Not everyone likes Creme de Menthe – looking at Episode 7

October 30, 2017 by Sherry W.

I decided this year was not my recap year and good thing too because Creme de Menthe is so full of in your face action, underlying future story arcs and layers of relationship stuff that to recap it would be exhausting. I just dont have the energy.

This week I am going to look at the things that make me go hmmmm.

As I have said before, we all view the show with our own inner eye, which makes how we digest it & for lack of a better word – expel it. I enjoy the discussions but the debates, I could let hang. Perhaps I feel there are so many big things in the ugly world to be upset about…a TV show gets a pass from me . Cuz…yeah…

This is just a mish mash of my thoughts so don’t take it personal like. These views, are just my own.

Oaths– Claires Hippopotamus…no…that isn’t right… Hippocratic oath – there we go. We know that is what is binding her to helping the guy that just tried to kill her. We can say its crazy, but it is a part of why we love Claire. She sticks to her guns. Let’s face it, she is likely not fully integrated back into the 18th century mindset. There probably were zero times she was faced with this quandry in the 20th century. I’m thinking it might take a few months to adjust to things being…totally friggen different.

Liar Liar pants on fire! Jamie is literally living a lie. A. Malcolm respectable printer. Ahhhhhh…nope. He manipulates relationships in order to provide for his family. Some would say honourable. I say a lil shady. He is SO shady laugh. (Keep in mind…so was Batman) I truly enjoy the many faces of JAMMF. Seeing him wax poetic one moment and then send his nephew & fosterson out to do his dirty work the next…see…shaaaaa-ady! To me, this plays well into the Jamie lying to Ian, asking Claire to do the same. Many think…hey thats out of charachter. Only because we love Jamie, we think he infallable when in fact…dude takes a helluva lotta liberties with that lil thing called the truth. Which makes him drumroll …..human!

Balance. What is balance about? Its about going to one end of the spectrum…flying to the other end of the spectrum…and eventually landing in the middle. Which is always precarious if we don’t pay attention.

I have to remind myself that the relationship with Jamie and Claire…is new. They have a deep passionate history…but their present…brand spanking new. We can’t fall back into an everyday relationship groove as fast as we can fall into bed. Physical connection is one thing, private,alone… finding that balance while living an everyday life amoungst all the people, will likely take more than a day.

My husband used to be in the military and go away for many months of the year. It took days, sometimes weeks to get used to having to consider his opinions and ideas on the way the house was run. Imagine living 20 yrs doing it your way? It would not be an easy slide into thinking…Oh I have this person to consider and they may not agree but it is all I know. That just doesnt fit together for me so much. I want to see the warmth & common thinking between everyday Jamie & Claire and I know I will. Its there…rumbling under the surface and with time – it will pop up. (Don’t be dirty)

Like Uncle Like Nephew. Its not the usual “father n son” thing but I think they captured a great relationship with these two. Jamie sees himself in Young Ian…and Young Ian wants to be like his Uncle Jamie. I think this created a huge blind spot for Jamie. He has not been able to raise any of his biological children – this boy, is family, has attached himself to Jamie & frankly, thats a pretty nice feeling. I think this is a case of “being right…rather than doing the right things” for Jamie.

Meet the Campbells This is one of those book changes that makes me wonder…Oooooooo where are they going with this? A travelling seer and her skeezy agent as opposed to the creepy ass Reverend and his broken sister. There are many twists and turns these two take with hitting the West Indies in the book, I imagine their path is a little more direct through the show.

We can understand that some plots & character expectations might take a turn due to time…”If we do THIS…we will have to do X-Y-Z next season and we only have 13 episodes. Something has to go – if we change X to match Y…we can take this turn instead and shorten up all of it.”

To be a fly on the wall of the writers room. Book readers, show lovers & knowing they have to find a happy medium. That’s HARD. Thinking about how things play on a page compared to visually is a huge undertaking and one, I am happy to leave to the Outlander Writers. I’m not getting paid to have that viseral of a reaction. I would never be able to do what they do. Though I would LOVE to watch it happen at least once in my life. Hey, guys who will never read this… maybe an extra on the DVD “A Day in the Writers Room” hint hint nudge nudge

Young grasshopper. Fergus has been in Young Ians life since he was a teenager. Young Ian is now old enough to learn a thing or two. About women, cuz Fergus – who I love to refer to as a drama llama (2 women at 15? That boy must have saved up his allowance for years to afford THAT), about Aunty Claire. The sweetness in which Fergus remembers her being a super human healer lady is so touching and Young Ian grabs on for the ride. This is definitely a brotherly relationship. One, wants to teach the other the ways of the world, all while seeing the kid has some serious game. Business & pleasure makes this team one worth rooting for.

