Starz announced today that Outlander has been picked up for a second season. The show has gotten off to a strong start with audiences after ambitious promotion from the premium cable network.
The show is based on the eight-novel series by Diana Gabaldon, which tell the story of a World War II nurse who is mysteriously transported to the 18th Century. It stars Caitriona Balfe as the nurse and Sam Heughan as a Scottish warrior. Outlander is filmed on location in Scotland.
“I’m thrilled at the prospect of doing another season of this show for Starz,” series creator Ronald D. Moore (Star Trek: THe Next Generation, Battlestar Galactica) said in a statement. “This project has been a labor of love from the very beginning and it’s incredibly gratifying to see it succeed with viewers and critics alike.”
The second season will run at least 13 episodes, although since season one will run 16 episodes, that order can be expanded. Starz already decided that season one would be split in half, with the first half airing this August through October. The second half will premiere early next year.
Outlander got a major promotional push from Starz, with the pilot made available for free online and On Demand a week before it premiered on Saturday. That all paid off when the show premiered to a combined 3.7 million viewers.
“The overwhelming support Outlander has received from the fans, viewers and critics made the decision for us to go ahead with the second book a very easy one. Diana Gabaldon has given us years of great drama,” Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said.
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