The wild ride of Outlander will end after the upcoming eighth and final season, but it remains to be seen if Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan will be back on the small screen as their iconic characters before the end of the 2025 TV schedule. As a fan of the fantastical time-travel romance period drama going back to the beginning, I always keep an eye out to see if Outlander will be recognized on the awards circuit, and even asked one star for their thoughts about why the popular drama always gets snubbed by the major events like Emmys, Golden Globes, and Critics Choice.
Now, months after Balfe lost out on a major award, she's been nominated for another that I think could be perfect for her work on this series. She's in the running for Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series Or Made-For-TV Movie at the Critics Choice Super Awards. The nomination was announced just months after she was in the running for Best Actress in a Drama Series at the main Critics Choice Awards. That trophy went to Kathy Bates for Matlock, beating out Found's Shanola Hampton, Black Doves' Keira Knightley, The Diplomat's Keri Russell, and Shōgun's Anna Sawai as well as Balfe for Outlander.
Now, I'm certainly not saying that Kathy Bates didn't deserve the award, and I was actually thrilled to see a network TV show getting some recognition, but Sophie Skelton's comments about why Outlander doesn't get awards love have stuck with me since I spoke to her back in February. The actress, who plays Bree on Outlander, told me:
I think one thing that's beautiful about Outlander is that it fits into lots of genres and lots of categories, but I think also that can maybe sometimes be its downfall, because it maybe doesn't fit. It's sort of one of a kind, so I think it's difficult for some people to peg where it fits in. As I say, I think that's actually a good thing about it, and that means that there's something in it for everyone.
If Outlander strays too much into genre for any wins in general drama categories, then what better event for Caitriona Balfe to take home a trophy than a category from the CCA that literally has to give the award to a leading lady from a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series? It's right there in the category title, after all! No legal procedurals for the win on this one.
Balfe is admittedly up against some stiff competition for Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series for the Critics Choice Super Awards. Also in the running are Adria Arjona for Andor, Kathryn Hahn for Agatha All Along, Britt Lower for Severance, Cristin Milioti for Black Mirror: USS Callister: Into Infinity, and Michelle Yeoh for Star Trek: Section 31, and all are worthy options. Still, I think it bodes well for the Outlander star that she's at least up against actresses who are also from genre series, and each of them put in solid work on their various projects.
But with only one season of Outlander left and no sign that Caitriona Balfe will be in either season of the recently-renewed Blood of My Blood prequel, time is running out for the leading lady and her show to get the awards attention I think they deserve. Even if she doesn't win at the Super Awards, I will at least enjoy that she got a nomination as I continue to try to get over how hard she was snubbed for her standout (albeit heartbreaking) work in Season 5 .
The winners of the Critics Choice Super Awards will be announced on Thursday, August 7, which just so happens to be exactly one day before Outlander: Blood of My Blood premieres on Starz and two days before the anniversary of Outlander's first-ever episode.
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