Six-time Grammy Award-nominated show Outlander had a daunting task when it comes to answering the expectations of fans. Translating a beloved book-series into the screen is always a hit or miss. In the case of Outlander, inspired by the novels penned by author Diana Gabaldon, it was mainly a hit. It premiered five years ago, with four seasons aired to date, and renewed for two more, to the delight of fans of both the books and the show.
The overall rating for the series is an impressive 8.4 out of 10 according to IMDb. But even though the overall show is considered one of the best of the genre currently airing on television, some episodes were better than others. It’ll always be impossible to score ratings above 9, and Outlander knows that very well. So let’s dive deeper into the opinions of the audiences and take a look at the ten worst episodes of the show according to IMDb.
The Watch - 8.6/10
Well, we know what you’re thinking - 8.6 is a pretty good rating, to begin with. But we warned you that fans of the show are willing to be open to every single episode, even if it’s not their favorite! The first entry on this list refers to the thirteenth episode of the very first season of Outlander.
The previous episode warmed the hearts of viewers mostly because we got to witness Jamie’s return to his family estate, Lallybroch, and we’re finally fully introduced to the awesome character of Jenny. That means that the following episode, “The Watch”, had some pretty big shoes to fill. The introduction of The Watch and the blackmail storyline fell pretty flat, Overall, just a bit of a filler episode.
By the Pricking of My Thumbs - 8.6/10
This episode is also from season one. We find our relatively newly-weds desperately trying to find a way to convince the Duke to remove the price on Jamie’s head so he can return to his family home. It’s also the moment when one of Claire’s enemies, Laoghaire, begins showing her true colors.
This is the episode that sets up one of the best episodes of the season, “The Devil’s Mark”, which is probably why it feels like less action was packed. Whether it was the return of lunatic Jacobite Geillis or the trap set by Laoghaire that threw audiences off, we’re not sure. But it disn’t sit extremely well overall.
America the Beautiful - 8.6/10
On a major time-lapse, literally, we go from the very first season of the show all the way to the last one (we know it hurts, but don’t worry, season five is coming!). Season four of Outlander saw Jamie and Claire sail off into the New World, which did bring a series of brand new adventures and drama to wrap our beloved characters around.
Curiously enough, though, the major criticisms of the episode didn’t fall on the plot itself, but rather on the minor changes that contributed to an overall out-of-place episode. The directing seemed off, the choice of soundtrack couldn’t light a candle to what we were used to, and it just seemed to mark a bad precedent for the rest of the season.
Do No Harm - 8.5/10
Still, during the fourth season of the show, we bring the rating down a tad, and introduce the episode “Do No Harm”. Still adapting to their lives in America, Jaime and Claire run into a series of very unfortunate events.
The main criticism over this episode was actually Claire herself. When faced with the harsh reality of slavery, she gets it into her head that she will once again try to change the past. But throughout previous instances, she’s more than aware that this isn’t possible, and she instead endangers herself and those around her. Many viewers thought her insufferable, which is probably the reason why “Do No Harm” scored an 8.5 out of 10.
Useful Occupations and Deceptions - 8.5/10
In yet another welcomed change of pace, we’re traveling all the way back to season two. More precisely, we’re going back to the third episode of a season that sent a pregnant Claire and a traumatized Jamie to France, both set on trying their best to stop the Jacobite rebellion that would end thousands of Scottish lives.
Even though Paris gave us some iconic wardrobe moments, it didn’t satisfy the fans all too much. Claire and Jamie’s distance was the biggest factor, and audiences were left with the idea that they had ceased to become a team. That feeling is particularly intense in “Useful Occupations and Deceptions” when the two go as far as arguing over Claire’s new occupation at a hospital.
Not in Scotland Anymore - 8.5/10
And on the topic of season two, Paris, and the overall discontent of fans, the second episode of the second season was pretty much the first drop on what would become an ocean of displeased fans over the direction writers were taking Claire and Jamie’s relationship in. A change of setting is always upsetting, but here it started becoming truly evident.
Another thing that is probably to blame for throwing fans off was the introduction of Bonnie Prince Charlie, that was made to be more of a caricature of a royal Scottish figure. His scenes were annoying and become pretty hard to watch without a serious case of major cringe going on.
The Search - 8.5/10
Back to season one, the fourteenth episode reveals that Jaime has been captured by the British, and, you guessed it, a pretty intense search for him soon ensues. The development of Claire and Jenny’s relationship was an incredibly welcome balm for what was otherwise an extremely lackluster episode.
What completely threw everyone off was Murtagh’s tactic to try and lure Jamie in once they learned that he escaped. Fans were forced to sit through an extremely painful music and dance routine performed by Claire that was so out of character everyone was left wondering if they were still watching Outlander.
Sassenach - 8.5/10
We’re willing to bet you wouldn’t expect the very first episode of Outlander to be one of the lowest-rated out of the entire series! But it’s true - “Sassenach”, the episode that first introduced us to those that would become some of our favorite characters in the entire scope of the world of television, is rated at 8.5 out of 10.
It’s not too hard to understand why - after all, most of the appeal of the show rests on the beautiful love story between star-crossed lovers Jamie and Claire. This episode serves as nothing more than an introduction to the world we’re about to dive in. Plus, this was only the first taste book readers got of the show, so of course, they would be harsher when the time came to judge it!
The Fox’s Lair - 8.4/10
You’d think that the episode that finally freed Claire and Jamie from the shackles of Paris and returned them to their beloved home, Lallybroch, would be more warmly received by audiences. But apparently, the addition of Jamie’s grandpa, the Old Fox, didn’t sit too well with fans. Maybe they wanted them to relax for a while?
It’s also worthy of note that this episode made a departure from the books and included the character of Laoghaire in what seemed to be a silly redemption storyline. She’s very apologetic towards Claire and even helps her out. Perhaps this was also a factor in the relatively low-rating “The Fox’s Lair” ended up receiving.
Crème de Menthe - 8.3/10
Outlander’s lowest-rated episode to date is season three’s “Crème de Menthe”, the seventh episode of the season, and also the one that followed the one where Jamie and Claire reunited after 20 years apart. So, once again, big shoes to fill. And in the opinion of the audiences, it lacked a lot, mostly in the love department.
We get that the writers are trying to show the couple reconnecting, but for some reason, the chemistry between the two actors seemed to be completely gone. Add to that a series of scenes that did absolutely nothing when it comes to moving the narrative forward, and you get some very displeased fans that will have no problem contributing to an 8.3/10 rating!
Next: Outlander: The 10 Best Characters, Ranked
