The Gathering (92102-1)

In the opening episode we meet Duncan MacLeod, younger kinsman of movie immortal Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod (who won the prize by defeating the last remaining immortals in the 1985 movie). For the last hundred or so years, DM of the CM (same clan different vintage) has been avoiding the Game! Since the death of his Indian wife (Little Deer) and his adopted son, he has avoided challenges and tried to live a peaceful life.

For the past twelve years he has been living as an antiques dealer in the mythical Pacific Coast city of Seacouver with gorgeous Tessa Noel, a French sculptor. She knows he is immortal, but she does not know about the game.

In one night their world is shattered (literally). The evil immortals are now coming out of the woodwork… sorry… through the window, with one thought: "It's time to take the head of Duncan MacLeod!"

This pilot episode is included on the "Best of…" set mainly because it is the only American television appearance of Christopher Lambert, the original Highlander Connor MacLeod. It features an imposing in size, but hardly threatening villain in Bull Shannon (sorry Slan Quince a.k.a. Richard Moll) who does his best Kurgan impression… and introduces the pre-immortal street kid Richie Ryan, although the writers will play with that aspect of RR's future during this first season by seeming to be of two minds about that.

This is a serious and earnest episode which attempts to bridge the gap between the film and the series and yet opens up a can of worms still hotly debated. Namely: "If Connor won the prize, who the hell are all these people?"

Most of Season One, at least until Paris midway through, is fairly devoid of humor (which should please the die-hard serious fans who feel a humorous episode is out of place) and deals week by week with the following:

"How does an immortal (who must carry a sword and slice off the heads of his opponents) carve out a life in the modern world?" While generally DM will face and behead the k-immie of the week, sometimes he must use his immortality to solve mortal crimes and mete out an appropriate justice.

Hold on to your swords fellow immortals (and mortals too) . We are about to embark on a bumpy (or at least uneven) ride!

Tessa is glorious! Richie, who is utilized as comic relief (make that obnoxious dumb kid) is at times endearing and at others… well… you know! The villains are serious in their need to kill Duncan! The writing is often pedestrian! The actors are still finding their way to their characters! But it will get better!

Family Tree (92106-2)

Young street kid Richie Ryan, who seems to have attached himself somehow to Duncan and Tessa following the events of the first episode, decides he wants to find out who he is. Seems he was a foster kid and he's trying to track down information about his mother, Emily Ryan.

DM comments to Tessa that Richie's search will be fruitless, but after a flashback showing how DM's own "father" rejected him once DM returned to life, DM agrees that RR must search.

Enter Joe Scanlon, a con man in need of money and a cover. He tells RR that he is the father the boy is looking for; but DM remains skeptical.

Look for Peter Deluise in this episode as an enforcer. Peter, who had been on 21 Jump Street (with Johnny Depp) and who today is a producer on Stargate:SG1 is the son of comedian Dom Deluise.

Another very serious episode wherein we learn that immortals are foster children (unlike the implications from the first film that they are just born different) whose origins appear to be unknown. Raised among mortals until the time of their first death, they are suddenly thrust into a world where they do not know who they are or where they come from.

Moral: It is not where we come from that is important, it is who we become. Heredity may make us what we are, environment may shape us, but it is the choices we make for our own lives that determine what kind of people we end up as. And even a con man like Joe Scanlon can make the right choice at least once.

Matthew Walker makes the first of several appearances on the show as DM's mortal father, Ian MacLeod.

The Road Not Taken (92108-3)

Gary, an old friend of Richie's tries to rob a jewelry exchange, collapses suddenly while holding his head, and then dies. Since his friend was never into drugs of any sort, Richie is determined to discover the truth.

Duncan notices some spots on the deceased friend's head as he examines the body and is reminded of an old friend (Kiem Sun) in 18th century China who once used a drug to control the minds of mortals… a drug whose use left similar spots.

DM searches for his friend and finds him nearby (in the same city no less) on holy ground. Kiem tells him that he had the drug but that it was stolen. He is frightened to be off of holy ground and his sword skills are extremely rusty. DM promises to protect him as they go in search of the thief.

Meanwhile Richie and another friend (female) also begin their search for Chu Lin, who had recently hired their deceased friend for a job.

This is another serious and earnest episode. DM is very much the hero who sees and understands so much, world knowledgeable but not world-weary, and firm in his sense of fair play and honor.

Look for Dusten Nguyen (also from 21 Jump Street as was Peter Deluise last episode) as the villainous Chu Lin and the incomparable Soon-Tek Oh as Kiem Sun. Dusten does his own fighting, but of course he's a mortal.

