You Say You Want a REVOLUTION

The Frasers return for more heroic adventures in Season 7's wartime saga

- KATE HAHN

“SEASON 7 IS the best since Season 1,” promises star Caitríona Balfe of Outlander’s 16 upcoming episodes. Airing in two blocks of eight, with the latter half coming in 2024, the installments are drawn primarily from An Echo in the Bone, the seventh novel in Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling book series. “There are amazing characters, new and old,” she adds. “It’s epic and expansive. We’ve opened the world out an awful lot.”

The actress’ enthusiasm has us on kilt pins and needles for the return of the time-travel romance anchored by the love felt among 20th century surgeon Claire Fraser (Balfe), her Scottish Highlander husband Jamie (Sam Heughan) and their extended family. “Claire and Jamie’s theme this season is that their bond—one so great that they know when [the other] is in trouble, or alive or dead— will be stretched,” says executive producer Matthew B. Roberts. “They’re separated physically and on a different plane. They come back together multiple times.”

Being forced apart is sadly familiar territory for the Frasers. In the May 2022 finale, Claire was in a Wilmington prison, falsely charged with murdering pregnant Malva Christie (Jessica Reynolds), who’d lied that Jamie was the baby’s father. Season 7 picks up with Jamie and Young Ian (John Bell) racing to the rescue. “We start with Jamie saying, ‘I know you’re alive,’ ” Roberts offers.