Amidst the agonizing wait for the eighth and final season of Outlander, fans will find a brief reprieve thanks to the highly anticipated prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood. This 10-episode series will focus on the parents of Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie (Sam Heughan) with the genre-bending flair that defined the original series. Blood of My Blood will premiere exclusively on Starz August 8.

Alternating between World War I England and early 1700s Scotland, Blood of My Blood will offer never-before-seen insight to the love stories of Jamie’s parents, Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) and Claire’s parents, Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine). Though these two couples are separated by centuries, their stories will collide in unexpected ways that echo Jamie and Claire’s relationship.

The prequel will also reintroduce younger versions of certain characters from the original Outlander series. Jamie’s beloved cousin Murtagh (Rory Alexander) and Dougal MacKenzie (Sam Retford) will both appear, as well as future laird Colum MacKenzie (Séamus McLean Ross) and loyal advisor Ned Gowan (Conor MacNeil). Viewers will also meet other members of the MacKenzie clan in their younger days as the story unfolds.

Ahead of the Season 1 premiere, Blood of My Blood has already been renewed for a second season, and filming is underway. Unlike the Outlander TV series, Blood of My Blood is not based directly on Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling book series, but she is still involved as a consulting producer. While waiting for Blood of My Blood to drop, there is a bounty of Outlander content for fans to explore, from the books that started it all to the TV series, available on Netflix and Starz.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

The year is 1945, and former British combat nurse Claire Randall travels to the Scottish Highlands with her husband, Frank, for a second honeymoon. But when she touches a mysterious standing stone, Claire finds herself in the year 1743. Life in war-torn 18th century Scotland isn’t safe for anyone, let alone a sassenach–“outlander”–and Claire’s only means for safety is the young warrior Jamie Fraser. Amid danger, passion, and adventure, Claire must choose between these two discordant lives.

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