For Fans of the Outlander Books and Show

Episode 504, like episode 503, was a pretty faithful adaptation of the source material when it came to the main plot of the episode, the events in Brownsville. Some minor tweaks and changes, of course, but for the most part, what we got was what was in the book. And as much as loads of people complained very very much last season about how the show was not following the book closely enough, I have to say that I found both 503 and 504 a wee bit... dull? Because for the most part, I knew exactly what to expect and it just felt as if I'd already seen both episodes.

Don't get me wrong -- 504 like 503, is superbly well done, great acting all around, etc. But again, as was the case last week, I found myself enjoying the scenes that weren't really based on anything specific from the book more than the scenes that were.

For example: I love how the show is keeping the threat/ghost of Stephen Bonnet omnipresent. In the book, while Bonnet is referenced, he doesn't turn up until near the end. And that was always a wee bit odd to me because how did he know Bree and Jemmy would be where he encountered them? Was it just coincidence? But the show has established that Bonnet is -- if not actively trying to find Bree and the baby, at least very interested in the idea that he has a son. The show is also doing a great job at showing us the trauma that Bree is still dealing with, or trying to deal with. Really wish she'd open up to people about what she's going through.

Another great addition was the scene between Marsali and Brianna. There's minimal interaction between two characters in the books, you don't get any real sense of any sort of relationship that might have developed between the two. Consequently, it is lovely to see a blossoming friendship and respect between them, and I hope we see more of that going forward.

We did find out this week what where the notes scrawled on the back of the sheet of paper Fergus grabbed to write out Jamie's militia ad. Turns out it was a copy of Claire's "Dr. Rawlings Recommends", and it did indeed get published, much to Claire's dismay. And speaking of Dr. Rawlings... In the books, in the medical chest that used to belong to the good doctor, Claire finds a journal in which Rawlings kept notes on all the patients he treated. This is not referenced, or hasn't been, in the show. We do see Claire at one point in one of the episodes writing notes in a journal, but there's been no specific reference to the Rawlings journal. This matters, of course, because of the Frenchman's gold subplot. This plotline has been 100% absent from the story thus far. There's been no sign or mention of a mausoleum at River Run, where of course, the gold is hidden. Rawlings made cryptic notes in his journal after having treated Jocasta, that provide another clue about the existence of the gold. I keep wondering if/when the show's going to bring this forward. They can't leave it out. It's critical to the plot going forward -- the Mrs Bug storyline, Bree and Roger back in the 1980s, etc.

Another plot deviation in 504 involved Jamie ordering Roger to accompany Claire and the Beardsley twins back to the Ridge. That certainly wasn't in the book. They both need to be with the militia when the battle (more of a squirmish) with the Regulators happens otherwise when does Roger end up almost hanged to death? Surely that is one plot point they aren't going to leave out? It's such a major event in Roger's life. At one point in the show, Claire tells Roger that they will likely make it back in time to rejoin the militia -- I think. To be honest, I couldn't quite make out exactly what she said, even though I watched the episode twice. It just seems odd to send them back to do the surgery on the twins, then have them go back out? I get why some changes to the storyline are made, but not others.