Outlander : Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Or is it a show that only women enjoy ?

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

apparently about 40% of the viewing audience is male. So I'd say a guy could enjoy it.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

I'm a guy & I enjoy it. For the most part, anyway. Could have done without all the overload in the showing of the sex & rape if you ask me. I don't remember it being that detailed in the book, so I didn't see why it needed to be in the show. I may be wrong. Have only read the books once each so far. And I don't own them, so I'd have to check it out of the library to reread it.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

It was more detailed in the book and there was more torture.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

I agree fully

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

The show is basically porno for women and the main characters spend a lot of time with their kit off. I didn't mind it up until the last couple of episodes of season 1 which focussed almost exclusively on male rape and degradation. My wife thought the same and we're in no hurry to watch season 2.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?


The show is basically porno for women


Yes. Male rape and degradation as you call it is definitely the stuff female dreams are made of.

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

😨 I didn't know that!! 😱

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Hope is a Weapon, Survival is Victory- Dunkirk Movie

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

You are just too innocent dear Krish.

I was so disappointed S2 featured next to no male rape. And all that "plot". Who needs that. I bet they just put that in to appeal to the male demographic.

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

But.. but.. but, they had male child rape, right? RIGHT?? 😨😱

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Hope is a Weapon, Survival is Victory- Dunkirk Movie

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Yeah but nobody got their kit off. So lame.

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Ok.. so, women only enjoy men getting tortured and raped? Then, Outlander can't satisfy women from now on.. How sad!!

But really, the poster can't see anything past "porno"?

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Hope is a Weapon, Survival is Victory- Dunkirk Movie

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Never underestimate how simple and vapid we women folk truly are

Maybe what strikes us most about something is what we are most uncomfortable with personally? So personally I could have done without much of the rape plots Gabaldon uses, and I suppose for the poster it was nudity in general? Nothing pornographic about it though...

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

And yet, many in the general viewing audience (including men) seem to have no problem with violence overall. Consider all the very popular, award winning violent television programming and movies. So, if violence, generally, is not unacceptable in entertainment, then maybe it would help these people (men) who objected to the last two episodes of season one to know that rape is not about sex and is not about arousal, i.e., pornography, but is about power, violence, and control. That is, it's a brutal crime and not some sort of erotic, sex show.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?


And yet, many in the general viewing audience (including men) seem to have no problem with violence overall.

I think it's more about if we are prepared to watch a particular scene. For some, that must've been a first time seeing a man being raped on screen? Maybe? I've already seen it happen in American History X movie for the first time.. and I don't know, I wasn't prepared.. I wasn't even expecting it. It disturbed me a lot but in the end, I loved the movie and I got over it.

I've also seen it happen in Spartacus TV series.. this time, it didn't disturb me, mostly because it didn't happen to the protagonist.. and this time I was prepared for it, but wasn't expecting it. I knew that this can also happen.. that they can show men being raped on screen.

Coming to Outlander, I was both prepared and was expecting it to happen.. (no, I wasn't spoiled). It disturbed me nonetheless because it was the most graphic rape (male and female) scene I have ever watched. But I can see it is essential to the plot.. and easily got over it.

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Hope is a Weapon, Survival is Victory- Dunkirk Movie

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Male rape is not uncommon in films: Deliverance and Scum are two that spring to mind. However, neither of these lingered over the event in the detail this particular show did and in both of the films I mentioned, the scene was integral to the plot. That didn't seem to be the case with Outlander, however, where the rape was totally gratuitous. Had it been a female character subject to such an ordeal, I can imagine there being an uproar.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?


both of the films I mentioned, the scene was integral to the plot. That didn't seem to be the case with Outlander, however, where the rape was totally gratuitous.

May I suggest you to read what Outlander's author has to say about this? I'll provide you with the link, if you're interested, please do read: http://www.dianagabaldon.com/2010/12/jamie-and-the-rule-of-three/

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Hope is a Weapon, Survival is Victory- Dunkirk Movie

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Actually the rape and torture is integral to the plot. It affects Jamie (and thus Claire) throughout his whole life.

