'Outlander': Season 7 Blu-Ray Review - Beloved Series Continues To Surprise As The End Draws Near
Following the harrowing events of season six, Jamie and Young Ian race to rescue Claire before she's tried and wrongfully convicted of murder. But their mission is complicated by the beginning of a geopolitical firestorm: The American Revolution has arrived. In the seventh season of OUTLANDER, Jamie, Claire and their family are caught in the violent birth pains of an emerging nation as armies march to war and British institutions crumble in the face of armed rebellion. The land the Frasers call home is changing — and they must change with it. In order to protect what they've built, the Frasers have to navigate the perils of the Revolutionary War. They learn that sometimes to defend what you love, you have to leave it behind. As the conflict draws them out of North Carolina and into the heart of this fight for independence, Jamie, Claire, Brianna and Roger are faced with impossible decisions that have the potential to tear their family apart.
For in-depth thoughts on Outlander: The Complete Seventh Season, please see my colleague Martin Sexton's reviews from its original television debut below:
Video Quality
Outlander: The Complete Seventh Season arrives on Blu-Ray courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment with a glorious AVC encoded 1080p transfer of all 16 episodes spread over six discs. This transfer showcases a stunning amount of discrete detail within the period costumes and thorough production design. Skin tones appear very natural throughout the season, and compression artifacts and noise are virtually nonexistent. The lush cinematography of this series always looks impeccable in high definition, and this season is no different. This transfer captures every glorious aspect as perfectly as one could hope. The series remains immaculate with a complex color palette revealing deep hues within the backgrounds. Black levels are deep, giving way to rich detail within the shadows. The highlights are likewise brilliant and avoid any instances of blooming in this presentation. The Blu-Ray presentation is top-tier on all fronts and represents a standout effort from Sony.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray comes with a dynamic DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that brings this journey to life with the utmost precision. Dialogue is a key element of the show, and it springs forth clearly without being overwhelmed by any parallel sounds. The moving score on the show is often grand and immersive in the best way, as it juggles the more volatile moments as well as the subtle stretches. Ambient sounds are carefully placed in the rear channels. The environmental sounds memorably engage the surround speakers to make things feel all-encompassing. Even when you are simply observing the landscapes, this track delivers on all fronts. The more kinetic moments know how to pack a punch in the low end response. The audio track never comes up short.
Special Features
Deleted Scene:
Brief scenes are provided from most of the episodes of moments that were cut primarily for pacing reasons, but prove to be an entertaining addition for fans.
A Life Well Lost (1:28)
The Happiest Place On Earth (5:11)
Death Be Not Proud (2:57)
A Most Uncomfortable Woman (1:52)
Unfinished Business (6:05)
A Hundredweight of Stones (2:38)
Ye Dinna Get Used To It (1:28)
A Hundred Thousand Angels (3:28)
Outlander Untold:
An array of bonus stories from the
Outlander
universe are provided to help flesh out the world more for fans.
Syzygy (6:28)
A Visitor At Valley Forge (6:24)
A Good Man (6:51)
Ablution (6:13)
Blooper Reel (12:20)
Final Thoughts
Outlander has always been a show determined not to become complacent with its storytelling, and fans have been rewarded with complex characters, thrilling surprises, and rich narratives that always keep us returning for more. As we start to get closer to the end of the line, we can feel the story picking up the pace considerably, occasionally to a fault. This penultimate season bounces back from a truncated season with a mighty episode haul that often reminds us why we love the show so much, even with the writer's strike impacting the flow in a few different respects. The pacing is somewhat erratic, but we still love embarking on this incredible journey as we continue to grow with these characters (and say goodbye to some). We are not sure if we are prepared for this to officially conclude, but we are excited to see if everything can come together satisfactorily. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch A/V presentation and a fine assortment of supplemental features. Recommended
Outlander: The Complete Seventh Season is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
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