But there is a certain charm to it. It feels like you are watching a lost tape from 1995. It makes the time travel element of the show feel more literal. You half expect the screen to glitch and for Roger to show up with a dial-up modem. Storytelling Grade: A (The episode sets up the coming war beautifully, even if you can't see the bullets). Visual Grade: F (Don't do this to yourself).

Warning: Light spoilers for Outlander Season 7, Episode 1 ("A Life Well Lost").

S07E01, "A Life Well Lost," is a fantastic return for the Frasers. But do yourself a favor: find a better connection. If you watch the battle scenes in 240p, you won't know if Jamie is fighting a Redcoat or a particularly large tree stump.

Stream better, ye ken?

There is a specific kind of time travel that doesn't involve the standing stones of Craigh na Dun. It’s the experience of watching a brand new episode of Outlander in .

In an era of 4K HDR and Dolby Vision, I found myself streaming Season 7, Episode 1 on a shaky connection that defaulted to the lowest resolution possible. Was it frustrating? Yes. But was it also a strangely nostalgic way to watch Jamie and Claire navigate the 18th century? Absolutely.

Here is my review of S07E01, filtered through a pixelated, blurry lens. The episode kicks off with the aftermath of the Battle of Monmouth. Claire is doing Claire things—stitching wounds and looking worried. Jamie is doing Jamie things—looking stoic and carrying a broadsword.

Ironically, watching in 240p made the dialogue hit harder. I couldn't get distracted by the beautiful Scottish scenery (because it was just four green pixels), so I actually listened to the politics of the Revolutionary War for the first time. Let’s be real: This episode is gorgeous. The costumes, the muskets, the burning ships—it’s cinematic. Watching it in 240p is a crime against the art department.