About They Call Her Regret: In this young adult speculative mystery, a teen must find a way to free a cursed witch in order to save her best friend before time runs out. Out February 17th 2026.

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of watching The Twilight Zone with my great-grandmother. We’d cuddle up on the couch in the evenings and watch the unnerving, black-and-white stories unfold—tales that probably would have given most small children nightmares. For me, though, it was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with speculative fiction. The series was so influential to me that readers will likely find echoes of it embedded in everything I write. In a playful nod to the show, the main character in They Call Her Regret, Simone Washington, has a pet cat named Serling, after the show’s visionary narrator, Rod Serling. But inspiration from specific episodes can be found throughout the book in themes, character motivations, and moral dilemmas. Let’s take a look at a few examples!

“The Night Call” Season 5

This episode follows an elderly woman named Elva who keeps receiving frightening phone calls from an unknown caller. For years, Elva has been haunted by a choice she made as a young adult—a choice that came with deadly consequences. “The Night Call” ends with a devastating twist that left me with more questions than answers. How do we handle it when the mistakes we’ve made can’t be undone? What do we do when we desire forgiveness from someone who can’t—or won’t—offer it?  And if we were presented with an opportunity for redemption, what would we be willing to sacrifice to claim it? These are all questions I enjoyed exploring in They Call Her Regret.

“Living Doll” Season 5

In this iconic episode, a cruel man is threatened by his stepdaughter’s new doll, Talky Tina. When I was a child, I had a talking Barbie doll that I thought sounded eerily similar to Talky Tina, but instead of being terrified by this, I was fascinated. After all, in the episode, Talky Tina is really just trying to be helpful to a little girl in need. In They Call Her Regret, you’ll meet a curious doll named Gabby Greta. Will she be of help to Simone—or will she turn out to be something more sinister?

“The Hitch-Hiker” Season 1

While on a cross-country road trip, Nan Adams keeps seeing the same hitchhiker everywhere she goes. This episode is suspenseful and deliciously eerie, but what I found most compelling was its focus on Nan’s growing desire for companionship amid mounting fear. She desperately doesn’t want to be alone, yet she can’t explain what she is experiencing without seeming utterly unstable—something she and Simone have in common.

“Nick of Time” Season 2

In this episode, a newlywed man becomes convinced that a cheap fortune-telling machine is actually predicting his future. I love how you can feel the characters’ anxiety slowly ramp up over the course of the story. One line from Rod Serling’s closing narration really stuck with me and became a major source of inspiration while drafting They Call Her Regret:

“Two people permanently enslaved by the tyranny of fear and superstition, facing the future with a kind of helpless dread.”

Simone feels that sense of dread intensely but must fight her way through it because the consequences of standing still are far worse.

“One for the Angels” Season 1

A salesman attempts to negotiate with Death to escape his own fate, only to discover that doing so may condemn an innocent person instead.  They Call Her Regret is my own take on the dark, complex bargain trope—one that’s been a favorite of mine ever since the first time I watched this episode. I was also really drawn to the way Death was personified and chose to do something similar—but notably darker and scarier—in my book with Regret.

“The Self Improvement of Salvadore Ross” Season 5

One of my personal favorite episodes of the entire series, “The Self Improvement of Salvadore Ross,” follows a man who discovers he can trade characteristics with other people. Things get messy when he swaps out a certain personality trait in a futile attempt to win a woman’s affection. In They Call Her Regret Simone talks a lot about the masks she wears to please other people. She laments aspects of her own nature that she believes are flawed and would go to great lengths to keep them hidden. Lucky for her, she doesn’t share Mr. Ross’s ability—because if she did, she’d almost certainly find herself in the dark side of The Twilight Zone.

The post How The Twilight Zone Shaped ‘They Call Her Regret’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intro and Overview of Plot

Netflix’s recent period drama, House of Guinness, centers on the Guinness family in 1868 in the aftermath of the death of Benjamin Guinness, the family patriarch and businessman, at a time of deep political unrest in Ireland. The premise was created by Ivana Lowell, a descendent of the Guinness family, though the narrative is merely inspired by true events, rather than a factual representation of history. 

Similar to HBO Max’s hit drama Succession, the patriarch’s four grown children face various challenges as they strive to step forward as pillars of the family in a quickly changing world. The show is fast-paced with highly-styled cinematography, anachronistic musical choices, and a large cast that is at first difficult to keep track of. The consistent narrative pace, however, allows viewers time to adapt to the show’s various storylines and style and ends with a strong first season. 

Much like Stephen Knight’s other period piece, Peaky Blinders, House of Guinness successfully blends historical drama with contemporary touches.

Central Characters and Narrative

The eight episodes follow not only the four grown Guinness children but also the Cochrane siblings, Ellen (Niamh McCormack) and Patrick (Seamus O’Hara), who are active in the Fenian Brotherhood (an American branch of the Ireland Republican Brotherhood, or IRB; named after the Fianna, a mythological band of warriors). Tertiary characters, like Bonnie Champion (David Wilmot), Rafferty (James Norton) and his men, and Byron (Jack Gleeson) make the large cast somewhat difficult to follow for the first few episodes.

The Guinness children each have their own challenges. Arthur (Anthony Boyle), the eldest, is a gay man living in the late 1800s in Ireland, and his identity as an Irishman is challenged by his having been away in England for some time. Benjamin (Fionn O’Shea), the second eldest, faces a long battle with alcoholism, while Anne (Emily Fairn), the third child and only daughter, only inherits access to properties and what her brothers allow her and so dedicates her life to Catholicism and philanthropic endeavours. Edward (Louis Partridge), the youngest, is the most business-inclined, but his efforts are often thwarted by Arthur’s actions. 

The siblings work mostly independently of one another, creating four narrative lines among just them, let alone the multitude of other characters. A challenge for the show rests here with the siblings: the Guinness family doesn’t face much actual risk. Lose the business? Sell the estate and move to live comfortably elsewhere. Much like Succession, this family faces a great deal of turmoil and drama while still having the ability to walk away at any point and live their lives peacefully. 

This explains why the creators bring in the role of the Fenian Brotherhood into the show, which is, in fact, a fiction. Historically, the Guinness family did not have connections with the Fenians–and even opposed them and Irish independence. By adding the Fenian element to the show, the risk does increase for the Guinness siblings, albeit only by a bit.

Cinematography

The camera and artwork of the series is phenomenal. The colour palette is consistent throughout, and the set design is riddled with precise detail and balance. The movement of actors through each scene is directed so as to create near works of art–actors framed in arched doorways with perfectly balanced and parallel extended framing, for example. The intense attention to detail is carried consistently throughout the series, even when the episodes’ director changes at episode six, with Tom Shankland directing the first five episodes, and Mounia Aki directing the final three. 

Music

The anachronistic musical choices are one of the similarities between House of Guinness and Peaky Blinders. With a blend of traditional and contemporary Irish music, the soundtrack is a varied and expansive one, including works by Fontaines DC, Flogging Molly, Kneecap, Lankum, The Mary Wallopers, Lisa O’Neill, and The Scratch, among others. The soundtrack even includes a 2023 special release of “The Parting Glass” by Boygenius & Ye Vagabonds (a tribute to Irish singer and songwriter Sinéad O’Connor). Though the music is well-chosen, the show does continue the recent tradition of quiet dialogue that cuts into jarringly loud music, so audio-sensitive viewers beware. 

The show includes some dialogue in Irish, but translations are readily and pointedly available. By the time a viewer hears a phrase in Irish and thinks, “Oh, what’s that, then? Is there a caption or–” a quick text scrawls across the screen translating. This is also done whenever amounts of money are discussed, with modern amounts posted to help the audience understand the weight of any given financial situation. These small asides are posted so clearly and often with an auditory punch that one would think these intrusions would be as jarring as the music at times, and yet they actually enable a modern audience to continue with the storyline without the distraction of wondering what just transpired on screen. 

House of Guinness is an enjoyable watch, as long as viewers are not looking for a factual history of the Guinness family. At the time of this writing, the show has not yet been greenlit for a second season. 

The post Review: House of Guinness, Season 1 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Blood of My Blood season finale released recently, completing the first full season (the show has already been renewed for season 2). The episode brought back some forgotten inklings of Outlander, but overall, the episode felt off-kilter with cuts and flashbacks oddly placed and unequal screen time for the main characters.

The episode opens in 1920s England at Claire’s second birthday party. Quentin (George Kemp), Henry’s brother, visits and has clear rapport with his niece. 

After the opening credits, the episode then opens with a wedding, where the bride is heavily veiled. These two opening scenes—Claire’s second birthday and the mysterious wedding—are almost competing for the role of Episode Opener—and yet they do not parallel or mirror each other, as previous episodes have done with carefully placed scenes. 

The episode then flashes back to a day earlier, where we find Brian (Jamie Roy) and Murtagh (Rory Alexander) hiding out at their hobbit hut—where even though it is quite literally a tiny hole in a hill, the interior has the magic of a Harry Potter tent or the TARDIS (bigger on the inside) and it has impeccably set stone flooring and a lovely hearth and fireplace. 

They apologise to each other, while Brian tries to understand why Ellen (Harriet Slater) would say she no longer loves him. He asks Murtagh to help him get to Ellen, but before they can act, they are attacked. Brian kills the attackers but one lives long enough for him to ask who sent him: Colum (Seamus McLean Ross). Brian then stabs the gallowglass (hired mercenary) in the heart. Murtagh has been injured, so Brian sets out alone to find Ellen.

