Well, It looks like the Outlander executives are going for the This is Us Model
Let’s go.
Outlander Season 4 Episode 2 Do No Harm
Hey Guys, it’s Marcia and welcome to Really Seriously for Real.
Do No Harm….I always thought that phrase appeared in the Hippocratic Oath that Medical
professionals recite upon graduation.
But it’s not, though many have adopted it as the unofficial start of the famous oath.
The idea is that while you are charged with doing all you can to save a life you ultimately
don’t want to do more harm than good in the process.
Claire has certainly found herself in more than one situation in which her oath was tested
and this episode would be no different.
The riverboat carrying Jamie, Claire and Ian arrive at Riverrun with the horrors of Stephen
Bonnet still fresh in their memories.
They’re greeted by Jamie’s Aunt Jocasta with warmth and love with both reflecting
fondly on Jamie’s mother who’s Jocasta’s sister Ellen.
We learn Jocasta is blind.
Only able to make out shapes and some colors though she mentions her hearing is sharper
than most and is quite close to being a lie detector.
Her trusted servant Ulysses assists her and gently informs her of her surroundings.
They retire inside and Jamie tells Jocasta of their encounter with Bonnet. She comforted
them and assured that when they assisted Bonnet, they did what they thought was right and Bonnet
used their kindness.
She reassures them and states they may stay at Riverrun for as long as they like.
Pays to have family in high places.
Well actually, it’s just nice to have extended family….
period.
Just after Aunt Jocasta tells Jamie and Claire she is having a gathering at Riverrun in their
honor, they’re disturbed by a fowl odor.
Ian comes in with Rollo exclaiming how some black and white beast lifted its tail and
squirted a liquid from its butt at poor Rollo.
Sigh…a skunk.
There are skunks in my area.
There’s literally nothing worse than being woke from your sleep because your windows
are open, and the putrid stench of a skunk slowly wafts into your bedroom and fills your
nostrils because they probably had it out with another animal.
And once the smell is in.
You’re screwed.
It just clings to your nose hairs.
Sorry, Moving on Ian and Rollo are sent to meet John Quincy
Myers, whom Jocasta calls a Man of the Wild and he’ll be able to get rid of that odor.
John and Ian chat a bit mostly about body hair but also Indians or native americas where through Ian’s
curiosity, John was able to give him a fair account of the natives.
Explaining that there are different tribes’, and different ways these tribes encounter
people.
Ian states that they are no different than any people or clan.
I really do enjoy that about Outlander because, lets face it.
Some people can be sensitive when you point out life wasn’t rainbows and butterflies
for minorities of any kind.
But Outlander takes the subject and makes it a palatable, relatable, teachable moment.
Jamie & Claire are escorted to their room where they’re introduced to maids Pheadra
and Mary.
Pheadra addresses her as Mistress and Claire retorts just call me Claire.
One look at Ulysses and Pheadra, and you knew that was not going to be comfortable.
Make that Mistress Claire, she corrects.
Later Claire and Jamie are walking with Jocasta on the porch.
She tells them she grows tobacco, indigo, cotton, & pine.
But the most important is the sawmill.
We learn she has 152 slaves which she buys in lots to keep families together.
She treats her slaves with kindness, so they’re more productive.
And notes they’re nothing like cattle…because they’re far more expensive.
You know…this was really a hard review to write.
Obviously, I’m black and overall I would say I approach life light heartedly cause
I don’t like things too serious.
So, I tend to avoid movies and shows that center around slavery cause, look let's face it, it can be a
bit “heavy”.
Especially knowing that this really happened, that people’s lives were considered nothing…because
they weren’t people.
That’s a tough pill to swallow so no, this was not an easy review.
This was also tough for Claire knowing that this injustice will be somewhat reversed,
but not soon enough.
Later during a dress fitting for the party, Jocasta asks Claire what she thought
of Riverrun.
Jocasta was so used to people being in awe of her estate so she kept pressing Claire
for an answer when Claire would be vague.
After more of a push from Jocasta when she could hear that Claire was holding something back.
Claire states that she doesn’t agree with keeping people as property.
Jocasta wondered if Claire was a Quaker as they believed that all men were created equal
and no one in that faith were allowed to own slaves.
It was an awkward moment because on one hand, you’re trying not to offend the home owner
and aunt and on the other, you don’t want to agree with that lifestyle through pleasantries.
Not to mention, there were slaves present like Phaedra who has a seemingly friendly
and candid relationship with Jocasta but at the end of the day…she’s still a slave
so I'm sure she would probably love the idea of freedom.
Jocasta mentions a fair description of Claire she got from Jenny citing Claire as spirited
and headstrong and had no problem sharing her thoughts on any matter.
They laugh when Claire replies that the same could be said of Jenny.
Jocasta ended by saying she had the fire of Mckenzie in her.
