Hello everyone!
I wanted to share my thoughts on this incredibly cool series that everyone and all my friends were raving about - Outlander. I mean, it's hard to resist when all your friends are hyping something up like this, right? So, of course, we started watching it.
I have to admit, I've tried watching other series from the same creators before, like Lost, but I never managed to finish it. However, with Outlander, it's a whole different story. Although, I guess it's a bit early to say, since the other seasons haven't been released yet.
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Plot:
It's all mysterious and eerie. There's this town deep in the American woods that's just plain weird. You can't escape it - all the roads lead back to the town. The people living there are from all over the country, and at first glance, they seem completely unrelated to each other.
But that's not even the scariest part. At night, creatures emerge from the woods that look like people, but with these creepy, smiling faces. They're after blood, and it's just terrifying.
You can escape the creatures by staying indoors with a talisman hanging on the wall. And that's how the heroes try to live a normal life. By day, they put up a decent facade, but as soon as the sun sets, they retreat to their homes with windows shuttered tight, waiting for dawn when the monsters disappear. That's how things went on until the Matthew family arrived in town.
Main Characters:
There are many, but I'll highlight the key players and figures in this series.
Sheriff Boyd:
I love this guy! He's the backbone of the series. He's the local sheriff keeping the peace, and he's super smart and level-headed. He managed to rally the townspeople and is the one they all listen to. He's like a leader for the folks in this town. You can go to him with any question, and he'll help you out.
The Matthews Family:
I'm part of a family of four - that's two parents and two kids, a teenager and a preteen. We ended up in this small town just like everyone else. A massive tree had fallen across the road, so we had to take a detour, and then we got into an accident. But we met some locals who explained the lay of the land.
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Dad, Jim: He's the rock of our family. He's always trying to find answers to our questions and figure out ways to get in touch with the outside world. He's been pretty resourceful, actually.
Mum, Tabitha: She was a bit of a wild card at first - always yelling and freaking out. But she's really come into her own since then. She loves her kids, and she and Jim have been working together to try and make sense of things. She's actually become one of the main characters in this story.
Juli - my niece. She's a teenager and, to be honest, I was a bit annoyed with her in the beginning of the show. I mean, she's a teenager, but her constant teasing of her little brother was getting on my nerves! As the series progresses, her character goes through a lot of changes and transformations. When her parents are away, she takes on a more responsible role in taking care of her little brother.
Ethan - my nephew. He's a smart kid who's trying to help out and not get in the way. I like his character - he's a bit of a scene-stealer and he quickly befriends Victor.
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Other characters:
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Donna:
My mom-in-law is a force to be reckoned with! She's a no-nonsense kind of woman who runs the household with an iron fist. She's been through a lot, but she's not one to complain. She's always looking out for others and is a bit of a mother figure to everyone in the community.
Overall, Donna is a tough, strong-willed woman who's seen it all, but isn't broken by it.
Sara:
I love how Sara's character is a bit of an enigma - she's got these mysterious abilities and a connection to this weird place. Her actions are pretty unpredictable, but she's trying to help and fight for the right reasons. I really relate to her.
Jade:
Jade's another favorite character of mine. He gets brought into this world after a car crash that kills his friend. Initially, he's all about partying and living the high life - he's got his own company and thinks he's above all this. But when he sees what's happened to his friend, he changes. His character's also connected to this strange place, and he's one of the first to try and figure out what's going on.
Kristi:
Our local doctor. I mean, she's not exactly a fully-fledged doctor. She only made it to her third year of medical school. But she's the only one around, so she's kind of had to learn on the job. She's really knowledgeable and skilled, even if she doesn't have the official credentials to back it up. Overall, she's a pretty neutral character.
Viktor:
This guy's also one of my favorites! I'd say he's like a little kid trapped in a grown man's body. Viktor's been around the block a few times and has seen some pretty dark stuff, so he's got some serious emotional baggage. He's got a lot of psychological issues going on, and it really shows in his behavior.
He's a bit of a strange guy, living in his own little world and carrying around a kid's backpack and drawing pad everywhere he goes. I've got to give credit to the actor, though - it's not easy playing a kid who's got the emotional maturity of a toddler, but is physically a grown adult. He does a fantastic job of it!
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Fatima and Ellis:
Ellis is Boyd's son, and they've got a pretty strained relationship.
\n\n \n\n My take:
\n\n Honestly, I'm not blown away by this show - not even close to a 5 out of 5. But I'm still looking forward to the new season.
\n\n My main gripe is that it's just too dragged out.
\n\n There's so much filler, pointless conversations, and whining from the main characters that it's sometimes hard to watch.
\n\n \n\n To be honest, there aren't many intense moments that keep me hooked to the screen. During the endless conversations between the main characters, I found myself zoning out and almost falling asleep - I was ready to quit by mid-season 2. But luckily, things started to pick up from the middle of this season, and it got more interesting to watch.
\n\n \n\n Do they finally tell us something? Yeah, they do. But in the process, they raise even more questions.
\n\n The atmosphere of the show is really captivating - I mean, it's definitely not for everyone. I love the dark, moody vibe.
I've got to say, the opening credits are a whole different level of awesome. They're ridiculously beautiful, visually stunning, and atmospheric. The music is spot on too. The actors are all top-notch! I love 'em all, they're playing their roles to perfection. I'm not even familiar with most of them, but they're doing an amazing job.
Now, about the not-so-great stuff. The show does have a somewhat relevant plotline... I won't spoil it for you, but it's not too annoying and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.
I'd say the show is a bit light on actual content, though. We're three seasons in and we still don't have many answers. It's all just a bunch of speculation at this point.
And don't even get me started on the pacing. It's glacial, to say the least. There are maybe a handful of moments that'll get your heart racing, but for the most part, it's just a slow burn.
The show's idea might be a bit tired, but it's still interesting. I mean, it's not like it's trying to reinvent the wheel or anything.
One thing that does work in the show's favor is its atmosphere. It's super tense, even when nothing's happening. I mean, I watched the entire second season in one day and I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache and some seriously weird dreams. So, if you're the sensitive type, you might want to steer clear. There are some pretty disturbing moments in there.
Honestly, I've got to say - they really hyped this one up, and the story's got some wild twists. But to be honest, it feels like the creators are still figuring things out, and that's got me feeling a bit let down already.
Verdict:
I'm giving it 3 stars, but I'd still recommend it to fans of the genre who enjoy a slow burn and gradual development. I'm hoping for more action and answers in the next seasons, though.