Outlander is on the verge of returning to Starz for Season 7 in the 2023 TV schedule to put an end to the latest Droughtlander, and there’s a big cliffhanger left over from the end of Season 6 when it comes to Claire’s imprisonment in Wilmington. Brianna and Roger were lucky enough to leave Fraser’s Ridge before the siege in the Big House, traveling so that Roger could pursue his 18th-century dream of becoming a minister alongside his pregnant wife. When stars Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of the new season, they got honest about Roger and Bree’s relationship!
Brianna ended Season 6 happily pregnant, with the added good news that she and Roger finally knew with certainty that Jemmy was his biological son rather than the product of Stephen Bonnet’s brutal assault. Of course, pregnancy is never especially safe in the world of Outlander, and motherhood has been a strong theme of the series. When I asked Sophie Skelton how pregnancy is weighing on Bree when Outlander Season 7 begins, the actress shared:
I think if I'm honest, Season 7 picks up with Brianna feeling a little more content about this pregnancy. Obviously, her one before wasn't under ideal circumstances and it was a hard thing for her to navigate. But given that she's given birth before now in this time period, and she's been pregnant in this time period, she's a little more conditioned to it and used to it. And she's got Roger by her side now, which is so much better.
Her first pregnancy not being under “ideal circumstances” could hardly be more true, as she was pregnant, recovering from her assault, unsure of whether she’d ever be with Roger again, and struggling to deal with immersion in the 18th century. Now, the outlook is significantly sunnier, especially considering that the MacKenzie branch of the family is blissfully unaware of what’s happened to Claire and Jamie. That’s not to say that Roger and Bree didn’t struggle, as Sophie Skelton went on to say:
Also in Season 6, what I loved is that we had the storyline that really showed the difficulty of these two getting pregnant. I think now, the fact that she is, she just feels so blessed and content and happy. She's got Roger by her side, she has her family there, so really, I think her heart's just very full and she's feeling a lot more relaxed about this pregnancy and about the safety of it.
Of course, any fan of Outlander who watched the first six seasons knows that contentment and happiness don’t always last for the main characters, but the future looks pretty bright for Roger, Bree, and young Jemmy at this point. Roger came to the wonderful realization that he's his son's biological father in a very lucky break, as there aren’t many ways that they could have hoped to have the little boy’s paternity confirmed with 18th century tools at their disposal.
So, in light of his good news and bright future, how optimistic will Roger be able to remain in Season 7? I asked Richard Rankin that very question, and the actor shared:
He's very content, sort of happy. He's finding this place. They're really settling as a family, but if you know Outlander, nothing really lasts. Something will come along to test them, but they are much more solid as a couple and really, really supportive of each other. So they're in a good place to kind of take on anything that comes. They won't necessarily always be right by each other’s side, which makes things a bit more difficult for them.
Would this really be Outlander if there weren’t hurdles for the main couples to deal with, together and apart? A Season 7 scene shows a surprising reveal from Jamie that Claire will have to deal with after the whole mess about Malva’s murder is presumably cleaned up; Roger and Bree’s difficulties will undoubtedly be unique to them.
The good news is that the wait for Outlander Season 7 with Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin reprising their roles as Brianna and Roger is nearly over. The hit drama returns with the premiere on Friday, June 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Starz, and will also be available streaming at midnight E.T. on the Starz app for those who prefer to stream.
