Outlander turns 10, yet season 1 remains the show at its very best

That, in large part, is down to its initial showrunner Ronald D Moore who, once upon a time, enjoyed a dinner with his wife Terry Dresbach (costume designer on the first few seasons) and his producing partner Maril Davis, during which they geeked out over their shared love of Diana Gabaldon's book series – and the seeds of what would become the show Outlander were planted.

The adaption simply would not have been the same without Moore at its helm, and while he stepped down as acting showrunner around season 4 (he remains an executive producer), it is ultimately thanks to the way he developed the series and masterfully crafted its first season that the show took off.

The key to bringing Gabaldon's books to the small screen was to have a solid grasp on what they're about at their core, something that Moore and his team understood from the word go. Throughout Outlander's debut, he made choices that departed from the novels, and could have angered some diehard fans, but instead added the depth and layers needed for its televisual reshaping.

The former showrunner also understood Scotland's importance in this narrative, with the setting acting as a character in and of itself. From Castle Leoch to Lallybroch, and even the courtyard of Fort William, the locations of the first season of Outlander are simply iconic – so much so that every time one of them pops up on the show, the fandom cannot contain itself.

I can already hear the cheer when Claire, Jamie and Young Ian finally arrive at Jamie's family home in season 7's return.

Scotland made Outlander special and vice-versa.

The first season of Outlander also stands out thanks to its incredible cast of characters, many of whom have since departed. Not only were they well-written, they also had unbelievable chemistry – and I'm not just talking about Claire and Jamie (Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan), whose relationship transcended the screen, but also Jamie and his uncle Dougal (Graham McTavish), and Claire and Black Jack Randall (Tobias Menzies).

In fact, as both Frank and his ancestor Black Jack, Menzies showcased the full extent of his acting chops and gave life to someone who is, to this day, the best villain the show has ever had.

Yet, the true magic of this first season lies not in the time-travel or the historical conflicts, but in Claire and Jamie’s budding love story. Their love is still going strong in season 7, but the joy of their first steps as a couple remains unmatched.

Since they first met, these two have been through hell and high water, time and time again. But while hardship has always been at the heart of their story, from the countless separations they've endured to the many times one of them has almost died, season 1 was when their love was at its purest.

They fell for each other, hard, but not in a flash, with the show taking its time to explore their relationship across 16 episodes. In turn, we fell in love with them too and were primed and ready to follow them through all of the lows and the highs they've experienced to date.

Read more:

• Sam Heughan on the end of Outlander and his decade-long TV marriage to Caitríona Balfe
• Outlander: Blood of My Blood star – "It's like two period dramas at once"

And speaking of 16 episodes, the reason why season 1 was indeed the best boils down to the fact that it was the longest, giving its story enough time and space to properly unfold for our viewing pleasure – and without the lengthy wait between season 7 parts 1 and 2, which both consist of eight episodes.

At this point, season 7 should just be called season 8, if we're being completely honest...

Nonetheless, as the end approaches and we begin to consider a world without Claire and Jamie, we can take comfort in the fact that we'll always be able to dive back into season 1 and relive their epic love story forever. Outlander is drawing to a close, but its magic will live on.

Outlander season 7 part 2 will be available to stream on Starz in the US and on MGM in the UK. You can buy Diana Gabaldon's books on Amazon.

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