Honestly, it feels like we’ve been waiting forever for a real expansion of the Outlander universe. For years, the story of Claire and Jamie Fraser has been the sun everything else orbited around. But Starz is finally pulling the curtain back on the ancestors with Outlander: Blood of My Blood, and the details suggest it's going to be a lot more complex than a simple "how they met" story.
It’s happening. Production took over Glasgow and various Scottish highlands throughout 2024, and the buzz on set wasn't just about the rain. It was about the scale. We aren't just getting one love story; we are getting two parallel timelines that promise to explain exactly why Jamie and Claire are the way they are.
The dual timeline gamble in Outlander: Blood of My Blood
Most prequels pick a lane and stay in it. This one doesn't. Showrunner Matthew B. Roberts, who has been the steady hand behind the main series for years, is doubling down on a narrative structure that jumps between 18th-century Scottish Highlands and early 20th-century England.
It's a bold move. On one side, you have Ellen MacKenzie and Brian Fraser. If you’ve read Diana Gabaldon’s books or watched the early seasons of the flagship show, you know their names are legendary. Ellen is the woman who rejected a dozen suitors to follow her heart, a move that basically set the MacKenzie clan on fire. Then, on the other side of the Atlantic—and a century later—we have Julia Moriston and Henry Beauchamp. Those are Claire’s parents. We’ve known next to nothing about them for decades.
Why does this matter? Because Outlander has always been about how bloodlines and history repeat themselves. By showing both sets of parents simultaneously, the show is trying to prove that Jamie and Claire were destined to find each other because their parents were forged in similar fires of social upheaval and forbidden desire.
Who is actually playing these people?
The casting had to be perfect. You can't just cast anyone to play the parents of Jamie Fraser. The "King of Men" needs a believable origin story. Harriet Slater, who people might recognize from Pennyworth, is stepping into the shoes of Ellen MacKenzie. She has that specific "MacKenzie fire" that the production team was desperate to capture. Opposite her is Jamie Roy as Brian Fraser.
The WWI-era casting is equally interesting. Hermione Corfield plays Julia, and Jeremy Irvine is Henry. Irvine has that rugged, slightly misplaced look that fits a man living through the Great War. Seeing these two worlds collide—one defined by the Jacobite risings and the other by the trauma of modern warfare—gives the Outlander: Blood of My Blood serie a texture that the original show sometimes misses when it stays too long in one era.
💡 You might also like: Songs by Tyler Childers: What Most People Get Wrong
What the show gets right about the 1700s
Historical accuracy is a headache. You’ve got costumes, dialects, and the sheer logistical nightmare of filming in the Scottish elements. But for this prequel, the production design is leaning heavily into the "pre-Culloden" era. This is a Scotland that is vibrant, dangerous, and culturally distinct before the British Crown dismantled the clan system.
It’s about the politics of the hearth. Ellen MacKenzie wasn't just a girl in love; she was a political asset. In the 1700s, a woman of her standing marrying a "bastard" son like Brian Fraser wasn't just a scandal—it was an act of war against her own family. The show is diving deep into the tensions between the MacKenzies and the Frasers, which, let’s be real, makes the Montagues and Capulets look like they had it easy.
The Claire connection
People often forget that Claire is an orphan. In the main series, her life begins with Uncle Lamb. We never got to see her parents as anything other than ghosts or memories. Outlander: Blood of My Blood is finally giving Julia and Henry a pulse.
The 1910s and 20s timeline is fascinating because it’s the bridge to the Claire we first met at Craigh na Dun. It’s a world shifting toward modernity. Henry Beauchamp is a soldier, and Julia is a woman trying to navigate a society that’s literally crumbling under the weight of a world war. If you want to understand Claire’s resilience, you have to look at Julia.
Why fans are worried (and why they shouldn't be)
There’s always a segment of the fandom that worries about "prequel fatigue." Do we really need to know every single detail? Sometimes mystery is better. However, Diana Gabaldon is involved as a consulting producer. She’s also currently writing a prequel novel about Brian and Ellen.
