
Fantasy and eras clash in Amazon Prime’s upcoming series Outlander. Already causing a Highland storm across the world, with fans from America and Australia heavily praising the show, Outlander looks set to accrue a wider audience with its UK release later this week. The series revolves around Claire Beauchamp Randall, a married nurse during the vicious World War 2. However, when she is mysteriously sent back in time to 1700s Scotland, she meets dashing Highlander Jamie Fraser and becomes embroiled with a clash of the clans. Based on a series of novels by Dianna Gabaldon, Outlander is a stirring and evocative series that brings the romance and war of a historical Scotland into our lives.
I’m With Geek were lucky enough to sit down and talk to leading stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan who play Claire and Jamie respectively, to talk all things Outlander.

Caitriona (Cat): Errrmmm ooooooo, fighting love scenes maybe? I think sometimes the fight scenes take longer.
Sam: As I’m really good at fighting, we could work out the graphic and violent scenes to exactly what we want the audience to see. It feels natural when we block it together with the love scenes too..
Do you think the mystery of Highlander that Frank saw at the beginning was the ghost of Jamie?
Sam: Well, actually I know. But I’m not saying anything. You’ll need to read the books or hope the television series lasts longer. I’ve spoken to Diana about it!
Cat: Yeah and he won’t even tell me.
Sam: I could tell you but Diana will cast a spell over me
It’s been said that it is impossible to explain Highlander in 15 words. As it’s opening to the UK for the first time, how would you pitch it?
Cat: It’s quite a tough one but it’s a great adventure with historical drama, romance and mystery
Sam: It’s really hard to this single pigeon hole - something for everyone though
With Outlander coming to UK fans this week - is there any trepidation or is it all excitement because your finally bringing it home?
Cat: Yeah, we are really excited. It was strange that there wasn’t a home yet. But we worked so hard on this show and our crew is fantastic. We wanted to be able to show it in our country. Now, we can, and it’s really exciting.
Sam: Scotland is such a huge part of the show. I hope the rest of the UK really enjoy it.
Following on from that, do you fear it’ll be viewed differently in Scotland and the UK or do you think it’ll be different?
Cat: People are watching it in a slightly different way. Those in America are one step removed from knowing it intimately and Scotland is going to judge us on authenticity. We’ve tried hard to stick to that and the craftsmanship and history that exists in Scotland, you really see it on screen.

Cat: I thought it was an amazing experience when we moved it to Abbeymoore. It’s so beautiful and we shot up there for almost two weeks. It was such a special time and they were very kind up there. The Highlands were one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had.
Sam: I really enjoyed Kilmorgan and we’ve shot there a couple times. It’s just terrific to go up there. We stay in the same hotels and it’s really good fun.
When were you doing the research, did you have a chance to build your own character?
Sam: There is so much from Dianna Gabaladon. But there’s a lot to learn especially the Gaelic and getting to the seed of the character.
Cat: I spoke to a lot of nurses who just served on the front line of war and helped get into Claire’s mindset and seeing who the survivors were. It's really key into the character.
We’ve heard so much over the past year and year and a half and now Outlander is finally coming home, with that journey, what is the most rewarding part of playing the characters?
Cat: I think it’s honestly seeing how much this character has touched so many lives. One of the unexpected side effects of this is seeing all these women who have friendships over the book and seeing them get together and really support each other.
Sam: Getting to share it across the globe was definitely one of my proudest months
Claire went back 200 years. However, would you have coped with everything she was thrown at?
Cat: Sometimes she is quite feisty, I am not sure if I am as resourceful as they were. But in my life I have adapted to some pretty hard things so I think I would cope a little
This is a really simple question - which episode is your favourite?
Sam: Episode Thirteen. There are so many I like but I feel that was a strong episode for Jamie, he makes a choice there which is kind of important.
Cat: Episode Five. We got to go on the road and it was the first time the experience opened up and I love that, camaraderie, and with Claire, she starts feels part of the highland gang - that was my favourite.

Outlander comes to Amazon Instant on the 26th of March.
Will you be watching?