Goodbye, Male Gaze!
One of the things I loved about watching the earliest episodes of Outlander is the way the show embraces an implied heterosexual female gaze. So much of media, even media that is created with feminine viewers in mind, is made with scripts and camera angles that support an implied cisgender heterosexual male perspective.
Though there are certainly moments in which Claire is portrayed in the nude, the camera is just as likely to linger appreciatively on Jamie’s body. Of course, my idea of feminism isn’t equal opportunity objectification. Rather, this development from Outlander is important because it translates a feminine perspective for what is sexy, romantic and erotic that is rarely seen on other cable tv dramas (looking at you, recently-ended Game of Thrones!).
It’s Perfect Summer Escapism
As I mentioned above, I first discovered Outlander on a summer day when I was searching for entertainment. Though it’s far from fluffy (there are some deeply serious storylines in the second half of season one and beyond), Outlander allows for a unique mental escape.
A show that gives you sweeping Scottish vistas, dudes in kilts and melodramatic plotlines is the perfect choice for lazy summer viewing!
Let’s all rejoice, then: Outlander is now more accessible for the masses!