Why ‘Outlander’ fans are so devoted — strong source material, Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe, and more

Earlier this month, we nominated “Outlander” in the Best Fanbase category of our CarterMatt Awards, and within that piece, we outlined some of the reasons why: These are fans that not only adore the show and watch the episodes multiple times over, but they have an internet presence that is largely unprecedented for a premium cable drama with its viewership. They recently won the Most Bingeworthy Show for the second straight year at the Critics’ Choice Awards, they are strong contenders for several categories in the People’s Choice Awards early next year, and whether it be through Entertainment Weekly, the Radio Times, or this very publication, they tend to perform strongly in almost every poll.

So why is that? Why is this show, a time-traveling romance epic based on the work of Diana Gabaldon, able to amass such a following that only a small assortment of other shows can come close to matching? It’s a complicated recipe, but over the course of this article we want to look at some of the secret ingredients further.

The nature of the adaptation – Whenever a series comes on the air with an established amount of source material, there is inherently a following that comes along with that. Look at a show like “Game of Thrones” or “The Walking Dead” — while the two have surged in the ratings since their series premieres, they had strong numbers out of the box thanks to people who were already aware of the content within. “Outlander” is the same way. Gabaldon’s work is beloved, and with that there is inherent excitement that is only escalating given that there are still so many books, and so many favorite scenes, to be adapted for TV. Also, the show inspires many new fans to read ahead, which builds an anticipation that only a few shows can match. Even “Game of Thrones” cannot claim this anymore now that the show is ahead of the books.

The nature of the cast – Maybe if Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe were a little more distant, there wouldn’t be the same sort of passion and exuberance as there is online. However, these are two actors with a great rapport, a sense of humor, and demonstrate often a great relationship with their show and their fans. They often demonstrate their gratitude for getting to be a part of this world, and you get to feel as though you are on the journey with them as opposed to them being off on some inaccessible plane somewhere separate from their audience. You can also say the same thing about many people within the supporting cast, the crew, and even some of the producers.

Also, kudos to both Caitriona and Sam for also using their platform to promote charitable causes, whether it be World Child Cancer or Bloodwise. Their interactivity with these causes serves as a way to raise awareness, while at the same time allowing “Outlander” fans to feel more involved and a part of their world. The support and the community aspect of the fandom is another reason for its strength. This brings us into our next point…

The nature of the fan base itself – There are many different followings out there for shows that are largely divided in terms of the characters they like, the stories that they want to see, or almost every minute detail from top to bottom. While there are exceptions to almost every rule, the “Outlander” following is far more unified than many others. That is why they are able to get on the same page more often than many other fandoms are. Many of those followings vote for a ‘ship or an actor in a poll, but not the series as a whole or vice-versa. It’s hard to find a group who is more positive and universally supportive of a show that they love. Even with a character like Black Jack Randall who is vicious and terrifying, “Outlander” fans are able to recognize that Tobias Menzies is a person separate from who he plays and therein worthy of love and support. That doesn’t always happen elsewhere.

The nature of the subject matter – Let’s face it — inherently, “Outlander” is an easy show for a wide array of people to love. For science fiction / fantasy fans, there’s an element of time travel and a complicated set of rules that go along with that. For those of you out there for romance, you’ve got one of the most passionate ones on television. There’s something for the history buff, battle sequences for the action-lovers, and even some beautiful vistas and splendid costumes for those who choose to watch programming based on the visual aesthetics.

Basically, there’s something for everyone within the show, which is why it is able to draw not only a large number of fans, but ones from various walks of life.

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We presume that there are still several other components that go into what makes the “Outlander” following so great, but consider this an outline to the metaphorical recipe at the start of this article. So long as many of these things remain, we have a hard time seeing the support of the show subsiding in the coming years.

To receive further news when it comes to “Outlander,” be sure to head over to the link here right now. (Photo: Starz.)