‘Outlander’: Ranking 10 of Jamie Fraser’s Best Episodes So Far
Outlander‘s Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) has been captivating viewers since the Starz series debuted in 2014 and even before TV through Diana Gabaldon‘s books, so it’s not surprising that every episode featuring the character is worth watching, but there are a select few that can’t be missed.
Whether it’s Season 1’s memorable installment, “The Wedding,” or Season 3’s heartbreaking “Of Things Lost,” there’s plenty of high notes for everyone’s favorite Highlander. Below, we’re ranking 10 of Jamie’s best episodes from Seasons 1 through 5.
Let us know which is your favorite in the reader poll, below, and feel free to sound off in the comments section.
Outlander, Season 6, Early 2022, Starz
10. "The Birds and the Bees" (Season 4, Episode 9)
As if Jamie’s (Sam Heughan) life couldn’t be any fuller in a new land with his recently-returned wife Claire, he meets his daughter Brianna (Sophie Skelton) for the first time in this moving installment. While viewers had seen Jamie fill a fatherly role with Fergus (Cesar Domboy) and William, it’s an entirely new experience watching him play dad to Brianna.
9. "The Ballad of Roger Mac" (Season 5, Episode 7)
Along with having to don a red coat like the one once worn by his mortal enemy Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies), Jamie is forced to face his godfather Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix) on the battlefield at Alamance in North Carolina. The ordeal creates a perfect storm of emotions for Jamie who also witnesses Murtagh’s death despite his efforts to prevent such a tragedy.
8. "The Battle Joined" (Season 3, Episode 1)
After two full seasons of back-and-forth conflict, Jamie finally faces his foe, Black Jack Randall, on the Culloden battlefield. Years of pent-up aggression make for some dazzling combat sequences that are only heightened by Heughan’s performance as Jamie.
7. "The Reckoning" (Season 1, Episode 9)
Newlyweds Jamie and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) go through a bit of a rough patch in this episode which focuses on their different viewpoints on the roles of husbands and wives within marriages. The evolution that Jamie goes through in the episode is proof of his ability to grow as a character and Heughan makes it so believable.
6. "Surrender" (Season 3, Episode 2)
In one of the show’s first major flash-forwards, we encounter Jamie years into Claire’s absence from his life and things aren’t going the best. In hiding following the Battle of Culloden, Jamie’s limits are tested and emotions pushed as he struggles to come to terms with what’s best for his family.
5. "The Wedding" (Season 1, Episode 7)
Who didn’t fall in love with Jamie Fraser in this episode? The highlander warrior had his new wife Claire and viewers alike swooning during the ultra-romantic entry. Along with highlighting the couple’s wedding day and night, Heughan’s portrayal of a somewhat shy Jamie makes this episode an easy sell.
4. "To Ransom a Man's Soul" (Season 1, Episode 16)
After going through a torturous experience at Wentworth with Black Jack Randall, Jamie’s dealing with some serious post-traumatic stress. Heughan flexes his dramatic muscles in the pivotal installment in a way that hasn’t been forgotten since.
3. "Of Lost Things" (Season 3, Episode 4)
Season 3 is certainly one of Jamie’s best and this particular installment sees the character face challenges neither he nor the audience could have imagined when the episode begins. Tasked with working at Helwater estate, Jamie is forced into a tryst with heiress Geneva Dunsany (Hannah James) as a means of blackmail resulting in the conception of his son William Ransom (Clark Butler). After Geneva dies and William begins resembling Jamie more and more each passing day, the Helwater stablehand makes the decision to leave before his son’s lineage is exposed. His tear-streaked face, as he rides away from the crying boy, is some of Hueghan’s best work in the entire series.
2. "All Debts Paid" (Season 3, Episode 3)
Now a prisoner at Ardsmuir, Jamie’s become a leader among his fellow inmates, making him a point person for the new warden and past acquaintance Lord John Grey (David Berry). As they build a rapport, Jamie tests his luck by pursuing a clue that could lead him to long-lost love Claire.
1. "Dragonfly in Amber" (Season 2, Episode 13)
On the brink of battle, Jamie is forced to bid his wife farewell as he sends her through the standing stones at Craigh Na Dun. Believing it’s the last time he might ever see Claire, Jamie’s declaration of love for her is nothing short of heart-wrenching.
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