At Leoch, Ellen and Mrs. Fitz (Sally Messham) walk the aisle to oversee its decorating. MacCrannoch (Dom Fraser) approaches her and offers a gift of a pearl necklace (the necklace from Outlander—and MacCrannoch is who assists in an important rescue in Outlander—the necklace is passed down to Claire and Brianna). 

The scene cuts to Maura Grant (Bobby Rainsbury) walking in on her maid and Dougal (Sam Retford) having sex against a wall. She and Dougal exchange sarcastic words, but what viewers see is that we needed Maura earlier in the season. Her spunky personality and quick wit bring back a little of the humour often found in the writing in Outlander, though we have yet to see much of it in Blood of My Blood. 

In Ellen’s chamber, Jocasta (Sadhbh Malin), Ellen, Janet (Ailsa Davidson), and Mrs. Fitz pack Ellen’s things. Ellen apologises to Jocasta for not getting her input when her marriage was arranged and asks for her help as Ellen steps in to lead a household at Grant Castle. The sisters are kind and supportive of one another. 

At Castle Leathers, Lovat (Tony Curran) bemoans his humiliation at Braemar over dinner with Julia (Hermione Corfield). She offers him support and encouragement, and on his way to bed, he tells her he expects her in his bed later that night. 

We shift to a quick scene of women plucking chickens while drinking and sharing laughter and “saucy tales.” Ellen’s rhyme offends Maura who leaves the group.

Back at Leathers, Julia concocts a plan to have Davina (Sara Vickers) send Balloch (Chick Allen) after her to save Davina from blame. Julia finds Henry, (Jeremy Irvine) who attacks and knocks out Balloch, and then they escape. 

Next, we see Brian approaching MacKenzie land, where he knocks out a Grant guard and takes his clothing. Inside Castle Leoch, Ellen and Mrs. Fitz continue wedding preparations. Brian, with an improvised present in hand, asks Jocasta where Ellen’s room is to deliver the present, but Jocasta recognises him. He convinces her to take him to see Ellen by telling her that Colum tried to have him killed–and wounded Murtagh, who we know Jocasta loves. This is all told to Ellen and Mrs. Fitz, and as Murtagh is Mrs. Fitz’s nephew, earns her anger as well over Colum’s actions. Brian pledges his love again, and Ellen returns it. She says that Colum breaking his promise now frees her of her promise to wed Malcolm. 

Ellen pays Colum a visit, and he thanks her for helping the clan. She asks him if there’s nothing he wants to tell her in that way that clearly says she already knows something and he best fess up, but he declines. He shows her their father’s sword, that they will lay at the feet of the Grants “for love of Ellen”. 

Next, we cut to Henry and Julia (with baby William strapped to her chest) galloping across hills–which is repeated basically for the rest of the episode for them. No detailed reunion, no chemistry between characters, no dialogue, nothing. A flashback shows them sitting seaside back in the 1920s, watching a young Claire (Mae and Tuesday Roberts) playing in the sand with Quentin. Henry tells Julia he has planned a romantic holiday to the Highlands while Claire stays with Quentin. Julia shares that she is pregnant again. 

In Colum’s office, Malcolm paces and announces that Ellen is gone, and he and Uncle Mac proceed to threaten Colum. The Grants walk out, and Colum tells Ned to find Dougal because his “clan needs him.” 

When we cut back to the veiled bride walking down the aisle, the camera suspiciously passes other characters as viewers try to figure out who she is—especially with knowing that Ellen is missing. When she reaches the altar, Maura Grant unveils herself. The groom is asked to step forward–and Dougal rises and joins her. Dougal is clearly under duress and hesitant in saying his vows. They are married, keeping the peace between the clans, though it is clear neither is thrilled about the partnership. 

Ellen and Brian, now dressed as servants, are ready to leave when Jocasta and Mrs. Fitz arrive to tell them they will distract the wedding guests and return to tell Ellen and Brian to make their escape. 

At the wedding feast, everyone has a good time—except for Dougal and Maura. Colum provides a toast, and as soon as the toast is done, Maura suggests Dougal take her to his bedchamber to consummate the marriage. He is surprised but follows obediently. 

In his room, Maura is so matter-of-fact that Dougal is disconcerted. Maura is direct and not coy or coquettish—and the scene is perhaps one of the funniest we’ve had for the show—something that has been much missed. 

Tucked into the cuts of the scene changes, we see two little boys steal some ale or wine (Angus and Rupert–who play larger roles in Outlander). The boys proceed to drink, fart, and laugh. Between them and Maura, a small amount of humour is finally present—which we had in Outlander and seems to have been forgotten here. Even the most serious of storylines needs small humorous breaks to provide some balance. This was true for Shakespeare—and it is true today. Even the harshest episodes of Game of Thrones included small jokes and witticisms. 

Throughout the whole season, episodes have had the same structure where towards the last third of the episode, the scene cuts become quicker and quicker—but for this episode, those cuts have been the case for the whole episode, and quickens even more for the last third of this one–though ultimately not much happens. 

Mrs. Fitz and Jocasta return for Ellen and Brian and share tearful goodbyes, while nearby Uncle Mac plies Malcolm with whiskey. Malcolm is angry and heartbroken, and Uncle Mac encourages him to take revenge on Ellen—tomorrow. Today is Maura’s wedding day. 

In Dougal’s bedchamber, he and Maura consummate their wedding—and Dougal sees a woman climax for apparently the very first time. 

Malcolm finds Ellen and Brian together in their escape and at first assumes that Ellen has returned to him. He then realises she is escaping with another man. He proceeds to slut-shame Ellen and insult Brian, who asks him to let them pass, but Malcolm, drunk, draws a small sword (or large dagger?). Brian tucks Ellen behind him as Malcolm swings haphazardly and knicks Brian’s arm, while Brian (still unarmed) asks him to stop. Malcolm swings the dagger overhead and tries to stab Brian, but Brian grabs the blade and turns it back, stabbing Malcolm in the chest with his own weapon. Ellen is shocked and upset, but follows Brian. They escape on horseback.

They travel back to Brian and Murtagh’s hobbit hole, where Murtagh convalesces in front of the fire. Brian admits his love and devotion for Ellen (“I’d do anything for ye”) regarding killing Malcolm to keep her safe–but this viewer notes that after Murtagh passes the whiskey to Brian, who takes a drink, he does not pass the flask on to Ellen. So, he would, in fact, do anything for love—but apparently not that. 

Back at Castle Leathers, an upset Lovat stomps around the stable yard, yelling at Davina about Julia’s “capture”. Arch Bug (Terrence Rae) and his posse ride up, looking for Henry. One of Bug’s posse finds tracks, so they set out after Henry and Julia. 

In the hobbit hole, Ellen doctors up Brian’s arm in front of the fire as they swear oaths of love and devotion.

Julia, Henry, and Baby William camp out as Arch Bug’s posse searches for them through the night. No dialogue, no storyline here, nothing. 

In the hobbit hole the next morning, Ellen and Murtagh chat for a few minutes—perhaps their first true chat. Ellen thanks Murtagh for his help saving Brian’s life. Murtagh then gifts her with the boar tusk bracelets. Later, Murtagh leaves to go “hunting” to give Brian and Ellen some sexy time. The next morning, Brian sees in the distance the fiery crosses being lit—a message system to call the men to arms because the Jacobite rebellion is beginning. Thankfully, Brian explains what this means: that he must return to Lovat as his Laird or leave Scotland forever. Ellen promises to stand by him. 

Next, we see Henry and Julia at Craigh Na Dun. They hear the buzzing, and Henry reaches to touch a stone, but Julia stops him: what if the baby cannot travel? (Something one might think they would have discussed on the way there…). They make a plan in that moment: one will try to go through the stones holding the baby so that if he cannot travel, the other will be there to care for him until the first returns. Before they can act, Bug and his posse are spotted in the distance. 

Julia insists Henry take William through, as she will be safer than he since she is a Laird’s Wife, but Henry takes her hand and places it on the stone just as the scene cuts away to the train station in the 1920s. Henry and Julia are telling Claire goodbye, as they leave for Scotland. Uncle Lamb holds her hand as they wave goodbye. 

Overall, the season was okay. It narrated two love stories—one of which readers of Outlander were familiar and one with which they were not. Neither truly brought a new story to life. 

However, with the characters spread out between so many locations, the episodes became quite repetitive: characters waking up, planning a trip, getting ready for the trip, traveling to the second location, time at second location, then going home. Nearly the same footage was used of horses galloping across green hills over and over again. By the finale, Julia’s voiceovers stopped, and she and Henry are barely present–tertiary characters in their own narrative line.

In attempting to create “good” faultless heroes and heroines, the show falls into the oft-seen trap of creating main characters that are rather boring. With season two already greenlit, hopefully the show finds stronger footing and can become its own narrative, rather than a shadow of Outlander. 

The post Blood of My Blood: Season 1, Episode 10 ‘Something Borrowed’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

As we near the end of the first season of Blood of My Blood, the narrative lines should be wrapping up, and they are–slowly. In this ninth episode of the season, not a lot happens, but at least–like in the eighth episode–it happens mostly in one place.

Once Again, Everyone Prepares to Travel

No cold open this time. Instead, we open with Lovat (Tony Curran) calling Brian (Jamie Roy) and Julia (Hermione Corfield) to his room to tell them about the event at Braemar (this very opening is used repeatedly in the series). Julia convinces Lovat to take the baby and her as well–as part of the “prophecy”.

