Outlander: Blood of My Blood (BOMB) takes us back before Jamie and Claire were born, diving into the tangled lives of the MacKenzies, Frasers and Beauchamps. From clan politics to forbidden love, BOMB shows how the stage was set with loyalty, ambition, and romance, shaping the world Jamie and Claire inherits. The drama that started it all.
Read more: Outlander: Blood of My Blood – Episode 8 Check-In🔗 Connection to the Original Outlander
BOMB isn’t just a prequel; it’s a deep dive into the roots of Jamie and Claire’s family drama. Fans of the original series will recognize:
- Character Origins – We see how Jamie’s parents meet and Claire’s parents traveling to a time she will years later. We get Highland backstory on both ends.
- Historical Context – The clan rivalries and Scottish landscapes echo the political and social tensions of the original series. We also see, similarly to Claire, how the war touched Henry and Julia’s lives.
- Time-Travel Continuity – Early hints at temporal abilities in Claire’s parents expand the mythology fans love. It begs the question, how far back in Claire’s family does these abilities reach.
- Romantic DNA – The fiery Fraser-MacKenzie romance establishes a template for the passion and tension that define Jamie and Claire’s story. I’d go as far to say that Ellen and Brian might be even a smidgen bit more romantic than the beginnings of Claire and Jamie.
If you loved the sweeping romances, epic conflicts, and the blend of history and fantasy in Outlander, BOMB enriches the universe and gives you backstory on the drama that shaped the original characters.
🧭 Where We Are Now
We’re eight episodes in, and BOMB is hitting its stride. We are engaged in two timelines: 18th-century Scotland and WWI England initially but then thrown firmly into 18th century Scotland for both storylines. Brian and Ellen navigating Highland politics that is trying to keep them apart, and Julia and Henry facing personal and temporal challenges as well as Highland politics trying to keep them apart. The story is a mix of passion, family secrets, and those “wait—what just happened?” moments that keep fans talking.
🔥 Major Storylines
- Brian & Ellen’s Highland Romance
The chemistry between Jamie Roy (Brian) and Harriet Slater (Ellen) is magnetic. Their relationship evolves from secretive courtship to a full-blown, life-altering romance, with Highland drama in every episode. It is a Romeo & Juliet romance with forces in their families (unknowingly) keeping them from being together. - Julia & Henry’s Timeless Bond
Hermione Corfield (Julia) and Jeremy Irvine (Henry) continue to navigate love, war, and time-travel complications. Their story adds emotional stakes and philosophical “what-if” questions. We want to know just how long they remain in this time and when they will be reunited. How will their story converge with Claire’s, if it ever does. - Clan Rivalries Intensify
Dougal and Colum MacKenzie, played by Sam Retford and Séamus McLean Ross, are stirring trouble, testing loyalties, and showing that Highland politics are just as dramatic as the romances. - Time-Travel Twists
Claire’s parents’ connection to time travel is becoming more central, creating suspense about the implications for future events in the Outlander universe. As we await season 8 of Outlander, we wonder how the events in BOMB will become woven into the larger universe.
🌟 Favorite Characters
- Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) – Jamie’s mother; strong-willed Highland woman who defies clan expectations.
- Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) – Jamie’s father; honorable Fraser laird, illegitimate son of Lord Lovat.
- Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) – Claire’s mother; Edwardian nurse during WWI with a love story.
- Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine) – Julia’s husband; British officer navigating WWI and love.
- Ned Gowan (Conor MacNeill) – MacKenzie family lawyer; clever and trusted advisor.
- Red Jacob MacKenzie (Peter Mullan) – Clan chief; Ellen, Colum, and Dougal’s father.
Least Favorite:
- Dougal MacKenzie (Sam Retford) – Ellen’s brother; fierce and controlling clan warrior.
- Arch Bug (TBD) – Opportunistic clansman; later a source of tension in Fraser history.
- Colum MacKenzie (Séamus McLean Ross) – Clan chief; Ellen and Dougal’s elder brother.
- Simon Fraser (Old Fox) (Tony Curran) – Brian’s father; manipulative Fraser patriarch.
- Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser (Rory Alexander) – Loyal Fraser kinsman; complex relationships with clan.
- Jocasta Cameron (Sadhbh Malin) – Jamie’s maternal aunt; influential and protective Fraser family member.
📝 TIR Take
Eight episodes in, and Outlander: Blood of My Blood is keeping the momentum. I love Brian and Ellen and I’m rooting for them. Their story is more appealing than the beginning meeting of Jamie and Claire, their romance is immediate, passionate, and forbidden because of Brian being illegitimate and the Fraser–MacKenzie rivalry. It’s very Romeo & Juliet, but with more grit and Highland politics.
Ellen’s siblings are awful to her. Colum and Dougal are using her to further their ambitions, Jocasta’s jealousy is clearer here than in the original series, and even Murtagh’s jealousy toward Brian is more prevalent. In the OG it was only hinted at, but BOMB really explores it. While we loved Murtagh in the original series, here not so much. Same for Jocasta.
Arch Bug shows up in his younger self, and he’s as bad as he is in the OG. I do wonder how he goes from the Grants’ employ to Fraser’s Ridge. Lord Lovat is also as horrible as ever, and we see exactly why Jamie and Jenny grew up disliking their grandfather.
Julia and Henry are interesting, though not as much as Ellen and Brian’s story in my opinion. I do want to see them reunited and how their story eventually converges with Claire’s. I like the similarities between Julia and Claire, especially Julia’s knowledge of herbs and how kind she is to Brian and Ellen. It’s great to see in-laws getting along lol.
This prequel enriches the original series but also stands strong on its own.
💬 What Critics Are Saying
- Entertainment Weekly – “The lives of Jamie and Claire’s parents are far more intertwined than we could’ve guessed.” Link
- Variety – “Outlander: Blood of My Blood is an excellent, highly addictive prequel.” Link
- The Guardian – “This time-hopping romantic prequel is atrocious… and very watchable.” Link
- The Wrap – “Blood of My Blood manages to feel lighter than its source material… even if it doesn’t look great for pretty much all parties involved in the long run.” Link
- Decider – “Outlander: Blood of My Blood certainly has the potential to be as romantic and adventurous as the original series.” Link
- TV Fanatic – “Outlander: Blood of My Blood just delivered a harrowing test, a shocking death, and a reunion no one expected this soon.” Link
- FandomWire – “Easily one of the season’s sharpest hours!” Link
- Collider – “Outlander: Blood Of My Blood maintains the same magic as the original series, addictively watchable thanks to great performances.” Link
📊 Ratings Snapshot
- TIR: 9/10
- IMDb: 8.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 91% critics, 74% audience
🔮 If You Like These, You’ll Love Blood of My Blood
- Outlander – Of course! The original saga still sets the bar.
- Tudors – Period drama set in Medieval England
- The Time Traveler’s Wife – Romantic complications across time.
- The Man in the High Castle – Alternate history meets suspense.
🔜 What’s Next?
The Season 1 finale of Outlander: Blood of My Blood airs October 10, 2025, promising emotional reunions and high-stakes drama. Showrunner Matthew B. Roberts teases revelations that will impact both timelines and potentially the entire Outlander universe.
Good news for fans: the series has been renewed for a second season, with production already underway in Scotland. This early renewal underscores the show’s strong reception and the anticipation for more intricate storytelling in the forthcoming episodes.
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