins (Rosie Day) not marrying Alex Randall (Laurence Dobiesz) was tragic and the beginning of a heavy psychological load that Claire would carry until the end of her days. Untimely Resurrections was the inception of Mary Hawkins’ sentence to living hell and the destruction of Mary’s (potential) happiness for the sake of the unborn, Frank Randall. The viewer would hate to be Claire as that was an escalating amount of misery she had engineered, in multiple lives, for the preservation of a single life.

Jamie’s indirect accusation and Le Comte St. Germain (Stanley Weber) looking away, as if bored and uninterested (remember the chess game?), then saying that Jamie’s personal matters were of absolutely no concern of his was an extremely well-played moment on Le Comte’s part, if he was behind Claire and Mary’s attack. When Le Comte accused Claire of trying to ruin him, why didn’t Jamie speak up in Claire’s defense, insisting that what happened to Le Comte’s cargo and ship were completely unintentional? Did Jamie really want the undeclared feud to continue? Possibly. If Jamie found out that Le Comte was behind the attack, the cessation of the feud might have prevented Jamie from seeking retribution.

Jamie’s rage was misplaced. Claire’s request was for Jamie’s ultimate benefit (and her own), but since he (nor Claire) had never studied time travel, Jamie didn’t know it. If the shark died and Frank was never born, Claire would never have traveled back in time and that timeline (the one that Claire and Jamie currently existed in) would instantly cease to exist. It was Frank’s travels in Inverness, Scotland that brought Claire to the standing stones at Craigh na Dun. If Frank was never born, Claire would never (most-likely) have visited Scotland, touched those rocks, and traveled back in time. Jamie would never have met Claire or have known of her existence. By letting the shark live, Jamie also kept alive his happiness, his relationship with Claire, and that timeline.

Leave your thoughts on this Outlander Untimely Resurrections review and this episode of Outlander below in the comments section. For more Outlander reviews, photos, videos, and information, visit our Outlander Page, visit our Outlander Google+ Page, our TV Show Review Page, our TV Show Review Facebook Page, subscribe to us by Email, “follow” us on Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, or “like” us on Facebook for quick updates.

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Rollo Tomasi

Rollo Tomasi is a Connecticut-based film critic, TV show critic, news, and editorial writer. He will have a MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University in 2025. Rollo has written over 700 film, TV show, short film, Blu-ray, and 4K-Ultra reviews. His reviews are published in IMDb's External Reviews and in Google News. Previously you could find his work at Empire Movies, Blogcritics, and AltFilmGuide. Now you can find his work at FilmBook.
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