Outlander: Season Two

The first season of this costume romance/time-travel drama, based on the novels of Diana Gabaldon, ended with Claire (Caitriona Balfe), a contemporary British woman transported back to 18th-century Scotland, and her 18th-century husband Jamie (Sam Heughan) escaping Scotland on a ship headed for France. This season picks up in Paris, where the couple plots to sabotage the fundraising efforts for a civil war that Claire knows (from history) will end in disaster for the Scottish clans at the Battle of Culloden. The first half of the season follows the pair as they learn the ways of French society and run into their sworn enemy—brutal British soldier Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies)—in essentially "neutral" territory, while the second half takes them back to Scotland to protect Jamie's clan from the disastrous war. This Starz-aired series struck a chord with audiences, combining the spectacle of historical drama and hot-blooded romance featuring a remarkably (yet believably) progressive marriage between a courageous, smart, and outspoken modern woman and an 18th-century man from the Scottish Highlands who is chivalrous, respectful, and wholly committed to his wife's time-traveling reality. Outlander is a handsome series shot on location in Scotland and France, serving up a worldly drama that is both sexy and sophisticated. Compiling all 13 episodes from the 2016 second season, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted and extended scenes, and a gag reel (exclusive to the Blu-ray release are an extended episode, an alternative scene, additional featurettes, and audio podcasts). Highly recommended. (S. Axmaker)