Outlander Stars, EP Talk Finale's Tough, 'Tricky' Jamie-Randall Scenes 

viewers spied Jamie Fraser, he was bloody, broken and likely hoping death would arrive swiftly, if for no other reason than to stop the tongue bath administered by his depraved nemesis, Black Jack Randall.

No, you didn’t read that wrong. The many indignities Fraser suffered throughout the series’ most recent episode included getting literally licked by his arch enemy — and life will get far,

worse for the strapping Scot before the season finale is over, star Sam Heughan says.

VIDEO Watch the Trailer for Starz’s New Ballet Drama 

“Jamie’s very much affected by this,” the actor tells TVLine. “If you’ve read the books, you know that.”

If you don’t know what he means by “this,” you likely

read Diana Gabaldon’s series of novels, on which the series is based and which follow Jamie and his time-traveling wife Claire, yet you likely have a dreadful feeling about how Fraser’s extended prison-cell encounter with Randall ends.

Suffice to say: Whatever you’re expecting, it’s probably worse.

“The most important thing, fundamentally, was to tell that part of the story as truthfully as we possibly could,” series creator/executive-producer Ronald D. Moore says. “This is tricky material, very harrowing material, but we wanted to play the truth of what really happened between these two… and to find that line where you’re neither being gratuitous, and you’re not shying away at the same time — where you’re showing what needs to be shown, and you’re not afraid of it, but you’re not reveling in it.”

He adds: “You have to find that tone, and it just took a lot of time.”

Heughan and co-star Tobias Menzies spent hours talking through the scenes with each other and director Anna Foerster, Moore says, as they prepped for a rough week or so of shooting.

RELATED J.K. Simmons to Star in Starz Drama About 

“The set is usually a pretty light place to work, and this was not that tone. This was a very serious set,” the EP recalls. “It was physically dark. The prison cell was not a happy place to be.”

Menzies’ description of the working environment is a bit more picturesque.

“You have [Randall’s] big servant dead in the corner. There’s blood on the floor. There’s bloody hammers,” he says. “It was a challenge within the story, but also a physical challenge. A lot of prosthetics” — like Jamie’s scarred back (the object of Black Jack’s aforementioned licking) and his mangled hand, which Randall nailed to a table in the previous episode — “and a lot of complicated elements to it.”

RELATED Mimi Rogers Cast in Starz’s Upcoming 

Though he’s proud of how the intricate scenes turned out, Heughan admits that Jamie’s roiling emotions were “kind of hard to switch off” at the end of a very long day of work.

“I needed to decompress after a couple of weeks. It was pretty tense,” he says, adding that some time outdoors — he climbed seven of Scotland’s lower-lying mountains in a day, a pastime referred to as Munro bagging — “was really a nice way to clear the mind.”

Before that, though? When Heughan could still feel Randall’s mindgames wreaking havoc with Jamie’s tortured soul?

I don’t know when I’ve ever dreaded and looked forward to an episode so much (looking forward to the prison scenes being done, having way less Black Jack, and Jamie finally being free–I feel I need to explain that).

I’ve not read the books, but this whole plot line feels really stupid. Jack Randall isn’t a character, he’s a characature, which is a shame. Gabaldon seems to continually get stuck in the worst tropes of fanfiction; the villain isn’t even human anymore, he’s a vaudevillian trope. I’ll continue to watch because I’m invested in Claire & Jamie and the scenery is gorgeous and I love Ron Moore, but sigh

You’ve not read the book, of course, so you are forgiven but let me tell you , you could not be more wrong if you tried

Posts like this make me worry that non-readers aren’t getting the whole experience. If you’re seeing Black Jack that way, it’s because of Ron Moore’s adaptation, not the source material. The book has so much more depth and the characters seem so much more real with Diana Gabaldon telling the story. Also, you’d be 100 times more invested in Claire and Jamie if you had their whole story as it’s told in the book.

I think that Ron Moore is doing a fine job (based on what I’ve seen, which is about half of the season so far). I think that if anything, fans of the books are too attached to what is in the books, so they have a hard time dealing with things that have been altered or removed. I saw one discussion where people wanted an episode dedicated to Claire and Jamie’s honeymoon, because they bonded so much during that time. This is true in the books, but the books could afford to take that time. With a 16 episode order, showing the honeymoon would mean not showing something else–probably something more important. As it is, a lot has needed to be reworked and changed.

