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Outlander not being at SDCC 2019 isn’t bad for the show

By Alexandria Ingham

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 11: Actor Sam Heughan (L) and actress Caitriona Balfe attend the Starz: "Outlander" panel during Comic-Con International 2015 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 11, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 11: Actor Sam Heughan (L) and actress Caitriona Balfe attend the Starz: "Outlander" panel during Comic-Con International 2015 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 11, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Outlander isn’t going to be at SDCC 2019. This isn’t a bad thing for the show. In fact, it could be seen as a good thing for the future.

There’s a common belief that if a show that’s previously been to San Diego Comic-Con doesn’t get to go one year, it’s a bad thing for the future of the show. That certainly isn’t the case, especially not this year for Outlander. While Outlander isn’t going to SDCC 2019, there’s no reason to worry about the future.

I’ve shared my thoughts on why the cast and EPs aren’t heading to SDCC this year. It’s not because they weren’t invited or that the show just isn’t getting enough traction to justify it. Nor does it mean that the show is secretly coming to an end. It’s all about timing of the Season 5 release.

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Not heading to SDCC 2019 is a good thing. The showrunners don’t want us to think that the season is “coming soon.” I remember The Man in the High Castle being at New York Comic-Con in 2017 and it led to the thought that the third season was coming soon. It wasn’t until NYCC 2018 that the season dropped on Amazon!

That was a long and torturous wait. While Droughtlander is hard, it would be made so much harder believing that it could be coming soon only to find out that we’re waiting longer.

The cast and showrunners weren’t even around for SDCC 2018 due to the timing of the release. With a November 2018 release planned, it made more sense for the show to get a panel at NYCC 2018 in October. The same could be happening here.

Outlander season 5
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 02: (L-R) Actors Sophie Skelton, Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe and Richard Rankin attends the Starz FYC Day at The Atrium at Westfield Century City on June 02, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Paul Archuleta/Getty Images) /

These conventions are about promotion. STARZ wants to give its shows the best promotional push possible. Promoting it in the summer when Season 5 isn’t likely premiering until at least January to March 2020 doesn’t make sense. By the time it gets to next year, some people who are just being introduced to the show may have forgotten about everything that happened in the summer.

We know that Outlander Season 6 is happening. STARZ renewed the series for two years. If the series remains as one of the cable network’s top-rated shows, there’s no reason not to think the series will be renewed in the future. And I don’t mean by the live rating standards. The Nielsen ratings don’t take the STARZ app (or international views) into account for live ratings. STARZ has a clearer picture and since it’s not relying on advertisers but on subscribers, this is going to work in our show’s favor.

So, don’t worry about the series just because it’s not at SDCC 2019. This is a good thing. If anything, it means the cast and crew can just focus on filming right now!

All the Outlander conventions in 2019. dark. Next

Did you worry about the series not being at SDCC 2019? Would you like to see more promotion of the series? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Follow Claire and Jamie on Twitter for the latest updates on Outlander filming and more.

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