Tara Ward recaps episode three of season six of Outlander, which sees some dirty words, a lot of feelings, and Marsali being an absolute queen.

We might be bobbing down the river of life in a basket woven from our emotions, but like Roger leaping into the river to rescue baby Henri-Christian, Outlander has swept us to safety. Episode three gave us another hour of quiet, steady drama to escape into, making Outlander the life-saving pool noodle we need right now. After all, when life gets us down, Outlander always reminds us that shit could be a whole lot worse.

I mean, you could be a bullfrog trapped in a bowl of milk, or you could be Lizzy, the 18th century meat in the Beardsley brothers sandwich, or you could be Marsali, who just had her fourth child in three seasons and is dealing with a newborn, a drunk husband, and a big spinning wheel. She’s also breastfeeding and probably bleeding into a futuristic sanitary pad that Bree invented inbetween making matches and velcro. Oh, Marsali. If anyone deserves a Dawson’s Creek marathon and a jumbo box of Favourites, it’s you.

Last week’s arrival of Marsali and Fergus’ baby Henri-Germain, born with achrondoplasia, sent the people of Fraser’s Ridge in a spin. Rumours flew amongst the settlers that the baby was a demon, but nothing unites the Frasers more than a false accusation of the supernatural. Jamie educated the local children with a red hot poker, Roger gave the kid an impromptu baptism and Fergus fell apart, unconvinced that he could protect Henri-Christian.

Once again, Marsali was the peanut butter holding everything together, and it’s a treat to see her get a strong storyline this season. She tried to support Fergus by revealing she killed Lionel Brown, but finding out his wife was a murderer didn’t improve Fergus’ mood. He didn’t want a woman to protect him, and Marsali – who probably hasn’t had a full night’s sleep since we waved bon voyage to the Ghost of Frank – had had enough. “I will have a whole man, or none at all,” she said, throwing drunk Fergus out. We hear you, we feel you, we are a bullfrog drinking your milk, Marsali.

The theme of faith ran through the episode like a buffalo through Claire Fraser’s clothesline. Tom Christie channeled the power of scripture while Claire operated on his hand, Roger told a grief-stricken single mother that God has a plan, and Malva stood in a swamp and talked about sinners. So, before Tom completely loses the plot and discovers some rude words in a book, let us bow down at the pulpit of ginger light and remember why we are gathered here today.

Tom Christie loves religion as much as he loves having five waggly fingers, and he showed a new respect for Claire after she fixed his hand. He revealed his wife was hanged as a witch, which might explain why Tom distrusts newfangled things like “books” and “women”, and why Claire is such an object of wonder to him. Why doesn’t she cover her head like a good pious woman? Why does she have so much hair? Does she hear choirs of angels sing when she looks into Jamie Fraser’s eyes while the moon is high and the tides are full?

Claire didn’t have the answers, but she did give Tom a book to read. Tom sent the novel back with a note and, in a curious coincidence, used the very same words that someone used with me after I recommended they watch Jamie and Claire’s wedding episode.

Six seasons of these recaps should prove that words will rot your brain, so maybe Tom was right all along. He admitted to Claire that he hated fiction until he heard Jamie comfort the Ardsmuir men by retelling the stories he’d read. No doubt Jamie told them about the definitely made-up tale of a mysterious woman from the future who released a herd of cattle into a prison and stole an orange from the Palace of Versailles. She had curly hair, a nose for trouble, and thighs that gripped like a vice. Five stars, would read again.

But now, Tom was never going to read a dirty word again. Let’s hope Jamie doesn’t show him the newspaper that arrived with the Colonel, bringing news of the Boston Tea Party and reminding Claire that war is on its way. While Jamie saved Fergus from harming himself and took him home to Marsali, Claire grew worried. She could sense the ominous tides of history lapping at her feet, and she didn’t like it. Or, maybe she just wanted a cup of tea. Oh, to be a bullfrog in that kitchen.

Outlander screens on Neon, with a new episode every Monday night. Read more of Tara Ward’s Outlander recaps here.