The fact is that Black Jack isn’t a terribly complex character in the first book. What we see is a tyrant who does one horrible thing after another. He was made as a stark contrast to Frank. Since you’re a fan of the books, I’m assuming that your impression of Jack has been altered by things that won’t happen until later in the series.

I thought Ron did a fine job in the first half as well. It’s actually the second half of the season that I feel gets off track and falls short when it comes to pivotal moments in the storyline. Key scenes are left out or changed to the point that important plot elements are completely lost. Episode 108 is when I stopped being a fan of Ron Moore.

As for my impression of Jack, I think he is exactly as complex as he needs to be in the first book. He’s not over the top like he is in the show – not a “vaudevillian trope” as the above poster said. That’s all on Ron Moore.

I guess I’ll have to wait and see how the second half turns out. I know that a lot of stuff will have to be altered. I can’t imagine the quiet days with Jenny and Ian will all be there. But in the first book, I didn’t think that Jack was very complex. He was like a demon that haunted Jaime (and to a lesser extent, Claire) and every time he showed up, it was just to do something else that was horrible. Certain characters in later books paint a different picture of Jack, but from the POV that we saw him in the first book, he wasn’t very complicated.

I agree with you. I understand that the book fans want more depth, I do the same thing with GOT, but this isn’t the problem here… I liked all the episodes very much and I’m sure others non-readers did to, but I personally don’t like all this rape plot, no matter how much they will grow as characters and blah blah blah. I hate this and I don’t think that it is needed. They have so much to tell, about the jacobines, about lots of stuff, but they continue to do almost rape and rape. That was something I wish the tv show would change from the books.

Yeah, the rape stuff comes up in the books a lot. The unusual part being that while Claire is almost raped a couple of times, Jaime is the one who is actually raped. I got the impression that Diana G. considered rape to be too far to go with Claire, but somehow doable with Jaime. Does it mean less if a man is raped? Or was she just trying to do the most horrible things imaginable to poor Jaime throughout the books?

Not sure how far you have read in the books, Drew, but that isn’t true. I don’t want to spoil anything, but Jamie isn’t the only one who gets raped.

You simply cannot put a book that size, and that complex, word for word on a screen. As a decades-long Outlander fan, I’m enjoying it for what it is, an adaptation.

And for those who don’t get why Jamie (and Claire) go through what they do, sorry, but you’re missing the point of the entire series.

You have it all wrong, sadly it’s all too human, which is why it is so captivating. Watching/reading about Black Jack is like watching/reading about Jeffery Dahmer. These scenes/chapters seem to be something you’d totally find in a Dahmer biopic.

You badly need to read the books @Lizo to understand BJR. Fanfiction has nothing to do with his character, Diana wrote “Outlander” never expecting it to be published never mind what did happen to the book which is over 20 years old BTW. BJR embodies people who really do live in our world, who’ve always been here and always will. Those of us fortunate enough not to have encountered them count ourselves lucky & pretend they don’t exist but they do. Ron Moore has done an incredible job of putting this cast together and attempting to condense Diana’s enormous books for viewers to appreciate. I for one have no idea how this is done. The casting couldn’t be better, the actors are truly amazing & this is the best television show I have watched in more years than I can remember.

Read the books for Heavens sakes!!! Then you will truly understand Jack Randall. Tobias is perfect in the role. And even though I was skeptical in the beginning, Sam has brought Jamie to life! Bravo Ron! But I cannot even imagine knowing the books were out there and not reading them!

Sam did a magnificent job on 1.15 but I just cant watch 1.16, it disturbs me too much, I just want to get past this part of their story.

I agree. It was shortly after this that I gave up on the book. I’d had enough of the repetitive graphic elements. I won’t give away anything for those who haven’t read it or watched the show. But, eventually, the book was no longer enjoyable for me. It wasn’t creating tension in a “I must keep reading!” sort of way. It was just a touch too disturbing for me. I no longer cared how it ended, I just was sick of the repetitive nature of the structure of the story.

I am way behind in watching the series, but I’ve read the book. I can only imagine what will be on screen. Part of me was/is hoping that a lot of it would be left to the imagination, but that doesn’t sound like it’s the case… Man, I don’t envy these actors if they show some of the stuff that was in the book. Imagine doing those things over and over again for days. Even though it isn’t real, it would be horrible to film. And I’m not just talking about being in the heads of those characters. I’m just talking about the actors themselves.

Sam & Cait suffer from what I call “too gorgeous to possibly be talented” syndrome. They are both phenomenonally gifted and intelligent. But because through no planning or fault of their own, they are also genetically gifted with beauty, their skill and work ethic are discounted. Neither fair nor right.

