Outlander: Season Five Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Outlander: Season Five Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 21, 2020

Sony has released the fifth season of the hit Starz series 'Outlander' to Blu-ray, both in this standard packaging release as well as in a special edition boxed set. It is highly advisable that new audiences begin back at the beginning before diving into season five. All four previous seasons are available on Blu-ray. Please click through the following links for reviews:

• Season One, Volume One and Season One, Volume Two
• Season Two
• Season Three
• Season Four

Official synopsis: The fifth season of 'Outlander' sees a continuation of Claire and Jamie’s fight to protect those they love, as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life in colonial America. The Frasers strive to flourish within a society which is unwittingly marching toward Revolution, and Jamie must now defend the home they have built together at Fraser’s Ridge while Claire seeks to put her own skills and medical expertise to use in keeping her family together and safe from harm. Meanwhile, Brianna and Roger MacKenzie struggle to find their respective places in this world and chase away the shadow cast over their lives by Stephen Bonnet as they raise their son in this brand new world. For the Frasers and their family, 'home' is more than simply a site on which they live, it is the place in which they are laying the foundations for the rest of their lives...

From its heartwarming open to its heart wrenching finale, Outlander's fifth season runs the emotional gamut as relationships mature, characters are strained, and the story pushes to both daring and dark places. The season does not miss a beat as it delves ever deeper into the worlds, and psyches, of the characters who call it home. The season brings family closer together while external threats fight to tear it apart. War is on the horizon, external and in some cases existential. The season's dramatic content is matched by the show's unparalleled production design, which is once again commanding from the first to the final episode. Wonderful costumes and scenery, expert editing and cinematography, and great performances build season five into one of the show's best yet.

The following episodes comprise season five. Summaries are courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging.

Disc One:

• The Fiery Cross: The mood of celebration at Fraser’s Ridge is dampened by a mandate from a powerful political figure in North Carolina and a shocking revelation about a long-standing adversary.
• Between Two Fires: Jamie continues to hunt Murtagh and his band of Regulators, with a dedicated lieutenant and a contingent of redcoat soldiers at his side. When a settler at the Ridge dies of a preventable illness, Claire is inspired to take action.
• Free Will: Jamie and Claire help a bondservant rescue his twin brother from their abusive master, but discover that the situation is much more complicated than they had initially thought.

Disc Two:

• The Company We Keep: Roger leads Jamie’s militia to the rural trading post of Brownsville and finds himself embroiled in a bitter feud.
• Perpetual Adoration: Jamie and his military arrive at Hillsborough to find that Governor Tryon has proposed a rather unorthodox solution to deal with the threat posed by the Regulators. Busy with present-day life at the Ridge, Roger and Brianna must nevertheless come to terms with their past.
• Better to Marry than Burn: At Jocasta’s wedding, Jamie learns that the Regulator threat is far from over, and Claire discovers information about a former enemy from an unexpected source.

Disc Three:

• The Ballad of Roger Mac: The Regulator Rebellion reaches a boiling point, forcing Jamie to face his fear and confront the consequences of his divided loyalties. The ensuing conflict takes a harsh toll on the Frasers.
• Famous Last Words: The Frasers recover from the traumatic events of the Battle of Alamance. An unexpected visitor arrives at the Ridge.
• Monsters and Heroes: The inhabitants of the Ridge rally around Jamie as he fights for his life. Jamie asks Roger to complete an important task in the event of his death.

Disc Four:

• Mercy Shall Follow Me: Jamie’s plan to eliminate the threat looming over his family goes away. Brianna is forced to fight for both her own life as well as Jemmy’s.
• Journeycake: A revelation about Jemmy forces Brianna and Roger to make a difficult choice. Claire finds that her attempts to make the Ridge safer have dire unintended consequences.
• Never My Love: Claire struggles to survive brutal treatment from her captors, as Jamie takes drastic measures in a bid to save his wife.

Outlander: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sony has delivered another first-class 1080p transfer for its Outlander: Season Five release. The image is remarkably efficient, yielding superior highly end clarity and intricate details both broadly and in intimate close-ups. Facial features are particularly noteworthy, showcasing every fine line, pore, hair, and oftentimes blood and dirt and other elements with striking definition. World details are equally appealing, revealing the natural world and the manmade objects within it with faultless textural adeptness and brilliant clarity. Colors are bountiful with good, deep tones and perfectly natural contrast. Natural greenery is a highlight while bold clothing colors, blood, and other examples of more robust tones leap off the screen with impeccable command. Skin tones are faultless and black levels are true. Some dense noise filters into some of the lower light scenes -- much of the final episode, for example -- but the image suffers from no other serious source or encode maladies.

