Parents' Guide to Outlander: Blood of My Blood

With the same tripping-through-time setup and focus on epic romance in times of political unease and war as Outlander, this series is a worthy follow-up. Though it's not necessary to have watched all seven seasons of Outlander to appreciate Outlander: Blood of My Blood, those who have at least a little familiarity with the original will enjoy the Easter eggs the show carefully lays down, with such memorable characters as Mackenzie clan adviser Ned Gowan (played here by Conor MacNeill) or Mackenzie clan rival Lord Lovat (Tony Curran) turning up in younger versions that look startlingly like the older actors who play them on Outlander. It's fun, too, to see Colum and Dougal, already enmeshed, already embattled, yet in their fighting prime.

But the real focus of Blood are the twin romances between the couples who will eventually make a little Jamie and Claire, and they're just as steamy as their kids' connection will someday be. The pairing of Ellen and Brian sucks up most of the show's oxygen, which will be just fine with viewers, as the actors have abundant chemistry, not to mention a classic star-crossed lovers setup. Slater gives a fierce, intelligent performance and Roy is a solid, sexy Brian, who incidentally resembles Jamie's Sam Heughan to a remarkable degree. There are kilts, bagpipes, fog-shrouded moors, and enough Scottish phrases to send the uninitiated running to Google. Given a slightly less sexy setting and more sensitive personal issues (Henry has PTSD from battle), Henry and Julia's pairing at first feels like less fun. But wait, viewers: There's a time-travel plotline in store for them that sets up both a more epic romance and Jamie and Claire's fated meeting in the flagship show. It all adds up to a series that will thrill Outlander fans and gain new ones.