Starz's 'Men in Kilts': 'Outlander' pals talk U.K. politics

It turns out it’s not only “Outlander’s” famously passionate fan base that has generated interest in Scotland, the key setting of both Diana Gabaldon’s beloved novels and their Starz TV series adaptation. “But we did set out to make our own show.” Television ‘Outlander’s’ brutal finale made Sam Heughan rethink one of his own key scenes “Outlander” star Sam Heughan reacts to the popular Starz drama’s shocking Season 5 finale in the latest episode of “Can’t Stop Watching.” The bulk of the series’ eight themed episodes were filmed last August over three weeks amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Other people have gone to Scotland, other people have done travel shows, but no one has those two and their chemistry.” “Men in Kilts” acts as a companion to McTavish and Heughan’s 2020 book “Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other,” which goes into more depth on the history and culture presented in the show. It’s not about closing borders, it’s about being open to the rest of the world and not being insular.” McTavish sees recent calls for a second referendum on independence as Scotland being “given the chance to shape one’s own destiny as a nation.” Heughan was more direct on Twitter in December, responding to the news that Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon would again push for independence by writing, “Time to escape being dictated to by buffoons.” Despite very real political disagreements in Scotland, though — the percentage of Scottish voters who opposed Brexit was 62%, compared with 48% in the U.K. as a whole, and polling shows support for independence steady around 54% — “Men in Kilts” is lighthearted, vicarious fun.