As for it being a female that was raped instead...doubt much of an uproar would have ensued had they handled it the same way. In fact I doubt we'd have guys complaining about it at all.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

May I suggest you to read what Outlander's author has to say about this? I'll provide you with the link, if you're interested, please do read: http://www.dianagabaldon.com/2010/12/jamie-and-the-rule-of-three/

Thanks - interesting read. I haven't seen any further than season 1 so it will be interesting to see how this develops. I still think it was a little too graphic, though, and served more to shock than be a plot point.

As for it being a female that was raped instead...doubt much of an uproar would have ensued had they handled it the same way. In fact I doubt we'd have guys complaining about it at all.

A few sick individuals might enjoy it but the majority of people, men and women, abhor such things.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?



As for it being a female that was raped instead...doubt much of an uproar would have ensued had they handled it the same way. In fact I doubt we'd have guys complaining about it at all.

A few sick individuals might enjoy it but the majority of people, men and women, abhor such things.


No one said anything about enjoying it. That was never the purpose of those scenes. It was to give a fairly realistic picture of rape. And for those that want to say no it didn't, DG, Sam and the producers got lots of responses from rape survivors saying how much it helped them and how realistic it was.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

I have read comments that the author appears overly mesmerized by sexual sadism, which is a bit of a worry.
Frankly, the amount of sex in series one, had me very close to ditching further viewing of this otherwise compelling yarn. "The Wedding Night" episode became relentlessly boring.
Does anybody else feel that the porn element in this series is one of its least attractive features?

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

I'm not sure you will get the replies you are looking for if you keep referring to it as "porn". It's hard to have a sensible discussion (if indeed that is what you are looking for) if it is framed with such derogatory, or at least simplistic language.

Personally I have issues with the author's fetish for sexual sadism. Others don't. But I doubt you will find anyone here who has a problem with the consensual sex between two married people who love each other.

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

So what sort of replies am I looking for exactly? Am purely interested in other people's reactions.
Yes I am looking for a sensible discussion and my choice of language was neither simplistic or derogatory. Porn to me is a gratuitous depiction of sex and it seems to be a fetish of the author as pointed out by literary critics. I referred to the wedding night episode which for me was way overdone and in terms of plot development was a gratuitous emphasis on variations of the kama sutra - hey, twenty plus minutes in one episode. Consensual sex between a married loving couple or not, its emphasis was unwarranted.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Since the wedding episode is a huge fan favorite, I guess you won't find many viewers who agree with you.

I find it interesting, that it's always men who complain about "too much sex" in Outlander, while shows like "Game of Thrones" are typical male favorites. They have as much sex as Outlander if not more, but it is not used and shown in the same way. Sex in those shows to me is so much more gratuitous, women are used in a deragatory way and sex is mostly used for manipulation and power.

I actually usually don't like sex in TV shows. It makes me uncomfortable to watch and I hate how women are portrayed, but I love Outlander and I especially loved the wedding episode. The tentative steps from duty to love were so beautifully shown and filmed. For me it was not at all boring, not at all gratuituous nor unwarranted. It was incredibly important for them as a couple and since this couple is the centre of the story, it was central for the story as a whole.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Your comments make much sense Andorra and I appreciate the comparison with sex scenes in "Game of Thrones". Despite the discomfort and ennui I feel during prolonged sex scenes in film/television, it seems I need to raise my threshold of tolerance and understanding on certain occasions, the wedding episode being one such instance.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

One of the frequent fan complaints (not mine) was not enough prolonged sex scenes in Season 2. Cait just said that will be corrected in the reunion episode in Season 3, so your safe till Season 3 Episode 6. lol



Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Many thanks for the warning!! Cheers.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Unless there is prolonged Frank/Mary/Geneva sex before that

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?


Unless there is prolonged Frank/Mary/Geneva sex before that

A threesome? When did this show become Game of Thrones?

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Hope is a Weapon, Survival is Victory- Dunkirk Movie

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

You know when I typed the comment I knew someone would reply that. And of course it was you!!