Into the FIRE! Jamie’s carefully crafted life… goes up in smoke and DAMN…that was pretty intense. This existance is crumbling in front of all of them. My heart sank just a little extra for John Gary Steele. That gorgeous set…gone. Granted, he does this for a living…create- build- bye bye. Repeat.

Karma is a bitch. The universe works in mysterious ways folks. Working for a smarmy weasel – rifling through things that don’t belong to you – being all rapey….OOOPS! Cracked your big ugly skull open and have it drilled into…and ya die. There is a lesson in there.

Jamie lied right to Ians face about where his son was and what he was doing… OOOOPS…the kid got into a fight in the place Jamie uses as a cover, the dude finds evidence of Jamies shady dealing…and starts a fire. In which Jamie must sexily bound through batman style in order to save him. All of this together..forces them to turn around and head back to Lallybroch.

Archibald Campbell is using his mentally ill sister for profit. The universe hasnt told us the plan for this one…but I have a feeling…it doesn’t taste like chicken.

Jamie not only lied…but he kept some secrets. Which you know…is his jam in life for the last 20 yrs…wait….even before then. Always running, always telling stories, always being someone he wasn’t and when he was…not for realsies. This secret may just bite him in the ass. “Other wife”… Jamie seems to be playing it off as no big thang…but when you call in the troops AKA Ned Gowan…there is going to be a lil more fire to come.

Screenshot (292)

Is there more I can say? Yeah…but my fingers are tired and my head hurts. So it looks like YOUR lucky day.

Till next time folks! You do realize…we are HALF WAY TO THE END OF THE SEASON RIGHT???

Sher

ABOotlander Founder

Not everyone likes Creme de Menthe – looking at Episode 7

October 30, 2017 by Sherry W.

I decided this year was not my recap year and good thing too because Creme de Menthe is so full of in your face action, underlying future story arcs and layers of relationship stuff that to recap it would be exhausting. I just dont have the energy.

This week I am going to look at the things that make me go hmmmm.

As I have said before, we all view the show with our own inner eye, which makes how we digest it & for lack of a better word – expel it. I enjoy the discussions but the debates, I could let hang. Perhaps I feel there are so many big things in the ugly world to be upset about…a TV show gets a pass from me . Cuz…yeah…

This is just a mish mash of my thoughts so don’t take it personal like. These views, are just my own.

Oaths– Claires Hippopotamus…no…that isn’t right… Hippocratic oath – there we go. We know that is what is binding her to helping the guy that just tried to kill her. We can say its crazy, but it is a part of why we love Claire. She sticks to her guns. Let’s face it, she is likely not fully integrated back into the 18th century mindset. There probably were zero times she was faced with this quandry in the 20th century. I’m thinking it might take a few months to adjust to things being…totally friggen different.

Liar Liar pants on fire! Jamie is literally living a lie. A. Malcolm respectable printer. Ahhhhhh…nope. He manipulates relationships in order to provide for his family. Some would say honourable. I say a lil shady. He is SO shady laugh. (Keep in mind…so was Batman) I truly enjoy the many faces of JAMMF. Seeing him wax poetic one moment and then send his nephew & fosterson out to do his dirty work the next…see…shaaaaa-ady! To me, this plays well into the Jamie lying to Ian, asking Claire to do the same. Many think…hey thats out of charachter. Only because we love Jamie, we think he infallable when in fact…dude takes a helluva lotta liberties with that lil thing called the truth. Which makes him drumroll …..human!

Balance. What is balance about? Its about going to one end of the spectrum…flying to the other end of the spectrum…and eventually landing in the middle. Which is always precarious if we don’t pay attention.

I have to remind myself that the relationship with Jamie and Claire…is new. They have a deep passionate history…but their present…brand spanking new. We can’t fall back into an everyday relationship groove as fast as we can fall into bed. Physical connection is one thing, private,alone… finding that balance while living an everyday life amoungst all the people, will likely take more than a day.

