Sam Heughan & Caitriona Balfe Drop Season 6 Hints in the 'Outlander' Summer Series Finale

Reshma Gopaldas
·16 min read

Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan closed out the Outlander Summer Series with a one-on-one zoom chat, where they revealed their favorite parts of season 5, how they’ve both been keeping busy (or not) during quarantine, and what they’re looking forward to in season 6. Yes! Season 6 production is starting soon. As in some day in the future. But what “soon” means, no one really knows. Or they do and they’re not telling us, yet. They also took many fan questions and partially answered all of them. Confusing? Yes. Entertaining. More yes. We’ll get to that later.

Before they got started, Balfe and Heughan held up their signature drinks for the chat. Historically, these two have not done a video chat without a “little libation,” as Heughan called it. But as usual, these two were drinking for a good cause, this time for Doctors Without Borders and the life-saving work they are doing during Covid-19.

Balfe quickly guessed what Heughan was drinking. Whisky. An easy game. Drinking Sassenach whisky while talking to the OG Sassenach. He’s very on brand.

Caitriona Balfe is a bear with an herb garden & Sam Heughan is a horse

Heughan asked Balfe what she’d been up to, and she revealed that in the last few months she’s learned a lot about herself and realized the animal she is most like, is a bear. Why? Because she loves sleeping. Hibernation is kind of her thing. As is being “lazy.” That’s in quotes for a reason. Balfe may not know how to do lazy correctly.

Heughan agreed that she is a bear, because they are “furry, and love honey.” Did Sam Heughan just say Caitríona Balfe is furry and loves honey? He went on to say she was probably a bear, because bears are “very huggable.” Barf, these two are cute and on a zoom which is hard to be cute on. Ask anybody. Zoom is where people excel at being awkward. Honestly, these two even have chemistry through a zoom while wearing airpods?! Just stop. You’re making it harder for regular humans.

Then Heughan asked what animal he is most like, and they both exclaimed, “Horse!” Because he gallops. No, not really. Balfe said he’s very active, and their dual excitement at both saying “horse” is worth watching.

Balfe also gave a shout out to her herb garden. To which Heughan responded, “Herbs,” with air quotes. Balfe replied innocently, “Yes an herb garden!” But he kept putting quotes around her “herb” garden, and she wasn’t having it. She insisted it was a “proper herb” garden. But then he did this. Game, set, match point. He smoked the competition.

A very special Outlander episode where instead of traveling through the stones, Claire gets stoned. And Jamie joins her.

Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan had socially-distanced drinks & drunk Zoomed someone

Heughan stopped the Zoom convo to confess he had to change his Zoom name, which was stuck on “Three Amigos.” What’s that now? He revealed that he and Sophie Skelton went to Balfe’s garden and had a socially-distanced drink together. Balfe said all she remembers is that there were three types of drinks, and after her third drink, she remembers nothing else. Because “Sam Heughan was doing the pouring.” Now we know why Balfe may have named her new gin, “Forget me not… when Sam Heughan’s pouring a lot.” (Did not mean for that to rhyme). Picture this photo below except 6 feet apart with drinks and masks.

Heughan never really explains why they were zooming under the alias “Three Amigos.” Skelton seems to be the third amigo? But who were they drunk zooming? Show yourself. So many questions left unanswered. Twitter fan @Senoritav76 wants more of the “Three Amigos” (Balfe, Heughan and Skelton) in the show, and tweeted her favorite scene of Jamie, Claire and Brianna eating honey in season 4. (Omg, they’re all bears).

Sam Heughan’s new book includes stories about Caitriona Balfe & others

And what’s Heughan been up to? He said he’s been spending a lot of time with their former co-star, Lady M. Who’s that? That would be Graham McTavish, who played Dougal. You know, the uncle who set Jamie and Claire up. And then they repaid their matchmaker with murder. Yeah, they killed him. Ahhh, loves makes you do crazy things! But he kind of deserved it.

In addition to filming their upcoming new show on Starz, Men in Kilts, Heughan went on to say he and McTavish had also been finishing up their book, Clanlands. Balfe did a little air clap and said, “I can’t wait to read it!” Then she stopped and said, “Wait, come here, do you give anecdotes of all of your lovely co-stars?” Let’s quickly pause to point out she said, “Come here,” as if they’re not on Zoom. Heughan nervously laughed and said, “It is a bit of an exposé.” Balfe then asked if she gets to approve it? But he assures her she comes off well, though others, like Duncan LaCroix (Murtagh), might not come out looking as good as she does.

At first, Balfe looked worried. But judging from the fact that after three drinks they couldn’t remember what happened at their socially-distanced three amigo zoom party, she probably doesn’t have to worry much. You can pre-order Clanlands here, and if you want to hear Heughan and McTavish read it to you, the audiobook is the way to go.