Far be it from me to deny Frank this pleasure.

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?


You know when I typed the comment I knew someone would reply that. And of course it was you!!

😎😜

Far be it from me to deny Frank this pleasure.

That lucky fellow.

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Hope is a Weapon, Survival is Victory- Dunkirk Movie

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

That's because the sex in GoT and Outlander cater to the specific audience: male vs female. Not to mention the authors are also a man and a woman respectively. Men and women enjoy different types of sex in TV shows, just as they enjoy different types of porn.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?



Consensual sex between a married loving couple or not, its emphasis was unwarranted.
But this is not the Wedding episode was about. Jamie & Claire are in a forced marriage that they are forced to consummate, and Jamie is a virgin. The episode shows them as friends in an awkward situation moving toward a loving relationship.




Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Thank you for your concise and accurate appraisal of the particular episode which I have been critical of. I will not and cannot argue with your view....so it seems I should find some distraction when next a prolonged sexual encounter is on the cards! Coffee or tea?

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?


Porn to me is a gratuitous depiction of sex


Yes, and yet you haven't captured the essence here. 'Porn', (generalisation coming here) is, in most cases, a male-centric view of sex, which often presents the female as 'object', (willing or otherwise), other than 'active participant'.

For this reason alone, I think the Wedding episode of Outlander season 1 is very different from (the generalisation of) porn. The drama both characters experience and their views are both given weight and time and explored in the context of the situation. Porn does not do this.

Perhaps I find it a bit simplistic to suggest that any depiction of sex is porn-like; this is something with which I disagree. I do not think you meant it as a derogatory comment.

I know I'm late to the discussion, but hope this helps to clarify another opinion/reaction which you say you were after.

Happy discussing, thanks for joining in

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

And thank you Newguise for your very reasonable comment.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Great posting, Newguise!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Great post newguise, especially what you said about 'The Wedding' episode.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Thanks to mallaverack, Andorra and Laura for their kind words.

(Aren't we all civil and lovely?!)

Newguise x

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Civility is not dead...manners make life more enjoyable! 🤗

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

The Wedding Night episode was like one of those soft porn books for girls or immature women made into a TV show episode. The whole series is a bit like that, but this one episode was extreme and it made me wonder if men can truly enjoy such a series.

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Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?


Or is it a show that only women enjoy ?
I would say if you love women, or men, or enjoy sex, you might like the show! Oh yes, you must also like period dramas.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

My dad enjoys it. Although he always claims to have a strong female side so who knows if that is why

I think it depends more on what kinds of shows you enjoy than on your gender.

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

My husband didnt think he would like it, but now he's hooked! Its not only a love story, there's fighting, battles, politics....plenty for a man to enjoy as well!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

I'd like to think we lived in an era where so much entertainment wasn't dismissed as "women's stuff". Women enjoy "men's stuff".

We have a long way to go...

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

I think it's mostly considered "cool" though if women enjoy "men's stuff". The other way around, not so much. A sad testament to our society.

GRR...ARGH!

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?


I think it's mostly considered "cool" though if women enjoy "men's stuff". The other way around, not so much. A sad testament to our society.

True that.

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Hope is a Weapon, Survival is Victory- Dunkirk Movie

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Annabelle2918

I'd like to think we lived in an era where so much entertainment wasn't dismissed as "women's stuff". Women enjoy "men's stuff".
Skipmaus

I think it's mostly considered "cool" though if women enjoy "men's stuff". The other way around, not so much. A sad testament to our society.

Both statements are so true! It really irks me to no end when men say such foolish things. Do men not love their families? Do they not love their mates? or enjoy sex? How can you be in a loving relationship and have no taste for shows/movies just because they include a love story? I should think it would be more about the premise of the story rather than whether or not it contained a love story or sex. I think such statements are more a reflection of the men who make them.

Re: Is this a show that men can enjoy?

Very true. But it also implies "women's stuff" has less worth. Which strikes me as odd since I find emotions much more complex than big action or explosions. But then I am a woman

Either way the notion is pretty reductive and insulting to both sexes.

GRR...ARGH!
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