Will DM be forced to take the head of a friend? Has fear of "the Gathering" driven Kiem Sun mad? Will Richie ever learn to follow DM's instructions? (Sorry <slaps imp>) Does Tessa serve any real purpose in this episode besides beautiful woman (and a lovely one she is)?

Christianne Hurt makes the first of two appearances as Angie, friend of RR.

Stay tuned…

Innocent Man (92103-4)

Duncan and Tessa are off to visit an old immortal friend of DM's, Lucas Desiree, who once "saved" DM's life during the Civil War. DM was hanged as a Union spy, and Confederate Officer Desiree dug him up later and helped him "escape." (NOTE: Flash forward to the Carl Robinson arc and DM does the saving.) As they approach Desiree's isolated cabin, DM senses a quickening and knows LD is dead.

At the cabin, Sheriff Howard Crowley discovers drifter and Vietnam veteran Leo (the late Vincent Schiavelli) standing over the body of LD. Leo is charged with murder. DM then takes Richie to help him investigate LD's death. Sgt. Powell, the police officer DM and Richie have been dealing with, is interested in the case because, while it is out of his jurisdiction, it is another headless corpse. He wonders if there is a relationship between this one… and the one on Soldier's Bridge (Slan Quince).

DM discovers Leo is NOT an immortal, but is being framed. Thus the title.

This episode also features the first appearance of Amanda Wyss as snoopy reporter Randi McFarland. John Novack as the sheriff makes the first of three Highlander appearances (all in different roles).

This is a morality tale about guilt and innocence and about jumping to conclusions. As in the Carl Robinson script in a later season, DM gets his chance to "handle" some redneck-type patrons at a restaurant.

Tessa is beautiful! Richie gets to boost a car! And DM is earnest and serious in his attempts to prove the innocence of Leo and save him!

Love the tag end by the way! Won't explain, but it shows a glimmer of the humor inherent in these characters.

Freefall (92101-5)

The best of this episode is the music by Joan Jett. That said, here is the discussion.

A young woman apparently jumps to her death from a high rise and after re-awakening goes in search of Duncan MacLeod for no reason she knows.

Felicia Martins seems a quiet and very lost young woman who must learn how to survive in the immortal world. DM decides to train her; but is she as young as she says?

Clues abound that she may be other than what she seems and she has this thing for Richie. Yes, RR gets "lucky" in this episode in that he gets the girl, or she gets him.

Joan Jett looks far too muscular in the opening segments to successfully appear to be a lost and confused pre-immortal.

***SPOILER ALERT***

In flashbacks her makeup is more that of a painted harlot than anything else I can describe. She looks really wicked. In fact the only time she appears to look and move as if the part was written especially for her (which it was) is the final segment and fight.

This was actually the first of the series episodes I ever saw. I understand it was the first one filmed although there is some discussion that this is a myth. In the first season, the order of the episodes filmed differed from the order in which they were shown on TV. According to the assigned episode numbers, this episode appears to have been  filmed even before "The Gathering" which was the "first episode." This was likely due to actor availability. The series had several "name" actors in several episodes and several rock star "stunt" castings like Jett. It seems rock stars loved to play immortal on this series.

A rough episode with some problems, but if we realize it was the first one filmed while they were still working things out, it doesn't seem so bad. Even if DM says his katana was a gift from a clansman, a fact later shown in the series to be untrue; it gives us the first glimpse of something the films never showed us a female immortal.

The sparring sessions and the final fight scenes are prime Bob Anderson (the Swordmaster of Seasons One & Two)

Bad Day in Building A (92107-6)

Perhaps this one should have been called "Bad Day… Period"

This is one of the weakest of the Season One episodes, but it does contain one scene that is priceless.

This episode is basically known as a "bottle" show, one where to save money the production is limited to a single basic location. For this episode it is a courtroom. It contains no special effects, another money saving technique. (That means no Quickening! Nor does it contain flashbacks.)

This episode is also in keeping with the early "bible" for the show that indicated that Duncan would often come up against mortal villains and would use the benefit of his immortality to beat them. He certainly does in this episode.

It should have worked… but for me it never has.

Tessa has let parking tickets pile up and is summoned to appear in court. She takes Richie with her (as he is on familiar terms with the courthouse) while DM remains in the car.

Tessa and RR are among a group of people taken hostage by the followers of criminal Bryan Slade who wants his freedom in exchange for the lives of the hostages.

DM leaps out of his car to the rescue and is at one point shot in the head (on camera no less) for his troubles.