Then, we cut to Malcolm (Jhon Lumsden) and Henry (Jeremy Irvine) in the Grants’ carriage. They cross paths with Malcolm’s uncle, Uncle Malcolm “Mac” Grant (Simon Merrells), who says he is en route to visit Ellen (Harriet Slater) and make her acquaintance.

At Leoch, Colum (Seamus McLean Ross) and Dougal (Sam Retford) conspire (again…still…always…) about clan matters. Uncle Mac arrives and asks Colum and Dougal to leave him alone with Ellen. He asks her point blank why her virtue was questioned in the first place and warns her that if she breaks Malcolm’s heart, Mac will kill her. After Uncle Mac leaves, Ellen tells Mrs. Fitz (Sara Vickers) about Mac’s threat. Mrs. Fitz tells her to be careful and reminds her she barely passed the purity test. This exchange feels unnecessary, as does the character of Uncle Mac. The death of Brian McCardie, the actor who played Isaac Grant, might have led to the need for another male character to override Malcom’s opinions regarding Clan Grant and his relationship with Ellen, but surely the character could have been added via cuts and additions to earlier episodes in order to smooth out the transition. Additionally, the conversation with Mrs. Fitz, too, feels unnecessary. No new information is provided, and the exchange leads to nothing–just like the conversation with Uncle Mac. Ellen already knows if her marriage does not go through, she may be killed. Perhaps this wasn’t clear after Isaac’s death, and that is why this conversation happens, but it doesn’t really change the plot.

At Braemar Castle

At Braemar Castle, Ellen and Malcolm walk together through the grounds and bond over their grief for their deceased fathers. Clan Fraser arrives, and Brian sees Ellen with Malcolm. Murtagh (Rory Alexander) smirks and smarts off about Brian’s pain at seeing Ellen with Malcolm just before Lovat calls Murtagh over to him to report about what information he has gathered so far.

Henry sees Julia and approaches her, seeing his son for the first time. Lovat sees them, and approaches. Lovat refers to Julia as his wife, and Henry’s confusion is apparent. Balloch (Chick Allen) watches in the background as Lovat escorts Julia away. Uncle Mac approaches and informs Henry he will be attending a meeting with the clan leaders.

The Earl of Mar (Craige Els) (the man with the biggest wig in the room, so he is clearly the most important–OG Big Wig, if you will) welcomes Rob Roy (Jamie Sives) to the room. Big Wig says it’s a real treat to have such a rare guest–but Rob Roy was also the speaker at the House of Nairne, so he can’t be that hard to book for a gig.

Big Wig says they will vote tomorrow about whether or not to move forward with their rebellion, and as the group breaks into smaller groups, Lovat informs Big Wig that he has information that will aid the cause but he can’t tell him now because untrustworthy people are nearby–as he casts looks towards the Grants. Uncle Mac overhears him and loudly calls him out and insults him in front of everyone. Big Wig excuses himself, and Lovat slumps away with his tail between his legs.

Rob Roy, then, approaches Dougal and asks about the chest of coin that “disappeared” during the attack at the House of Nairne (Dougal had his henchmen grab the chest during the melee). Colum overhears and rips Dougal apart as soon as they are alone, as the chest of coin was part of Ellen’s dowry.

Politics Aside, Time for Romantic Plot Lines

Murtagh watches the sword dancers for a moment, then Ellen, then sees Brian also watching Ellen, and leaves. Ellen and Brian make eye contact (cue slow, romantic music) and then walk a bit too nonchalantly around the tent before meeting over two men arm wrestling. They reach for each other’s fingers, and Brian whispers that he loves her, but Ellen sees Ned looking for her. She tells Brian to meet her later and walks away.

Ellen joins Dougal and Colum in the MacKenzie tent. Colum asks for everyone to leave him with Ellen. On the way out, Dougal says he has told Colum the truth about Brian. Colum now rips into Ellen. (Maybe close the tent flap, Colum?) Colum threatens to have Brian killed, but Ellen says do it, and she will steer Malcolm Grant and his money away from Clan MacKenzie. Colum then says he won’t touch Brian, but Ellen must agree to end things completely and steer the Grants to support the MacKenzies.

His own mooning set aside briefly, Brian finds Henry and assures him that Julia loves him and has done everything she has–including marrying Lovat–to protect the baby.

Ellen finds Julia, who tells her she has been forcibly married to Lovat. Julia pauses in telling her more, but Ellen assures her of her trust. Julia tells Ellen about Henry, her forced marriage to Lovat, and about the sacrifice of keeping loved ones safe–all while Ellen is clearly equating this to her upcoming marriage to Malcolm, where she must keep Brian safe.

The time for Ellen and Brian’s meeting arrives, but Ellen will not go aside to meet with him in private. She tells him they cannot be together and insults him about his being a penniless bastard in an effort to run him off (she might as well start throwing rocks at him to run him off into the woods). He is clearly hurt and confused, as most puppies would be. Off on her own after leaving Brian, Ellen cries about what she’s had to do but is resolved in her actions.

Time for Politics and Romance Woven Together

In his tent, Lovat is furious about the insults done to him. He blames Brian and insults Ellen. Brian attacks Lovat, but Ballach attacks Brian from behind while Lovat kicks him and screams at him. Lovat says Murtagh will replace Brian in all clan proceedings.

Henry finds Ned in a mead tent, and Arch Bug (Terence Rae) watches from a distance. Henry tells him that he knows Isaac lied about his wife. Ned is worried but agrees to quietly aid Henry’s escape. He asks a small favour of Ned: to deliver a letter to Julia with S.W.A.K. (Sealed With A Kiss) written on it.

At the hunt, everyone gathers to drumming and bagpiping (which must be helpful for the hunt in some way…). The men walk off in the hunt while Brian does his duty as a “beater”–whose job is to scare up animals for the hunters–but someone chases him with a bow and arrow–until Murtagh tackles him and helps him escape.

Lakeside, Julia waits for Henry. When he arrives, he says that Brian explained everything to him and all is forgiven, but before they can say much more, Balloch and the wet nurse call for her. After she leaves, Seema is seen hiding behind a tree watching and listening to them–but unseen by Henry.

After the hunt, the vote (the one called for by Big Wig) is tallied, and the Grants side with Big Wig and the rebellion–or rather Uncle Mac does. This vote proclaims the clans support James Stuart as the king. While announcing this overall support, the finial (or decorative topper) falls from the pole–an ominous sign. Malcolm is upset with Uncle Mac and voices that displeasure.

The scene, then, quickly shifts to Malcolm telling Ellen goodbye at her carriage, as Ellen and Colum glare at one another.

The episodes of My Blood of My Blood have circled the same plot elements with very little action. The characters trade barbs, exchange words, and do a great deal of skulking–but the action has suffered. The last few episodes in particular almost blend one into the next because not much changes by the end of each one: Ellen’s virtue is still in question, Julia still plots to escape Lovat, Brian is still moon-eyed over Ellen, Henry is still doing paperwork for the Grants, and Colum and Dougal still hiss at each other like alley cats. Even character development has stalled out, with very little growth or change in any of the characters from the beginning of the season to now. With one final episode remaining, hopefully this is remedied.

The post Blood of My Blood: Season 1, Episode 9 ‘Braemar’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In “A Virtuous Woman”, the eighth episode of the season, the multiple plotlines converge on one locale–Castle Leoch–which creates a bit more fluidity between the storylines. Ellen’s (Harriet Slater) virtue has come into question, and a physician has been called upon to determine her innocence. 

Beauty and the Beast

The episode cold opens with Ellen being prepared for a purity test with shots of the soft preparations on her side cut with shots of the cruel tools of the medical trade for the test itself. This montage shows the cruelty of the situation contrasted with extreme femininity.

In the main hall, Dougal (Sam Retford) inspects the tools and, with Colum (Seamus McLean Ross), is aghast and informs the physician (Andrew John Tait) he will do a manual examination only–avoiding the massive speculum and hideous other tools. Colum speaks with Dougal about any chances Ellen may have “misbehaved” at the House of Nairne, and then does the same with Ned (Conner MacNeill) regarding Beltane. Ned, then, asks Mrs. Fitz (Sally Meesham) the very same question regarding Ellen’s innocence. She reassures him, but once she is alone, her doubt is apparent before she wills herself to faith once again. She returns to Ellen, but Ellen’s shaky breath and worried look shows her own lack of faith that all will be well.

Prep and Travels

The episode proper opens at Castle Leathers, as Lovat (Tony Curran) packs a trunk. He tells Julia (Hermione Corfield) that he will take the waters at Aberdeen to restore his recent challenges in the bedroom. Julia is anxious about this, as this will result in her being assaulted by Lovat upon his return in just two days. As Lovat and Balloch (Chick Allen) load his trunk into a wagon. Lovat tells Brian of the purity test facing Ellen, and Brian (Jamie Roy) tells him that he loves her. Lovat laughs it off, and as he leaves, Brian and Davina (Sara Vickers) share a look. Brian storms away, saying to Davina that he is going to rescue his wife.

At Castle Leoch, Mrs. Fitz feeds Ellen repeated full glasses of water. Mrs. Fitz tells her the instructions: that she must urinate clear, but also not urinate until instructed to do so. Mrs. Fitz asks who Ellen lay with, but she refuses to share his name. 

