Outlander: Season Four Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Outlander: Season Four Blu-ray Movie Review

Brave New World.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 1, 2019

The Outlander saga has always been about love's binding ties that transcend place of origin, whether that's across oceans or across the flow of time. Claire and Jamie's romance has, of course, grounded the show, but it has also heavily dabbled in the relationship between Roger and Brianna and, certainly, Frank's love for Claire. Season four expands more on narrative than it does on romance, though there are evolutionary notes concerning the latter as well. The show is well established at this point and has spent significant dramatic and screen time capital on building the romantic connections and lore and allowing the time travel elements to make important, but ultimately secondary, narrative contributions that enhance the core dramatic foundation of a love that is literally for the ages.

Outlander may lean heavily on the singularity that is the romance between Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) but it has never been a static show. Traveling from Scotland in season one to Paris in season two and the Caribbean in season three has taken the audience through as much alternating geography as it has alterations in time. Season four continues the trend, dropping Jamie and Claire into Colonial America where the couple hopes to settle and build a family together. Jamie quickly finds himself heir to his aunt Jocasta Cameron's (Maria Doyle Kennedy) North Carolina estate, River Run, but ultimately choose to say "no" and settle on a piece of land called "Fraser's Ridge." In the distant future, Claire's daughter Brianna (Sophie Skelton) makes a choice to follow in her mother's footsteps and tinker with fate through time.

Time travel by its theoretical status alone requires some suspension of disbelief when it's used as a major plot driver in any entertainment venture, and romance through the ages requires a little more, particularly when considering Outlander’s fourth season that takes the out-of-time lovers -- Jamie and Claire -- across oceans and across time, respectively, when they wind up in Colonial America via mid-18th century Scotland and mid-20th century America. This show’s challenge comes in manicuring that suspension of disbelief, keeping the audience more invested in the characters, their trials, and their hearts rather than the timeline logistics. Through this point the varied timeframes and locales have played to the show’s ability to build and maintain that focus and play on the time travel rather than fixate on it. Through four seasons, the show has matured and thrived despite a premise that is not at all believable at its most essential level. Author Diana Gabaldon and Showrunner Ronald D. Moore have done a masterful job of blending it together without the property growing cumbersome or overly complicated. Even as it deals in challenging issues within the prism of unrealistic plot drivers -- not to mention the sheer volume of stuff that happens to the characters, for better or for worse -- it holds true to its essentials and never betrays the characters for the sake of pushing its timeframe boundaries too far.

The following episodes comprised season four. Summaries are courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging. Major Spoilers Follow.

Disc One:

• America the Beautiful: After washing ashore in North Carolina, Claire (Catrionia Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) face an important choice about their future.
• Do No Harm: Claire and Jamie arrive at his Aunt Jocasta's (Marie Doyle Kennedy) North Carlonia plantation to face a new future in America.
• The False Bride: After refusing his aunt's plantation, Jamie and Claire set out into the North Carolina wilderness to make a new home.

Disc Two:

• Common Ground : Jamie and Claire face a series of unexpected challenges as they establish their homestead on Fraser's Ridge.
• Savages: As Jamie's trip to enlist settlers for Fraser's Ridge reveals the depth of local anti-British sentiment, Claire struggles to keep the peace between their neighbors and the Cherokee.
• Blood of My Blood: Jamie encounters some shadows from his past when he returns to Fraser's Ridge with Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix).

Disc Three:

• Down the Rabbit Hole: Brianna (Sophie Skelton) travels through time at Craigh Na Dun to intervene in her parents' death at Fraser's Ridge.
• Wilmington: As Roger (Richard Rankin) arrives in Wilmington looking for Brianna, Jamie and Claire must keep Governor Tryon (Tim Downie) from ambushing Murtagh and the Regulators.
• The Birds & the Bees: Strugging to recover from Roger's absence and Bonnet's (Ed Speleers) sexual assualt, Brianna looks to get to Fraser's Ridge.

