Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Outlander: Season Four Blu-ray Movie Review

Sony has once again released a beefy special edition for the hit Starz television show 'Outlander.' This fourth season release includes the five-disc set in a unique DigiBook-style packaging as well as a few additional goodies. At time of writing, the set runs about $15 more than its wide release counterpart. See the 'Special Features and Extras' section of the review below for more on this packaging and what's included therein.

Outlander: Season Four Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

For a season four 1080p video review, please click here.

Outlander: Season Four Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

For a season four Blu-ray audio review, please click here.

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

Outlander's special edition ships in a fairly sturdy and lightly textured outer box that measures approximately 7.5 inches in height, 6.0 inches in width, and 1.5 inches in depth. The outer box is an eggshell/off-white, almost yellow color with faintly printed leaves appearing randomly all over the front, back, and sides. An open circle surrounded with interlacing rope reveals an image of Jamie and Claire that is actually part of a flap holding the soundtrack CD inside. The show's title appears in big, gold letters at the top. "Season Four" text appears in smaller type in the same color at the bottom. The same appears along the thick spine, here with an emblem between the words "Season" and "Four." A small model number appears on the bottom of the box. It's a handsome look that thrives on simplicity, and it feels good in the hand, too.

All of the inside content is situated underneath a moveable flap that includes the image seen through the circular cutout on the front of the packaging. A small cloth tab moves it out of the way. The flap holds a Compact Disc featuring 20 tracks from season four's soundtrack, composed by Bear McCreary. The track listing is printed on the flap. In addition to the digital copy code and a leaflet advertising various Outlander novels and goodies is a stapled, glossy mini-book featuring an excerpt from the new novel from Diana Gabaldon, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone. It is nine pages in length and includes a selection from a chapter entitled "Hunting."

The main event is, of course, the five-disc DigiBook. The outer cover features a high quality, vertically oriented photograph depicting Jamie and Claire gently touching foreheads. The show's title and "Season Four" identifier appears centered and slightly below the middle. The rear side continues the image from the front, wrapping around along the spine (also featuring the show's title and "Season Four"). The remainder of the rear side is identical to the main box's rear side. Inside, each disc appears on its own plastic, transparent hub. Accessing the lower ones involves lifting the top hub, which snaps back in place, to flip it out of the way to access the disc(s) underneath. Discs one and two appear on the left and discs three, four, and five on the right (there is an extra disc hub on the rear of the leaf on the right). Underneath the left side plastic is a wooded image that carries to the front of the DigiBook, which is secured inside the case. It is titled "Braving the New World." The main image features Jamie and Claire riding horses through a wooded area. The DigiBook includes an opening essay penned by Outlander Writers and Producers Matthew B. Roberts and Toni Graphia. The book, printed on glossy, full-color pages, is quite impressive and extensive. It includes a number of still photographs that explore life on the set and preparations for the shoot. Text blurbs break down various scenes and plot points. There are reproductions of letters and blueprints. The book concludes with episode summaries for all season four episodes. The DigiBook's rear side includes a two-panel image featuring Jamie and Claire embracing against a woodland scene.

For full coverage of the included on-disc supplemental content, please click here.

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

Outlander's fourth season special edition offers just enough to justify the price increase over the standard release. The packaging looks and feels premium, the CD soundtrack is a welcome addition (shame it was not included in a jewel case), the novel expcerpt is just long enough to whet any fan's appetite, and the DigiBook content is quite nice, though certainly not exhaustive; it's comprised primarily of photographs with text in support rather than vice-versa. It's practically a must-own for any Outlander fan.