Outlander's 6 seasons ranked from best to worst, according to Rotten Tomatoes reviews

Outlander Season 6 is over – but which is the best season of Outlander so far?

Outlander Season 6 has finished, plunging fans into another Droughtlander. Based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon, the time-travelling fantasy show has entertained audiences and impressed critics for almost a decade.

It currently has an 88 per cent overall critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 91 per cent score from its audience. But which Outlander season has been the best so far? Of course, this is entirely subjective. But let’s take a look at how each season ranks according to the reviews.

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Jamie Fraser and "Black Jack Randall" played by Sam Heughan and Tobias Menzes in Outlander (Outlander Starz)

1. Outlander Season 2

Outlander Season 2 is the strongest series yet, with a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes from both audience and critics. Claire and Jamie’s story takes them to Paris and culminates in the Battle of Culloden. The season finale Dragonfly in Amber is considered the best episode of Outlander ever.

2. Outlander Season 1

Claire and Jamie, played by Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, in Outlander Season 6 (Outlander Starz)

The magic of Outlander Season 1, where Claire first steps into the standing stones of Craigh na Dun, is hard to beat. From there we are thrown into an adventure across the Scottish Highlands, with romance, revelations, cliffhangers and a witch trial thrown in for good measure. It scores 91% on the Tomatometer, but 93% from the audience – placing it higher than Season 2 for viewers.

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3. Outlander Season 3

Outlander Season 3 has a 90% rating from critics and a 93% audience score. It covers the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden, the agonising separation of Jamie and Claire, and a journey to the Caribbean and beyond. An Entertainment Weekly review summed it up: “In season 3, Outlander, TV’s best romance, soars by making you fall in love with it all over again.”

4. Outlander Season 4

Outlander Season 4 is next, with an 88% score from critics and a lower 84% score from the audience. This season sees Jamie and Claire settle in North Carolina as the prospect of the American Revolution sizzles. In particular, Episode 9 The Birds and the Bees stands out for its emotional storytelling, focusing on Brianna.

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5. Outlander Season 6

Outlander Season 6 has just aired to favourable reviews – 88% from critics and 75% from the audience. Cut short to eight episodes due to the Covid pandemic and Caitriona Balfe’s pregnancy, this season throws life at Fraser’s Ridge into chaos. Claire struggles to deal with PTSD from a violent event, and new characters the Christies stir things up.

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6. Outlander Season 5

Though it’s ranked the lowest so far, Outlander Season 5 still scores a high 86%, and an 88% from its audience. Things get complicated at Fraser's Ridge as Jamie’s loyalties are questioned and Claire is accused of spreading “dangerous ideas” with her medical knowledge.

The series culminates in a truly harrowing violent incident, the aftermath of which bleeds into Season 6. Critics said the romance didn’t “burn as bright" this season, but it still received praise. One reviewer wrote: “Even when Outlander ventures into darkness, it still remembers its joyous spirit and finds new ways to make even small moments feel sweeping.”

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