Season six of Outlander begins on Starz Sunday, March 6. Claire and Jamie are in the backcountry of North Carolina, with a new home at Fraser’s Ridge, and the nation is marching toward revolution.
Caitriona Balfe plays Claire and Sam Heughan is Jamie.
The season is based on book six of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander franchise, A Breath of Snow and Ashes. Season five touched on that same book, and season six is the rest of it.
“This is the book that keeps on giving,” said executive producer Maril Davis.
“There’s a ton of source material,” Davis added. “You’ve got amazing characters. At [the] heart of it you’ve got this amazing couple and this great love story for the ages. You’ve got character conflict. What more could you need?”
Roberts offered his take on the new season. “Bad things are gonna happen to good people,” he said. “We’re gonna turn the world upside down a little bit. Season six is revolution time in the colonies and at Fraser’s Ridge.”
Roberts mentioned “two factions breaking apart” -- Jamie and his group, and the new settlers.
Davis spoke a bit about the palpable chemistry between Claire and Jamie. “Sam and Caitriona, from the outset, even from their first chemistry read, just had an easy way with each other and got along so well together,” she said. “There’s a trust and respect there and a great friendship, and I think that really shows on screen.”
Starz has ordered season seven of Outlander. Roberts summed up what continues to draw viewers to the show. “You fall in love with the characters and you live and breathe with them,” he said.
Exec producing alongside Davis and Roberts are Ronald D. Moore, Toni Graphia, Andy Harries and Jim Kohlberg.
The series is shot in Scotland, as it has always been, with Scotland standing in for North Carolina this season. “Scotland–we consider her a character,” said Roberts. “She’s now playing the part of North Carolina and she does a fabulous job.”
Added Davis, “She deserves an Emmy.” ■
