‘Outlander’ Season 2 Will Have Serious Surprises And Big Changes Even For The Book Readers, Plus New Premiere Date Just Announced

The premiere of Outlander’s second season is only days away, and fans are in for a number of different surprises when the hit drama makes it highly anticipated return. Although book readers already know what to expect in the coming season, executive producer Ronald D. Moore recently revealed that the series will diverge from the books on occasion, offering twists and turns for casual fans and book readers alike.

In an interview with E! Online, Moore explained how fans will be surprised right from the start. In particular, the producer revealed that the new season will not pick up where Season 1 ended.

“For the people that have read the books, I think they know the general plot and where we’re going, but we’re going to open the season different than the books do, so that’s surprise one… For the non-book fans, we’re going to start not where you expect at all based on where you last saw Claire and Jamie, sailing off to France to change history. We’re going to sort of surprise you right off the bat with what happened.”

Apparently, fans are going to be very surprised with where Outlander begins its sophomore season. Although neither Moore nor Caitriona Balfe (Claire Fraser) gave away any hints at what that might entail, the Outlander star promised that surprise and shock will ensue.

“I want them to be surprised!” she shared. “I want them to be shocked. I love that [Ron Moore] chose that way to tell the story. He shows us in the beginning where we’re going to end up, and then it’s like a choice of here’s how we get there, and I thought it was a really bold, wonderful move.”

That being said, Moore explained how the season will follow the main plot of the second book in Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling Outlander series, Dragonfly in Amber. Although all of the main events will make their way on screen, Moore cautioned that the series is portraying them in different ways and sequences. Even still, fans can rest assured knowing that the major plotlines will be included in Season 2.

As fans are well aware by now, the new season of Outlander will feature Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire traveling to Paris, France, in order to stop the Jacobite Rebellion. While their main reason is to preserve Scottish traditions and history, Claire’s motivations also reside in preventing Jamie’s death at the Battle of Culloden.

In speaking with the New York Post, Balfe discussed her character’s experience in France, and how her intermingling with Parisian society changes her.

“She’s had to penetrate a very different world, dealing with aristocrats. It’s a nest of vipers and a bit of a challenge for Claire, who is used to speaking her mind,” Balfe shared. “She has a limited knowledge of history. She knows the general outlines, but a lot of it is her figuring things out on the sly.”

At the same time, Balfe was also asked about how much the new season differs from the books and how fans typically react to those changes. In reply, Balfe explained how the majority of fans are okay with the changes and understand that the TV series cannot incorporate everything from the books.

“It runs the gamut of any fan base. Some people don’t care. Some say, ‘I was not okay with this change, but this one didn’t bother me,’ ” she revealed. “Our fans have pretty much embraced the show. There are always online arguments about a particular creative choice. You’re never going to get 100 percent agreement.”

The new season of Outlander is set to premiere on April 9. However, Starz just announced that the new season will premiere 2 days earlier and be available on April 7 on demand and on their streaming app for subscribers.

Tell us! Are you ready for the return of Outlander? Let us know in the comments and watch the video below to see Sam and Caitriona discuss Jamie and Claire becoming parents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE6uV9Rmc9g

[Image via Starz]