‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’ Aftershow: Sam Retford on Dougal’s Fear Opposite Randall

Anyone who has ever hated Outlander‘s sadistic Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies) was screaming at Dougal MacKenzie (Sam Retford) to finish off the younger version of the evil British soldier (played by Finley Glasgow) in the prequel’s sixth episode. Think of all the misery it could have saved Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe)!

“If only Brian [Jamie Roy] had given me his dirk, we could have!” Retford told us. Watch the video above for our chat with Retford along with Bobby Rainsbury, who plays his on-screen wife, Maura, on Outlander: Blood My Blood.

TV Insider was on set in Scotland to see the fateful scene, shot at the 15th century seaside Blackness Castle. The location was standing in for Fort William. Brian and his cousin Murtagh (Rory Alexander) had nearly completed their mission to rescue Dougal when they encountered Randall.

In a small, dimly lit room, with the wind howling outside, the four actors rehearsed and shot the fight that led to Brian insisting on sparing the youth he sees as an innocent. It was a particularly heartrending moment because in the original Outlander, Fort William is where an older Brian (Andrew Whipp) suffers a fatal stroke after watching his son Jamie get flogged by an adult Randall.

Starz

“[Randall] was by far one of the most exciting characters from the Outlander universe. So, to be a part of bringing him back to this was so cool,” Retford says.

Dougal has a reason for feeling more murderous than his friends. In a scene shot the day before, Dougal is tied to a post (much like Jamie) and tortured for information. Randall threatens to burn his tongue out with a hot poker and must be commanded to stop by his superior.

On set, Retford recalled the scene. “Getting beaten up, it’s a lot harder than beating people up. It’s a lot less fun to be honest. It was fascinating because we had the first half of the scene, you’ve got an absolutely humongous giant of a man laying into Dougal, [who’s] taking it on the chin and giving it a little bit back. There’s not much fear. Then you see that stark contrast of what [Dougal] sees in the eyes of this young boy and you see this overwhelming fear rush over his face of like, ‘Oh, I’m not in control here. This man is uncontrollable and not bound by societal rules.’”

Glasgow told us he hadn’t watched Outlander prior to shooting his scenes. “I’ve been told, don’t watch it because you’ll hate your character. It’s big shoes to fill. It’s such an iconic role to play, but it’s an honor,” the actor says.

Related

'Blood of My Blood' Introduces 'Outlander' Favorite's Dad

When Dougal returns home to Castle Leoch, it will be to a marriage that has become warmer and more loving since their forced wedding in the first season. “I think their feelings have changed, and it’s really sad to watch them yearn for each other across such a great distance, but never to each other,” Retford says.  Rainsbury hints of their reunion, “I feel like in a man’s world, we’ll firstly see what his homecoming is like for the men of the time rather than the woman. And then that will slowly develop into maybe a softer world for Dougal.”

The homecoming will also bring news about cruel Lord Lovat’s (Tony Curran) poisoning of Brian’s love, Dougal’s sister Ellen (Harriet Slater), to end her pregnancy and make her unable to bear more children. That could ignite Dougal’s fury all over again. “We know that Brian and Murtagh sacrificed quite a lot to go and save Dougal, so I do wonder if there’s some penance owed in retribution there,” Retford told us.

Watch the video above to hear Retford and Rainsbury speak about Dougal and Maura’s relationship and hopes for the future.

Outlander: Blood of My Blood, Fridays, Starz