Outlander and its striking appeal to male viewers

Did you know that Outlander is a popular show with men? It’s an interesting subject today through the lens of a couple of different things said recently be series author Diana Gabaldon on Twitter. First, she revealed that, per what she has been told, a good 40% of the audience for the show is men. Meanwhile, also had a lively discussion following the recent Jeopardy! mention of the book series, one where the male contestant was the one to get it correct.

What we like to think about the Jeopardy! moment is that it is a fantastic reminder that while you don’t always hear from male fans of the show or the books on social media, we are very well aware that they are out there. As a matter of fact, there is potential for Outlander to expand its base to even more male viewers — they just need to have some sort of better understanding as to what the show is actually about. So often we see the series labeled by the press as simply a romance when really, the love story component is just one part of it. Think of all of the different territories the show encroached in season 3: It was a historical drama, a time-traveling adventure, a war epic, a swashbuckling story at sea, and a political thriller. Also, men do love romance far more than many would generalize — we say this as a male writer who enjoys the show from every vantage point.

Is there a way to reach out to more potential men who aren’t hearing about the show from their friends and family? Maybe, and a good starting-off point is through Sam Heughan’s character of Jamie Fraser. He’s basically an 18th-century action hero with a big heart and passion for what he believes in. He’s also willing to stop at nothing for some of his causes. It’s easy to enjoy Outlander because of some of his wit and his ability to kick butt and take names. We don’t anticipate the show changing its promotional strategy, though — they’ve built a great audience marketing the series to women, and with the ratings on the rise there’s little incentive to change that.

Related – Discussing Outlander through the lens of the Revolutionary War

There is also an interesting angle to the Jamie / Claire love story that isn’t often viewed. We often write here about how Claire, a woman from the future, was able to fall in love with a man from the past. Yet, it is equally interesting that Jamie was willing to throw himself head-first into a romantic relationship with a woman from the future, and choose to believe her story and understand where she is coming from emotionally. He’s a window into a male perspective, and we often do like to write from the show from that vantage point, including discussing some of the interesting friendships between Jamie and Lord John alongside Young Ian and Fergus. We do think that men are equally interested in Claire, Brianna, and some of the other stories that exist with the female characters, but we do think there are appealing perspectives out there that aren’t always talked about as much. Many of the series’ male characters bring with them 18th-century sensibilities, but also a progressive sense of learning that is very much appreciated for a modern audience.

So what’s the point of all of this?

It’s mostly a reminder to leave any and all opinions behind that Outlander is a show dominated only by female viewers. The men are out there, and we find them every bit as immersed in the action, the adventure, and the love at the core of it all.

If you do want some more news related to Outlander, we simply suggest that you like CarterMatt on Facebook right now. (Photo: Starz.)