Emotional bridges. Looking back on Episode 5 of Outlander.

December 3, 2018 by Sherry W.

I need to start by saying my heart was overjoyed to see the rabbit. Just yeah, bring on the Bree-bunnies, I will have them all. That was an emotional bridge over all of the seasons that I was both surprised and thrilled by.

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This episode of Outlander gave me whiplash. That sensation of running back and forth across an emotional bridge. One moment I was giddy with happiness and love the next, I hoofed it to the other end and was brought to tears. Now look, I am, in fact, bipolar…this episode made me need a therapy session cuz I wasn’t sure if I forgot my meds or what!

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The despondency of Roger in his poop toque (yes, I had to) walking away from Ms. Bairds is heartbreaking, yet in the next breath, we were given a wee bit of hope when hearing her call him back. Then the letter brought us back down to earth – flat on our asses.

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Claire as a healer, handing a new baby to her mother with kind and gentle hands was then switched to a mediator, showing incredible bravery in the face of ignorance. Ignorance which nearly caused bloodshed on a doorstep because a man refused to see the truth of a situation out of fear.

We felt the anticipation and pure joy of hearing Murtagh’s voice and again when he turned to face Jamie. We had to witness the confusion/pride and ultimately the heartbreak Jamie felt watching his godfather wax poetic about the injustices served, in the name of Tryon.

We became an audience to the magic Claire and Adawehi shared speaking of Bree being with her mother. Only then to suffer the horror of Adawehi’s murder.

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Brianna, though we didn’t see her much in this episode, tends to do the same as her mother. Act first, think later. She found out about her mother and Jamie dying in the fire and boom…off she goes, caring about Roger but not truly thinking about how this might affect him. Maybe not really thinking how it might affect her in the long run. Her heart leads her. Honestly, I don’t blame her. It isn’t a fate I would leave my mother to either, though I think I would have had a conversation with the man I loved first. Granted, Brianna doesn’t seem to want to admit that she does love him yet. I’m anxious to get to that part of the story – bring me some more #MacnCheese, please!

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Personally, I think Roger has been putting his logic before his emotions. That’s what makes our world a cool place. People are different. He thought it through quite thoroughly and came to the conclusion that Brianna was better off not knowing the whole truth. He just didn’t take into account, if the information was out there, she would be able to find it too. I have this suspicious feeling, all of those emotions we see all over Roger’s face (damn, Richard Rankin is GOOD at that), are going to start leading him by the nose hairs and shit is going to go down. And go down hard.

Murtagh’s story is one I am so looking forward to because I have no fricken idea what it will look like. I am convinced he had more dialogue in this one episode than he did in the entire 3 seasons prior. I adore his voice. O.K., I’m distracted by the silver foxiness of Duncan Lacroix, it gets me stuck in this crazy circle of hummina hummina. His emotions were at an all-time high this episode. Naturally. He was reunited and it felt so good. He had a fire in his belly that had been re-ignited from injustice done in his past which are resurfacing in his present. He always was a protector of Jamie, now I believe he adjusted that to being the protector of a people. Of justice itself. He did end up on Fraser’s Ridge after some thought, so I am very anxious to hear what that thought process was and what the plan will be.

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This episode was filled with our characters joy and pain, such as life is. Each time led by emotion, as we often are. That isn’t a bad thing, however, if we took the time to truly think about things before we reacted to them, we can admit we would often do things differently. I know I can think back to many times in my life that I wish I could stuff words back in my mouth…delete something I did. There are even those times I don’t say or do something and after I have time to think about it, I want to kick myself because I come up with all these brilliant things I COULD have said or done.

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Until next time,

Sherry (Founder of the ABOotlanders)

P.S’s -Join us in live tweeting on Sundays while we watch Outlander on W Network using the hashtag #OutlanderCAN

Don’t forget to follow FanCity on Twitter and on YouTube… #FANMAS is running right now and there are tonnes of prizes from all your favourite fandoms – Yes, of course, Outlander is on the list!

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.

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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

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.

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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.

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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!!!!

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…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!

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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.

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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.

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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…

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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….

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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!

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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.