Her smirk implying pride.
At the gathering, Claire endured a bull headed conversation with Lieutenant Wollf as he spoke
of the natives as savages that should be grateful they came and built roads and buildings.
Cause I guess they were so unhappy before.
Anywho.
We knew he was going to be…”one of those guys” when we first met him during an earlier
exchange with Jocasta and Jamie.
He is Jocasta’s liaison with the navy they have a contract with.
He was none too happy when Jamie kind of called him out on a deal he was trying to encourage
Jocasta to go with.
It’s clear he’s easily excited.
We also learned that he may be vying for Jocasta’s attention as well.
Hmmmp, well in case you’re wondering…I disapprove.
At this gathering, Jocasta also uses the opportunity to announce Jamie as her heir to Riverrun.
Yeahhhhh, She kinda pulled a Dougal and Colum and made that decision without consulting
poor Jamie.
and Poor Claire was having a breakdown at the mere thought of owning these slaves but then
they think if they’re the owners, they could simply set them free and Jamie says as much
during a meeting with Mr. Campbell.
As they discussed how this heir thing works.
Their faces said it all.
Campbell tells Jamie I know you’re not from around here so I’ll basically ignore your
ignorance-alright he didn’t say exactly that, but you get it.
And then Campbell broke things down on why that is not a good idea:
1.
Ok obviously the first problem is that you’ll never be able to run the plantation without
slaves 2.
Only the county court can grant freedom 3.
You must prove your slave has performed a meritorious service such as saving a life-Like
my man Eutruclous 4.
You must post a bond for each slave assuring the slaves good conduct
5.
And lastly, yes Lord, there’s more, you need to pay 100 pounds sterling for each slave
which works out to be over $15,000 pounds.
It’s interesting how “they” had this system rigged.
The backbone of any plantation are the slaves.
A prosperous plantation means increased goods.
Increased goods mean money.
More money means more profit.
More profit means we just keep doing what we do.
So if you have one benevolent plantation owner willing to either free or pay their slaves,
then that plants a seed in the mind of slaves in neighboring plantations, threatening the
“livelihood” of all.
And then you could lose everything, including your life as Mr. Campbell continued.
So do nothing and you’re just like “them” and you own slaves.
Do something and they make it nearly impossible for it to matter.
Perfectly rigged.
Jamie is unphased and still wishes to do the right thing.
That land grant from the governor was looking a little extra good.
A bit later, his conviction is tested when they learn a slave axed the ear of a man who
struck him with a whip.
Jaime, Claire and Campbell race over and find the slave Rufus being hoisted up by a hook
buried deep in his belly.
Jamie raises his guns given to him by his Aunt and points it at the men demanding they
lower Rufus.
They do so reluctantly and Claire goes into Doctor mode.
She has Rufus taken back to Riverrun and the dining room is turned into a makeshift ER
with the household looking on in disbelief.
Jocasta, learning of the situation unfolding is shocked and worried.
Rightfully so because Lt Wollf and Campbell arrive and demand they hand over Rufus for
“justice”.
They ask to have until midnight.
The angry mob rolls in shouting for justice as Claire stabilizes Rufus.
She has him moved to her room so he’s more comfortable.
When asked about his family he says he has a sister and they were taken from Africa when they
were young and sold into slavery.
Ulysses gently tells Claire in the hall that although she thinks she’s doing the right
thing, it would’ve been better for everyone had Rufus died on the hook.
The mob will tear Rufus apart and display what’s left as a warning to all slaves at
what awaits them.
Jamie informs Claire of the deal but contemplates sneaking Rufus out but they know the mob would
likely burn Riverrun to the ground before they let what “they” consider a crime
go unpunished.
So Jamie suggests Claire aids Rufus’ soul to sleep like she did Colum, with a tea.
As the clock chimed the 12 o’clock hour Rufus slipped away peacefully while Jamie
and Claire prayed over his body.
Jamie carried his body and laid him gently at the steps of Riverrun and the lynch mob
wildly slipped the rope around his neck and dragged him without care and hoisted him for
all to see.
Like I said, it was a hard episode to watch.
But I give the show so much credit for the level of care they’ve shown.
I also was a little annoyed with Claire and Jamie because while you should absolutely
stand by your convictions and their issue is noble, but they never think about the bigger
picture or what their actions mean for those around them.
And you can’t come up into someone’s house and then start switching the furniture around.
Imagine that, you invite someone to stay with you and they decide your plates should go
in the cup cabinet and the cups should go where the bowls are.
I’m being silly, but you know what I mean.
Maybe Claire and Jamie should’ve taken a note from Dougal when he was trying to raise
money for the Jacobite cause back in season 1.
being a bit more discreet
So, Question of the day…and we’ll keep it light.
What was your favorite Jocasta moment?
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Alright, Thanks for watching guys Until next time.