Fans of Outlander, featuring the dynamic duo of Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan), have been loyally tuning in with anticipation every Friday but haven’t shied away from airing their critiques about the series.

The Starz network’s beloved historical fantasy series made a grand return this November after a considerable hiatus, with the Frasers finding their path back to Scotland. However, the thrill of Claire reuniting with Jamie on Scottish soil quickly fades when she is summoned back to America by an emergency message from Lord John Grey (David Berry).

After providing medical assistance to Lord Grey’s brother Henry (Harry Jarvis), Claire is rattled by alarming intelligence: Jamie planned to cross the Atlantic to meet her, but his vessel is believed to have been lost at sea, with all hands assumed dead.

Fans, however, are not easily convinced by Jamie’s alleged demise and have taken to vigorous debate over the show’s latest captivating episode as reported by the Daily Record.

Outlander returned to TV screens in November (Image: STARZ)

A particular bone of contention among devotees pertains to the show’s theme tune, which evolves with each season and presently showcases the late Irish singer Sinead O’Connor’s rendition.

Dismay has been voiced within the fan community, particularly on Reddit where one viewer lamented, “As the seasons go on the singer is changed for the title sequence sometimes it works but other times it’s hard to listen to mainly in the last few seasons,” before posing the question, “Does anyone else feel as though they should have kept the original version of the song throughout the show? “, reports the Irish Star.

Outlander fans are in a flurry over the show’s beloved tradition of updating its theme song each season, sparking debates as the series approaches its eighth and final lap. With speculations about yet another tweak to the iconic tune, one viewer pitched in: “Depending on how the series ends, I would not mind having the original version show up in the series finale. It would bring things full circle.”

The same fan added depth to their perspective: “I actually like how the song changes with each season- it sets the tone for the time/place of each season. I like some better than others, but for the most part, I don’t mind.”

Another avid watcher shared a hunch: “I don’t mind any of the variations but I feel like they’re going to go back to the original singer for the last season. Just my gut feeling, hoping they do for nostalgia.”

Yet, some die-hards remain critical of the shifts away from the initial melody, with one stating quite plainly: “The original was by far the best! ” Echoing this preference, someone else praised the first three seasons’ music: “1,2,3 will always be the best,” However, the diversity of opinions stands out, with one confessing: “Love Sinead, but this version is certainly my least favourite.”

Meanwhile, an ardent fan expressed affection for the maiden rendition sung by Raya Yarborough: “I’ve always loved the original version with Raya Yarborough on vocals.”

Finally, a commenter suggested keeping with one theme song for series continuity, much like [Game of Thrones] did, claiming it would have preserved instant recognizability.

The burning question on everyone’s mind now is: Who will be the one to perform the Outlander theme for its final season?