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Jamie n Frank- The Lamps are Different but the light is the same-ish.

September 11, 2017 by Sherry W.

Jamie and Frank.

Both married Claire. Is that where their similarities end?

fjc

Some may say “Yes, a historian and a warrior don’t have ANYTHING in common.”

Oh…but not I. They have a few traits that make them similar. I think it would be strange if they didn’t- considering Claire did love them both…once.

They know their wife..wives… “place”. Meaning Claire won’t be put in a place, much less stay there. Jamie gave Bonnie Prince Floofypants that “Uh-huh sure…YOU tell her” face when he implied his wife would listen to her husband…cuz that is what they do. Frank in S3Ep1 stood behind Claire…knowing… in this moment she might just tell the Dean at Harvard to kiss her combat boots before she lost one up his arse. Knowing what your wife is made up of…is a trait some men lack however, Frank n Jamie…they know.

and like it…
Cat like reflexes are needed. Claire likes to throw things and unless you are quick about it, you will get a candlestick or an ashtray up side the head. Both of these men are gifted with agility. Good thing too. We like their faces and Claires aim can be deadly accurate.

So does Claire …
Modern men in their not so modern worlds. Jamie, in the 18th century learned a few lessons from Claire…it is one thing to love your partner…it is another to release the things you were brought up to believe. When those ideas created unhappiness (and rage) in Jamies partner…he looked deeper and chose to change how he viewed the world. Thats some progressive stuff for a man in centuries passed. Franks upbringing likely didn’t gravitate too far from the basic ideas Jamie had, however, being in the war and knowing his wife was there too, likely brought the scope of her ability to be independant into focus. He may not have always liked it…but back to #1 – he accepted it.
Honour with a side of honour and a pinch more of the honour. Jamie and Frank pretty much gathered all the honour in all the centuries. Frank, I mean really. This guy stayed with a woman who flew through the past, married and loved ( had a lot of the love) another man. A man there is no competing with, a ghost AND he raised his child for him. He was in it for the long haul. Jamie, his honour is from an age where a mans honour was more valued that what was in his sporran. So, They have that.
Double, double toil and trouble. These guys are pretty chill on the most part. It takes a bit for them to blow their gaskets…but when they do, take cover. Not the road ragey kind of tip offs…these are the slow burn to the explosion. More like a long fused dynamite than a firecracker. Which is preferred – as Claire can actually attempt to put it out before it is too late.

Bonus similiarity- Mmmmmmmmmm BacON! Frank enjoys himself some bacon. He said so – I figure, Jamie’s all about the meat – so yeah…he’d be a bacon lover. And for alls who say “What about Canadian Bacon?” Ham…thats ham…only people NOT from Canada call it Canadian bacon. blink blink

For reals, can you picture Jamie as a vegetarian?

Eat yer GREENS Aye?!?!

Since us ABOotlanders have chosen not to live tweet with each episode or do recaps, we are going to do an #OutlanderCAN twitter aftershow. We would love for you to join us. There will be some observations and discussions about the episode of the week. The more activity, the longer we will engage.

Let’s take this voyage together and make this season the best yet. Fandomstyle snort

https://media.giphy.com/media/v4ogDEXrwk5So/giphy.gif

Fandomstyle…gangnamstyle…samsies right?

Until next time, Sher

ABOotlander Founder

ABOotlander LOVE. Fan Videos w Julia LeBlanc

July 27, 2017 by Sherry W.

ABOOTLANDER LOVE is the ABOotlander way of spreading KINDNESS JOY & SUPPORT throughout the OUTLANDER Fandom.

The ABOotlander World FB Page is choosing some in the Outlander fandom who have made it their mission to add a touch of positivity & entertainment.

We randomly highlight bloggers, artists, podcasters, cast or crew members who simply share parts of themselves that bring happiness to those enjoying the World of Outlander.

I discovered todays ABOotlander LOVEs recipient on Twitter @jessicaleblanc1981 as a fellow Canadian in this fandom.

: the LOVELY Julia

Julia LeBlanc creates fan videos. Many shared by Diana Gabaldon. Julia’s are heartwarming, funny and all together a great way to quench your thirst caused by Droughtlander.

