Why Jamie, Claire Fraser of ‘Outlander’ are one of TV’s top couples
Mrs. Carter: Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
With this being one of the most romantic days of the year, we want to do our best to celebrate some of the most-romantic couples on all of TV. If you watch “Outlander,” you have to know already that Jamie and Claire Fraser are at the top of the list! They’re passionate, devoted, and refreshingly real at a time when there are so many TV couples that just don’t bring the same fire. What they’ve overcome already, and what they will continue to overcome as Claire attempts to find her husband in season 3, will likely be a source of inspiration for romantics everywhere.
So what makes these two so special? As many romantic poems often say, let us count the ways.
1. The material – Of course,we have to start here, since without some of the epic episodes like their wedding and the season 1 finale, we wouldn’t get to see their passion or their mettle. Whether it be in the most romantic of moments or the most heartbreaking (see “Faith” or “Dragonfly in Amber”), you get a sense of how deeply they truly care about each other. The primary source of credit goes to author Diana Gabaldon, but then it stretches along to Ronald D. Moore, Matthew B. Roberts, and everyone else who writes and works on the show.
2. The performances – Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan work tirelessly to make their scenes beautiful. There’s an interesting paradox that exists here, one where they have to work so much harder as an actor in order to make a love appear effortless on-screen. They’ve put so much into their roles, so it looks as though Jamie and Claire are destined to love each other and it is as easy for them to feel these feelings as it is to live and breathe. If only it was as easy for the two of them to survive and stay together in the midst of Culloden and the various struggles that have come their way. More on that ahead…
3. The hardships – Tough times show how strong a couple is. We’ve seen them both captured and tortured, and we’ve seen them separated by both miles and centuries. Yet, you see in “Dragonfly in Amber” how Claire’s love for Jamie has never waned; it was just not feasible for her to hope or believe when she was so certain that he had died. Now that she knows otherwise, she’s intent on going back in time to find him.
4. The time and place – There is something about being in the past that adds to the romance of the story, and a part of it may stem from convenience. In 2017, we exist in a time where there are so many ways in which to say “I love you.” In the 18th-century, meanwhile, it was infinitely more difficult. You actually had to seek that person out, often on foot or horseback, in order to tell them how you feel. The series allows for these beautiful, sweeping romantic gestures.
We’ll see what the future holds for Claire and Jamie when “Outlander” season 3 premieres later this year. We don’t want to spoil anything for non-book readers, but let’s just say that there are many powerful moments ahead!
What do you love the most about the Jamie – Claire relationship? Let us know in the comments, and head over here to see more of our “Outlander” stories here at CarterMatt! (Photo: Starz.)