What’s Worth Watching: Romance, Outlander Style

Ileane Rudolph April 11, 2015, 3:00 am

Outlander, “By the Pricking of My Thumb” (Saturday, April 11, 9/8c, Starz)

The lusty 18^th century Scottish romance offers another bewitching episode. The show opens strong with its weekly paean to married love: a rousing sex scene between the time-traveling Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and her husband Jamie (Sam Heughan). Then it’s down to business with duels, accusations of witchcraft, star-crossed illicit lovers, and jealousy.

Cue the green-eyed monster. While Jamie is learning a lot about how to please Claire—a woman from the 1940s—in and out of bed, and cozying up to a lecherous English lord who might help him beat his unjust murder rap, he underestimates the fury of the jilted Laoghaire (Nell Hudson), the local girl who has long loved him. Last week’s “ill-wish” doll under the marital bed is just the start of her revenge. It’s not good to underestimate an angry lassie.