How Many Episodes Are In Outlander Season 7?
"Outlander" Season 7 premiered on June 16, establishing the show as one of Starz' longest-running dramas rivaled only by the expansive "Power" franchise. In this latest season, the American Revolutionary War serves as a backdrop for time-traveling protagonist Claire Fraser (Caitríona Balfe) and her husband Jamie (Sam Heughan)'s ongoing adventures.
Whereas "Outlander" Season 6 is shorter than each season before it, Season 7's episode count will be twice that of its predecessor, albeit separated into two halves. In total, then, "Outlander" Season 7 consists of 16 episodes, which will air in discrete eight-episode chunks, the second of which will premiere in 2024 on a date that has yet to be announced. Whereas Seasons 2 through 5 are all either 12 or 13 episodes long, Season 7 fill follow a precedent set by Season 1, which is also 16 episodes in length and aired in two halves.
For now, the "Outlander" midseason finale will premiere on August 4. Less than a year passed between the end of the first part of Season 1 and the start of its second, so it's likely that Season 7, Part 2 will kick off at some point during the first half of 2024.
Outlander is about to undergo a major transition
While the second half of "Outlander" Season 7's premiere date remains undetermined, Starz has already confirmed that Season 8 will be the show's last and consist of 10 episodes. In a Deadline report about this news, network president Kathryn Busby shared her perspective on "Outlander" ending. "For nearly a decade 'Outlander' has won the hearts of audiences worldwide and we're pleased to bring Claire and Jamie's epic love story to a proper conclusion. But before we close this chapter there is plenty of their passionate story to tell over the course of 26 new episodes and even more to explore of this dynamic world and its origin story," she said.
Meanwhile, the "Outlander" franchise will continue in the original series' wake upon the debut of a spin-off titled "Outlander: Blood of My Blood." The events of "Blood of My Blood" take place prior to the main "Outlander" timeline and revolve around a new pair of protagonists. Nevertheless, the spin-off will retain certain key aspects of its progenitor's story. "There will be several names and faces that 'Outlander' fans will know and recognize," said showrunner Matthew B. Roberts. "There is still so much more to come in the Outlander universe, and we cannot wait to continue sharing these stories with our dedicated fans."
Moving forward, then, the 16 episodes of Season 7 and 10 episodes of Season 8 will lead into the start of the franchise's next incarnation in "Blood of my Blood."