Anyone who tuned in to the first season of 'Outlander: Blood of My Blood' got to witness firsthand its two central love stories finally begin to take shape.
Brian (Jamie Roy) and Ellen (Harriet Slater) had overcome family feuds and their forbidden romance to choose one another. Henry (Jeremy Irvine) and Julia (Hermione Corfield), separated by time, fought their way back to the stones in hopes of returning to their daughter. But just as each couple seemed to be on the path of finding a way home, the fiery crosses were lit, signaling that the Highlands were heading to war.
That’s where we find the characters starting Season 2 of this prequel, and as the showrunners note, the pace doesn’t slow down for the rest of the episodes.
“The first season of a show, you're always introducing the world and you're introducing characters. Then for Season 2, hopefully the audience already knows them and has invested in them, so you can get right into it. You don’t have to waste a lot of time explaining,” notes Executive Producer Matthew B. Roberts. “If Season 1 was about coming together and [the couples] joining, this is about survival—and it's nonstop. We hit the gas from episode one and it goes all the way through episode 10. We don't leave a lot of room for deep breaths for the audience.”
“In this season, we’re also expanding on some of the stories of the other couples like Maura (Bobby Rainsbury) and Dougal (Sam Retford), for instance,” adds Executive Producer Maril Davis. “I think this season, it was so fun to see them emerge as this great watchable couple. Season 2 is deepening the relationships and pushing the stakes.”
That expansion also reflects the larger challenge—and opportunity—of telling stories within the 'Outlander' universe. While viewers familiar with the original series may already know where certain characters ultimately end up, 'Blood of My Blood' is interested in the lives, choices and relationships that lead them there.
“We've been [working in the world of ‘Outlander’ for] 14 years now. I can't remember how many books there were when we started, but ultimately, you could look up and see where the character was going five books from now. So we always say when we tone the show that we are a ‘How’ show, not an ‘If’ show,” explains Roberts. “Brian and Ellen, how do they get to where they have Jamie? And how do Dougal and Colum (Séamus McLean Ross) make it work? How do Henry and Julia fit into this world? So it's a big difference in the way you tell a story.”
Unlike the original 'Outlander' characters, whose histories are extensively chronicled across Diana Gabaldon’s novels, the backstories of their parents leave the 'Blood of My Blood' team considerably more room to explore.
“There are only breadcrumbs of each of these characters and little clues here and there of what's happening,” agrees Davis. “So it's a lot more filling in, and it continues to be an interesting and fun challenge.”
In Season 2, those personal stories will likely be shaped by forces larger than the characters themselves. Brian and Ellen must navigate opposing pressures while separated by war, Henry and Julia are once again pulled apart by time and circumstance; and as Roberts puts it—
“This season, love has to take sides.”
‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood' Season 2 premieres Friday, Sept. 18. New episodes will be available to stream weekly on Fridays only on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms.
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