How to Adapt the Protagonist’s Perspective from Page to Screen: the Case of Outlander

The article analyzes how the television adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s novels, Outlander, preserves the protagonist’s unique perspective from book to screen. We will delve into the specific narrative and audiovisual strategies employed by the show to keep the depth of the book’s first-person narrative and to mirror its intimacy. The paper will focus particularly on the first season to evaluate the effectiveness of three key techniques: the voice-over narration, the customized opening credits, and the use of Gaelic without subtitles. These devices not only maintain but occasionally enhance the emotional and psychological depth of the protagonist’s centrality as both a narrative anchor and a bridge to audience engagement. This analysis will also reveal how these strategies are used to forge a strong protagonist-viewer connection enriching the storytelling experience. After exploring the inaugural season, the paper will finally offer a brief consideration of how the application of these strategies evolves in subsequent seasons.