5 top moments from Men in Kilts Season 1, Episode 5

It was all about the many traditions that are part of Scottish culture in Men in Kilts Season 1, Episode 5. Here are the top five moments from the episode.

When you talk about Scotland, it’s hard not to think about tweed or Gaelic, even though the language isn’t spoken as much as it used to be. There were also some surprises I didn’t know about the country’s culture like basket weaving.

Sam and Graham give us a rundown on some of Scotland’s ancient traditions that are still celebrated today.

Here are the five best moments from Men in Kilts Season 1, Episode 5.

Men in Kilts Season 1, Episode 5 best moments

Visiting Stewart Christie

The first stop in this episode was to Scotland’s oldest tailor shop—Stewart Christie. I couldn’t believe it when they said they’ve been there since 1720. It really was amazing to step back in time in the shop to learn more about the traditional methods of tailoring. They even still have a pair of 200-year-old scissors! Stewart Christie is also one of the few tailors who still do their work in house.

Of course we have to talk about our two dapper Scots who got all dressed up in Harris Tweed. They certainly looked handsome. I wouldn’t oppose a name change, Men in Tweed, like Sam suggested. What do you guys think—maybe season 2?

Gaelic lesson

Though Gaelic isn’t spoken as much anymore, that doesn’t mean some people aren’t still working hard to preserve the language. That’s what Gaelic teacher Morag McDonald is trying to do. Gaelic is her first language and she taught it to her family.

Sam and Graham were trying to learn some words and walked away with a few new ones, though it was very hard for poor Sam to concentrate thanks to the midges. Anyone who’s been to Scotland or heard about living there from the cast knows midges are very annoying to deal with.

What amused me most is that it seemed Graham and Morag were ok with the midges, but Sam just couldn’t handle it.

Meeting Claire Marcello

An important part of Claire’s character in Outlander is knowing all about plants. Being in the past, that’s the only way she can treat her patients other than penicillin. But she didn’t always have penicillin and it can’t solve everything so she needed to rely on the natural resources she had around her.

We got to meet herbalist Claire Marcello in this Men in Kilts episode, who was the herb advisor on Outlander. It’s great to meet someone else who was involved in the show, like Gwyllyn the Bard in Episode 3. I also really like learning more about the ways Outlander tries to be as authentic and informed as possible.

Of course Sam had to poke some fun at Graham, asking what could help his hair loss. Spoiler: it’s the juice of an onion! And it wasn’t surprising that Sam steered clear from lavender.

Basket weaving

This may just be me, but I wasn’t aware that basket weaving was so important in Scotland. It was so interesting to see the process and also learn about some of its uses. In the past, one use for weaving was to make colanders for food like potatoes.

We learn about another Outlander connection with some of the wicker structures used in the show. Sam’s uncle created the stag Roger burned in Season 4 and the fiery cross in Season 5. They’re truly a work of art!

Sheepherding

I think the most amusing part of this episode and probably my favorite scene from the series so far is Sam and Graham running around trying to herd sheep. Sam had a misstep and ended up falling during the action, but I think they did pretty good for their first time. They got all the sheep in the gate in the end, didn’t they? Even the crofters were amused.

These crofters really do some amazing work. They said they can herd 300 sheep (and sometimes more!) at a time. They use signals and whistles to direct their working dogs to get the job done. Like the tailors at Stewart Christie, the crofters get their work done with older instruments. They choose to use clippers to shear the sheep in a more traditional way rather than an electric tool.

What were your favorite moments from Men in Kilts Season 1, Episode 5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Men in Kilts airs Sundays on STARZ in the U.S. and Tuesdays on the Global TV App and Stack TV in Canada.