This means the show isn't just making stuff up as it goes. It’s pulling from the same well of "extended universe" lore that Gabaldon has been building for thirty years. The show fills in the gaps that the books only hinted at in throwaway lines.
📖 Related: Questions From Black Card Revoked: The Culture Test That Might Just Get You Roasted
- Fact: The series is confirmed for 10 episodes in its first season.
- Fact: Tony Curran (who was incredible in Mayflies) is playing Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat. This is a massive casting win. Lovat is a manipulative, power-hungry patriarch who makes the drama ten times more intense.
- Fact: Filming locations included the historic streets of Glasgow, transformed to look like WWI-era London and 18th-century Edinburgh.
Dealing with the "Starz" factor
Starz knows what they have here. Outlander is their crown jewel. They aren't going to let Outlander: Blood of My Blood be a cheap spin-off. The budget is visible in every frame, from the hand-stitched kilts to the authentic trench warfare scenes for the WWI segments.
The tone is a bit darker, though. While the original series has its share of trauma, the prequel feels more grounded in the inevitability of history. We know what happens to Scotland. We know what happens to Claire’s parents. There’s a bittersweet layer to the romance because we, the audience, know the expiration date on these characters' lives.
The "Sassenach" legacy
It’s interesting how the word "Sassenach" carries such weight. In this new series, we see the origins of those cultural divides. The tension between the Highlanders and the "Outlanders" (the English) is the heartbeat of the show. It’s not just about romance; it’s about survival in a world that wants to erase your identity.
Is it worth the watch?
If you like period dramas that actually care about the period, yes. If you’re just here for the kilts, also yes. But more importantly, the Outlander: Blood of My Blood serie is a character study on nature vs. nurture. We see Jamie’s stubbornness in Ellen and his honor in Brian. We see Claire’s analytical mind and fierce independence starting to form in the way her parents navigate the chaos of the early 20th century.
It’s a rare thing for a prequel to actually add value to the original story rather than just repeating its beats. By splitting the focus between two centuries, the writers have avoided the trap of "origin story boredom." You’re never in one place long enough to get tired of it.
The Highlands look as moody as ever. The mud is real. The stakes feel higher because these characters don't have the benefit of "time travel knowledge" to guide them. They are just people living through the most tumultuous years of their respective centuries.
👉 See also: The Reality of Sex Movies From Africa: Censorship, Nollywood, and the Digital Underground
What to do while you wait for the premiere
The first thing you should do is revisit Season 1 of Outlander. Pay close attention to the scenes where Jamie talks about his mother, Ellen. Those stories about the silk dress and the "MacKenzie pearls" are the breadcrumbs that lead directly into this new show.
Also, keep an eye on Diana Gabaldon’s social media. She’s notorious for dropping small "snippets" of her upcoming prequel book, which often align with what the show is filming. It’s the best way to get a head start on the lore.
Lastly, don't expect a carbon copy of the Jamie and Claire dynamic. Ellen and Brian have a different energy. They are younger, more impulsive, and living in a time when their union was literally a crime in the eyes of their clan leaders. It’s going to be messier, louder, and probably a lot more violent than the early days at Castle Leoch.
The production wrapped its primary Scottish block recently, and post-production is in full swing. This means we are closer than ever to seeing the Fraser and Beauchamp legacies finally collide on screen. It’s a massive undertaking, but for a story that started with a woman stepping through a circle of stones, going back to the beginning feels like the only right way to move forward.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Track the Book: Follow Diana Gabaldon’s "Daily Lines" on Facebook for potential plot points that will appear in the prequel.
- Watch the Cast: Follow Harriet Slater and Jamie Roy on social media; their behind-the-scenes chemistry during the Glasgow shoot was a major indicator of the show's tone.
- Review the Lore: Re-read the "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" short story by Gabaldon for the most accurate background on Claire’s parents before the show airs.