My husband used to be in the military and go away for many months of the year. It took days, sometimes weeks to get used to having to consider his opinions and ideas on the way the house was run. Imagine living 20 yrs doing it your way? It would not be an easy slide into thinking…Oh I have this person to consider and they may not agree but it is all I know. That just doesnt fit together for me so much. I want to see the warmth & common thinking between everyday Jamie & Claire and I know I will. Its there…rumbling under the surface and with time – it will pop up. (Don’t be dirty)

Like Uncle Like Nephew. Its not the usual “father n son” thing but I think they captured a great relationship with these two. Jamie sees himself in Young Ian…and Young Ian wants to be like his Uncle Jamie. I think this created a huge blind spot for Jamie. He has not been able to raise any of his biological children – this boy, is family, has attached himself to Jamie & frankly, thats a pretty nice feeling. I think this is a case of “being right…rather than doing the right things” for Jamie.

Meet the Campbells This is one of those book changes that makes me wonder…Oooooooo where are they going with this? A travelling seer and her skeezy agent as opposed to the creepy ass Reverend and his broken sister. There are many twists and turns these two take with hitting the West Indies in the book, I imagine their path is a little more direct through the show.

We can understand that some plots & character expectations might take a turn due to time…”If we do THIS…we will have to do X-Y-Z next season and we only have 13 episodes. Something has to go – if we change X to match Y…we can take this turn instead and shorten up all of it.”

To be a fly on the wall of the writers room. Book readers, show lovers & knowing they have to find a happy medium. That’s HARD. Thinking about how things play on a page compared to visually is a huge undertaking and one, I am happy to leave to the Outlander Writers. I’m not getting paid to have that viseral of a reaction. I would never be able to do what they do. Though I would LOVE to watch it happen at least once in my life. Hey, guys who will never read this… maybe an extra on the DVD “A Day in the Writers Room” hint hint nudge nudge

Young grasshopper. Fergus has been in Young Ians life since he was a teenager. Young Ian is now old enough to learn a thing or two. About women, cuz Fergus – who I love to refer to as a drama llama (2 women at 15? That boy must have saved up his allowance for years to afford THAT), about Aunty Claire. The sweetness in which Fergus remembers her being a super human healer lady is so touching and Young Ian grabs on for the ride. This is definitely a brotherly relationship. One, wants to teach the other the ways of the world, all while seeing the kid has some serious game. Business & pleasure makes this team one worth rooting for.

Into the FIRE! Jamie’s carefully crafted life… goes up in smoke and DAMN…that was pretty intense. This existance is crumbling in front of all of them. My heart sank just a little extra for John Gary Steele. That gorgeous set…gone. Granted, he does this for a living…create- build- bye bye. Repeat.

Karma is a bitch. The universe works in mysterious ways folks. Working for a smarmy weasel – rifling through things that don’t belong to you – being all rapey….OOOPS! Cracked your big ugly skull open and have it drilled into…and ya die. There is a lesson in there.

Jamie lied right to Ians face about where his son was and what he was doing… OOOOPS…the kid got into a fight in the place Jamie uses as a cover, the dude finds evidence of Jamies shady dealing…and starts a fire. In which Jamie must sexily bound through batman style in order to save him. All of this together..forces them to turn around and head back to Lallybroch.

Archibald Campbell is using his mentally ill sister for profit. The universe hasnt told us the plan for this one…but I have a feeling…it doesn’t taste like chicken.

Jamie not only lied…but he kept some secrets. Which you know…is his jam in life for the last 20 yrs…wait….even before then. Always running, always telling stories, always being someone he wasn’t and when he was…not for realsies. This secret may just bite him in the ass. “Other wife”… Jamie seems to be playing it off as no big thang…but when you call in the troops AKA Ned Gowan…there is going to be a lil more fire to come.

Screenshot (292)

Is there more I can say? Yeah…but my fingers are tired and my head hurts. So it looks like YOUR lucky day.

Till next time folks! You do realize…we are HALF WAY TO THE END OF THE SEASON RIGHT???

Sher

ABOotlander Founder

A. Malcolm – How we saw it.

October 24, 2017 by Sherry W.

I am just one of 340 local ABOotlanders. The brilliant thing about that is being able to hear, feel, see & understand how others interpret, percieve & process each episode of Outlander.

No surprise that A. Malcolm is one of those episodes that has a great divide in the interpretation. Why? Likely because it also had the most expectation. When we imagine things, we detail them, connect emotion to them to make them real. It is a natural way to process. Many of us have not only read the “reuinon” of Jamie & Claire an insane amount of times, we have layered it with our emotions which ultimately solidifies our images so we can “feel” what we are imagining. Visions of each moment were exeedingly clear.

