'Best ever' period drama breaks huge ratings record with emotional final season
The epic romance period drama has returned for its long-awaited final season.
An ‘outstanding’ period drama has broken a four-year rating record after returning for its eighth and final season.
The Scottish series, which is a must-watch for fans of romance and fantasy, pulled in nearly 3 million viewers for its season 8 premiere.
This marks a four-year ratings high for the Starz drama, which began releasing new episodes weekly from March 6.
The show has a 91% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and first aired all the way back in 2014, building up a fiercely loyal fan base over the past decade.
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Outlander, which is a time-travelling historical drama based in the 18th-century Scottish Highlands, follows the epic love story of Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan).
The Rotten Tomatoes description for season 1 reads: “After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian.
“Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humor.
“A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. Outlander is adapted from the best-selling books by Diana Gabaldon.”
Fans and critics alike have praised the show over the years, with Time Magazine calling it “two period dramas contained in one thrilling show” and The Daily Telegraph describing it as “an epic, gruesome fantasy series told from a female perspective”.
Meanwhile one fan wrote: “A sweeping Odyssey. Every performance in the show is so authentic to the intent of Gabaldon's source material. Translates one of the greatest love stories I know in a beautiful, heart breakingly devastating way.”
A second penned: “Instantly captivated and obsessed. The acting between the main characters really makes the show beautiful. Wish I could watch it again for the first time and I’m surprised it’s not more popular.”
“One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Definitely a favorite. The first three seasons are the best,” a third wrote, while one more agreed: “Outstanding show and have watched it so many times!”
Another shared: “This is the best show I have ever watched. There are just no words for its beauty, romance, depth, sense of adventure and other worldly feel. The acting by Claire and Jamie was truly spectacular and inspires me to live a fuller life.”
One more commented: “The best season of television I have ever seen. Drama, history, sex, warriors, humor. What more could you want? Perfectly cast and astounding acting.”
Outlander season 8 airs on Starz in the USA on Fridays and on MGM+ via Prime Video in the UK on Saturdays.
