• “The smartest historical sci-fi adventure-romance story ever written by a science Ph.D. with a background in scripting 'Scrooge McDuck' comics.”—Salon.com
  • A time-hopping, continent-spanning salmagundi of genres.”
    —ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
  • “These books have to be word-of-mouth books because they're too weird to describe to anybody.”
    —Jackie Cantor, Diana's first editor

We Have An Air Date!

Starz Poster

We have an air date for the new OUTLANDER TV series!

OK. Let me start off with a few brief facts (in hopes of staving off reams of stuff about “But when is it showing in Outer Mongolia?”):

SONY is the corporation that actually owns the film rights.

STARZ is the American production company that is _making_ the tv show and who thus has the US licensing rights to air it. Sony will license the show to other countries individually.

This is the announcement about the Starz showing, which is why it’s for the US. The UK, France, Germany, Sweden, etc. are NOT being discriminated against; they (and a few hundred other countries) just don’t YET have licensing deals.

(Australia and Canada DO have licensing deals already: Foxtel SoHo will show it in Australia, Showcase in Canada. Neither of those channels has announced an air date yet, which is why it’s not here.)

OK. Y’all still with me? Good! [g] In that case…

STARZ’ production of OUTLANDER will air in the US on August 9th, at 9 PM EST, as the poster above says.

This is a regular cable-TV show (not a movie, not a mini-series), with a first season (and we hope there will be more) running 16 episodes. The first season covers OUTLANDER only; subsequent seasons, if we get them, will cover the other books.

Hang onto your seats: it’ll be FUN!

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102 Responses »

  1. Excited doesn’t do justice to my anticipation!

  2. I’m so excited. I’m already planning my viewing party. I wonder if I can get some Rhenish…

  3. FINALLY!!!! I’m so freaking excited about this. You can bet I’ll have an Outlandish Party for at least the première…complete with costumes and proper food/drink for both eras. I’d get a piper, if I wasn’t afraid my neighbours would kick me out. ;)

    Je suis prest.

    Indeed. :D

  4. I can’t wait to see this series, but why is the time changed from present day to 1945 and why is Claire a nurse instead of a doctor. Also she and Frank are living in England instead of the U.S. But in spite of all the changes I am still looking forward to the “Outlander”.

    • Dear Linda–

      Ah…how long has it been since you _read_ OUTLANDER? There aren’t any changes. NONE of the novels is “present-day” and OUTLANDER _does_ start in 1945 (or ’46, if you read the UK edition [g]). Frank and Claire _did_ live in England, though the story is set in Scotland–and Claire was most certainly a nurse.

      –Diana

    • As I recall, Claire was a WWII combat nurse and went to med school when she returned to Frank and moved to Boston.

  5. Well I am watching Showcse tonight, here in Toronto.
    They just showed an Outlander preview and said the series would begin this summer.
    My guess it will probably start on Showcase in Cacnada on August 9, like in the US or maybe a week later.
    This is going to be a great summer first MOBY book the Outlander series.
    Now, if I can ticket to see you at the at the main library in Toronto on June 20. it will be a fantastic summer.
    The Toronto Librarry has will not release the tickets until later this month, but shall be attempt to get one as soon as they do.

    • According to Showcase’s website Outlander begins airing in Canada on August 24th.

      I’m looking forward to the series but also worried that it will be a disappointment if the actors’ portrayal differs too much from the mental image I’ve formed as I read and re-read the books. (That has been my experience with some other much-loved novels that I have read first, then later seen, adapted for TV.) Still, as this point I can hope that this series will be different (and as good as the books are).

  6. Diana, I have been waiting for this for 20 years! I last saw you at the tea party in my home in Phoenix. I look forward to seeing you at the Biltmore.

  7. Wow! I was all set to read ALL the books AGAIN for the 3rd time this summer (in french mind you! Le Chardon et le Tartan) and thinking to myself: “Would’nt it be great if they made it into a series??” and WHAM! I’ve just seen the add on Showcase (Canada)! I ran to my computer and called my Mom!!! I am beyond thrilled! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!