At Leathers, Davina tries to talk sense into Brian and pleads with Julia to help her. Julia says she can help Brian to save Ellen. Julia begins an “elixir” and insists that she will go with Brian, as she can actually go to Ellen to help her, dressed as a servant as she is. Davina agrees to protect baby William while Julia is away, showing that a deep bond has formed between them. 

Cut to the Grants en route to Leoch, with Henry (Jeremy Irvine) in tow. Henry and Malcolm talk about Malcom’s love for Ellen, and Henry finds him to be a genuine person. Henry pledges his support for Malcolm and encourages him to be his own man and step out from his father’s shadow. 

Brian and Julia race to Leoch, but Brian stops at a fork in the road. Brian points out the way to Castle Grant for Julia to escape, but she says she needs to save Ellen first (but viewers know that Henry is also on his way to Leoch).

All Together Now

Inside Leoch, Colum, Dougal, and Ned look over the dowry trunk and contract. When Malcolm and Henry enter, Ned tells them that the MacKenzie physician, Davy Beaton, is trustworthy, but Henry interrupts and says that Isaac Grant insists on his own physician doing the inspection. 

Malcolm is clearly upset by the details of the procedure and worries Ellen will blame him, so Henry carries these tidings to Ned. Henry walks aside to wait for Ned and looks up just as Julia passes through the hallway. His mental state waivers for a moment, and he convinces himself he has imagined her.

Julia finds Ellen’s bedchamber and presents the concoction she has brought to Ellen, who does not hesitate to follow Julia’s directions. 

In the study, Henry and Ned discuss how Malcolm is different than Issac and how Henry may re-attempt his escape. Arch Bug (Terence Rae) enters the study with them and spends several awkward minutes trying to tell them a joke while making a fool of himself. (Side note: Arch Bug’s hatred of the men deemed more intelligent than him coupled with his disdain for women are telling and would fit nicely to additional gender studies.)

Malcolm visits Ellen’s bedchamber and speaks to her in the hallway. He assures her that the purity test is not his action, but rather his father’s. She asks who cast doubt on her, and Malcolm says Simon Fraser (Lovat). 

Ellen, flanked by Mrs. Fitz, enters the main hall to music best suited to a battlefield.

(Side note: Can’t help but notice the voyeurism of the women being in the main halls for both birth (Julia) and purity test (Ellen). Each in front of a lit fireplace, with people watching.)

Ellen is given a tonic to “test her waters”, but she is also forced to wait to urinate in order to test her bladder in the process. Finally, a chamber pot is pushed under her; she must urinate in front of the whole crowd. Her urine is poured into a clear glass and examined by the physician. He deems it time for the next round but reveals nothing definitive.

In the Final Round, Ellen is placed on a table–OB-GYN style–for the examination. Tears slide down her face to the table but she does not cry out or speak. Much like a terrible reality show, the physician makes everyone wait for his declaration: Virgo intacta (Virgin intact). 

Ellen walks out, staring down Colum as she does, and returns to her bedchamber to give Julia the good news. Julia leaves.

On her way out, Julia hears Henry’s voice–and then sees him. They are stunned and she waves for him to follow her. Once in a place alone, they hesitate. Henry doubts his reality, until Julia tells him that hope springs eternal, finally convincing him. Brian enters, looking for her, and Julia tells Henry that they must part for now as others are approaching, and she leaves with Brian. 

As the Grants leave, a rider gallops up with a letter that he hands to Henry; Issac has died, and Henry gives this news to Malcolm. This renders the entire purity test useless, since Malcolm had made it very clear that he wanted no such thing; the test was a demand of his father, now dead. 

As Julia and Brian leave, Mrs. Fitz grabs the door and hands Brian his folded piece of tartan that Ellen had kept hidden; showing she knows now who Ellen slept with and loves. 

The Virtuous Women

Several of the women in this episode could also be deemed the “virtuous woman” of the title: Ellen for the purity test; Julia for turning down a possible escape in order to save Julia; Davina for protecting baby William and Julia; or even Mrs. Fitz, who knows Ellen’s truth but takes steps to protect her. At every step in this episode, it is women protecting women.

The post Blood of My Blood: Season 1, Episode 8 ‘A Virtuous Woman’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In the seventh episode of the premiere season of Blood of My Blood, we have fully reached the Murky Middle–where we now know the characters, but the plot begins to slow a bit.

Dude, Where’s My Kine?

In the cold open, there has been a raid on the Grants’ cattle. Arch Bug (Terence Rae) suggests it was the MacKenzies. Malcolm (Jhon Lumsden) wants to keep this information from his father, Isaac, and suggests it might have been Murtagh.

Following the opening credits, the episode opens with linen washing. Mrs. Fitz (Sally Messham) and Ellen (Harriet Slater) work on Ellen’s trousseau, sewing and embroidering. Mrs. Fitz reads Ellen’s dour mood as fear or anxiety about her upcoming nuptials–and the wedding night, in particular. She offers to answer any questions Ellen might have, but before Ellen can ask anything, Colum (Seamus McLean Ross) arrives to check her progress. He is rushing her to finish so they can have the wedding.

Then we shift to the christening for Julia’s (Hermione Corfield) infant son. She asks Brian (Jamie Roy) to christen the baby privately–William Henry Beauchamp–before the formal ceremony where the baby will receive a name from Lovat. The camera focuses on the sword Brian carries–the same sword Jamie will carry in Outlander. 

Inside the church, the crowd is less than Lovat (Tony Curran) expected. The Howdie Horde arrives and are overly polite to Davina (Sara Vickers). Lovat worries about the howdies’ gossip, but calls for Julia to come anyway. 

Davina finds her outside trying to feed the baby. Julia sings “I Do Like to Be Beside the Seaside”–yes, THAT song from Outlander (that Claire sings in Season 2 to her stillborn daughter and  in Season 7, sung by Fanny). Brian heads inside, leaving Davina and Julia to talk. Julia expresses her anxiety about Lovat forcing her to his bed, and as Davina walks back to the church, Julia’s eyes drift to a nearby flower before she rises to join Davina. As the christening ceremony begins, Murtagh (Rory Alexander) arrives but declines Brian’s silent invitation to sit with him. 

Time for Some Family Mottos

At Castle Leoch, Colum receives news from Ned (Connor MacNeill) that the Grants believe the MacKenzies are behind the theft of their cattle. Colum suspects Dougal is behind the theft, but Ned reports that Dougal has gone to run cattle to the House of Nairne–a household aligned with Jacobites, as Ellen informs them. Ellen proposes that she visit the House of Nairne to invite Lady Margaret to her wedding, but really she will find and stop Dougal. Ellen says, “Luceo Non Uro”–the episode title and the clan phrase for the MacKenzies: I shine, not burn (referring to resilience). After she leaves the room, Colum admits to Ned that their fate lies in Ellen’s control and that she may be just like their father. 

At the christening, Julia’s child is named Simon Fraser. By the end of the ceremony, Julia leaks through her clothing, which disgusts Lovat. Lovat and Brian exchange barbs about the potential for an uprising, to which Lovat says, “Je Suis Pres”, the Fraser clan motto (“I am ready”). 

Outside of the church, Brian tries to speak to Murtagh, but Murtagh punches him, and they finally talk about Brian’s falling in love with Ellen. Balloch (Chick Allen) overhears their fight, and whistles for Murtagh. 

Inside the church, Murtagh reports about the Jacobites and the upcoming meeting. Lovat says Brian should go with Murtagh to the meeting. Brian does not wish to go, but Lovat threatens to harm Davina if he refuses. 

The Murky Middle of the Murky Middle

At a pub, Ned finds and approaches Henry (Jeremy Irvine) to insist the MacKenzies had nothing to do with stealing the Grants’ cattle, but Henry says he already knows that it was, in fact, Rob Roy MacGregor who stole the cattle. Henry tells Ned he has encouraged Isaac to stay loyal to the crown (as we know that he knows the uprisings will fail). Henry tells him his search for Julia has ended and that he will leave the Grants, but Ned tells him the grants will hunt him down, though he wishes Henry well and walks away. Arch Bug joins Henry at his table, and Henry says he must retrieve something. As he walks away, Bug makes a joke about visiting the brothel too much.

Ellen arrives at the House of Nairne under the pretense of inviting Lady Margaret (Joanne Crawford) to her wedding. The women sit and chat for a moment, when Ellen hands her a white rose (a symbol of the Jacobite movement). Margaret discerns there’s another reason for Ellen’s visit, and Ellen is honest and tells her. Margaret agrees to help her find Dougal. 

Brian arrives and meets Dougal (Sam Retford) and Rob Roy (Jamie Sives). 

At Castle Leathers, Julia grinds herbs. Davina comes in, and Julia asks her to put some of the crushed violet berries (“monk’s pepper”) into Lovat’s food as a means of rendering him impotent. Davina laughs, clearly amused at the plan. 

Ellen is shown to the meeting of Jacobites and finds Dougal, but the meeting begins as Rob Roy takes the platform to speak. Ellen and Brian make eye contact, with Murtagh noticing. Dougal offers a coffer of coin (Ellen’s dowry) to fund the uprising. Ellen is appalled and quietly tries to stop Dougal. The crowd shouts in support of Rob Roy’s words and agrees that they are ready to fight. 

Henry arrives at the brothel, and when Seema (Lauren McQueen) pretends to be Julia, Henry asks her to stop. It becomes clear they only slept together once, and Henry has returned for the necklace Julia gave him (that he just keeps losing, apparently). Seema insists she can be whatever he wants, but he declines and hands her a bag of money, saying he must get back to someone else who needs him (Claire). He leaves as Seema cries.