: GULP GULP *gasp* GULP

Julia’s interest in Outlander started in the same way many others have. “I had heard of it years ago, my sister was a huge fan of the book series, but I hadn’t read it. When she told me they were making a T.V. show I decided to watch it, I was hooked instantly. After the second episode I went online to read stuff about it and find out Claire and Jamie get married! What?! LOL so I immediately went out and bought the whole series. Read all 8 books in 10 weeks. I was sucked in.”

As many of us Outlander fans, Julia has a life outside of creating videos. She is a stay at home mom with two young kids. Her background is in education. spending 6 years studying child development and 10 years working in the field. Unfortunately, there aren’t any jobs available in the teaching field, where she lives so she and her husband decided to start a family. She has been a SAHM ever since. It’s a lot of work, but she has good time management skills, this makes it easier to fit her hobbies in and have “me time” when it is needed.

If you haven’t seen any of Julias videos…you are certainly missing another form of fan art. I was curious as to what inspired her to create the videos.

“After the 4 episodes or so, I went on YouTube and noticed people making them. I started to think of songs that I thought would be perfect for the series. I would do searches for the songs and couldn’t find anyone that had done them. Songs like “Turing Page”, “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and “Against All Odds”. So during the fist Droughtlander, I decided to try and make one myself. I was shocked at how much I loved making them. I like trying different things in my videos, romantic, funny, involving the whole cast…it’s a lot of fun.”

Since this is the whole Outlander environment, being a fan is what we do here. I am always asking my fellow Outlanderites if they have had any exciting fancounters. Julia has a BIG ONE!

“Meeting Sam was a BIG deal for me. He is so charming and sweet. We waited for him for a long time in the cold. When I met him I told him that he had shared a video I made and he got excited. Which of course just made my day. And then he mentioned meeting me in an interview which was a thrill. He was sweet to all the fans there, he took time with us (as much as he could) and chatted with us. I have mentioned this before, but one thing I found really interesting happened while I was talking to the camera man waiting for Sam. The man told me that they have a lot of celebrities come in, but no one has been as nice and caring as Sam. He said Sam wanted to make sure he got to meet the fans, and was concerned because it was so cold. He said that we are very lucky to have him and he’s right. We are. I got to meet Cait too when she was in Toronto. I made a mad dash into downtown and got a quick meeting with her. There weren’t as many fans there (no one knew she was coming) so it didn’t last as long. She is even more stunning in person. And very warm. The whole thing happened so fast, she had to quickly go to another location. I met Diana too when she came to the Fergus Festival last summer, which was something I was looking forward to. She stayed late at the autograph signing for us and we were so grateful. I told her that she shared some of my videos. She told me I do a wonderful job with them. She also has this aura about her, I don’t think she stopped smiling the whole time. And listening to her speak was a thrill I never thought I would have. She was very funny and took time to answer many fan questions. I dream of meeting Tobias and I love Richard, Sophie, and Graham too. Hopefully one day I will meet them. But I’ve been very lucky to have such great experiences with my idols.”

I asked Julia if she had any favourite videos and she gave me links to other creators. It just goes to show that her love of making the videos isn’t limited to herself. She promotes and respects others doing that same thing she is. That really is what attracts us ABOotlanders to her. She is very kind.

Here are some of Julia’s personal recommendations:

“I really like Elena Vas videos. She’s so talented and has really inspired me to learn and try new things with my videos. I love this one Never Tear Us Apart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuaD_ZHtIxU , “Good For You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFFVrzjYQCE&t=7s , and “Survivor” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJEnfxv_H9E

This is a beautiful one by Silverxvideso who also makes great videos “Already Gone” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEDUgY_fIgs “

Here are some of Julia’s videos that are sure to engage you.

