We’ve had several seasons worth of sexy time-traveling shenanigans from the original cast of “Outlander,” so it’s only logical that when Starz went a-hunting for new content to extend the lifecycle of their biggest hit, they would cast a wide net. But it turns out they didn’t have to look too far to find a concept that would capture the magic of the beloved original series, based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon. 

“Outlander: Blood of My Blood” shifts the focus to the parents of Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire (Caitriona Balfe), and although it brings with it a new cast of characters (albeit accompanied by a few old favorites, now a few decades younger), it’s every bit as engaging, romantic, and yes, steamy, as we’ve come to expect from “Outlander.”

Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) is at a crossroads. As the unmarried favorite daughter of an 18th century Scottish laird, she has the ear of her father and as much freedom as any woman in her position could hope for. But then her father dies, and with him goes any power she may have held claim to. One of her brothers — either the intelligent but physically disabled Colum (Seamus McLean Ross) or the impulsive and frequently violent Dougal (Sam Retford) — will become the next laird, and will carry her fate in their hands. But when she meets Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy), the illegitimate son of her clan’s enemy, she can’t help but feel an immediate spark that pulls her out of her grief, despite their prospective relationship’s undeniable “Romeo and Juliet” qualities.

In the meantime, just a few hundred years later, Claire’s father Henry (Jeremy Irvine) is deep in the mud and despair of World War I’s western front. In a particularly dark moment, he pens a nihilistic open letter to the universe questioning the point of life and what he should even be fighting to stay alive for. He doesn’t actually intend it to be read by anyone. But Julia (Hermione Corfield), an intelligent young woman with a scientifically probing mind who works processing letters from the front to help the war effort, is intrigued by it, and decides to write back. What follows is a deeply romantic courtship via letters, and despite the war unfolding around them, their relationship is relatively straightforward. That is, until years later, when on a vacation in Scotland, Henry and Julia cross paths with the same ring of stones that sent Claire back to the 18th century in “Outlander.”

“Outlander: Blood of My Blood” successfully navigates the biggest minefield that could plague a show like this: the chemistry and likability of its lead couples. Here, there are no issues, as we immediately connect with the four main characters, buying into their respective relationships from their very first meeting. Although they contrast each other — Ellen and Brian feel an undeniable physical chemistry when they meet in person, while Henry and Julia have a meeting of the minds that grows into deep love — both romances are nothing short of electric and perfectly executed.

The show also makes sure that it has enough going on beside the love storylines to ensure the audience’s continued interest. We’re familiar enough with this world that it costs us very little to drop back into the political machinations and in-fighting of the Scottish clans, and the fish out of water time-travel elements. Many of the characters old enough during the original series to appear decades earlier turn up, but there aren’t really any self-indulgent cameos — everyone who is featured in both series makes sense and has a purpose within the narrative.

Beyond everything else, “Outlander: Blood of My Blood” understands the assignment. When it comes to a historical romance like this, we’re not asking for the moon and stars — just pretty people falling in love against a backdrop of atmospheric scenery with a plot that’s halfway engaging. “Outlander: Blood of My Blood” does all of this and more, becoming the rare spinoff show that features no discernible drop in quality from the original. 

“Outlander: Blood of My Blood” premieres on Starz on August 8.