'Outlander' season 4 spoilers: Rape scene not used to make political point

There will be another rape scene in “Outlander” season 4 that viewers will have to endure. However, the producers of the show have promised to handle the storyline with the same amount of care and sensitivity with which they have handled such scenes before. The following article contains spoilers.

The plot of the next season is based on Diana Gabaldon’s book “Drums of Autumn,” in which Brianna (Sophie Skelton) travels back in time to meet her parents but is then raped by the new villain Stephen Bonnet (Ed Speleers). While the producers can try and skip certain parts of the books, this particular scene is important due to its impact on the future of the show.

The writers may not be in a position to skip the rape scene, but in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the producers promised to handle the subject matter with care.

Co-executive Producer Maril Davis pointed out that the rape scenes before were never done in a gratuitous manner. The producer explained that they are going to show such scenes in a way that helps the audience understand what the character is going through.

The treatment of the scene is particularly important this time around because of the Me Too campaign, where real-life rape victims come forward with their stories.

Executive Producer Matthew B. Roberts added that they are not trying to make a political statement with the rape scene. He said that they would have “lost the plot” the moment it starts to feel like a political statement. Roberts also pointed out that such scenes tell a lot about the time in which the show is based.

Executive Producer Toni Graphia echoed Roberts’ statements, saying that they want to show something that was “unfortunately very prevalent in that period and was one of the dangers of being back there.”

“We want to show the dark parts as well as the interesting, exciting parts. We want to put our characters through those tests and trials," Graphia said.