Outlander Spin-Off Men In Kilts - What We Know So Far

Even though the Starz's time travel drama Outlander is notorious for its steamy romances and bloody battles, the show has also always been a love letter to Scotland. Not only is the series filmed there (via The Scotsman), it's also credited with a boom in tourism to the northern reaches of the United Kingdom (via BBC). Now, the popular series is slated to get a spin-off, but it's not exactly what we expected.

In June 2020, Starz officially announced a new show starring Sam Heughan, who plays Jamie Fraser, and Graham McTavish, who plays Dougal MacKenzie. Instead of a scripted series starring the characters they play on Outlander, however, this new endeavor is a travel docu-series. Men in Kilts follows the two actors as they road trip across Scotland, taking in some of the most impressive natural splendors as well as learning more about its history and culture. Sadly, we won't be following the continued adventures of Claire (Caitriona Balfe) or any of the rest of the characters from the show, but we will get a more intimate look at some of the actors who play them.

This is bound to be both a wonderful companion piece to Outlander and a stand-alone show for those purely interested in learning more about Scotland. The announcement came with some details, so let's dive in and break down everything we know so far about Men in Kilts.

In preparation for Men in Kilts, Starz released some information to tease viewers about the upcoming show. One thing they didn't reveal, however, is exactly when the show is slated to release. The promotional materials for the new series only state that the show is "Coming Soon."

With the film and TV industry still on pause, "coming soon" is unlikely to inspire confidence in anyone, but there is a bit of good news. In 2019, Heughan was interviewed by OprahMag.com and dropped a piece of information about the yet-to-be-officially-announced show. He told the publication, "We've finished shooting and dare I say, I think it looks really fun." The glossy finish of the show's trailer (more on that in a minute) feels like further confirmation that the show itself is ready to go, and perhaps the network is merely working out the logistics of when to best release it. While we don't have any concrete information, that all points to the speculation that "coming soon" might actually mean the show is, indeed, coming soon.

So, when can we expect to get our eyes on Men in Kilts? Although we can't say for sure, it seems likely that the show will be released sometime before the end of 2020.

Men in Kilts will focus on the adventures of Heughan and McTavish, and is likely to feature many knowledgable and spirited experts along the way. There's no word yet on whether any of their fellow Outlander stars will make guest appearances, but we'll keep our fingers crossed for a cameo or two.

The show got its start as a podcast called Clan Lands, which Heughan conceived in 2019. He told OprahMag.com that the audio program began as a side project, but when he started shooting visuals to accompany the podcast, he realized it should be a TV show, instead. In the interview, Heughan said the show would be, "basically a road trip around Scotland with my co-star Graham McTavish, who's a character in himself. We'd been playing these Highland warriors for years now, faking it, and we thought, 'You know, it'd be nice to sort of find out a bit more about it.'"

In addition to all the great travel tips and historic knowledge, it appears that the show will also have a focus on the two actors at its center.

While we're not expecting the types of plot twists and shocking character deaths for which Outlander is famous, there are still some details to discuss when it comes to exactly what we'll be seeing on Men in Kilts.

Starz has already teased a few of the points of interest Heughan and McTavish will be visiting on the series, according to a report by TVLine. The pair will explore the Highland valley of Glencoe (or Glen Coe), which was the site of a historically important massacre that occurred during one of Scotland's most violent clan feuds (via Encyclopedia Britannica). They'll also visit the site of the Battle of Culloden, an event that was featured on Outlander.

In addition to the important historic sites, Men in Kilts also promises to take a more intimate look at Scottish history and culture, which will include speaking to local history experts and testing the wares of traditional artisans. In a statement to TVLine, Starz original programming president Christina Davis promised, "The series gives context and texture to Highland life and history, woven together, much like the tartan for which Scotland is so famous..."

The best thing about the announcement of Men in Kilts is that it came complete with a trailer. The first thing that's evident when watching the 70 second-long teaser is that the production values for the show look incredible. It's full of beautifully framed shots of rocky crags and imposing castles. If nothing else, the series looks like it's going to be worth watching for the stunning visuals alone.

The trailer also emphasizes the bond between the two hosts. We see them traveling via RV, boat, and even motorcycle, with Heughan at the helm and McTavish in a sidecar. Although the trailer zips through a number of scenes very quickly, the friendly chemistry between the co-stars is very evident. Needless to say, we also get more than a few shots of both men in their kilts.

While some Outlander fans may still be holding out hope for a scripted spin-off for one of the show's many characters, Men in Kilts looks ready to give us a fun and fascinating look at one of the show's most important characters: Scotland itself. Now, we have something else to fixate on while waiting around for Outlander season 6.