Outlander: Was Graham Menzies inspired by Tobias Menzies?

Outlander fans heard a verra familiar name during Outlander Season 5, Episode 5. Was Graham Menzies a nod to actor Tobias Menzies?

If you heard a particular name in Outlander Season 5, Episode 5 and then had to backtrack to hear it again, you wouldn’t have been alone. A lot of fans have questions about Graham Menzies and whether or not he was a nod to our own Tobias Menzies.

This is, of course, coming from those who haven’t read the books. After all, those who have read the third book, “Voyager,” will know that there’s a Mr. Menzies in the story. And even that wasn’t a nod to the man who would end up playing Black Jack Randall and Frank Randall. The novel was written in the 1990s, long before the show was even a go.

So, who was Graham Menzies in the book? He did show up in the hospitals in the 1960s, but the story played out a little differently. I’m not going to spoil how it played out in this post. That’s for a post later in the week. Instead, what I will say is that i get the feeling the change was partially due to time and partially to help it connect to the exact storyline going on in the 18th century.

Either way, it’s Menzies’s storyline that leads to Claire taking time off work and heading to London. It’s because of this that she learns about Reverend Wakefield’s death and meets Roger. This leads to her finding out that Jamie did survive Culloden, and we all know how the story plays out from there.

What did you think about the inclusion of Graham Menzies? Did you hope that it was a nod to Tobias Menzies? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Outlander Season 5 airs Sundays at 8/7c on STARZ.