'Outlander: Blood of My Blood' review: Prequel offers more time travel, romance

WHAT IT'S ABOUT This prequel to "Outlander" (which wraps in 2026) is the origin story of Claire Randall (Caitríona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) — and oh, what a story that is/was. "Outlander" fans were long told that Claire's parents died in a car crash, when in fact they too stumbled through the time travel stones of Craigh na Dun, back to 18th century Scotland where they meet Jamie's future parents, Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater, "Pennyworth") and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy). Claire's mother, Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield), and father, Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine), become separated, and she's forced into the servitude of Lord Lovat (Tony Curran, most recently "Mary & George"), the lecherous father of Brian. Henry ends up in service to another "laird" — the archenemy of Lovat.

Neither Balfe nor Heughan are expected to appear (yet?), although a second season has already been ordered.

MY SAY The heather and bog myrtle still blow in the wind, and the splendor of the Scottish Highlands still dazzles. As always, the lasses are bonny and the lads brawny. There remains much cruelty amid these ancient braes, fens and fells but also much tenderness. The possibility of love — true love that spans centuries, continents, and (even) indecipherable accents — remains as well. So what's missing here exactly? Or who?

That would be Jamie and Claire. Through those centuries and through those magic stones of Craigh na Dun, through all those seasons too — seven down, one to go — "Outlander" has been the Jamie and Claire show. Heughan and Balfe occupied those roles as if they were destined to play no others. To love "Outlander" was to love them. Now you've got to love someone else all over again?

The casting of "Blood of Our Blood" is particularly effective, so that should help. It's not at all hard to see a distant reflection of Claire in Julia, or of Brianna Fraser (Sophie Skelton) in her grandmother Ellen. "Blood" reimagines a Montague-versus-Capulet clash that forces Ellen and Brian into each other's arms. That feels familiar, but the meeting of Julia and Henry — two lonely people, thrown together in the crucible of war — does not. That's effective as well.

"Blood of My Blood" otherwise demands a reset that not all hard-core fans may be willing to give. For those who do, they'll still need to wrap their heads around a time travel twist that has Claire's parents meeting up with Jamie's. After stumbling through the stone circle, they just happen to end up at the exact time and place of his parents (1714, Lallybroch). Imagine the odds.

Of course, this is the prequel so an argument could be made that the real long shot was Claire meeting Jamie. But you can see where I'm going here, which is exactly where you should not. Don't overthink "Blood of My Blood." There's nothing to be gained from sorting out who's who or how they fit into the overall "Outlander" universe, or whether you caught a glimpse of them in some past season (Jamie's parents you have, played by different actors.) And certainly don't puzzle out the time travel entanglements or paradoxes ("Outlander" rarely did.)

Besides Jamie and Claire — and to a lesser degree Roger (Richard Rankin) and Brianna — the big secret to "Outlander's" appeal has always been the magic without the baggage. No logic? No sweat! Just let the romance flow because true love conquers all, or at least it conquers plot holes, continuity errors, pacing issues and funky time travel stones that buzz like angry bumblebees. That's all part of the charm of "Outlander," and potentially "Blood of My Blood," too.

BOTTOM LINE Wacky plot twists, appealing leads, spectacular scenery. What's not to like?