What to Watch the Week of November 17: Outlander’s Long-Awaited Return Is Gut-Wrenching and Raw

The second half of Outlander’s seventh season is finally, finally here after 15 long months. It was back in August 2023 when we last saw Jamie and Claire return to Scotland with Young Ian (who left Rollo with Rachel), and Roger and Buck travel back in time to find Jem.

If you haven’t already, I recommend rewatching the first half of Outlander season seven (or 7A, as they’re calling it) before Friday night’s premiere (or you can read our recap). I’m sure Starz will have a “previously on…” montage, but there are so many callbacks to the first half of the season in these new episodes that it will make for a more gratifying watch to be caught up.

Episode 709—the first one of Outlander 7B—is titled “Unfinished Business,” and it’s mild compared with what’s in store in episodes 710 and 711. That doesn’t mean it’s not as interesting—because it is—but it also sets up what’s about to transpire over this second half.

When I spoke to the cast recently, they had plenty to say about what’s to come (unfortunately everything Caitriona Balfe told me is too spoiler-y to print here…you’ll read more about what she has to say when we get to episode 711). Still, there were plenty of fascinating teases from the rest of the cast.

Charles Vandervaart on what’s in store for William: “A full-blown identity crisis.”

Lotte Verbeek on returning to play Geillis Duncan: “It was an exciting call to receive. There was always some rumor that we would somehow [be seen again]. We filmed this two years ago, which was already eight years after we first started. I didn’t realize it was 10 years ago. So, quite a journey we’ve all been through.”

Graham McTavish on coming back to play Dougal MacKenzie: “It’s quite mind-bending [what happens this season]. It’s a unique situation that will never be repeated, I suspect.”

Sam Heughan on the challenges Jamie and Claire will face: “We are thrown these dramatic scenes that are so abrasive or challenging when you first read them. But that’s also the joy of the show.”

Sophie Skelton on Bree’s staying behind with Mandy while Roger goes in search of Jem: “Basically this season is about the lengths you’d go through to protect your family. And we are about to do some [intense] stuff in order to achieve that.”

You’re about to see Bree as you’ve never seen her before in the second half of Outlander season 7.

Robert Wilson/Starz

Skelton on when Bree and Roger will reunite again: “It’s probably going to be longer than most would want it to. You’re going to have to wait a minute.”

Richard Rankin on Roger and Bree’s journey over the next eight episodes: “You’re in for a ride.”

Executive producer Matthew B. Roberts on 7B’s opening titles: “The main titles are very important for us in crafting what’s to come. We spend a lot of time [changing them up] every season to help the audience and to tease what’s coming. Our audience…they’re sleuths. They’re very good at detecting things. And I think sometimes they detect things that aren’t even there, which is fine by me. Go for it. But we definitely do that. We quickly plant these story points and Easter eggs all throughout the main titles. At the end of the season, you should be able to put all those pieces together and go, ‘Oh, that’s what that meant. That’s where that was from.’”

With that, let the countdown begin to Friday (you’re almost there!).

In other TV news, Taylor Sheridan’s newest series, Landman, premieres tonight on Paramount+. The cast is full of stars, including Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Jon Hamm, and Demi Moore.

On the comedy front, Night Court returns for its third season on NBC with Wendie Malick joining the cast. We’ll also see Big Bang Theory alum Mayim Bialik reunite with her former costar Melissa Rauch for an upcoming episode. Then there’s the new Netflix comedy, A Man on the Inside, which reunites The Good Place’s Ted Danson with creator Mike Schur.

The CMAs are also this week on ABC, with Lainey Wilson joining Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning for hosting duties. Also, Gladiator II hits theaters.

Want more? Read on, and I’ll see you back here next week for all the best Thanksgiving programming.