Bryan Slade has no idea who or what he is messing with. DM does his best Bruce Willis in Die Hard to rescue the hostages and one by one takes out the "bad guys."

Along the way DM happens upon the small daughter of another hostage whom he must successfully hide and keep safe ,and take to the bathroom, and tell a story to. It is the story that he tells that is the highlight (for me) of this rather predictable episode. It speaks volumes about his attitude regarding immortals and the game, and what he truly wishes would one day be possible for all immortals. This is one of those scenes I keep in my mind when writing fan fiction for DM.

By the way, Andrew Divoff, who portrays Slade, also appears in Season Five as Gavriel Larca in "Little Tin God."

Mountain Men (92110-7)

On a trip to copy some old Indian stone carvings Tessa is kidnapped by a group of survivalists.

Duncan returns from out of town (Do you suppose that was when he was meeting Connor in New York, even though Connor called him in Paris?) and discovering Tessa is missing goes in search of her. He discovers that one of the survivalists is an Immortal.

This episode is quickly paced and offers some guest performances that are very worthwhile to catch. Wes Studi, who was Mogwai in Last of the Mohicans, is absolutely superb as the Indian sheriff also on the trail of the survivalists. Marc Singer (of Beastmaster fame and the hero of V) is chilling as Caleb, the leader of the survivalists.

Can Mac rescue Tessa? Will the evil Immortal die? These things are never in question, but the ride is well worth it. This episode was the one that really caught my attention in 1992.

Enjoy!

Deadly Medicine (92111-8)

Duncan MacLeod is hit by a car and rushed "dying" to an emergency room where he regenerates, and hurriedly (and he hopes without notice) makes his way out. Unfortunately, he has a head injury and collapses nearby. His sudden regeneration leads a deranged doctor to kidnap Mac once he locates him and hold him to discover the truth about his regenerative abilities "to help all mankind."

Tessa and RR, desperate to locate Mac, discover his car was seen leaving the site of a murder of an emergency room nurse. Now Mac is a suspect in the murder. But where is he?

Joe Pantoliano steals the episode as only he can. When I first saw this episode in 1992, I was struck by the casting coup to get this up and coming actor for this role. He is sneaky and deranged and creepy as only Joey Pants has shown us he can be.

The episode also lets viewers see just how dangerous it can be for an injured and reviving too soon in a public place immortal. Blast those X-rays and CAT-scans! Not to mention those blood tests and EKG reading tapes!

Amanda Wyss makes her third appearance as Randi and once more she gets into the middle of the action.

Enjoy!

The Sea Witch (92112-9)

A female friend of Richie's, Nikki, is involved in a drug buy which goes bad. She runs into RR and gets him to help her escape the men after her; but does not mention that she has both the drug money and the drugs.

She also has a daughter named Melinda. Tessa, who knows that remaining with Duncan means never having a child of her own, is drawn to the little girl.

As it turns out, the criminal drug lord after Nikki is an immortal DM once had dealings with, and he knows the man is deadly. Stephen Macht, a regular guest star on many series TV shows, guest stars as immortal Alexi Voshin.

This episode features one of the more unusual quickenings. DM doesn't take a head… but he gets his "reward."

Revenge is Sweet (92109-10)

Remember how Duncan told Tessa and Richie how he'd been "out of the game" for a hundred years? Well sometimes the game came to him. (Not to mention that as the show went on, writers wanted to use the period between 1882 and 1992.)

A few years ago (1988) while DM and Tessa were celebrating a New Year's Eve, DM was challenged by Walter Reinhardt, an immortal with whom he'd once before had dealings. Reinhardt was a highwayman and DM a passenger on a coach which Reinhardt was robbing in 1728. In 1988, Reinhardt was defeated but escaped by jumping into the water. DM retained Reinhardt's sword… but knew he still lived as there was no quickening.

In the present, DM and Tessa meet Rebecca Lord, played by the luscious Vanity,who is in all sense of the word a femme fatale. She handily manhandles some young punks who harass her on the street, and she comes on to DM in a darkly seductive way. All her lines drip double entendre. She is there, she says to purchase a French cavalry saber. However, she is also interested in Reinhardt's sword, which DM has on display in his shop.

RR, meanwhile becomes a used car salesman and sells one to his friend Angie (from "The Road Not Taken"). Things do not go well for Angie. Then strange things start happening to Tessa's art, to Tessa, to RR… and all points to Rebecca Lord.

This episode also features the first of several appearances by Tim Reid as Sgt. Bennett, the latest Seacouver policeman to become interested in DM and his activities.