Who Wants To Love Forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPSATBXAUAo&t=212s

Uptown Funk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_QyGgrFFbA

I Put A Spell On You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWV0ZE1OHho&t=33s

Thinking Out Loud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzvQqVyq82Q

Better yet. Subscribe to her You Tube channel YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/nancy777ca/videos

: https://www.youtube.com/user/nancy777ca

Each of us have characters and actors we gravitate to more than others and Julia is no different. She loves the whole cast and crew as she sees them to be inspiring. Everyday, it seems to change which one she is most inspired by. “I think it’s hard to pick one and my answer may change depending on what day you ask me. Today I’d probably pick Sam. He is so sweet and accessible to fans. He interacts with us and seems to genuinely have fun with his fans. It’s not at all to say the others don’t-they do! But His MPC is something that really is helping me and others live healthier, and overcome an obstacle, change something they’ve been wanting to. I can’t wait to get really started on it when the kids go back to school and I can be more organized again. And Jamie is probably my favourite character in the series”

Many Outlander fans have not had a lot of experiences in fandoms before and it is new territory. Julia talks about her walk in the fandom world.

“I’ve never really been in a fandom before. I was a bit in the Glee one, but I just followed towards the end-never participated. This is the first one I’ve really been in. It’s a lot of fun. To have people you could share ideas and creations with, so many talented people in the fandom. I love watching everyone’s labour of love. And I get really interested in other’s points of view. I don’t always agree, and sometimes it’s really hard to not get into arguments (I try though). Sometimes it’s hard to stay positive when you see some negativity. But overall, this is a great fandom. The vast majority of this fandom is wonderful, and very accepting, warm and encouraging. To the cast and crew but also to each other. It’s a community, and in the end, we all want our community to be a fun place.”

I am not a creative kinda person so when I come into contact with them. I want to know how their brains work. Knowing that they must have ideas and notions that spring up, I wanted to know what Julia had up her sleeve for Season 3.

“A few…last I counted I had over 70. Yes, I know I’m crazy. I have a few I’m really looking forward to doing. “Don’t Know Much”, “Battlefield (by Lea Michele)” …and I’m really looking forward to doing one for “A Thousand Years”, it will be a recap of their love up to the Print Shop. Every time I hear a song I wanna do it. And I get a lot of ideas from fellow fans.”

We all have a special dream for what Outlander will look like in the future. Julia is no different.

“Diana has said there will be 10 books, so I’m envisioning 10 seasons. I’m an optimist. I especially hope we get season 6, because ABOSA is my favourite book in the series-if I had to chose one. I’m envisioning a show with longevity, with a cast and crew that gets accolades not only from fans but from the entertainment industry. They are so deserving of awards and nominations; I know it will come. The books just get better and I know the series will too. I also would like Diana to write more episodes. It was so much fun watching all the little tidbits she shared and insights she gave us into writing an episode. I hope we get that again.

: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

Julia has a few words of encouragement to share with the Outlander fan family.

“Make it a fun place! I think everyone should have a place they can be a fan girl or fan boy the way they want to. Fandoms are supposed to bring joy. There are great people in this fandom. We are very lucky to have such interactive cast/crew and Diana! There are a lot of Twitter/Tumblr accounts and groups on Facebook that are a lot of fun.”

As per each time we interview someone…we ask this ABOotlander deep and meaningful question. What is your favourite – Moose Droppings,Prairie Oysters, Beaver Tails or Taber Corn?

When you say “moose droppings” you mean the chocolate treat right? LOL. I would choose Taber Corn…because I like corn, and I could say that without making a funny face.

You can also find Julia on Tumblr

https://www.tumblr.com/blog/moduinne-and-redjamie

Droughtlander is to end soon. Share some love and share the gifts that Julia presents you in the form of her videos.

Sher

AKA SL

AKA #ABOotlanderFounder

ABOotlander on the ground.

ABOotlander LOVE- Episode 2- Connie V does it her way…tickles eh?!

October 19, 2016 by Sherry W.

ABOotlander Love is all about spreading KINDNESS JOY & SUPPORT throughout the OUTLANDER Fandom, especially during #Droughtlander. In our last edition we shared Beth Wessons story with our readers.

The ABOotlander World FB Page is choosing those in the Outlander fandom who have made it their mission to add a touch of positivity & entertainment.

We are highlighting bloggers, artists, podcasters, cast or crew members who simply share parts of themselves that bring happiness to those enjoying the World of Outlander.

