The end of season one of Outlander saw Sam Heughan's character Jamie Fraser endure a brutal rape and beating by Black Jack Randall, played by Tobais Menzies. When Heughan and Caitriona Balfe, who plays Claire Fraser, received the scripts for season two, they expressed concerns about how the couple would deal with the aftermath of the traumatic event. They approached the writers, who then reworked the storyline to address the emotional aftermath more effectively. Heughan praised the open-door policy with the show's writers as being fruitful for character development. The first few episodes of season two were challenging for all the main characters, as they faced significant shifts in their circumstances. Heughan had to portray Jamie as a member of French society while also dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Balfe commended Heughan's performance and acknowledged that their discomfort in real life helped to enhance the journey of their characters. Outlander will return with the second part of season seven in 2024.