#Outlander: Shortened Season Six Coming to Starz, Season Seven to Be Extended

Outlander fans had some mixed news this week. The long-awaited sixth season is coming to Starz in 2022 but there will be fewer episodes than usual, due to the pandemic. However, seven season will be extended to make up for season six. The cast and crew of the fantasy romance drama just wrapped up filming in time for “Outlander Day.”

Starz revealed more about the return of the series in a press release.

“In honor of World Outlander Day, STARZ announced today Droughtlander will end in early 2022 as production wraps this week on the sixth season of the original series Outlander from executive producer Ronald D. Moore. Reprising their starring roles, Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan as “Claire and Jamie Fraser,” Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin as “Brianna and Roger MacKenzie” and John Bell as “Young Ian,” the series returns in 2022 with an eight-episode season including a 90-minute premiere episode.

“We are excited to get into the editing room to work on bringing the fans one step closer to reuniting with the family back on Fraser’s Ridge,” said Matthew B. Roberts, Outlander showrunner. “Filming in 2021 has presented an unprecedented set of challenges which led us to the decision to truncate the season in order to bring the fans the most vibrant and dynamic season as soon as possible. Dinna fash, we will then film an extended season seven with 16 episodes next year as life returns to normalcy.”

“We are committed to telling the story fully with gripping and bold storylines in the upcoming eight-episode season that introduces viewers to new characters including Tom, Allan and Malva Christie (Mark Lewis-Jones, Alexander Vlahos and Jessica Reynolds) who create tension on the Ridge,” said Christina Davis, President of Original Programming for STARZ. “We can’t wait for viewers to see the exciting sixth season that reflects the STARZ #TakeTheLead initiative through unapologetic storytelling and powerful female characters.”

About Outlander Season Six

The sixth season of Outlander sees a continuation of Claire and Jamie’s fight to protect those they love, as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life in colonial America. Establishing a home in the New World is by no means an easy task, particularly in the wild backcountry of North Carolina – and perhaps most significantly – during a period of dramatic political upheaval. The Frasers strive to maintain peace and flourish within a society which – as Claire knows all too well – is unwittingly marching towards Revolution. Against this backdrop, which heralds the birth of the new American nation, Claire and Jamie have built a home together at Fraser’s Ridge. They must now defend this home – established on land granted to them by the Crown – not only from external forces, but also from the increasing strife and conflict in the community within their care. For the Frasers and their immediate family, “home” is more than simply a site in which they live, it is the place where they are laying the foundations for the rest of their lives. If Season Four asked “What is home?” and Season Five asked, “What are you willing to do to protect your home?” then Season Six explores what happens when there is disharmony and division among the inhabitants of the home you’ve created: when you become an outsider, or an ‘outlander,’ so to speak, marginalized and rejected in your own home.

Adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s international best-selling books, Season Six is based on material from the sixth book in the Outlander series, A Breath of Snow and Ashes. STARZ recently announced the pick-up of the seventh season of Outlander which will be based on the seventh of the eight books in the series, entitled An Echo in the Bone.

The critically-acclaimed fifth season of “Outlander” drew a series high 6.7 million multiplatform viewers per episode, while averaging 5.7 million multiplatform viewers for all five seasons. Outlander has been a Top 5-rated scripted series on cable with women for each of the last four years.

Ronald D. Moore, Matthew B. Roberts, Maril Davis, Toni Graphia, Andy Harries and Jim Kohlberg executive produce. Outlander is produced by Tall Ship Productions, Left Bank Pictures and Story Mining & Supply Company, in association with Sony Pictures Television.”

Check out the announcement about the return of the series below.

What do you think? Are you excited about the return of Outlander on Starz? How long should this series continue?