On Outlander season 3, Jamie, Lord John Grey, male friendship, and complications

Is the relationship between Jamie Fraser and Lord John Grey firmly established through two seasons of Outlander? Hardly, but this is one that we’re especially interested in watching play out over the course of the upcoming third season.

In between the Print Shop, the search for Jamie, and everything Jamie/Claire in general, it’s fairly understandable that the arrival of David Berry as the iconic Diana Gabaldon character would be somewhat lost in the shuffle. We have mentioned him here and there in various articles, but from the TV show side of things, there is still a great deal here that needs to be brought out and explored further. How does this relationship evolve past two men on very different sides of the political spectrum? How do they bond? What is the push and pull between them, and what are they willing to do for each other? There is a history there, but this story will be more about where the two parties are in the present and how they can move past the obvious barriers that exist.

What we’re especially excited to see play out with these characters is a deepening emotional connection and an understanding of how one another works and feels. Male friendship is often not something that is expressed all that well on television, mostly because it often devolves into just watching guys be bros and goofing off, thinking that it’s somehow not masculine enough to be able to share some further thoughts and feelings. Conversations are often geared most on success, war, conquest, or sex. We do think that television has improved leaps and bounds over the past five years when it comes to showing strong female friendships, but there hasn’t been the same evolution on the other side of the coin with men.

There are two TV series that we often look towards as strong examples of male friendship.

Suits – If you think about it, Harvey Specter’s biggest concern with Mike Ross going to prison was that he was going to be without his best friend. They work together, but they also care about each other. Even this season, creator Aaron Korsh crafted a strong arc about how Louis Litt was struggling with the idea of Harvey’s friend Alex Williams joining the firm. He started to feel accepted, and felt like his own friendship with Harvey was going to wane with this new arrival.

Hap and Leonard – This is a subject we’ve discussed in the past with series star James Purefoy, who believes that this show does excel at showcasing the bond between two adult men with different backgrounds and often different motivations. There are probably more similarities here to the Jamie/Lord John dynamic than with Suits, though neither Hap or Leonard find themselves at each other’s mercy in the way that Jamie does Berry’s character.

Sure, we’re as thrilled to see the Print Shop scenes as anyone, but we’re equally invested in seeing how Jamie and Lord John Grey develop their relationship in the opening arc of season 3. With Jamie in the abyss and haunted by the ghost of his great love Claire, a friendship could be a beacon of hope — even if it begins in a troublesome place. (Unfortunately, and as many book readers know, this friendship does eventually become complicated in so many different ways — we don’t want to spoil them here, mostly because they are what makes this dynamic so interesting, unique, and at times even heartbreaking. It is a very singular and notable bond.)

What do you want to see from Jamie and Lord John? Sound off in the comments!

If you missed it … be sure to also check out some more early Outlander season 4 news. (Photo: Starz.)