More than a year and a half has passed since the fifth season of Outlander came to an emotional end, and the Droughtlander waiting for Season 6 has felt endless. Fortunately for all the fans who have been waiting since May 2020 to find out what happens next, Starz has officially announced the premiere date for Season 6. Plus, the news of when Claire, Jamie and Co. will be back isn’t the only good news on the Outlander front.
The sixth season of Outlander premieres on Sunday, March 6 at 9 p.m. ET on Starz, as well as across all Starz platforms, in the United States. The network had previously revealed that the show would be back at some point in early 2022, but that theoretically could have meant as late as some point in April. In fact, both the second half of Season 1 and Season 2 premiered in early April, so an early March premiere date is worth celebrating.
Plus, the Season 6 premiere will be an extended episode, which is especially good news considering the next batch of episodes will be shorter than usual. That’s not necessarily going to be a negative thing for the storytelling, but extended episodes are treats for fans who are accustomed to Droughtlanders. The sixth season also picks up where Season 5 left off, so fans don’t need to worry about a major time skip that will jump over the aftermath of what happened to Claire.
Admittedly, Claire’s brutal assault isn’t necessarily something that viewers will be anxious to see explored further for her sake, but Caitriona Balfe was so fantastic in performing the Season 5 finale that witnessing the aftermath is bound to be riveting. Plus, as a trailer for Season 6 revealed, the threat of the Revolutionary War is getting closer and closer, meaning that decisions for the good of their family at Fraser’s Ridge will have to be made.
Between Claire, Brianna, and Roger, the extended Fraser family has a much better idea than most in the 18th century of what will happen with the coming revolution, but knowing the broad strokes of history doesn’t mean that they already know what moves to make and not make for their small corner of the Colonies. Claire certainly learned that lesson when it came to trying to prevent Culloden!
Some new characters are on the way who will be familiar to book readers, and Marsali and Fergus won’t have the easiest time in Season 6 either. But honestly, would it really be a season of Outlander if the main characters weren’t struggling in a number of different ways?
The premiere date for Season 6 still isn’t the only good news on the Outlander front. The March 6 announcement from Starz coincided with Diana Gabaldon, who penned the book saga that inspired the series, dropping the news at a launch event for the ninth book, called Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone. The book will be available starting on Tuesday, November 23.
So, between the reveal of Outlander returning to Starz on March 6, the news that the premiere will be an extended episode, and the release of the latest of Diana Gabaldon’s novels, fans of both the show and the books have a lot to be excited about. Be sure to tune in to Starz on Sunday, March 6 in 2022 at 9 p.m. ET for the return of Outlander for the first time since May 2020.