There is no right, there is no wrong. There is no reason to change someones mind about what they saw but perhaps there is a reason to understand they are as entitled to seeing something their way as we are, ours.

We should never feel the need to defend our feelings nor feel sorry we have them. Just as we shouldn’t assume others are missing something or blind to disappointment. The most important thing to remember is opinion & fact are 2 different beasts. Where personal interpretation exists, just like jello, fact isn’t something that is “nail downable”.

On our local FB group we have episode discussions – we have this thing about saying what we mean, without being mean & respecting one anothers view points. It makes having discussions so much more enjoyable when coming from a place of assuming positive intent.

It’s a study of personalities & experiences when we truly listen to how others digest visuals. It can be facinating – if we let it engage us & not separate us.

giphy5

Here are moments the ABOotlanders pointed out as group favourites:

Jamies view of the day. Being reminded that Claire had a lot of planning, thinking, hoping going on and this… it was all a true smack upside the head. Never in a million years…ok…200 years did he see this coming. Watching that shock play out from the place he was living was pretty cool.
Jello. Bicycles. Zippers. Photos. There was an excitement about the mention of things Jamie has no idea about. That connection from past to future. It almost is a full circle kind of feeling that was a unified “loved it”.
Grown up Fergus. I admit, this tiny little scene made me sobgasp. That took me by complete surprise. The ABOotlanders were unanamous of their Fergus love and the gravity of that moment.
Wee Ian. For book readers, we know what this young man is up against, and how he was written by Diana. John Bell is perfectly gawkward. He too had just a moment on screen – and it seemed he universally struck the mark.
Brothel Breakfast of champions. It was a great part of the book & we were all pretty happy that it made its way into the show. Thanks for the tip. That might be my favourite line.

Another common thread

Pure joy with all the things. There are definitely those in our group who love…all…the…things. The joy of watching it come to life overwhelm their senses and the gushing goes forth.

2. Being underwhelmed. Absolutely there were those that felt this way. They expected more & didn’t get that. The emotion simply wasn’t at the level they envisioned.

Both of these views, completely valid & easily understood. We might not agree with the opposite perception of the scenes but it sure doesn’t make anyone mistaken.

Our group, as a whole, are pretty good with the separation of book & show. Knowing that things change because of the need for translation, dropping things in now where their might be no time for the set up later. The written word is rich and full whereas seeing something on screen becomes a little less dimensional. Do we miss things? Sure. Do we wish things were included? Sure. Do we find it ruins our overall enjoyment? It sure doesnt seem like it.

One thing we certainly all agree on. It sure is nice to have J&C back together again.

Don’t forget to play along with us as we Live Tweet with the Canadian airing of Outlander on W Network. Use #OutlanderCAN to keep up with us.

Sher. Founder of the ABOotlanders

Plan B. Freedom & Whisky in the memes.

October 20, 2017 by Sherry W.

I had a delightful blog outlined and ready to roll when my face fell off. Ok… not the whole thing but half of it. I have the lovely facial paralysis called Bells Palsy. The week leading up to the final bell ringer was poop…serious poop…so I’m taking the easy way out.

I decided to simply go back into my Live Tweet Feed and give you time in my brain. No worries, its short, silly and all round ridiculous. You aren’t supposed to think or feel. Just mind numbingly come along on the silly ride train I have loaded up.

Our opening scene is Claire being her badass self. As per.

This group could not look anymore bored if they tried. Which I enjoy cuz…me+school = THAT

That moment of a lecture you know you still dont give one shit…or two.

They had ALMOST as much garland in that house as mine did when I was a kid. It was like a sparkly tinfoil monster had its way with everything!

Mmmmmmm….resin.

Some of the best advice uttered. Make your own fate people. #JoeFresh #theMan

Drink together, share secrets, rinse, repeat.

Gotta love it when your friends see the drape fall.

Claire knows a lot of the things…drinking…definitely top 5.

Its always better with friends.

It’s all the same. Girls with spirit.

It really is a skill she has.

Dem bonz…dem bonz

Our Roger is just too perfect for words. Beardiful is a good one though.

So many choices….good thing we have YEARS to play them out.

Ok, maybe Candy’s practical joke game was off. Oh…Sandy…aheam

Its such a shame when people can own their own shit.

Let’s be fair…every forecast…every day.

Of course she can sew….don’t be silly

The 80s floating head picture…thats what I saw…touching still.