Heughan said, “It’s been amazing” about writing his new book Clanlands, and then let this slip, “I know you’ve been writing as well.” What the Balfe?! In the last month, Balfe has announced her new gin, a new movie with Jamie Dornan, optioning film rights to the book Here is the Beehive, and now she’s writing?! Earlier in the chat with Heughan she says she has a “propensity to be lazy.” If that’s “lazy,” I don’t want to know what productive looks like. Twitter fan @IAmNotTrisha quickly tweeted: Umm, did he just say she’s been writing? Yes, he did, but then he said nothing else.

Today is also the day Balfe discovered how to gif on Twitter when she live-tweeted a sporting event. Outlander fans erupted in joy, as Balfe became the gif that kept on giving as she live-tweeted the F1 race. Heughan’s been dropping gifs like they’re scot, er hot for years. So who’s the better giffer? Heughan or Balfe? Time will tell.

Balfe is also enjoying toying with fans about when her gin is being released. Twitter fans @clairesbalfe and @allysmaine summarized this best with tweets to Balfe that she promptly liked.

After her live tweet gif-off, Balfe said she was off to take a nap. And fans couldn’t resist trying to get a little more info on when her new gin was being released. Twitter fan @MarinaKhalili asked if Balfe was going to have a drink. But she Balfed them. To Balfe someone is to answer them, but also not answer them.

Favorite moments in Season 5

Heughan asked Balfe what her favorite episode in Season 5 was. She said she loved that Season 5 had standalone episodes. But “The Ballad of Roger Mac,” episode 7, was her favorite. “It was painful… and so sad. And you were amazing.”

And what was Heughan’s favorite episode? The finale, which was hard-viewing but he was proud of it and her. “You were magnificent.” These two actually set the bar in how to be supportive and kind to your co-star for six years now. They both picked episodes that the other one shined in as their favorites. Imagine applying that kind of attitude into a regular office? “What was your favorite project this year?” “Well I loved Bob’s spreadsheet the most. It was magnificent!” Sign me up for that office.

Balfe asked, “How much did you love doing the action sequence in the finale?” Heughan laughed, “I didn’t, to be honest.” It was 4 am, cold, muddy, and he said it was the first time he thought, “I actually might hurt someone today.” But guess who did love doing those scenes? John Bell. Balfe raved that he really took to that action. In fact, Bell loved it so much, Heughan confessed, that he kept throwing his axe when he wasn’t supposed to! And then Balfe and Heughan proceeded to impersonate Bell on set.

Caitriona Balfe’s 7 year Outlander casting anniversary

Earlier this week on Sept. 11, Balfe and Outlander fans celebrated the anniversary of the day Balfe was cast seven years ago. Heughan joined in on the celebration, “7 years!!??? Where has the time gone? What a journey! X.”

Wondering what Balfe and Heughan’s chemistry test audition scene that got her the job was? Well, here it is. Seems like these two have always had ridiculously good chemistry.

What to look forward to in Season 6 & will there be future seasons?

Balfe and Heughan dropped a few hints about what they’re excited about for Season 6. Oooh spoilers? Sort of. Balfe said, “I know Jamie has a lot of new challenges in season 6, what are you looking forward to?” Heughan said he’s almost done reading the sixth book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, and he’s looking forward to seeing how the family comes together after being “fractured” in the heartbreaking season 5 finale. He says Claire has some healing to do. Balfe agreed and said she’s looking forward to not only how Claire heals from the trauma, but how their family helps her to heal.

As for a start date for Season 6, that information isn’t public yet, but Executive Producer Maril Davis hinted about Outlander’s future in “Outcasts,” a podcast hosted by Tim Downie and David Berry. She said that they all want to do more seasons beyond season 6 — and hopefully the cast does too.

The scene that had Caitriona Balfe & Sam Heughan laughing the most

Balfe and Heughan make no secret about the fact that they laugh a lot on set. Their first fan question was about which scene they laughed the most in, in season 5. Heughan actually didn’t even hear the question, because he got sidetracked by the fan collage in the background. Balfe quickly joked, “Because you’re looking at yourself!” There is no purer joy you will see than Sam Heughan looking at himself in a paper collage, people.

So which scene did they laugh the most in? Balfe revealed it was a scene with David Berry, in which she’s pretty sure they annoyed him! But they didn’t say which scene. Balfe took this opportunity to apologize to Berry. Seemingly more than a year later. That’s the best kind of apology. Sorry not sorry. Heughan added, “We’re really sorry we’re not very professional, David.” And then they both laughed uproariously. I don’t think they’re actually sorry, David.

What props did Balfe & Heughan steal from the Outlander set?