Dougal and Ellen argue. Dougal asks Murtagh to keep an eye on Ellen so he (Dougal) can chase tail. Malcolm Grant and Arch Bug arrive (presumably after the Grant cattle), and Malcolm immediately asks her why she is in such a place. Ellen tells him she’s trying to stop Dougal in order to save their engagement. But Malcolm says she must leave immediately, for he has not come alone–and the British troops file in behind him. 

They take Rob Roy, who says they might sell more cattle today (meaning, he will gain more followers for the Jacobite cause). Malcolm then says to call off the troops. Turns out, Malcom really did just want Rob Roy arrested for stealing the cattle, but the troops then begin to take action against the men there for treasonous acts. Brian fires his weapon into the floor to create a distraction, Dougal has his men take the money, but it is Brian who reaches for Ellen to get her out to safety. They embrace–and Dougal sees it, punching Brian and dragging Ellen away. He forces her onto a horse and rides away.

Time for the Quick Cuts 

As has been the pattern for the show, the final scenes happen in quick succession and with numerous cuts between them. At Leathers, Julia is forcibly married to Lovat. He takes the baby and hands him to a wet nurse.

Henry rides quickly to Craigh Na Dun, but Arch Bug (how is Bug everywhere in this episode?) and a group of men stop him. Bug says it was Seema who told the Grants where to find Henry. They take him back with them.

The reverend enters Lovat and Julia’s wedding date into the ledger. 

At the dinner table, Julia watches Lovat carefully, as his food has been…spiced. He notices the difference immediately, and Julia and Davina exchange worried looks, but Lovat likes the new flavour.

At Castle Leoch, Mrs. Fitz and Ellen return to working on the trousseau. Mrs. Fitz finds the tartan Brian used for their handfasting and panics. Ellen stops her from burning it, but Mrs. Fitz tells her to hide it well, Ellen puts it right back in the box where Fitz found it (well done, Ellen…).  Colum sends for her, and she finds Colum and Dougal arguing and expects them to be angry with her, but then we see Ned and Henry are there, as well. Henry has brought the demand from the Grants that Ellen is to have a purity test done. Henry apologies and leaves with Ned. Colum threatens her, Dougal insults her, and they walk away. 

Lovat welcomes Brian home, and Lovat thanks him for “ensnaring the MacKenzie lass”–putting Ellen’s reputation into question. Balloch has ratted out the argument he overheard between Murtagh and Brian earlier. 

That night, Lovat is unable to perform in a scene that is both grotesque and laughable, as he tries to cajole his member into…service. Julia consoles him and tries to leave, but Lovat says for her to fetch more food with the new spice. She happily obliges. 

Balloch drives the drunk reverend home in a wagon, and then clubs him to death.

Back in Lovat’s chamber, he sleeps, and Julia tidies the desk–and finds a letter in Henry’s handwriting–lettering she would know from their many exchanged letters in WWI. She knows he lives now–and is now using a different name. 

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Ten years ago this week, Norway’s public broadcasting entity, Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK), debuted SKAM—a television series about a young teen struggling to find her place at a new school. Adolescent angst isn’t groundbreaking subject matter for TV. Certainly not when shows like Skins exist. So, why are YouTube reactors still so keen to watch a Norwegian teen drama years after it went off the air? The title of the first episode, “De ser ut som en slut” (You Look Like a Slut), might be a hint.

It opens on a montage of teenagers doing what teens do: playing basketball, hanging out with friends, frolicking in a field while watching bees pollinate a flower. (It’s Scandinavia, after all.) Underneath all of the home-movie-style imagery, a gravelly voice speaks about the state of the world as it was meant to be perceived in 2015 – marching towards progress and full of opportunity.

“It sounds fantastic,” he says. “And it is fantastic.”

There’s more than a note of sarcasm, and, as the audience for his monologue, you can feel the but coming. Sure enough, as the clips continue to roll towards you at a rapid pace, the tone of the narrative changes. The kids are partying a bit too hard. Shots of alcohol-infused dancing, hookups, and conspicuous consumption play out over a scathing rant about consumerism and apathy.

“For the vast, poor majority, the capitalist system only means one thing: death and suffering.” 

It’s a dark perspective, and the footage is at once chaotic, nostalgic, and intriguing. It’s also unsettling.

This is SKAM, which also happens to be the Norwegian word for shame.

If you’ve never heard of the series, you aren’t alone. It appeared without fanfare on NRK P3 on September 24^th, 2015. Unless you spent most of your waking hours scrolling through the Norwegian side of Tumblr, you probably missed it. It was the brainchild of writer-creator Julie Andem, who managed to do what few in the genre had done to date: create a teen drama to which anyone, of any age, could relate.

A friend turned me on to the show not long after the premiere, and I became a casual viewer. SKAM looked and sounded nothing like the polished, cookie-cutter series coming out of Hollywood. The show had a way of tackling issues head-on without turning each storyline into an after-school special. But it was the way the episodes were crafted and delivered that really drew me in as a creator.

Set and filmed at Hartvig Nissen Skole, a secondary school in an affluent suburb of Oslo, the show capitalized on the rising popularity of social media among teens, creating a true transmedia experience for the viewer. Each season was presented in a series of clips, published to the network’s website in real-time, that often took place during school hours. Anywhere from two to ten minutes long, they would drop at random times throughout the week. If a conversation between two characters happened at 8:32 on a Tuesday morning, that’s when the clip was released on the show’s website.

Text messages between the characters, most of whom maintained their own social media accounts, and Instagram posts would fill in the moments between drops. It added a note of voyeurism to the experience. You never knew when an update would occur, keeping us viewers on a very tight leash. (One clever fan developed an app that would notify you when there was new content.)

All of the clips from the week, and one new one, were then compiled into a single episode that aired on Friday. Episodes could run anywhere from fifteen to forty-five minutes, and there was no pre-ordained timeslot. SKAM didn’t break the fourth wall as much as put up sheer curtains in every window and invite you to peek inside.

The cast, some of whom were actually enrolled at Hartvig Nissen at the time, was age-appropriate and full of raw talent. The dialogue was clever and grounded, and the characters reacted to difficult situations in real, very human, often frustrating ways. No one on SKAM was perfect – especially the protagonists. And there was rarely a clear antagonist, except for season two.

Andem painted tough topics [everything from sexual assault to Islamophobia] with a gray brush, something that worked well on a show that was unabashedly full of color; from the H&M-inspired wardrobe, to the contemporary music, to the language the kids used. SKAM felt like a slice of real life, whether you were living through your teen years or reminiscing about them.

In a unique approach at the time, each season focused on a single character and their relationships —familial, romantic, and platonic, all told from their point of view. It was fascinating to see a beloved character’s personality shift each season through the lens of the new lead character.

It was season three that brought many of the show’s international fans into the fold and solidified it as a cultural touchstone and a personal favorite. Isak (Tarjei Sandvik Moe) —a recurring character from the first two seasons who had been struggling with his sexuality since it was revealed (spoiler alert) that he had a crush on his best friend, Jonas (Marlon Langeland), in season one—takes center stage.

For two seasons, Isak had lived in terror behind a carefully constructed persona of gangster rap, snapbacks, and a series of disastrous relationships with girls. In season three, his mask began to slip as he fell hard for a mysterious new student, Even, and embarked upon a painful yet beautiful journey of self-acceptance. SKAM explored Isak’s internalized homophobia, which was at times cringeworthy, while also exposing the hypocrisy of homophobia and the idea of using religion to justify hate. Mental illness also featured prominently in this season and was handled with the kind of care we rarely see even now.

The final clip of Episode Nine, O Helga Natt (O, Holy Night), is six minutes and fifteen seconds of pure show and no tell. There is only a single line of dialogue at the end, and yet it is my favorite segment in any TV show. Ever.

It is SKAM’s willingness to push the envelope, along with its deft handling of complex topics, that sets it apart from its peers. The series has become somewhat of a blueprint, proving that the issues teens face can be addressed with the same care and respect as those of adults. More than that, the problems we encounter as we get older aren’t as different from high school as we like to think.

The series was a big hit in its homeland. Averaging 1.2 million streams per episode in a country with a population of roughly 5 million people is pretty impressive. It was the show’s global reach that came as a surprise. Fans from around the world translated episodes into over a dozen languages and shared them across the Internet. This led to adaptations in eight other countries, including France, Germany, and Spain. It was enough to convince American television producer Simon Fuller (American Idol) to buy the rights from NRK and make an ill-fated American version, SKAM Austin. It ran for two seasons on the short-lived Facebook Live platform.

As someone who consumes a lot of media, I began to notice bits of SKAM popping up in places beyond the adaptations.

In season three, episode three of the original series, Isak sits alone in his room searching the Internet for “how to be attracted to girls when you’re gay,” and inevitably stumbles upon the Gay Test. If you’ve read the Heartstopper webcomic or seen the fantastic Netflix series, that will sound a little familiar. Author Alice Oseman’s novels, Solitaire and Nick and Charlie, both predate SKAM. So, the influence is probably a two-way street. Young Royals (Netflix) is sometimes referred to as SKAM’s successor, and you can certainly see the influence. “SKAM walked so Young Royals could run” is a common phrase amongst fans of both shows.

