While HBO is the pioneer in book-to-television show conversion, STARZ is taking their swing at the genre with the new series “Outlander,” based off of the original book Outlander by Diana Gabaldon,. The show aired on Sunday, Aug. 10, and is about a woman from the 1940s who gets sent back in time to 1743 Scotland. The show mixes historical fiction mixed with a bit of romance, action, sci-fi and comedy, so it is open to a wide variety of audiences.

Many book quotes are used in the show in the form of voice-overs, due to Gabaldon’s insistence on keeping as true to the book as possible. The opening scene voice-over, for example, is the complete prologue from the book.

A great scene, taken directly from the book, is the reaction of the grandmother figure, Mrs. Fitz, on Claire’s undergarments from the 20^th century.

The costume designer, Terry Dresbach Moore, wanted to be as accurate as possible to the time period. Moore used real wool to keep with the highland way of dress. The actors have reportedly complained not only about the weight, but the smell of wet wool.

The show is filled with unknown actors who take their jobs seriously. By casting unknowns, the show is getting its popularity based off of merit not name recognition.

The writers of the show have gotten insider knowledge from Gabadon herself, with minor character storylines not in the books, but ones she intended to publish. This type of insider knowledge helps the producers keep the bookworms attached to the new series.

The show Outlander is a must see, even for those unfamiliar with the book. The show will undoubtedly be on this year’s must watch list,