Outlander: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Outlander: Season Five's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack delivers a fruitful, high quality listening experience. The presentation is smooth, clear, and robust. Spacing is terrific, whether musical engagement which offers fine front end dominance and perfectly balanced surround components, or sounds of battle which rage through the speakers with high yield intensity. The latter is particularly stout, offering popping gunfire, screams, metallic clanks, and all sorts of battle din with boisterous engagement and superior clarity. The sense of immersion is terrific, and every sound element is precisely placed, whether static or in-motion. Environmental supports follow suit, presenting with perfect stage placement, both broad and discrete. Dialogue is clear, front-focused, and well prioritized for the duration.

Outlander: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Outlander: Season Five contains extras across all four discs. No DVD or digital copies are included. This release ships with a slipcover.

Disc One:

• Blooper Reel (1080p, 6:30): Humorous moments from the shoot.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 10:20 total runtime): For "Free Will:" Paintbrush, You'll Have What's Left, Make Your Peace, and Idle Talk
• Audio Commentaries: For "The Fiery Cross:" Matthew B. Roberts. For "Between Two Fires:" Toni Craphia & Luke Schelhaas. For "Free Will:" Toni Craphia & Luke Schelhaas.

Disc Two:

• Outlander Untold: Luckenbooth (1080p, 5:45): A brief "bonus" aside (not a deleted scene) from the Outlander universe. Includes optional commentary with Matthew B. Roberts.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p): For "Perpetual Adoration" (2:07 total runtime): I Think I'll Pass and This Is My Work. For "Better to Marry Than Burn" (4:44 total runtime): It's Treachery and War and Famine.
• Strength in Action: The Women of Outlander (1080p, 9:35): The role of women in the show generally and a closer look at Claire's medical knowledge and work and Brianna and Marsali character details.
• At Home with Adso (1080p, 3:16): Hanging out with Adso the cat by the fireplace and in bed with Jamie.
• Audio Commentaries: For "The Company We Keep:" Toni Craphia & Barbara Stepansky. For "Perpetual Adoration:" Toni Craphia, Steve Kornacki & Alyson Evans. For "Better to Marry Than Burn:" Toni Craphia & Stephanie Shannon.

Disc Three:

• Outlander Untold: Social Visit (1080p, 4:25): With optional Matthew B. Roberts commentary.
• Outlander Untold: Deceptively Charming (1080p, 4:36): With optional Matthew B. Roberts commentary.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p): For "The Ballad of Roger Mac:" Is That You, Dad? (1:44). For Famous Last Words (14:01 total runtime): Find the Words, One Last Drink, He Seems Changed, and He's Not Roger.
• Audio Commentaries: For "The Ballad of Roger Mac:" Matthew B. Roberts. For Famous Last Words: Matthew B. Roberts. For "Monsters and Heroes:" Matthew B. Roberts.

Disc Four:

• Outlander Untold: War Paint (1080p, 4:46): With optional Matthew B. Roberts commentary.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p): For "Mercy Shall Follow Me:" Elegant Brigade (2:40). For "Journeycake:" Born Free (1:56).
• The Heart of the Frasers (1080p, 9:48): An interesting exploration of the family ties that bind the season and the series together.
• Expanding the World: Sets & Costumes (1080p, 8:48): Exploring the intricate processes of getting the Outlander world details just right.
• Through Fire & Hell: The Finale (1080p, 7:43): Discussing the envelope-pushing season finale.
• Lyric Video (1080p, 2:11): "Flowers of the Forest."
• Audio Commentaries: For "Mercy Shall Follow Me:" Matthew B. Roberts. For "Journeycake:" Matthew B. Roberts. For "Never My Love:" Matthew B. Roberts.

Outlander: Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Sony's Outlander: Season Five release falls right in line with the previous four: terrific video and audio presentations are complimented by a healthy array of extra content. The season is, again and as always, terrific. Highly recommended.