#FlashbackFriday: Why I’ll always feel sorry for Outlander Season 1’s Frank

By Alexandria Ingham | Mar 8, 2019

Photo credit: Outlander/Starz Image acquired via Starz Media Room /

Frank Randall isn’t one of the most-loved characters, but it’s hard not to feel for him in the very beginning. Outlander Season 1 Frank didn’t ask for anything that did happen to happen.

I get that people don’t like what Frank Randall did in the later books/episodes, but this is all about the character in the very first season (and book). Frank in Outlander Season 1 was an innocent in the mess that happened when Claire fell through the stones. He never asked for it and never expected it, so it’s hard not to feel sorry for him.

For this, I want you all to forget everything that you know about Frank at later stages. Only think about Frank when you were first introduced to this character — what you knew about him as a historian, a former MI6 agent, and a husband. Sure, he wasn’t the most attentive during his second honeymoon in Scotland but Claire didn’t seem to mind all that much.

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And just because he wasn’t attentive doesn’t put any blame on him for what happened when Claire fell through the stones. He had no idea where she’d gone or what happened to her. Everyone kept telling him that she’d ran off with another man but, despite asking whether she’d cheated on him with a Scot during the war, he refused to believe that had happened.

He knew that something had happened to her. He was worried, terrified in fact. He remained in Scotland for six weeks and, eventually, he had to get back on with his life. Yet, the minute she returned after three years, he was back to see her. This was a man who clearly didn’t forget her or fall out of love with her. He just couldn’t wait around in Scotland because, well, life!

Everything that happened after was a product of Claire falling through the stones. Jealousy, lack of passion, anger, distrust, sadness. They were all emotions running through the two of them. Their marriage breakdown came because of the trip through the stones — okay, it may have happened anyway but we’d never get to know that.

Frank lost his wife the day Claire through the stones. He lost the future that he thought about and the woman who was the love of his life (at least, at the time). He never asked for it or had a hand in it and it’s impossible not to feel sorry for this character we meet early on.

Next. Why Frank in Outlander Season 4 was so necessary. dark

What did you think of Frank Randall in Outlander Season 1? What did you feel for him in the very beginning before knowing anything else? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander Season 5 is in production. Follow Claire and Jamie on Twitter for the latest updates.