Even as Outlander fans haven’t yet been treated to the glories, emotional depths, or sure-to-be heartbreaks that await in Season 6, the Droughtlander is nearing its end. With that, many people are likely to already be thinking ahead and hoping that the hit will at least be able to complete filming stories based on all of the eventual 10 novels in Diana Gabaldon’s ever popular series. We’ve been told that those behind the time travel romance would like to get through the full story, but it seems that star Caitríona Balfe may feel a bit differently. Here’s why Balfe thinks that ending Outlander with Season 7 might actually be ‘nice.’
Starz took pity on all of us who were dying for any and all information about Outlander during this very extended wait for Season 6, and went ahead and renewed the series for Season 7 back in March 2021. We don’t know yet whether or not anything beyond that is officially a-go, but Caitríona Balfe recently intimated to Vanity Fair that Season 7 does seem like a logical stopping point, of sorts, to her. About the next season, Balfe said:
We will have hit the almost 10-year mark by the end of that, which feels like a nice kind of time frame, but we don’t know. Those decisions are far above my pay grade.
Alright! Alright! Everyone just calm down, OK? As Balfe also told the outlet, they don’t know exactly when the end will come for Outlander right now. With Gabaldon having recently released the ninth book and just beginning work on the tenth, it doesn’t seem likely that the drama will close the door on Claire and Jamie Fraser before she does. Plus, we still have two more seasons to look forward to, so there’s no real reason to panic.
However, I think most of us can see where Balfe is coming from with her thoughts on wrapping her role on one of the most popular (and steamy) dramas to hit the small screen. Because Outlander is consistently really, really good, and we’re fully immersed in the story, it can be easy to forget about all of the effort, hard work, and sacrifice that goes into making it.
Also, while 10 years (Balfe won the part of Claire in 2013) might not seem like long to have a steady job for most people, it’s rare for most actors to be able to return to one character and show for that many years. Balfe and the rest of the cast have certainly gotten to do a lot of amazing things during their time on the drama, but my impression is that lots of actors really enjoy taking on brand new challenges, and like being able to play very different characters who deal with a wide variety of intriguing situations.
So, it does make sense that getting to the 10 year mark of working on the series (without completing the story of the books) would still seem like a solid stopping point for Caitríona Balfe.
Until we know more about Outlander’s not-so-immediate future, we can all prepare for Season 6, which will debut on March 6. For more to watch on the small screen, check out the other upcoming romantic TV shows and the 2022 TV schedule!