Sunday, November 17Landman (Paramount+): The new Taylor Sheridan series stars Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Jon Hamm, and Demi Moore. Here’s the synopsis: “Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Landman is a modern-day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs. Based on the notable 11-part podcast “Boomtown,” the series is an upstairs-downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy, and our geopolitics.” Streaming

The Holiday (CW): The fan-favorite film, written and directed by the legendary Nancy Meyers, stars Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, and more. 7 p.m. ET/PT, 6 p.m. CT

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (ABC): Harrison Ford returns to the role of legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones in the final installment of the iconic franchise, which makes its broadcast debut tonight. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT

Tuesday, November 19Night Court (NBC): The third season premiere is titled “The Judge’s Boyfriend’s Dad” and sees Abby doing some investigating over the fact that Dan might be her boyfriend’s father. Meanwhile, a blast from Dan’s past resurfaces as the court’s new prosecutor. Wendie Malick joins the show this season on a regular basis. 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, 7:30 p.m. CT and streaming on Peacock

Interior Chinatown (Hulu): Based on Charles Yu’s award-winning book of the same name, the 10-episode series follows the story of Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural called Black & White. As the story goes, Willis goes through the motions of his on-screen job, waiting tables, dreaming about a world beyond Chinatown and aspiring to be the lead of his own story. But when Willis inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, he begins to unravel a criminal web in Chinatown while discovering his own family’s secret history. Interior Chinatown stars Jimmy O. Yang, Ronny Chieng, Chloe Bennet, Lisa Gilroy, Sullivan Jones, Archie Kao, and Diana Lin. Streaming

Our Oceans (Netflix): Narrated by former president Barack Obama, this five-part documentary takes viewers on a 75,000-mile cruise across and beneath the oceans as they are today, giving viewers unprecedented access to some of the most unexplored realms of our planet. Streaming

Wednesday, November 20The 58th Annual CMA Awards (ABC): Luke Bryan, Peyton Manning, and Lainey Wilson host the annual awards show, known as Country Music’s Biggest Night, live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Performers include Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Sierra Hull, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Ashley McBryde, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Chris Stapleton, Teddy Swims, Thomas Rhett, Molly Tuttle, and Lainey Wilson. 8 p.m. ET/PT, 7 p.m. CT and streaming the next day on Hulu

Thursday, November 21A Man on the Inside (Netflix): From creator Mike Schur and starring Ted Danson, A Man on the Inside is based on the documentary The Mole Agent, which was nominated for best documentary feature at the Oscars in 2021. Here’s the synopsis: Retired professor Charles (Ted Danson) feels life has nothing new in store for him. A year after his wife’s passing, he’s become stuck in his routine and grown distant from his daughter Emily (Mary Elizabeth Ellis). But when he spies a classified ad from private investigator Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada), he’s inspired to roll the dice on a new adventure—to go undercover inside the Pacific View Retirement Home in San Francisco and solve the mystery of a stolen family heirloom. Stephanie Beatriz also stars. Streaming

Cruel Intentions (Prime Video): Based on the 1999 cult classic with Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Selma Blair, this new adaptation and reimagining takes place at an elite Washington, DC, college. It focuses on two ruthless step-siblings, Caroline Merteuil (Sarah Catherine Hook) and Lucien Belmont (Zac Burgess), who will do anything to stay on top of the cutthroat social hierarchy. After a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Greek Life system at their school, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputation. Streaming

Friday, November 22Outlander (Starz): After season 7A’s finale, Claire, Jamie, and Young Ian have left the colonies and arrive in Scotland. But in typical Outlander fashion, their peaceful homecoming won’t last for long. Meanwhile, Roger and Brianna face new enemies across time and must battle the forces that threaten to pull their family apart as they search for Jem. 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT and on the Starz app at midnight

Gladiator II (Paramount Pictures): Director Ridley Scott continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Here’s the synopsis: Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people. Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington also star. In theaters

Saturday, November 23A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (Apple TV+): The holiday special will stream for free today and tomorrow. In case you haven’t seen A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving in a while, Peppermint Patty invites everyone to Charlie Brown’s for Thanksgiving, even though he is already going to celebrate at his grandmother’s. Snoopy decides to cook his own version of a Thanksgiving meal with help from his friends. Streaming for free