BOOM! There she is. Loved this transition SO SO SO much

If you did not turn into a big pile of goo…you are dead inside.

All the feels…allofthemall

That’s ok Claire. You are a doctor…you can put him together again.

Thanks for playing folks.

Take care of you and BE KIND! Join us on twitter #OutlanderCAN – watching each week on W Network.

Sher

AKA ABOtlanders Founder

Doctor Joe is now taking patients. ABOotlander Sher, chats with Wil Johnson.

October 4, 2017 by Sherry W.

Outlander fans have welcomed Wil Johnson into the family as he stepped into the role of loyal friend and confidant, Dr. Joe Abernathy.

yellow-lemonade-stand-vector

In the books, I loved Joe’s smooth and confident character. He was an equal to Claire that is rarely portrayed in the era they met. In my mind, he was a butter voiced Sydney Poitier. Without sounding too sucky-uppy – Wil Johnson fit the mold perfectly. I anticipated seeing him on-screen more than other supporting characters because of my perception of him as Claire’s partner in crime in the 20th century. We all need our “person”. The one we can lean on, hold up, share the tough stuff with and Joe, was Claire’s person.

When I started following Wil Johnson on twitter I noticed his genuine humour and positive outlook about being enveloped into the Outlander Universe. I am sure it can be daunting to all of a sudden be “loved” by so many random strangers – however, he handled it with grace. Sharing his kindness with no strings attached.

I wanted to know more about this man who earned the role as Dr. Joe so I asked if he would do a Q&A…he graciously agreed. We tweeted ridiculously funny GIFs at each other – this is a contract in the world of social media.

Sit back and enjoy “THE” Wil Johnson brought to you by “THE” ABOotlanders

You don’t even have to look closely to see that Wil is not a one trick pony. I am not sure how this man finds the time but his list of awesome is a long one.

https://media.giphy.com/media/8Ue8ekoT67ylq/giphy.gif

See…there’s lots there

He sings, dances, acts and DJs – I mean I am tired thinking about it all. When you present it all together for him, Wil sounds surprised he does so much.

WIL: WOW! That is a lot! lol…To be honest, I get enjoyment from all of them in equal measure. They all require a different skill set and each area has to be mastered with time, consistently and discipline. When you get it right, that feeling of satisfaction is unfathomable. But if I was to pick one that slightly edges the others out…it would have to be DJing! I say DJing because it’s the only discipline in which it’s all about you..two decks and a mixer. What you do directly in terms of manipulating the music, how you mix the tracks, directly affects how people will respond immediately. INSTANT GRATIFICATION!!! LOOOOL!!!

Want to hear some of 1LWil’s mixes? CLICK HERE FOR THE SICK BEATS I’m trying to be cool obviously, Wil on the other hand just is. Where Dr. Joe is calm and cool, Wil…just cool.

WIL: Right now I’m putting together a playlist for a new Mix I’ll be bringing out on MIXCLOUD which will be Deep House & Soulful House combined…Two of my favourite genres of music!

We all have that favourite band – Wil’s is Earth, Wind & Fire – you know, in case you didn’t think he was cool already.

As if all of the previously mentioned talents weren’t good enough for you, the man cooks as well. His favourite meal to put on the table?

WIL: As the Son of Jamaican parents, my favourite signature dish is ‘Stew Chicken with Rice & Peas!!!’

We can’t give away his recipe but if you thought to yourself…damn…that sounds good. HERE you go. Gotta love the YouTube.

I think it is a prerequisite for any friend of Claire to be good behind the bar. Dr. Joe makes a mean martini Wil on the other hand…

WIL:I serve a mean Rum & Coke on the rocks!!!! LOOOOOL!!!!

https://media.giphy.com/media/zuYV4h8GNfXhu/giphy.gif

…because Wil made me a drink…

Wil is a dad. That might not seem too unusual – however, he is the dad of 7…count ’em…7 children. I see a recurring theme in Wil’s life. If you are going to do something – you might as well knock it outta the park!

http://www.mlb.com/images/2/4/6/227392246/042917_lad_reaction_gifs_puig_med_bhvci17h.gif

Just. Like. That.

WIL: The most important aspect of being a Father for me is ‘being there’ for your children and encouraging them in all their endeavours. Always telling them you love them and as much as you can, do things with them. Children must feel that you are their ‘ROCK’ that safe place of peace, truth and balance…

We either parent how we were parented or go rogue. Considering what he is most proud of overcoming, I will say, Wil’s mom was his role model.

