Following a beloved show like Outlander is no easy task, with some nervousness heading into the recent August 8 debut of the prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood. However, all those nerves were quickly calmed following a brilliantly immersive opening two episodes, which centered on both Jamie Fraser’s (Sam Heughan) parents, Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy) and Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater), and Claire Fraser’s (Caitríona Balfe) parents, Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield) and Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine).

Now three episodes in at the time of writing, the series seems to be going from strength to strength, with a critics’ score of 91% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, incredibly higher than the acclaimed original series’ 90%. With the first season poised ahead of the halfway mark, it isn’t just in critical reception that the show is proving successful. Globally, as of August 21, Outlander: Blood of My Blood is the third most-streamed series on HBO, with the prequel likely to climb higher on the list as the series in positions #1 and #2 have recently come to an end and will only decline in streaming numbers. As well as this, the show is also near the top of Starz’s charts in the U.S.

The two series ahead of Blood of My Blood have both recently concluded their third seasons, each to differing reception but similar streaming success. In second place, at the time of writing, is The Gilded Age, with Julian Fellowes‘ popular period drama ending its third outing with a delicate bang that saw viewers left with beaming smiles on their faces. In the top spot is the Sex and the City sequel And Just Like That, which didn’t just conclude its third season last week, but also its entire run, with the last-ever episode proving divisive among fans.

Critics Love ‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’

There’s simply no denying how impressive a start Blood of My Blood has made. Arguably improving on what came before it, this prequel series now seems like the perfect next move for a franchise that many feel has a lot left to give. In Carly Lane‘s review of the prequel series for Collider, she awarded it a strong 8/10, praising the incredible casting and a bold next narrative direction, and saying, “Outlander: Blood of My Blood unquestionably maintains the magic of the original show, a steamy, emotional, addictively watchable prequel that succeeds at everything fans have loved from the beginning: phenomenal casting and performances, twist-filled drama, and epic romances that defy the odds.”

Outlander: Blood of My Blood continues weekly.