  8. I am thrilled beyond belief! This is a 23 year old dream come true!!

  9. Thanks for the information! There will be hard days of waiting to see it in German TV. (If they don´t show it, I just look forward to buy it on DVD) I just started reading book 1 again (I think the 12th time) and I can´´t wait to read you new book this summer!

  10. So excited and have my calendar marked. Also re-reading books in order as I await MOBY.

  11. Ya know, the series is so rich in detail, the series could go for more than 8 seasons. Just saying.

  12. I guess I am a little confused. Will the series be shown on STARZ (which I subscribed to last year when I heard the shows was going to be on there) or will it be on the USA channel here in the U.S.?

    • Dear Cat–

      Ahh….did you read what I wrote? Did I mention the USA channel anywhere? No, I did not. Did I mention Starz? Yes, I believe I did. [g] Q.E.D. (Yes, it will be shown on the Starz network.) Hope you enjoy the show!

      –Diana

      • Thank you Diana. I do not know where I heard the USA info, but I appreciate you clearing that up.

        Also, thank you for these brilliant books. They have been favorites since they first appeared and I have gotten many people to read them. Of course they are also all fans now! We are all looking forward to seeing your characters on-screen.

  13. Thank you very much for the explanation Diana – no wonder you have a huge fan base – you look after us so well.

  14. Can’t Wait!!!!!!!!!! Have it marked on various calendars! Am reading Outlander for the umpteenth zillion time!!!!!!

    Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you to Ms. Gabaldon for writing the whole series and especially the first one just to see if she could write and To Mr. Moore for taking on such a gigantic production and for pitching it to Starz/Sony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The teasers/trailers on Starz are Great!!!!!! We currently are watching DaVinci’s Demons on said channel!

    Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. I just hope the Outlander series does not become bastardized as Charlaine Harris’ “Dead” series with Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood series). That deviated so much from the book I stopped watching.

    • Dear May–

      The production team is doing a fabulous job of (faithfully) adapting the story so far–I have every faith that it will be a pleasure to longtime fans as well as people who’ve never read the books. [smile]

      –Diana

  16. This is going to be such a pleasure. I know the utmost care will be taken with your Baby. You have to be a bit anxious and ready for it to happen. You have all our love and support. It will be tremendous.

  17. Love, love that poster! Seeing it depicted that way really hits right in the stomach. Jamie looks… unsafe! I’ve been re-reading the books for so many years, and knowing what’s coming later, I stopped feeling this part- the very first part of the book Diana wrote!

    She must have been so very frightened in the beginning, even though she covered it so well. And the fact that she CHOSE Jamie and this violent time later on… a Huge testament to how strong their Love is. Such a key plot element that she was a nurse who had experienced the violence of war. Otherwise, would she have survived it?
    Would she have made the same choice? Coming from the mostly safe and comfortable societies we live in, would you choose to stay?

    Can’t wait to see the show! Will subscribe to Starz in July just for this.
    Christa, I want to come to your party!

  18. I am soooo excited, as my friends who are new fans since I recommended the books to them. We plan on watching the show together as a group and the chatter back and forth is non-stop in anticipation. Can’t wait!

  19. Guess who’s coming back to the US earlier from her vacation?!?
    Wow, can you imagine the look on the Starz network CEOs when their August subscription just shoot through the roof?
    So happy for you Diana, and so happy for everyone involved in this endeavor.
    What a year this will be….{g}

    • Anne-Marie!

      Lovely to see you again, so to speak. [g] It’s been Totally Amazing already–all year–and getting more so by the minute! So glad you’ll be here to share it with us all!

      –Diana

  20. Just e-mailed, texted and posted of facebook to everyone. BEYOND EXCITED!!!! Viewing party already planned was just waiting for the date.

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  1. Worldwide TV just really needs OUTLANDER!!! | Fandom Obsessed

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