WIL:Living without my Mother who died 26 years ago. We were extremely close and she was my biggest fan and supporter of my work.

https://media.giphy.com/media/UAnqF9G65e67m/giphy.gif

A mothers love.

Wil is quite popular in the UK, having worked on many TV shows. Waking the Dead, Babyfather and Emmerdale– to name a few. Joe Abernathy is Wil’s first american role. I was curious just how long he had to wait before hearing that he earned his role.

WIL:It was around a month before I heard I’d been booked to play Joe Abernathy….A LOOOOONG MONTH!!! LOOOOL!!!!

I wasn’t surprised to learn Wil hadn’t read the Outlander books. I mean, come on, you saw a glimpse in the day of Wil Johnsons life…I would say there wasn’t time to read the tomes. “I work off the script and what eventually ends up there.” This shows us how dedicated the writers are to keeping the soul of the book alive in the characters being portrayed on-screen. Oh, and how well the casting department has done their homework.

We know Joe Abernathy wasn’t the most popular guy in medical school – like Claire, he was pushing through preconceived notions and boundaries that had been placed in his way. The era itself was well represented, even if it was uncomfortable for us to watch. Wil lets us know how important it is to break down those boundaries.

It might not be that easy…but it IS that impactful

WIL: It was an honour. When one has the opportunity to play such a role as Joe Abernathy, you feel like an Ambassador…meaning, this role portrays positive aspects of our human nature and can be looked upon as a beacon or symbol of what is good, fair and decent in human beings. Joe for me ticks all those boxes and I felt a duty to live up to that.

https://media.giphy.com/media/Ph2EUpM4KAmAM/giphy.gif

And so you did

Wil is a very dedicated actor, you can tell, his favourite book being Year of the King by Antony Sher. It is a glimpse into the world of an actor honing his craft.

Outlander is a huge production. Fans are constantly in awe of the what is put in front of them on-screen. I have always wondered how the actors respond to this “world”.

WIL: The attention to detail in every aspect of production. When I was on set, I felt I WAS in the world of Outlander… for real…..

Joe Abernathy isn’t seen regularly in the books, however he is one of the characters that has a regular presence. Popping up throughout the books as a touch stone for Claire’s life in Boston. I was curious if we will be seeing Joe again, once Claire heads back into the past.

WIL: I don’t know what the future holds in store for Joe. If they continue with this character in some shape or form I would be very happy about that.

Joe is one of the very few people who knows Claire well. What do you think Joe thinks of this woman he befriended?

WIL: Joe truly admires Claire and is in awe of her strength. Joe draws inspiration from Claire in that respect.

I envision Caitriona Balfe having some of Claire’s traits. I have a hard time imagining actors can play roles with such conviction and believability unless they have some sort of relationship with the character they are portraying. I asked Wil what he saw in both of these incredible women? (one real, one fictional)

WIL: Drive..Passion..Tenacity…

http://68.media.tumblr.com/ebb394bcee58122eb5af2ede7dbf229b/tumblr_o0rgkjTcOJ1qjj2qyo1_500.gif

Who me???

Speaking of relating to the character, what does Wil say he and Joe might have in common?

WIL: Joe Abernathy and Wil Johnson are TRAIL BLAZERS!!! We both strive to change perception by our actions….

fate

We all have shows we love, our readers wouldn’t be here if they didn’t. I am always curious as to what others are watching. I love shows from the UK and feel us Canadians miss out on some great ones because of that silly Atlantic thing.

WIL: G.O.T!!!! GAME OF THRONES!!!!!!!!! THAT IS MY SHOW!!!! Not sure what you might have missed out on….hmmmmm…Emmerdale???????

The following video was made during Wils 2 year stint as Dom Andrews on long running British soap opera, Emmerdale. (This may or may not be the video I watched to see if he had the “Joe” voice I imagined. It was and he did)

Us ABOotlanders always love to know of Canadian connections. So, I asked.

WIL:Canada is on the list of places to visit for my Wife and I. Also I have family who live there so it would be nice to see them.

Let me suggest Alberta to the Johnsons. They now know they have a tour guide if needed.

If you have read any of the chats here on the ABOotlander Blog, you know our Signature question. Wil was not left out.

“If you were to visit us ABOotlanders in Alberta, Canada and someone offered you the following:

Moose droppings
Beaver tails
Prairie oysters
Taber corn

Which would you choose…and why?”