Disc Four:

• The Deep Heart's Core: As a pregnant Brianna struggles following her sexual assault, the truth about her attacker's identity sends Jamie and Claire in search of Roger.
• If Not For Hope: Jamie, Claire, and Young Ian (John Bell) embark on a long uncertain journey to rescue Roger, while Brianna forges a friendship with one of Jamie's old friends as she fends off Aunt Jocasta's attempts to secure a husband.

Disc Five:

• Providence: Brianna confronts a violent figure from her past in a attempt to cope with her trauma. Roger befriends a fellow captive and endeavors to escape the Mohawk Village, while Fergus (César Domboy) and Marsali (Lauren Lyle) plan a dangerous mission.
• Man of Worth: Jamie, Claire and Young Ian's attempt to rescue Roger from his Mohawk captors goes awry when a ghost from Claire's past lays waste to their plan. Meanwhile, Brianna worries that Claire, Jamie and Roger might not return and comtemplates life as a single parent without them.

Outlander: Season Four Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Outlander is still one of the "in" shows on television, and Sony has graced yet another season with a striking 1080p transfer. The digital source photography translates exceptionally well to the high definition format, yielding a clear, resplendently detailed, and richly colored presentation. While there is some noise apparent in lower-light interiors and even in bright daytime scenes -- the couple arriving at River Run at the beginning of episode two, for example -- the image is otherwise pristine, presenting viewers with a very healthy level of intricate textures. One of the most readily obvious points of visual interest appears on period clothes, furniture, and furnishings, the former of which is especially notable considering the frequent close-ups that allow various fabrics, frays, and material densities to shine. The picture reveals resplendent facial textures, with close-ups offering intimate views of pores, veins under the skin, wrinkles, hairs, and makeup. Exteriors are often breathtakingly dense and detailed with only the sporadic example of softer/smudgier elements in play. Colors are well balanced. Natural greens dazzle in the Americas and the Colonial clothes offer a pleasing spectrum of well-versed shades. Contrast is neutral, primaries pop, skin tones are healthy, black levels are perfectly deep, and shadow details are well defined. This is a very impressive 1080p presentation from Sony.

Outlander: Season Four Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Outlander's fourth season features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Music is well balanced, from the lighter, airy opening title notes to the more dense and deep and foreboding percussion beats, such as those that define much of the season finale's open. The track folds in wonderfully defined natural atmosphere. Flowing water, chirping birds, crackling fires, and breezy winds give sonic definition to most every outdoor scene and breathe life to the North Carolina setting. Chatter, rolling carts, and other din shape various town scenes, all presenting with a healthy surround competent. The track features a well-rounded explosion sound effect near the end of the season's penultimate episode. Other action effects scattered throughout the season also prove well defined and take advantage of every speaker in the arsenal. Dialogue is clear and center focused. It is well prioritized for the duration.

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

Outlander's fourth season Blu-ray release contains supplements across all five discs. Some supplements can be found under each disc's "Special Features" tab (though all such appear only on disc five) while others are located under a specific episode listing. The set again contains Sony's frustrating, burdensome, and cumbersome TV show menu system that lists all episodes and all extras on every disc, which for a show with this many discs, episodes, and extras is not a good fit (and, really, never is for any show). A digital copy code is included with purchase.

Disc One:

• Audio Commentaries: For "America The Beautiful:" Toni Graphia & Michael B. Roberts. For "Do No Harm:" Toni Graphia & Luke Schelhaas. For "The False Bride:" Toni Graphia & Michael B. Roberts
• Deleted & Extended Scenes with Introduction by Ronald D. Moore (1080p, 1:39): For "The False Bride:" The Ceilidh Dance.
• Outlander Untold Ep. 1 Bonus Scene (1080p, 4:55): Young Ian Wins Rollo. With optional commentary by Toni Graphia and Matthew B. Roberts. A note on Outlander Untold Supplements from the packaging: An addition this season are our 'Outlander Untold' scenes, which you can find on the discs. These are not deleted scenes, but "bonus scenes" filmed especially (as the name suggests) to capture moments, which would otherwise be left untold. We relished the opproturnity to indulge in some initmate and poignant scenes between some of the beloved supporting characters populating the world of Outlander, beyond the confines of our usual set amount of airtime. After all, sometimes a wee sojourn from the main story road is the most scenic route home. We are very excited to share them with you and hope you enjoy!

