Will Outlander season 3 episode 4 ignite Sam Heughan Emmy campaign?

Now that we’re on the other side of Outlander season 3 episode 4, it does make sense to start the Sam Heughan Emmy campaign buzz … provided that it wasn’t there already.

If you’ve read CarterMatt in the past, then odds are you are familiar already with our campaigning for Heughan, alongside many other actors of the show, to get some attention. Earlier this season we’ve started our case for Tobias Menzies and we’ve absolutely done so for Caitriona Balfe in the past.

The reason that we bring this up now is strictly because “Of Lost Things” may be the best Sam Heughan episode since “To Ransom a Man’s Soul,” which was a gut-wrenching and utterly fantastic performance alongside Menzies as Black Jack Randall. This episode brought you almost every dimension of Heughan as an actor that you could want:

Action and intensity – While it was short, him firing off at Lord Ellesmere showed that he can capably step into that role of action hero — while also not overusing it. There is intention and purpose behind the moves he made here, and once he killed Ellesmere it was off to the next thing.

Vulnerability – For the second week in a row, Heughan had to play a challenging scene in which he learned that someone else wanted to use him for his body; while he was able to refuse Lord John Grey, he felt utterly powerless to stop it with Geneva Dunsany. Sex scenes are always delicate, but Heughan found a way to navigate this one by showing Jamie’s discomfort, but then also his caring side as he realized that the only way he was to get through it was to help ease some of Geneva’s anxiety. Even after being blackmailed, he effectively showed that Jamie knows how to withstand and endure.

Dialogue – His conversation with Lord John Grey (David Berry) at the end of the episode was a thing of beauty, just as you could say about every Heughan – Berry interaction so far.

Unspoken dialogue – The relationship between Jamie and William, while brief, was wonderful. Sam found a way to carefully create that attachment so that when he left you understood why William, a young boy desperate for a father figure, was so hurt.

In short, this episode is one where Heughan did a little bit of everything. You saw Jamie’s pain, his determination, his ability to maneuver tough situations socially, and in the end his caring side and sense of optimism for the world. Those of you watching the show for romance will certainly find quite a bit to enjoy in the weeks to come, as the Print Shop scene is right around the corner! You can preview that moment even more by heading over to the link here and watching the promo.

Did this episode help the Sam Heughan Emmy campaign?

We certainly hope so, but for the time being we do foresee that it has put him in great standing in regards to the Golden Globes. We’re not too far from being in the thick of that awards season, and Outlander has been the recipient of many nominations there in the past.

For more Outlander season 3 episode 4 coverage…

Be sure to visit the link here to read our full review for Sunday night’s new episode! Also, be sure to join our Facebook page (at the link here) for more news on Outlander and other series we cover at CarterMatt. (Photo: Starz.)