'Outlander' season 3: Episode count has not been cut, producer confirms

On top of one of the longest Droughtlanders the fans have to endure, reports of “Outlander” season 3 cutting the number of episodes may have come as a bit of a shock. However, Co-executive Producer Maril Davis has cleared things up to allay any concerns people have, who read such reports.

The popular Starz TV series will have 13 episodes this year. The producers have not cut anything, contrary to what some reports claimed. Replying to a question by a fan, Davis explained that reports of the show having only 10 episodes this time around are simply not true, and the fans should consider them to be “fake.”

With the new season mostly focusing on the separate storylines of Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) in the first few episodes, cutting the season short to just 10 would have been very disappointing to the fans who are eagerly looking forward to more romance. With the confirmation from Davis, readers can look forward to a long adventure in “Outlander” season 3.

Typically, a TV series can be as short as 8 episodes, but most shows limit it to 10. The Starz TV series has also experimented with different lengths. The first season had 16 episodes, which was broken up into two parts, with a brief hiatus in between. The fans were not happy about the break, and wanted to watch the show continuously.

The second season aired without a break, but was shorter with 13 episodes. The producers felt that this would be an ideal number they can work with. The long books by Diana Gabaldon may be a challenge to adapt to the TV series, but 13 episodes, the team felt, was appropriate to tell the story, while keeping the script tight. The producers also need to consider the time it takes to film the show, more episodes would mean a longer production cycle, which will be difficult for the fans to accept.

So, for now, the Starz TV series will stick to 13 episodes per season that will be delivered without a hiatus in the middle. Filming is currently ongoing in Cape Town, South Africa, and is scheduled to wrap by June.

Some of the cast members have already completed their share of work, which includes filming and the Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) in the studio, for “Outlander” season 3. The show is set to premiere in September. Starz is yet to announce an exact release date.