One fan, who also had a collage in the background, asked if they took anything from set this past season. Heughan admitted he forced the armorer to give him everything. He joked that he now had a “house full of weapons,” and Balfe added a “closet full of swords.”

Balfe said she took something from the ’60s set from the finale, because she knew she’d never be back there. What did she take? The orange? The record player? Jamie’s dream wig? The couch? Did she take the entire set? We’ll never know. This chat was the best kind of drunk chat, where many questions are asked, but few are fully answered. It’s like a Q & Half A.

Balfe & Heughan’s favorite Jamie and Claire scene in season 5

So what was their favorite Jamie and Claire scene in this past season? Heughan quickly responded the scene by the river from the finale was his favorite because he thought Balfe was “fantastic.” They also revealed that during filming that scene, they actually couldn’t hear each other because of the loud waterfall that was edited out. Actual scene: Claire: pours heart out. Jamie: I can’t hear you. End scene.

Balfe’s favorite scene was Jamie and Claire’s “drunk walk” in the woods in “The Company We Keep.” Heughan added he loved that scene because it was light and “great to see Jamie and Claire still in love.”

One fan asked which scene they were most proud of and played perfectly. They both responded they never feel like they play scenes perfectly. Though Balfe says, the Season 2 finale, when Jamie and Claire slow dance at the stones before she travels back to the future was as close to perfect as they got. Heughan agreed those scenes were magical. Balfe revealed everything worked out that day, and even the crew got emotional. Saddest scene ever by the way. Beautiful but sad. Can Balfe and Heughan do DVD commentary on every episode?

Balfe and Heughan would like to play these characters for a day

When asked which other character on the show they’d each like to play for a day, Balfe immediately replied, “Aunt Jocasta.” And Heughan said, “And then you can sing!” To which Balfe, replied, “No Maria (Doyle Kennedy) would sing, and I would lip-sync.” There’s a Milli-Vanilli Outlander lip-sync joke somewhere in here, but can’t quite get there.

Heughan picked Governor Tyron because he could have power and be a “bit of nasty,” and Balfe added, “a bit snippy,” and then Heughan impersonated her saying, “a bit snippy.” They’re very British here. I know, they’re Scottish and Irish! But they’re being very British. Just watch.

Balfe loves maggots, Heughan does not

One fan asked them how it was working with the maggots. Yes, the maggots. Season 5 really loved maggots. In fact, they appeared in not just one, but two episodes! “Free Will,” episode 3 where Jamie and Claire roam around a horror cabin with goats. And “Monsters and Heroes,” episode 9 where Jamie gets bitten by a snake, and Claire brings him back to life, but first maggots. Are the maggots SAG now? Probably.

Balfe revealed they sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies. In which, I never eat Rice Krispies again, thank you. Heughan said they moved very fast, which made him uneasy because they were crawling on his leg. While Balfe was fascinated by the maggots, she admitted they smelled really bad and had to be washed. She mainly enjoyed how freaked out and squirmish the maggots made Heughan. Get yourself a friend who delights in your discomfort.

Deleted bonus scene shows Lizzie & a twin

As with each of the episodes in the summer series, it included a deleted scene from Season 5. This one showed Lizzie flirting it up with one of the Beardsley twins. Which one? Well, Lizzie doesn’t know. She confuses the brothers. Flirts with one twin, but it’s actually the other twin. Hmmm, me thinks a confusing Lizzie-twin-twin triangle is coming up for Season 6. And Actor Paul Gorman hinted that Lizzie and the twins (both?) could be the hottest couple on the Ridge. Jamie and Claire laugh softly to themselves. “Okay, kids. Sure.”

Balfe closed by saying they would be, “Working hard to make season 6 the best one yet.” We have no doubt. And Heughan told everyone to send in their collages. The man loves a good collage.

For those worried there will be no new Outlander content until season 6 production begins, this cast has you covered, whether they are live tweeting sporting events, advocating for charities, or simply effing with, um giffing with you about gin. You can go buy and binge watch the special Season 5 DVD, the deleted scenes and blooper reel are sure to get you through a little more of Droughtlander. Check out the full summer finale here, where you can also donate to Doctors without Borders to support their Covid-19 medical efforts.

Until then, wear a mask — and if you really want to wear your Outlander love on half your face, there is a Jamie and Claire face mask. Do it for world health! Jamie and Claire would approve. Each day you wear a mask brings you one day closer to Season 6 starting production. That’s just a fact. Mixed with science. Making it a scientific fact. And maybe when Balfe and Heughan are back on set together, they’ll do an in-person FB live. 2020 owes us this much.

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Before you go, check out the all-time best ‘Outlander’ episodes to watch (or rewatch):

'Outlander' cast Caitríona Balfe, Sam Heughan,
'Outlander' cast Caitríona Balfe, Sam Heughan,

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