Wow, I really didn’t think they would go there with the show.

They have to. That relationship haunts y the whole series.

Unfortunately, it seems they are. Why they feel “this” must be seen in order to be true to the book is mind boggling. Ron himself said sometimes less is better and to leave somethings to imagination but in this case, to be explicit is fine.

“…and to find that line where you’re neither being gratuitous, and you’re not shying away at the same time — where you’re showing what needs to be shown, and you’re not afraid of it, but you’re not reveling in it.”

IMO, I think they did cross the line several times in the series. Mature grown-ups should not need to be hit over the head with torture, sex, and violence in order to get to the “truth” of the story. The long, graphic exposition in the books was necessary. We need the words to spark the imagination so that we “see” the story come to life off the page. In film, subtlety is more effective. I do not have to see extended rape or torture scenes to know what happened or understand the depths of BJR’s sadism, Jamie’s willingness to suffer for love of Claire,and how this horror will affect him.

Menzies, Balfe,and Heughan gave superb performances. Menzies’ chilling recounting to Claire ( In the Garrison Commander) of his flogging of Jamie was so effective…until they went on and on with the flogging scenes. Creepy overkill.

Parts of episode 15 were also lessons in not knowing when to stop.

I fear, this last episode is going to be dominated by far too many explicit flashbacks of sexual violence, and a scant few minutes left for some very powerful events from the book. I hope I am wrong, but I doubt it.

I’m not offended by the violence, and I am loving the sex scenes, but I do wish Ron Moore had placed more emphasis on Jamie and Claire’s relationship instead of expanding Black Jack’s role. There have been way too many important iconic scenes and lines left out in order to add in extra screen time for Tobias Menzies. Ron seems obsessed with him.

I am so thrilled at the first Outlander season 1 series 1. As a huge fan of the books, way back to about 20 years ago, I have never found a book to better these. So a huge thank you to Diana Gabaldon for such a wonderful story. I also, have read all the ‘Lord John’ series which are just as brilliantl. My only problem about this tv series is…..I cannot find out when season 1 series 2 is out on dvd for me to buy! I want to see (but not really as I am dreading it), Jamies time with Randall. The only consolation is, I know what the outcome is.

Sam Heughan has such range. I have been disappointed in the second half of the season to see a Jamie who I don’t recognize — a natural leader and Laird in the books, he has been portrayed as something else altogether in recent episodes — but Heughan has brought so much to the character, rising above the writing. And now he has been willing to go to a very dark place as an actor and as a man. While the producers have heaped praise on Balfe and Menzies, they have been silent in interviews on Heughan. Ironically, it is the Black Jack character who articulates it best, when he tells Claire that she (to paraphrase) is worthy of her husband, and he could give no higher compliment. Likewise, Heughan.

Heughan, Menzies and Balfe were amazing in last week’s Wentworth Prison episode. Can’t wait for finale! All 3 deserve Emmys!

Heughan has been absolutely brilliant as Jaime. He is ever present in any scene he has, fully there and focused. The other two are good alright but it is all about Heughan for me. If you haven’t read the books do so immediately, especially the first two. Diana can write although she’s heavy on the rape and pillage stuff. Some necessary, some not.

Omg I cannot wait for this ep. The book was insane so can’t wait to c how they have adapted it for tv. Can’t wait for the Jamie&Claire scenes once she gets him back. As always Great article Kim.

Outlander Stars, EP Talk Finale\'s Tough, \'Tricky\' Jamie-Randall Scenes

Wayward Pines Recap: Invasion of the Body Snatcher

Aquarius: Is NBC\'s Charles Manson Drama Groovy or Gruesome?

Fuller House: Bob Saget Officially Boards Netflix Revival Series

1Summer TV Calendar: Hannibal, Liars, Mistresses, 105+ Other Dates to…108

3The Good Wife: Archie Panjabi Doesn\'t Deny Kalinda/Alicia Scene Was…84

4Bones Sneak Peek: Booth and Brennan Take Time Apart... In Separate…69

5American Idol\'s Clark Beckham Talks \'Sunday Morning\' Chords, Police…68

Hell on Wheels\' Fifth and Final Season Premiere…

American Idol\'s Jax Talks Bon Jovi, Beatles and…

Aquarius: Is NBC\'s Charles Manson Drama Groovy or …

Heroes Reborn Adds Covert Affairs Alumna in…