Adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s internationally acclaimed novels, Outlander is a time-traveling, high fantasy romance that follows the story of Claire, a married nurse from the 1940s who finds herself mysteriously transported to 18th century Scotland. There, she encounters the dashing Jamie Fraser and the two embark on a star-crossed love affair while the threat of the American Revolutionary War looms overhead.
The series became a global phenomenon with its glorious set pieces, rich historical detail and the palpable chemistry between leads Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. Fans around the world simply cannot get enough of their epic story and how it unfolds against the turbulent backdrop of the Jacobite risings. Outlander is also praised for blending history, adventure, war and romance into its narrative. It is no surprise that the series has garnered a number of award nominations and wins over its seven-season run.
So far, six seasons of Outlander have premiered on Starz, with the first part of Season 7 making its debut only recently. Devoted fans have already begun discussing what sorts of twists, heartbreaks and reunions lie ahead. Meanwhile, we have decided to churn some more conversation around the series by pitting every season of Outlander against each other and ranking them from worst to best.
Some ranking choices may not please you, but whether your favorite comes out on top or not, Outlander still remains the most epic of television tales.
7 Season 6
Season 6 of Outlander premiered in 2022, when fans had waited long enough to see the limits of Claire and Jamie’s enduring love pushed like never before. The season only consisted of eight episodes because of the Covid-19 pandemic and Caitriona Balfe’s pregnancy. However, it never cut short on the excitement and thrill of the layered storytelling and political intrigue Outlander is known for.
Claire and Jamie found themselves building a life away from the colonial unrest and the American Revolution with the MacKenzie in the foothills of North Carolina. They are both struggling to maintain their principles while also protecting their home, family, and way of life.
But when the Christie family arrive at the Ridge, peace is thrown away and new chaos engulfs Claire. From flashbacks about Jamie’s time in Ardsmuir Prison to Malva Christie announcing her pregnancy, there isn’t a dull moment in the season.
Towards the end, Claire is accused of killing Malva, which leads her to getting imprisoned. The finale makes for a huge cliffhanger. This season earns the spot because of a bunch of reasons like the shorter runtime and the intimate character drama drawing viewers away from the spectacle and warfare.
6 Season 4
The second weakest season of all, Season 4 of Outlander sees Jamie and Claire finding a change not only in the climate but also in their circumstances. They establish themselves as white settlers in America and reunite with Murtagh after being apart for years.
Meanwhile, the season introduces new characters, like Jamie’s Aunt Jascosta, who is a plantation owner, and Stephen Bonnet, who is a disappointing villain replacement to Randall. His involvement in episode nine, titled “The Birds and the Bees,” which centers around Brianna, was praised for its emotional storytelling.
Speaking of which, the season also dives deep into the romance between Roger and Brianna. After she rejects his proposal and leaves to aid her parents, Roger follows her and is eventually beaten up by Jamie. Brianna and Roger do reunite at Jascosta’s plantation, but the narrative arc does not please fans who see Brianna’s potential being overshadowed.
Despite delivering some breathtaking vistas, the season received criticism for meandering subplots. Balfe and Heughan are still the highlights, but the creative and experimental risks taken by the showrunners resulted in the story deviating from Gabaldon’s source material.
5 Season 5
After facing a string of hardships in Season 4, the following season found Claire and Jamie trying to repair their fractured state of being at Fraser’s Ridge as the American Revolutionary War loomed overhead. This installment of Outlander focuses solely and heavily on Jamie, who prepares himself for his greatest challenge yet – to fulfill his duty to the British and keep his godfather safe.
Elsewhere, Roger and Brianna are facing increasing tensions with the return of Stephen Bonnet, who captures Brianna, but this time, she holds her own. They also learn that their son, Jemmy, has the ability to travel across time, which gives them the choice to return to the future and stay safe.
Claire continues to subvert conventional medical practices and even takes on Marsali as her assistant. Her arc, too, is underwhelming in places except for the ending, which sees Claire in the midst of another brutal assault. From the Battle of Alamance to Marsali killing Lionel Brown with one of Claire’s syringes, the season has some high points and some low points.