There is no doubt that Connie Verzak aka ConnieBV aka atom1cflea.tumblr.com is the epitome of this. Connie’s recaps are inventive, creative & not just funny – they are uproarious. If you have any bone of funny in your body…it will be tickled.

We always wonder what makes the fanciful tick, what is it that causes them to see the comical in things that others see as mundane.

This is what I adore about Connie – I feel a kinship with her…a weird, wild and witty connection. I was thrilled when she happily agreed to step into the ABOotlander LOVE spotlight.

Let’s listen to Connie’s OUTLANDER Journey.

In Connie’s real life she is a translator (we know she turns the everyday into awesome) and a proofreader. She has had a wide variety or jobs from bridal salon attendant to telemarketer. (I wouldn’t say mean things and hang up on HER!)

All of us have our “Outlander” story, how we got here… Here is Connie’s-

The first book was on display in the library shortly after it came out. I think it was under “New Historical Romance” or something similar. I picked it up, read the first few pages to see if it would be up my alley and was intrigued by the writing, so very painterly… I took it home and read it in two days. I have been waiting for the next book ever since, and the Frasers have been with me through my own ups and downs. It’s such a cliché, but it really is like looking in on old friends. (This is the cliche of our lives)

We are inspired by many different things and I was curious to know what inspired the crazy lil fleas recaps, aren’t you?

Oh, a combo of boredom and whimsy. I heard the show was coming out and I wanted to talk about my favorite scene, so I did a bit of that and then made the images to accompany it. A few folks on Tumblr knew me and liked them, and by episode 3 I had promised them full recaps, and though I couldn’t do them fast enough to keep up with the show, people seemed to enjoy them and so I kept it up. I didn’t even finish the long S1 recaps till a month or two before S2. The first time Diana shared them I almost had a heart attack. I still get such a thrill that she likes them and am so happy whenever anyone says I made them laugh.

It was so exciting to see Connie’s recap headlined with ScotlandNOW, I really wanted to know how that came about, so, I asked of course.

Well, I heard through a couple of fandom friends that they were looking for someone to recap the show, and that they had forwarded my name. I replied to the editor with a sample of my work (I either sent the “Rent” recap or the Wedding, can’t quite recall) and she had me finish out season 1. They were very short and more like reviews, since I had almost no time to work on them between airtime and deadline. People kept liking them, so we kept on. I love that I can ask her if it’s a good idea to write as a cow and she’s like “Well, let’s see it…” For S2 I have tried writing longer ones with some more analysis. At some point I’ll settle on a format, but they’ll always be humorous. I have to laugh.

…and you make us laugh with this…every…single…time!

Being an Outlander fan is such a kick in the pants, when we get to cross paths with those who started this brilliant world it can be … the best ever!

Meeting Diana Gabaldon was my biggest fangirl moment.

Such love..such admiration…so much awesome in one frame. Photo by friend Allison.

I was at a fan gathering in Iowa, and I had brought my camera to have my picture taken because I wanted a good photo, and the girl wasn’t sure how to use it and the photo was blurry, and it was very late and Diana had been signing for quite a while, so she glanced briefly at my printed recap page and then moved things along. I was SO crushed, I didn’t get to talk or anything I was so nervous. My friend Allison who I bless to this day forced me to get back in line, and tell Diana the name of my blog and when she said, “You’re Connie!” I wanted to faint. I got my picture re-taken and she hugged me and told me I was “a funny lady.” I don’t think she knows how much that means to me, but it’s a warm glow every time I think about it. Especially in winter.

There is no denying that Connie makes us guffaw, giggle, snort and chortle. I had to wonder if she ever thought “Man…that was too funny!”

It’s usually not the funniest ones in any traditional sense. For me at least it’s the ones where I jump out of bed or the shower and make something ludicrous and cackle because I can’t believe I get paid for this (please keep paying me). (In fact, give that woman a raise!) This particular one was free but I laughed myself stupid making it, hearing this cat’s voice in my head. I laughed just now seeing it. Making animals and inanimate objects talk always gets me, because I am a child. Also I love my running gags, of which I have many.

cat

Everyone has “things”…here are a few of Connie’s…I am disturbed by both marshmallows and licorice. You didn’t happen in nature. Someone made you! (She is so weird…did I mention I adore HER?)

