It was a chilly Friday evening, January 10, when devoted fans of Season 7 eagerly gathered in front of their screens, snacks in hand, ready to bask in the drama, romance, and chaos that defines their favorite time-traveling saga. But instead of being greeted by the much-anticipated episode 16, , they were hit with an award show they never signed up for. Cue the collective groans and frantic Google searches.
What on Earth happened to the finale? Why were fans forced to endure the heartbreak of waiting another week? Let’s unpack the drama.
Outlander enthusiasts were blindsided when their usual Friday night ritual was hijacked by the 7th Annual Critics Choice Celebration of Black Cinema & Television. Now, don’t get us wrong, recognizing cinematic brilliance is important, but why, oh why, did it have to come at the expense of Claire and Jamie’s trials and tribulations?
Typically, episodes grace the Starz schedule every Friday at 8 p.m. ET without fail. But this week, fans were served an unexpected curveball. To add salt to the wound, the 9 p.m. slot wasn’t even spared for reruns of the series. Instead, Starz aired Gerard Butler’s 2023 action flick, . Because nothing screams romantic, time-traveling drama like a rugged Gerard Butler yelling on a crashing aircraft, right?
For fans like Emily Thompson, a die-hard watcher from New York, the frustration was palpable:
“I planned my entire night around this. I even got my husband to watch with me—he hates the show, by the way—and what do I get? Gerard Butler. I mean, seriously, Starz?”
The online backlash was swift, with hashtags like #OutlanderFinaleGate and #WhereIsOutlander trending briefly on Twitter. Fans vented their outrage, disbelief, and, naturally, some hilarious memes about Claire Fraser’s plight being less dramatic than the wait for her fate.
If you’re one of the outraged devotees refreshing your Starz app like it’s your full-time job, here’s some good news: you won’t have to wait too long. The finale is now scheduled to drop on Wednesday, January 17, at 7 p.m. ET. For the real night owls, the episode will be available earlier on the app—around midnight. So, mark your calendars and set those alarms.
But this delay has left fans with more questions than answers. How could such a massive scheduling decision blindside viewers? Did Starz not anticipate the uproar? And most importantly, will the extra week of hype make the finale worth the wait?
Now let’s dive into what’s making fans so antsy. The last episode left Claire Fraser, the fearless healer and time traveler, in the clutches of danger—again. After suffering a brutal gunshot wound, Claire’s life hangs by a thread as Denzell, the show’s unsung medical hero, races against time to remove the bullet. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Will Claire survive the surgery? Or will fans be subjected to the soul-crushing heartbreak of losing their beloved heroine?
Showrunner Ronald D. Moore teased that the finale will be one of the “most intense and emotional” episodes in the show’s history.
“This isn’t just about Claire’s survival—it’s about how her journey impacts everyone around her. The choices made in this episode will ripple into the next season.”
Cue the nail-biting anticipation. Will Jamie Fraser once again move heaven and earth to save his wife? Will we see their daughter Brianna, still trapped in the 1980s, make a shocking return? And, perhaps the juiciest question of all—will the show finally give us closure or leave us hanging with another gut-wrenching cliffhanger?
While some fans have begrudgingly accepted the delay, others see it as a misstep by Starz. Loyal viewer Jake Morgan shared his thoughts on social media:
“Look, I get it. Awards shows are important. But couldn’t they air Outlander after the ceremony? Or, I don’t know, reschedule the awards? We’ve been waiting for this finale for weeks!”
On the flip side, others are trying to find a silver lining:
“At least this gives us more time to rewatch the earlier episodes and prepare emotionally,” said Sarah Carter, a superfan from Los Angeles.
The debate rages on, but one thing is clear—this delay has only heightened anticipation for the finale. Fans are ready to dissect every frame, every word, and every twist that throws their way.
The fiasco isn’t an isolated incident. Over the past year, TV networks have increasingly shuffled schedules to make room for live events, leaving loyal viewers in the lurch. This raises a pressing question: Are streaming platforms better equipped to handle this new era of content prioritization? After all, Netflix doesn’t bump
for an award show.
For , however, this hiccup is unlikely to dampen its loyal fanbase. If anything, it proves just how fiercely devoted its viewers are. Love, time travel, betrayal, and a dash of historical fiction— has all the ingredients to keep audiences hooked, even if they have to wait an extra week to see how it all unfolds.
So, here’s to January 17. Let’s hope Claire Fraser survives, Jamie continues to be the dashing hero we all love, and Starz never pulls a stunt like this again. Stay tuned,
fans—this finale is going to be one for the ages.
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