Star-Crossed Lovers, Kilts & Chemistry

The spinoff Outlander: Blood of My Blood has a handle on what makes the original drama so special

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It would be hard to match the heat that soulmates Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitríona Balfe) bring to the soon-to-end Outlander, but the prequel Outlander: Blood of My Blood (Starz, Aug. 8, 8 P.M.) offers loads of its own. In fact, the connection between Harriet Slater (who plays Ellen MacKenzie, Jamie's mom) and Jamie Roy (Brian Fraser, Jamie's dad) is so strong, execs felt it through Zoom. “Harriet was always No. 1,” Roy, 32, tells Us of the casting process. He and Slater, 30, give Us a wee preview of the much-anticipated historical romance.

Did you have any hesitation about joining a spinoff?

HS You don't need to have seen Outlander to watch it, understand it and enjoy it. But if you're a fan, there's a lot in there —