When you are an entertaining person, you need to be entertained. I inquired as to who amuses Connie.

My husband is the funniest person alive. He’s well-read, quick and has a fine grasp of the ridiculous. I don’t like humor that makes people feel bad, or puts someone down. I like it when you laugh, and you had to think quickly to get that laugh.

The ABOotlanders must ask question for all spotlight inners. You come to Alberta Canada and someone offers you —

a) Moose Droppings b) Beaver Tails c) Prairie Oysters d) Taber Corn…which would you choose & why?

I live in the U.S. Midwest now with a proud Midwestern dude, so unless I say corn I might find the door locked when I come home. (Good choice Connie, Taber Corn is delish! Drowned in butter n salt and you have yourself a Friday night!)

Taber is a town…in Alberta…with the sweetest corn EVER!

The ABOotlanders are so grateful Connie agreed to join the ABOotlander LOVE adventure! We started with Beth Wesson’s thoughtful prose. Followed it up with Connie’s humourous peek on life…stay tuned for our next spotlight…it will be therapeutic folks!

SherryLynn

ABOotlander Founder & funmaker

Twits, get your Twitter Fingers READY!

February 29, 2016 by Sherry W.

Outlander is coming back to Canada on April the 10th. Did you HEAR ME?

Listen…

Season 2. Dragonfly in Amber…Outlander book 2…will be on your screens THE DAY AFTER it airs in the US.

Remember last year…the agony of the wait?

That’s all in the past.

We are on top of the world with this spring premiere!

Seriously….we are Canadian…

Our mission to have #OutlanderCAN in the mix has been accomplished! Showcase will be Live Tweeting along with us this year and we couldn’t be happier. We know Outlander is a show that deserves attention and having Showcase play with us…is pretty thrilling…I must say.

Lets all #OutlanderCAN

Showcase is also having a BRILLIANT FanArt contest.

I know I won’t win with my memery (that’s a Sherism btw) but DAMN am I excited for all of the talented individuals that have the opportunity to go to NY for the premiere! All the details are RIGHT HERE. You know I am still going to ply them with the insane memery that I giggle more at than you do…you know, just in case.

Man…I make myself snort

Insert English Accent “Oh yes, Abootlanders founder SherryLynn needs a little something something. Pish posh.”

Our very own ABOotlander Nikki is supremely talented and we are all pulling for her. She is UBER cool…like really cool not hiring a car…Check out her artwork AND make sure to hit up Showcases Instagram starting tomorrow and support your fellow Outlander Fans and their awesome talents. I am sure I will see some links from Julia…her videos are either snort inducing, breath taking or…really hot.

If you are a Canadian artist and you have FanArt…share your links with us! We want to support your awesomeness!

Sher

ABOotlander Founder and Pounder

Until next time,

Sherry (Founder of the ABOotlanders)

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)

Jamie and Frank.

Both married Claire. Is that where their similarities end?

Some may say “Yes, a historian and a warrior don’t have ANYTHING in common.”

Oh…but not I. They have a few traits that make them similar. I think it would be strange if they didn’t- considering Claire did love them both…once.

Cat like reflexes are needed. Claire likes to throw things and unless you are quick about it, you will get a candlestick or an ashtray up side the head. Both of these men are gifted with agility. Good thing too. We like their faces and Claires aim can be deadly accurate.

For reals, can you picture Jamie as a vegetarian?

Since us ABOotlanders have chosen not to live tweet with each episode or do recaps, we are going to do an #OutlanderCAN twitter aftershow. We would love for you to join us. There will be some observations and discussions about the episode of the week. The more activity, the longer we will engage.

Let’s take this voyage together and make this season the best yet. Fandomstyle *snort*

Until next time, Sher

ABOOTLANDER LOVE is the ABOotlander way of spreading KINDNESS JOY & SUPPORT throughout the OUTLANDER Fandom.

Let’s take this voyage together and make this season the best yet. Fandomstyle snort