There is no doubt that SKAM’s greatest legacy is its refusal to talk down to its intended audience. The show’s ability to capture the voice of youth culture with authentic, sometimes painfully relatable characters has had an undeniable impact on shows like Euphoria (HBO). However, no one could have guessed what a phenomenon SKAM would become. In the 2017 E! Online poll of TV’s top couples, Isak and Even beat out Hollywood-produced juggernauts like The Walking Dead, Teen Wolf, and Shadowhunters.

Sadly, it was the show’s popularity that prompted its premature cancellation. As the fandom grew larger and more passionate, so, too, came the pressure on the production team to deliver amidst the chaos. Some misguided admirers even made pilgrimages to Oslo to catch a glimpse of the young actors at the school. Despite the show’s high ratings, Andem and NRK decided to pull the plug.

Only four of the planned nine seasons for the series, shot over two years, were produced. Indeed, many of the international adaptations outlived the run of the original show. Most recently, a Croatian team premiered their version, SRAM, in 2024. They’re currently filming the pivotal third season, which has received the most attention from fans and critics alike. The series broke new ground in its portrayal of Isak and Even’s relationship, prompting a groundswell of support from the LGBTQIA+ community. Season four focused on fan-favorite Sana (Iman Meskini), a snarky, hijab-wearing teen. Fans and critics praised the nuanced portrayal of her struggle growing up as a practicing Muslim in a secular country.

Whether you were experiencing your teen years for the first time or waxing nostalgic about what could or should have been, SKAM managed to tap into the zeitgeist and strike a chord with viewers of all ages and backgrounds.

The actors, many of whom are now in their mid-to-late twenties, have moved on from talking about the show. But in a 2017 issue of Interview Magazine, Henrik Holm, who portrayed Even in season three, was asked how it felt to be part of something that made viewers want to emulate the characters.

“SKAM has actually changed people’s lives for the better,” Holm replied. “…Julie [Andem] made a series that was possible for everyone to understand, even if you were 14 or 90 years old. That’s what I think was so special about SKAM.”

I couldn’t agree more. Happy 10^th, SKAM!

Takk for alt.

About Xio’s latest book, Girls with Bad Reputations

All her life, Kayla heard the same refrain: Don’t be so loud. Don’t act so wild. Don’t take up so much space. Now she’s the beating heart of an up-and-coming rock band…and the whole world is going to know her name.

The post SKAM: The Little-Known Cult Classic That Cast a Long Shadow appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Ugh, I Guess Let’s Get Started

In the cold open, Julia (Hermione Corfield) pontificates via a voiceover on the role a mother plays in being present with the quote, “Man is born alone and dies alone” and as she wakes, realises she’s in labour.  She asks Brian (Jamie Roy) to send for the “howdie” (midwife, traditionally female and trained by experience as opposed to formal education), which he does immediately. He then asks her about whether Lovat (Tony Curran) forced her and is the father of her child. Julia tells him the truth: that Henry is the father, but that she did in fact sleep with Lovat, but that it was to protect her baby as Lovat would have her baby taken from her or killed. He accepts this and tells her to prepare for her “confinement” (an irony here as Julia has been confined the whole season, a fact we are reminded of every time a scene takes place in the Leathers hall). 

After the credits, the episode opens at Castle Grant with Henry (Jeremy Irvine) striding away and is questioned by Arch Bug (Terence Rae). Henry seeks midwives to see if any have seen Julia, since he figures her due date has arrived. Arch surprises the viewer by showing a moment of kindness–telling Henry about his own still-born son and offering to talk to Isaac Grant on Henry’s behalf. 

At Leathers, Davina (Sara Vickers) stokes Lovat’s fire (ahem, literally, that is) as he sleeps nearby repeating Julia’s name in his sleep. In a flashback, we see Lovat assault her in the very same room she now works. In the present day, Davina wakes Lovat to tell him Julia’s waters have broken, and he insists he needs to marry her immediately to ensure the child is not illegitimate. Davina tells him Julia cannot travel, and he threatens her, again but then relents, thanking her for caring for Julia.

Julia is then moved into the main hall for her confinement. Davina and Brian look over the room, and Davina asks him point blank if Julia’s baby is his. He assures her it is not, but then the conversation takes an odd turn. Brian is ultimately asking if he is the child of rape, and Davina tells him that the Lord will not let a child take hold against the “lassie’s wishes” (sigh…). Brian says he wants to be worthy of the Fraser name (viewers know this is because of Ellen). 

At Castle Grant, Henry interviews a stream of “howdies”, none of whom have seen Julia. One of the howdies explains to him that if an Englishwoman had given birth nearby, she would know, as the local womenfolk come together to care for the labouring mother–and this information informs the viewer about the following scene.

And Then the Tone Shifts

Julia’s confinement is now quite crowded as many women from the local areas arrive to tend to her. They strip her naked and pray over her as she looks around, awkward in her nudity. The women are kind, supportive, and gentle as Davina watches on. The women coo on about the future king of Scotland about to be born. The head howdie says that they all, Davina included, have suffered through the same thing, when Davina finally snaps, saying with anger that she and Julia are nothing alike. Davina tells the women that Julia sought out Lovat while making eyes at Brian–and the room shifts. The women recoil, turning cold eyes on Julia.

Ultimately, the situation has not changed–Julia is still pregnant with “Lovat’s” child, but the women are angered that Julia was not forced to his bed (in a violent sense) and have decided that she must be punished–while giving birth. The women begin chants of Shame and Disgrace worthy of a Game of Thrones shame march.

In his own chambers, Lovat shares a toast with Brian for this auspicious day. Brian says he wants to please Lovat, but Lovat says he needs a “warrior not a monk” (referring to Brian’s pilgrimage). 

Meanwhile, a scene right out of Handmaid’s Tale takes place with Julia moaning and the women moaning and wailing around her. Head Howdie declares that the women are “Mourning your innocence! Lamenting your sin!” Davina leads an inquiry demanding to know who the father of Julia’s child is. Julia keeps asking Davina, “Is this what happened to you?” (Another flashback to Lovat’s assaults on Davina when she was young and pregnant.–and present day Davina seems to be rethinking some things.)

Henry interviews a howdie who says she knows Julia and that Julia and the child died in childbirth a week ago and are now buried in an unmarked grave. Arch Bug walks the woman out and pays her for her lie. She feels regret, but Bug tells her it was Isaac’s plan, not his. 

Still in Howdie Hell, the women have now resorted to calling Julia a witch as she descends into a haze of incapacitating pain. Julia tells Davina that everything she has done has been to protect her baby, and Davina’s hesitation becomes clearer. She slides into another flashback to her own labour, where the women did, in fact, do exactly the same thing–angrily shame her while she gave birth to Brian. The women shamed Davina for not being married, and they shame Julia for not technically being raped. Finally, present day Davina understands the cruelty of the situation and screams at the women to leave. 

As the reverend arrives, the howdies leave. Lovat leads the reverend to Julia, but Davina has barred the door. Lovat pushes by the door, anyway, leading the reluctant reverend, who very much does not want to enter that room–almost laughably so. Davina stands up for Julia to Lovat and demands Lovat leave, calling him a “cantankerous old man”. He attacks her, and Brian steps forward to wrestle Lovat back to the door. The reverend tries to literally sneak away in the background.

Davina tends to Julia with encouragement, while Julia has her own flashback to giving birth to Claire (because seeing one of her births and a flashback to Davina’s labour with Brian isn’t enough for the episode already). Davina tends to Julia’s baby, who doesn’t cry at first until Davina pats him (for it is a boy, so viewers can thankfully and finally let go of the Faith-theories as possible connection to Outlander) firmly on the back and revives him. She remembers holding Brian the first time, as she hands the baby to Julia. (Viewers wait abated to hear what Julia will name him, as show runners have hinted that the child’s identity will cause a stir in the overall Outlander storyline, but she gives us nothing.)

Time to Wrap Up

Having received the worst news he could ever receive, Henry stumbles away from Castle Grant and begins hallucinating. His consciousness slides into a memory of the war ending and coming home to Julia–only the “Julia” he embraces is Seema (Lauren McQueen), the prostitute at the brothel. She hesitates a moment, clearly wagering whether she should fall in line and pretend to be Julia or shake Henry out of his stupor. She chooses the first and finally takes Henry to her bed.

At Castle Leathers, Lovat has Brian beaten with the strap for his “impertinence”. Afterwards, Brian visits Julia and the baby. They chat about the strength of mothers, and then we get the most golden line of the episode: “He may not be my brother, but he will always have a friend in me” (does this mean the baby is actually Buzz Lightyear? Only time will tell!). When Julia asks when Brian’s birthday is, he doesn’t know, so she decides to celebrate it this day. She fetches a cake and puts a candle in it and explains the concept to Brian, handing him the cake to make a wish. 

All in all, the episode is my least favourite in the season, and is right up there with the worst of the assault-heavy episodes of Outlander. Additionally, I had hoped that Henry’s battle with PTSD would be part of a slow cultural normalisation of the condition among veterans, but no, the writers have decided to lean in on Henry losing his mind entirely. And we’ll just try to ignore that Henry and Julia have been in 18th century Scotland for months now, and both still have perfectly cut and styled ‘dos from the 1920s. E

pisode 7, “Luceo Non Uro” releases on September 12 and will hopefully bring the direction back to rights. 

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Travelling to the Beltane Festival

The episode cold opens with Ellen (Harriet Slater) being fitted for her wedding gown, but when Jocasta (Sadhbh Malin) enters, she seems sad and subtly hostile.