WIL: I don’t know any of them but I would say Moose Droppings!!!! Sounds the most interesting…..Loooooool!!!!!!!!!

Interesting is right Wil. Moose Droppings are delicious!

0000495_canadian-moose-droppings-chocolate-coated-almonds-165g

They look like the real thing(ish) but don’t taste like them. I think… I have never eaten the real thing. Really.

The exciting Wil Johnson/ Joe Abernathy news is we’ll get to see more of Dr. Joe Abernathy is Episode 5 “Freedom & Whisky” HERE is a sneak peek of Joe…showing you exactly why I think Joe is kick ass.

SherryLynn aka Sher (ABOotlander Founder)

Share your thoughts on Wil’s portrayal in our comments.

Follow us on Twitter & tell your friends how much fun we are.

I decided this year was not my recap year and good thing too because Creme de Menthe is so full of in your face action, underlying future story arcs and layers of relationship stuff that to recap it would be exhausting. I just dont have the energy.

This week I am going to look at the things that make me go hmmmm.

This is just a mish mash of my thoughts so don’t take it personal like. These views, are just my own.

Balance. What is balance about? Its about going to one end of the spectrum…flying to the other end of the spectrum…and eventually landing in the middle. Which is always precarious if we don’t pay attention.

We can understand that some plots & character expectations might take a turn due to time…”If we do THIS…we will have to do X-Y-Z next season and we only have 13 episodes. Something has to go – if we change X to match Y…we can take this turn instead and shorten up all of it.”

Karma is a bitch. The universe works in mysterious ways folks. Working for a smarmy weasel – rifling through things that don’t belong to you – being all rapey….OOOPS! Cracked your big ugly skull open and have it drilled into…and ya die. There is a lesson in there.

Archibald Campbell is using his mentally ill sister for profit. The universe hasnt told us the plan for this one…but I have a feeling…it doesn’t taste like chicken.

Is there more I can say? Yeah…but my fingers are tired and my head hurts. So it looks like YOUR lucky day.

Till next time folks! You do realize…we are HALF WAY TO THE END OF THE SEASON RIGHT???

Sher

ABOotlander Founder

I decided this year was not my recap year and good thing too because Creme de Menthe is so full of in your face action, underlying future story arcs and layers of relationship stuff that to recap it would be exhausting. I just dont have the energy.

This week I am going to look at the things that make me go hmmmm.

This is just a mish mash of my thoughts so don’t take it personal like. These views, are just my own.

Balance. What is balance about? Its about going to one end of the spectrum…flying to the other end of the spectrum…and eventually landing in the middle. Which is always precarious if we don’t pay attention.

We can understand that some plots & character expectations might take a turn due to time…”If we do THIS…we will have to do X-Y-Z next season and we only have 13 episodes. Something has to go – if we change X to match Y…we can take this turn instead and shorten up all of it.”

Karma is a bitch. The universe works in mysterious ways folks. Working for a smarmy weasel – rifling through things that don’t belong to you – being all rapey….OOOPS! Cracked your big ugly skull open and have it drilled into…and ya die. There is a lesson in there.

Archibald Campbell is using his mentally ill sister for profit. The universe hasnt told us the plan for this one…but I have a feeling…it doesn’t taste like chicken.

Is there more I can say? Yeah…but my fingers are tired and my head hurts. So it looks like YOUR lucky day.

Till next time folks! You do realize…we are HALF WAY TO THE END OF THE SEASON RIGHT???

Sher

ABOotlander Founder

Sher

Outlander fans have welcomed Wil Johnson into the family as he stepped into the role of loyal friend and confidant, Dr. Joe Abernathy.

I wanted to know more about this man who earned the role as Dr. Joe so I asked if he would do a Q&A…he graciously agreed. We tweeted ridiculously funny GIFs at each other – this is a contract in the world of social media.

Sit back and enjoy “THE” Wil Johnson brought to you by “THE” ABOotlanders

You don’t even have to look closely to see that Wil is not a one trick pony. I am not sure how this man finds the time but his list of awesome is a long one.

He sings, dances, acts and DJs – I mean I am tired thinking about it all. When you present it all together for him, Wil sounds surprised he does so much.

Want to hear some of 1LWil’s mixes? CLICK HERE FOR THE SICK BEATS I’m trying to be cool obviously, Wil on the other hand just is. Where Dr. Joe is calm and cool, Wil…just cool.