Disc Two:

• Audio Commentaries: For "Common Ground:" Maril Davis & Toni Graphia. For "Savages:" Michael B. Roberts & Denise Di Novi. For "Blood of My Blood:" Michael B. Roberts & Shaina Fewell.
• Outlander Untold: Lord John & William (1080p, 4:35): With optional commentary by Toni Graphia & Michael B. Roberts.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes with Introduction by Ronald D. Moore (1080p): For "Blood of My Blood:" I'm Not Afraid of Blood (1:20) and Advice from A Dying Man (4:46).

Disc Three:

• Audio Commentaries: For "Down the Rabbit Hole:" Maril Davis & Toni Graphia. For "Wilmington:" Toni Graphia & Luke Schelhaas. For "The Birds & The Bees:" Toni Graphia & Michael B. Roberts.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes with Introduction by Ronald D. Moore (1080p): For "Down the Rabbit Hole:" Are You Alone? (4:47) and There's Power in a Name (3:52).

Disc Four:

• Audio Commentaries: For "The Deep Heart's Core:" Michael B. Roberts & Luke Schelhaas. For "If Not for Hope:" Maril Davis & Toni Graphia.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes with Introduction by Ronald D. Moore (1080p): For "The Deep Heart's Core:" I Was Overcome with Anger (3:47), This Niece of Mine (2:51), and Leaving River Run (1:28).
• Outlander Untold: Unwanted Houseguests (1080p, 3:59): With optional commentary by Toni Graphia & Michael B. Roberts.

Disc Five:

• Audio Commentaries: For "Providence:" Maril Davis & Toni Graphia. For "Man of Worth:" Maril Davis & Toni Graphia.
• Outlander Untold: Tea for Two (1080p, 6:10): with optional commentary by Toni Graphia & Michael B. Roberts.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes with Introduction by Ronald D. Moore (1080p): For "Man of Worth:" You Will Not Be Alone (4:01) and Mighty Pleased (1:22).
• Gag Reel (1080p, 5:24).
• Outlander Untold: Through the Stones (1080p, 10:09): Choosing and crafting the four "Untold" scenes and how they shape the show's and characters' backgrounds.
• People of Worth: The Frasers (1080p, 9:23): Toni Graphia, Sam Heughan, Catrionia Balfe, and Ronald D. Moore discuss the changing relationship between Jamie and Claire in season four. The piece explores their maturing relationship and the role of family in their lives.
• Here in the New World (1080p, 8:44): Cast and crew look at filming in Scotland for Colonial North Carolina, how the Blue Ridge Mountains favor Scotland, building a home for Claire and Jaime in a place that is new and different for both of them, and trying to accurately recreate Native American culture from the 1700s in the modern world.
• Nothing is Lost: A Look Back (1080p, 8:31): Cast and crew discuss previous seasons of the show, favorite scenes, casting, and the show's avid fan base.
• Training Rollo (1080p, 1:30): Actor John Bell (Young Ian) discusses the bond between the canine Rollo and Young Ian and how they trained together to present the characters as a cohesive unit on screen.
• Previews (1080p, 0:32): An ad for the novels on which the show is based.

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

Outlander's fourth season brings new scenery but familiar dynamics. It's nevertheless another compelling season, and Sony's Blu-ray is a delight. Excellent video and audio presentations await audiences, as does a voluminous collection of extra content. Highly recommended.