After the credits, we see Julia (Hermione Corfield) at Leathers, her pregnancy showing much more clearly. She and Brian (Jamie Roy) are set to leave to join the Beltane festival, and Brian asks if she can travel safely (being so pregnant). Davina Porter (Brian’s mother, played by Sara Vickers) stops them. Davina says Julia must stay for Beltane as the seer, Maisri, is coming. When Brian asks why this involves Julia, Davina says Julia is carrying Lovat’s child, but we know that Davina knows the child is not Lovat’s. Brian is appalled that Julia has “lied” to him, telling him the child was her husband’s (which viewers know to be true). 

While making their way to the Beltane festival, Ellan and Jocasta ride in the carriage together, trading barbs. Jocasta compares how much wealthier Ellen is about to be with her marriage to Malcolm while calling Ellen an old maid. Ellen hints at the lack of sex in Jocasta’s marriage until Ned stops them from the front of the carriage. 

Brian’s departure with Murtagh has a very different tone. Murtagh is glad to have his cousin along to help him win some time with Ellen–not realising that it is Brian who is his competition for Ellen, not Malcolm. 

As the MacKenzies arrive at the festival grounds, Ned reminds Ellen of her duty, and though he warns her not to be reckless, he follows that with ”but that doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun.”

We follow Ellen and Jocasta through the festival grounds, tents, fires. Ellen sees Malcolm, with Henry in the background. Ellen and Jocasta exchange a few more subtle barbs before Malcolm offers to show them around.

Henry breaks away to speak with Ned, who explains the stories about the faeries of the stones. Henry tells him Isaac Grant has received word from Lovat that Ellen is a “ruined” woman, and Ned assures him that Lovat is only trying to meddle with the MacKenzies. Henry explains that Isaac is uneasy about the union, but he has not shared that with Malcolm. Ned watches Henry walk away with a stillness that denotes importance.

We then cut to dancing under a large tent, and Malcolm explains to Ellen who to impress as she dances so she could be crowned May Queen. As any good protagonist does, she shrugs off her dancing and says she is terrible at it, but as they begin to dance, a hand takes Ellen’s waist, and Brian steps up behind her. Chemistry has increased a great deal between them in this episode and is well done–in terms of dialogue, shots, and staging. The colours in this episode are warm yellows as they dance, exchanging partners frequently enough that no one picks up on the intensifying connection between Ellen and Brian. 

So cue the sadness and heartbreak: Murtagh watches Ellen with puppy dog eyes, and Jocasta takes notice of his gaze. Murtagh asks Jocasta about her husband, Mr. Cameron, showing us that he knows Jocasta is married; she tells him her husband is sick, so Murtagh suggests that she pretend to be a maiden, and they take to the dance floor together. When the dance is over, Murtagh asks if Brian put in a good word for him when he danced with Ellen. Brian says there just wasn’t time.

Of course, Ellen is crowned Queen of Beltane, and she is asked to choose her king. Malcolm steps forward and for a moment and stands alone–until Murtagh joins him. Arch Bug watches in the background, clearly honing in on Murtagh’s feelings for Ellen. A few others join the line and finally, so does Brian. Ellen walks the line slowly, her eyes landing on Brian. He shakes his head ever so slightly no for her to not select him. She picks up on the message and returns back to her betrothed, Malcolm, who she announces as her May King. 

The Veil Thins

Maisri (Katharine O’Donnelly), Lovat’s seer, has arrived at Castle Leathers. Maisri tells Lovat that his return to power is imminent. He asks about his legacy, so Maisri has Julia hold an egg over her stomach and then crack it into a bowl of water. Two yolks. Maisri says she sees a little girl with dark curls and blue eyes (who we assume to be Claire), but when Lovat says he has no need of a girl, Maisri adds, “Her time is still to come.” She puts her hand on Julia’s abdomen and declares that she carries a boy who will be greater than a titled noble with a higher purpose. She says he will unite the clans, but when she says this, we see Julia standing at an angle with Davina behind her (Davina being Brian’s mother, and therefore Jamie’s grandmother). Lovat practically drools over this information and recalls a prophecy about Clan Fraser. Maisri doesn’t actually have to say much, as Lovat takes the lead: “You’re carrying a future king,” he tells Julia, while Davina looks troubled in the background. Julia looks faint, and as this scene closes, the music shifts to an unsettling tone.

Back at the Beltane festival: Ellen, Malcolm, and Jocasta walk through the grounds, when Ellen asks those building the wicker arches if they need help. She tells Malcolm he should help them, but he says it is below him as “King”. Ellen tells him she will join Jocasta for fertility blessings while he volunteers to help. Meanwhile, Murtagh and Brian drink in a tent before splitting up–it turns out, Murtagh is a sad drunk, at least in his youth. 

En route to the stones for the fertility blessing, Ellen tells Jocasta she’s not going to the stones. Jocasta reveals that she knows Ellen had a hand in marrying her off to “an old coot”, though Ellen says she steered their father away from worse suitors. Ellen says they should enjoy their freedom for the tiny bit of time they have–with discretion for each other. Jocasta says she will require their mother’s necklace to seal this deal (is this the necklace from Outlander? Nope. That necklace will be a gift to Ellen when she weds from a suitor…). Ellen agrees, and then runs off to meet Brian.

The Scene

Once they meet up, they exchange how nervous they are but how at peace at the same time. As they lovingly embrace and kiss, Murtagh approaches and sees them and fights off his tears at seeing how in love they are. 

Brian and Ellen relocate to a ruined abbey or church with picture-perfect gothic windows and Pinterest-worthy amounts of moss. When Brian tells her he worries that he may ruin her reputation, Ellen responds with, “Ruin me”–which has many–most?–social media groups reeling. He pauses, tears his tartan, and handfasts them before continuing (which “weds” them for the night only, it being Beltane, as sins will be burned away by the Needfire–hence the episode title). 

Annnnd now it’s sexy time with a sensual, passionate scene. Though it doesn’t contain a great deal of nudity, the scene might be one of the best performed and filmed sex scenes in either series (Blood of My Blood or Outlander). 

Afterwards, they rest entwined, and Brian tells her about when he left home last year when he walked “the Way of Saint James” (ahem…James, you say?) to walk the Camino de Santiago (a famous pilgrimage that people do even now–check out this video all about it). Ellen asks what God told him on his pilgrimage, to which he responds to find peace in his station. He says then he finds himself wanting again, so he could be worthy of her. 

Time Resumes

The scene with Brian and Ellen is nicely paced with a longer scene time and closer shots, giving viewers a feeling as though time as stopped. As the episode progresses, it shifts back into the faster cuts we saw in episode 4. Back at the festival grounds, lovesick and drunk Murtagh stumbles into Arch Bug, who beats Murtagh and warns him to stay away from Ellen. 

At Castle Leathers, Davina asks Lovat if she could speak to him about Maisri’s reading. Davina asks him if he noticed that Maisri did not call Julia’s child his. Davina rats out Julia for being pregnant when she arrived at Leathers, and Lovat asks if she’s mentioned this to anyone, while gripping Davina’s shoulder tightly–clearly a threat without words, but just in case, he takes it further. Lovat compliments Davina for her service and loyalty, then threatens to have her killed if she ever speaks of this again. 

Near the festival, Henry sits in the dark. Ned approaches him, and Henry shares his disappointment about not finding his wife at the festival. Ned shares an interesting story about his own “love of his life”–in which he gives no detail, no names, and no genders. He says that he had to make some choices, and that’s how he ended up with the MacKenzies. When Henry asks if Ned ever loved again after Edinburgh, Ned takes a long drink in silence. His eyes are teary.

At Leathers, finally alone in her room, Julia puts on her gem-less wedding ring for her own moment of sadness and despair. There is no voice over now. 

At the festival, Ellen is prepped for her role as May Queen in a bookend scene paired with the cold open of her in a wedding gown. Malcolm enters and asks to speak in private. He gives her a small carved brooch that he made when he had met her the first time as children. He tells her he can’t believe she is his, as opposed to Brian asking her if she had regrets for choosing him, insinuating that she had a choice and was more than a possession.

Next in our wrapping up montage, we have Murtagh in a tent, drunk, and hurt–both internally and externally after his run in with Arch Bug. Jocasta enters and aids him, though he pushes her away at first. He says he wants to be wanted, which is clearly something she feels, too, and when Murtagh kisses her, Jocasta is thrilled—someone wants her for once–until Murtagh murmurs her sister’s name: Ellen. Jocasta leaves, heartbroken and crying. 

Sidenote: Davina and Jocasta are in similar positions: they have done their duty (Davina to Lovat; Jocasta to Clan MacKenzie), but they are watching other women (Julia and Ellen) having an “easier” time than they did–being celebrated, even, quite literally, as Ellen is crowned May Queen and Davina is instructed to take over Julia’s duties. 

Returning to the montage, Julia holds her ring tightly, and we cut back and forth between her and Henry before she begins writing to him again. Her voice returns as the montage expands to include the festival ceremony. Fires are lit, and dancers step forward in a dance that recalls the intro of Outlander. The May Queen and King arrive. She searches the crowd for Brian, Jocasta watches her sadly from the crowd, Brian watches Ellen, and Murtagh watches Brian.

In his tent, Henry holds the charm necklace as he lies down, facing the side of the bed that would be Julia’s as the scene cuts to Julia, holding her ring and facing the side of the bed that would be Henry’s. Her voiceover recalls their wedding vows as Malcolm lifts Ellen’s veil and bows, as she watches Brian in the crowd. Though Malcolm kisses her while the crowd cheers, Ellen locks eyes with Brian as Julia’s voiceover says that some vows are bigger than altars: “I will burn for you, always.”