WIL: Right now I’m putting together a playlist for a new Mix I’ll be bringing out on MIXCLOUD which will be Deep House & Soulful House combined…Two of my favourite genres of music!

We all have that favourite band – Wil’s is Earth, Wind & Fire – you know, in case you didn’t think he was cool already.

As if all of the previously mentioned talents weren’t good enough for you, the man cooks as well. His favourite meal to put on the table?

WIL: As the Son of Jamaican parents, my favourite signature dish is ‘Stew Chicken with Rice & Peas!!!’

We can’t give away his recipe but if you thought to yourself…damn…that sounds good. HERE you go. Gotta love the YouTube.

I think it is a prerequisite for any friend of Claire to be good behind the bar. Dr. Joe makes a mean martini Wil on the other hand…

WIL:I serve a mean Rum & Coke on the rocks!!!! LOOOOOL!!!!

Wil is a dad. That might not seem too unusual – however, he is the dad of 7…count ’em…7 children. I see a recurring theme in Wil’s life. If you are going to do something – you might as well knock it outta the park!

We either parent how we were parented or go rogue. Considering what he is most proud of overcoming, I will say, Wil’s mom was his role model.

WIL:Living without my Mother who died 26 years ago. We were extremely close and she was my biggest fan and supporter of my work.

Wil is quite popular in the UK, having worked on many TV shows. Waking the Dead, Babyfather and Emmerdale– to name a few. Joe Abernathy is Wil’s first american role. I was curious just how long he had to wait before hearing that he earned his role.

WIL:It was around a month before I heard I’d been booked to play Joe Abernathy….A LOOOOONG MONTH!!! LOOOOL!!!!

Wil is a very dedicated actor, you can tell, his favourite book being Year of the King by Antony Sher. It is a glimpse into the world of an actor honing his craft.

Outlander is a huge production. Fans are constantly in awe of the what is put in front of them on-screen. I have always wondered how the actors respond to this “world”.

WIL: The attention to detail in every aspect of production. When I was on set, I felt I WAS in the world of Outlander… for real…..

Joe Abernathy isn’t seen regularly in the books, however he is one of the characters that has a regular presence. Popping up throughout the books as a touch stone for Claire’s life in Boston. I was curious if we will be seeing Joe again, once Claire heads back into the past.

WIL: I don’t know what the future holds in store for Joe. If they continue with this character in some shape or form I would be very happy about that.

Joe is one of the very few people who knows Claire well. What do you think Joe thinks of this woman he befriended?

WIL: Joe truly admires Claire and is in awe of her strength. Joe draws inspiration from Claire in that respect.

WIL: Drive..Passion..Tenacity…

Speaking of relating to the character, what does Wil say he and Joe might have in common?

WIL: Joe Abernathy and Wil Johnson are TRAIL BLAZERS!!! We both strive to change perception by our actions….

We all have shows we love, our readers wouldn’t be here if they didn’t. I am always curious as to what others are watching. I love shows from the UK and feel us Canadians miss out on some great ones because of that silly Atlantic thing.

WIL: G.O.T!!!! GAME OF THRONES!!!!!!!!! THAT IS MY SHOW!!!! Not sure what you might have missed out on….hmmmmm…Emmerdale???????

The following video was made during Wils 2 year stint as Dom Andrews on long running British soap opera, Emmerdale. (This may or may not be the video I watched to see if he had the “Joe” voice I imagined. It was and he did)

Us ABOotlanders always love to know of Canadian connections. So, I asked.

WIL:Canada is on the list of places to visit for my Wife and I. Also I have family who live there so it would be nice to see them.

Let me suggest Alberta to the Johnsons. They now know they have a tour guide if needed.

If you have read any of the chats here on the ABOotlander Blog, you know our Signature question. Wil was not left out.

“If you were to visit us ABOotlanders in Alberta, Canada and someone offered you the following:

Moose droppings

Beaver tails

Prairie oysters

Taber corn

Which would you choose…and why?”

WIL: I don’t know any of them but I would say Moose Droppings!!!! Sounds the most interesting…..Loooooool!!!!!!!!!

Interesting is right Wil. Moose Droppings are delicious!

The exciting Wil Johnson/ Joe Abernathy news is we’ll get to see more of Dr. Joe Abernathy is Episode 5 “Freedom & Whisky” HERE is a sneak peek of Joe…showing you exactly why I think Joe is kick ass.

SherryLynn aka Sher (ABOotlander Founder)