Fans found the pace slower and were disconnected with the characters. But either way, creator Ronald D. Moore took the dramatic stakes to brand new heights and transformed the season into a crucial period of growth for the Frasers.
4 Season 3
One of the most anticipated seasons of Outlander was the third season. It had seen Jamie and Claire being separated for over 20 years, with each of them building their lives in their respective timelines. Jamie marries a widowed Laoghaire and fathers a son; he also has a face-off with Black Jack Randall at Culloden.
Meanwhile, Claire stays in the present with her first husband Frank, who is played brilliantly by Tobias Menzies. Reeling from their losses and still under pressure, Claire and Jamie finally reunite when Claire is pulled, once more, into the turbulent world of 18th century colonial politics.
The season not only stands out by making their reunion over-the-top, romantic and absolutely swoonworthy, but also by delivering some strong subplots. Like when Young Ian gets abducted and Claire and Jamie embark on a nautical adventure to rescue him, or the introduction of Marsali Fraser and her relationship with Claire, which progresses from spiteful to endearing towards the end.
Delivering a change of scenery, the season saw Balfe and Heughan shine in their compelling roles but also bring nuance to thorny subjects.
3 Season 2
Season 2 transported viewers back to the fiercely contested Scottish Highlands of 1743 but only for a little while. Most part of the season is set in 18th-century Paris, where Claire and Jamie arrive to thwart the Jacobites Rebellion.
Burdened with knowledge about the future, Claire, who knows that the dangerous foe Black Jack Randall is an ancestor to Frank, pleads Jamie to keep him alive until his line of succession is secured. After Jamie and Claire’s daughter Faith is stillborn, the pair return to Scotland in the second half of the season.
Their ill-fated romance comes to a devastating end when Jaime convinces Claire to return to the 20th century and vows to sacrifice himself in the Battle of Culloden. Claire intimates Frank about her time travel and the two decide to raise Brianna together. Twenty years later, when Frank dies in a car accident, Claire returns to Scotland with Brianna and realizes that Jamie, as a matter of fact, is still alive.
Fans have pointed out some inconsistencies, but one cannot deny the fact that the second season is extremely addictive. It has some genuinely great episodes, immersive cinematography, and a sweeping romance between Balfe and Heughan’s characters. It also cemented Outlander’s place in the TV drama landscape and set the bar real high.
2 Season 7
As Outlander embarks on its seventh and final season, it adapts An Echo in the Bone novel and prepares to deliver an epic conclusion. It is only fitting because, considering the iconic love story Claire and Jamie Fraser have shared, the changing tides of history will not go easy on them.
The first part of Season 7 premiered last year, and it saw the American Revolution coming to a head. Jamie and Claire were together once again, this time confronting Jamie’s biological son William in war. Meanwhile, Roger and Brianna are forced to consider returning to the future in order to heal their daughter.
The season has also introduced a potential villain in the form of Rob Cameron, who has his eyes set on the Jacobite gold hidden on the Frasier family property. While the plot details of the second part of the season are still under wraps, fans know that Claire and Jamie are heading back to Scotland.
Season 7 of Outlander holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and fans are more than optimistic about the upcoming episodes. If the past is any indication, then we’re sure that Balfe and Heughan’s story will earn a careful and emotional payoff after seven years of dedicated storytelling.
1 Season 1
Season 1 of Outlander kicked off an incredible series. It introduced us to combat nurse Claire Randall and thrust her back in time to 18th century Scotland through standing stones. She found herself a stranger in an unfamiliar land and encountered a young man named Jamie Fraser. Despite the odds and the secrets of their origins, love blossomed and Claire learned to survive in the new world.
Driven by its female character’s brilliant arc, the season does a phenomenal job at laying the foundation of what would become an epic time-traversing romance between leads Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan.
Undoubtedly more simplistic in scope compared to later seasons, this one captivated audiences with its lush cinematography and layered relationship dynamics. At this point in the series, the political intrigue was not at its peak, and yet, watching Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling novels materialize on screen was magical.
Much of the success of the first season was earned because Outlander refused to sit in a single genre. It was a romance-novel fantasy and a time-travel drama. It was a politically charged thriller and a wartime spectacle. Overall, Season 1 ignited watch value among viewers, who then returned for new chapters of this epic saga.