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Outlander author Diana Gabaldon has been clear that the show Blood of My Blood should not be considered as fully “hers”, as Henry and Julia’s storyline is more that of the show creator, Matthew B. Roberts. Though some book readers may spend hours pontificating the differences between the show and the many anecdotes from the written series by Gabaldon, they can–and perhaps, should–be treated as separate works, in keeping with film and literary adaptation studies (for armchair film and pop culture scholars, please see Julie Sanders’ work, Adaptation and Appropriation). 

Faeries and Nettle

The episode opens with Julia (Hermione Corfield), who has “angered the faerie folk” for spilling milk and must atone by making an offering to the faerie folk. Julia picks a few sprigs of nettle and quotes J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan: “When the first baby laughed for the first time, its laugh broke into a thousand pieces, and they all went skipping about, and that was the beginning of fairies”. Julia is full of quotable goodies in general, but in this episode, in particular. 

She connects a baby in a womb with faeries, and viewers of Outlander will remember that Claire is frequently rumoured to be of the faerie folk. In this scene, a quick shot of Julia’s hand touching wisps of grass is reminiscent of similar shots of Claire. But the Peter Pan references aren’t finished there: in a flashback to the 1920s, Julia holds her favourite childhood book, Peter Pan, when she feels the movement of the baby (who we know will be Claire) in her womb. 

Back in Scotland, Julia continues to write to Henry (which serves a nice purpose of giving the voiceover a reason to exist) then brushes the nettle on her skin to create a rash (Outlander viewers: remember the scene with Jamie and Claire and the nettle? Claire sleeps with King Louis in France to save Jamie but feels guilt; he brushes her skin with the nettle to help her expunge some of this guilt–and here we have Julia self-inducing the same punishment in another act of having coerced sex in order to save a life). 

And with That, It’s Time for a Brothel Scene

Would it really be in the Outlander universe if we didn’t have regular scenes in brothels? Enter Henry (Jeremy Irvine)  with his own form of infidelity-in-order-to-survive. The brothel’s madame presents him with an “English” woman, Seema, who has the “brown hair and kind eyes” Henry has described (really, Henry? That’s the description you’ve provided in searching for your missing wife? No wonder you can’t find Julia…). Seema (Lauren McQueen) tells him the madame doesn’t want to lose his business, so he feels pity for her and stays.

Castle Leathers

Back at Castle Leathers, Brian (Jamie Roy) hands Lovat (Tony Curran) a letter from the Grants, “written by their bladier” (who we know to be Henry!). Lovat is determined to prove that Ellen is “tarnished” so he can weaken Clan MacKenzie. Julia enters, Lovat starts touching her and sees her “rash”, and then backs off as it might be contagious. He immediately approves her request to go to the apothecary, to whom Brian agrees to take her. 

The set design for Castle Leathers is cleverly done in vertical bars to symbolize prison bars, since Julia is being kept prisoner. The rest of the castle is very dark, with hardly any light at all, and what appears to be a threadbare potato sack curtain marks off the privy, where we frequently find Lovat. Poverty and darkness are clearly the theme here. 

Those MacKenzie Siblings

Cut to Ellen (Harriet Slater) and Colum (Seamus McLean Ross) discussing upcoming Beltane and her reluctance to marry Malcolm Grant. Column tells Ellen that the MacKenzies are essentially broke, but when Ellen points out they’ll need a dowry, Column counters with “Kine rather than coin”–meaning a bartered deal. 

But when Colum says Ellen will be their spy in Clan Grant, she counters by pointing out that by selling a woman to a clan, she is sold entirely–her body, her soul, and her loyalty. 

Castle Leoch is a little worn down, though nowhere near as rough as Castle Leathers. Its cobblestone walls and wood panelling have some heavier tapestries on the walls, though they are looking a bit faded. There is still very little light–even the fires in the hearths and lanterns are quite small and few and far between. 

As Ellen storms away, she crosses Dougal (Sam Retford) who immediately continues the argument of her betrothal.

Flashbacks and Falconry 

Henry stands outside of Castle Grant, which is wealthy bright yellow with clean lines, a great deal more light, and green grass with trimmed topiaries through the garden. 

Isaac Grant (Brian McCardie, who passed away this past April, hence why the episode is dedicated to him) holds a falcon (symbolizing sending Henry to collect and bring Grant the rent money). Mr. Bug (Terence Rae) spends the entire scene (and episode, really) smirking and side-eyeing Henry. 

Meanwhile, Julia and Brian ride along in a cart together en-route to the apothecary. He asks about her “condition” (the rash), but mostly the wagon scenes serve to show their growing friendship. 

When Henry collects the rents for Grant, the people are angered about the price hike, and others are too poor to pay anything at all, offering to barter with farm goods like honey. Mr. Bug encourages “being firm” while continuing to give Henry side eye. Henry gets attacked by a man, fights back, and slides into a bit of a fugue PTSD state. A necklace with a charm drops from him to the mud, snapping him out of his fight. 

That night, a sleeping Henry is trapped in a night terror where he is in the trenches of WWI.

A soldier lights a cigarette, and Henry screams. He is curled up on the bedroom floor of the 1920s flat, and Julia has turned on the light, making Henry think they are about to be blown up. He has a full blown panic attack, but Julia calms him by singing to him and holding him (“Hurry Me Back to Blighty”, a song that connects to homesickness). Julia removes her necklace and puts it in Henry’s hand–a charm of Saint Anthony (Patron Saint of Lost Items), to watch over Henry. This is the charm he has in Scotland.

Henry wakes back in Scotland. He has been screaming in his sleep, and Mr. Bug has woken him–though he seems confused and almost disgusted by Henry.

Back in the wagon with Brian and Julia, she asks Brian why he stays at Castle Leathers if he is clearly unhappy there. He explains that he did leave but missed his mother’s haggis. She says his mother would want better for him. She tells him, “Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of little children” (a quote from William Thackeray in Vanity Fair). 

Back to the 1920s’ flat, where Julia and Henry discuss lotteries and contests. Henry is against the very concept of a lottery, but Julia tells him that “People can’t survive on bread alone” (referencing the Bible, Matthew 4:4).

We flit back to Henry in Scotland, where he introduces a lottery. For more money paid, tickets are given. The winner will live rent free for a year. 

Returning to Brian and Julia, we learn that he has taken her to Castle Leoch. He notices her rash is gone. He sends a message to Ellen through Julia. He swears friendship to Julia, who agrees to take the message. She walks right up to the castle in the dark, where one guard only sees her as reaches the door (Perhaps Castle Leoch needs better guard training?).

She asks to see Mrs. Fitzgibbons (Murtagh’s aunt), as Brian instructed her to do. Mrs. Fitz immediately takes to Julia, bonding as servants, and Julia finds out Ellen is about to be married. She feigns faintness, and Mrs. Fitz leaves her to rest. Instead, Julia follows Mrs. Fitz to find out where Ellen’s room is. When Mrs. Fitz leaves, Julia knocks and seeks entrance, and Ellen begrudgingly lets her in (Julia tells Ellen, “I’m the bridge” referring to the bridge where Ellen and Brian met before, but this could also refer to Julia, like Henry, being used as a falcon to retrieve something of value).

Ellen tells Julia she is a prisoner until Beltane, which will happen on “the faerie hill” (Craigh na Dun) and relates the stories of faeries playing tricks with time. Julia convinces Ellen to go to Brian, so they steal out of the castle and find him. Ellen and Brian confirm their love just as Dougal arrives, so Julia and Brian steal away into the night. Ellen tells Dougal that she is out for a walk and a prayer and is “not a caged bird” (another reference to cages and imprisonment). Dougal threatens to beat her, so she returns to the castle. 

Brian and Julia are back on the wagon (ahem…) when Julia tells him Malcolm Grant will be at Beltane, too, but that she will help Brian. She asks for Brian’s help finding Henry, and he agrees. Back at Castle Leoch: Ellen hands Colum a list of wedding guests. She pretends to go along with the marriage. 

Henry returns to Castle Grant with a heavy coin bag, though Grant is still displeased with the idea of a lottery. He tells Henry that Scots can only respect strength and see kindness as weakness (though we could do a lot with this line alongside those from Julia this episode, couldn’t we?). 

Back in the 1920s, Henry apologizes for scaring Julia with his flashbacks, telling her that “There’s something broken in me.” Julia’s words comfort him in a way that connects to her words comforting her while in Scotland when she writes to Henry. Words are clearly her comfort; she finds solace in them, peace with them, and heals and comforts with them. Viewers have to wonder what will happen if and when those words fail her.

Henry tells her if the baby is a girl, they will name her Claire, French for clear and bright.

In Scotland, Henry returns to Seema and pays her to lie down near him for comfort. The scene is rendered all the sadder for the comfort and peace we saw in the previous one with Julia, discussing their hopes for baby Claire. 

The episode’s final scene sees Julia back at Leathers, summoned by Lovat, who waves her forward with clearly sexual intentions. Julia tells him she is pregnant with “his” child. There are no words offered from anyone to comfort her, and her situation is just as bleak as it was at the beginning of the episode. 

This episode is titled “A Soldier’s Heart”, but something along the lines of “The Falcon and the Bridge” might have been more apt. Episode 5, “Needfire”, will be released on Friday, August 29 on the Starz network/app. 

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