A different kind of episode as it is partially mystery and partially action-adventure in the best Highlander tradition!

Also, Vanity seems to know how to handle a sword and looks good doing so.

See No Evil (92114-11)

When an old friend of Tessa's is attacked and almost scalped by an unknown assailant, Duncan recognizes the M.O. (modus operandi) of the attacker as the same as that of an insane immortal he'd killed in 1925.

Using his knowledge of how he had tracked the immortal, Marcus Korolus, DM leaks information to erstwhile reporter Randi McFarland for the police. DM knows this stalker is not an immortal, but that for some reason he is obsessed by the almost seventy year old series of killings and will follow the pattern.

Tim Reid also returns as Sgt. Bennett as does Amanda Wyss as Randi McFarland. Richie gets to ride a motorcycle, Tessa gets to be the strong helpmate and marvelous friend--and gets to show just what she is made of in this episode.

DM is heroic as always, and a bit of a mystery as he attempts to keep Randi off-balance about just who he is and what he is.

Another of those episodes where DM fights against a mortal criminal, but we do get a quickening in the flashback! Not a great episode, but it has a "killer" ending!

Eyewitness (92115-12)

Tessa is an eyewitness to a murder where there is no body, and a murder which the police seem reluctant to investigate.

Duncan steps up to the plate and uses his not inconsiderable talents and contacts to help Tessa investigate the background of the woman, Ann Miller, whom Tessa believes has been killed. Tessafeels a close kinship to Ann Miller, an artist like herself. Their investigation leads to an unknown immortal (Andrew Ballin) when someone tries to kill Tessa as well.

Tim Reid makes his last appearance as Sgt. Bennett. Amanda Wyss returns as reporter Randi McFarland who is attempting to also investigate the reported murder.

Band of Brothers (92118-13)

Darius, a two thousand-year-old monk, is introduced into the Highlander universe and everything changes.

Instead of so many evil villain of the week episodes, new creative consultant and head writer David Abramowitz would attempt to steer the series in a new direction. The series would now produce little morality plays that explored the ramifications of the lives of immortals who on the one hand must kill to survive and on the other wish to survive with honor.

In this episode, the timetable for immortals leaps back two thousand years in the character of Darius, a Gothic general who was present at the sacking of Rome in 410 c.e.; and who once took the quickening of an ancient immortal defending the gates of Paris. As a result of this "light" quickening, he disbanded his armies and turned toward the path of peace, seeking a way to bring peace to the world of the immortals.

The late Werner Stocker, who became gravely ill before many of these episodes actually aired in the States and who died in May 1993 brings to life a complex and intriguing character, more so perhaps because we know so little about him. His background was never fully explored due to the actor's death, but the influence of his character is felt even into the last season of the series.

Darius' influence on a young Duncan MacLeod led him to refrain for almost two hundred years being actively engaged in a war as a soldier who wore a uniform. Peace was a concept he had never before considered and while he could not completely accept the path that Darius showed him, it became a part of his life.

In this episode, Darius informs DM that another old immortal, his former pupil Grayson, is coming to Seacouver to kill a mortal man of peace, Victor Paulus. Grayson is an arms merchant whose hatred of his former teacher leads him to find ways to destroy any chance for peace in the world.

DM, knowing he is nowhere strong enough or good enough to best so old an immortal as Grayson, nevertheless steps up to bat. He will train and face the man with all the strength and honor he possesses. To assure the survival of those he loves, he sends both Tessa and RR to Paris, where Darius lives.

Assisted by reporter Randi McFarland (her last appearance in the series) DM attempts to save Victor Paulus and face the immortal Grayson in a battle that is one of the best choreographed for this series. By the end of it, one can see just how exhausted the two actors were. The fight looks as real as any I have seen for this series. It is hard, it is tiring, it goes both ways and it is believable.

Genre actor James Horan portrays Grayson, a far more complex villain than any we have seen thus far.

I cannot stress just how good this episode is!

For Evil's Sake (92117-14)

In Paris, Duncan witnesses an assassination by a mime. He learns that it is one of several that take place at the same time. He recalls meeting immortal assassin Christophe Kuyler who utilizes a disguise as a mime to effect his killings. DM attempts to locate Kuyler and put an end to his act once and for all.

This episode features in flashback the 1980 first meeting of DM and Tessa, a highlight of the episode. It also features the first of several appearances by Hughes LeForestier as Inspector LeBrun, a French policeman who will dog DM's life for much of the remainder of this season. As with his US counterparts, he serves to be the "official" eye of the law on the unusual goings on surrounding DM.

This episode also features absinthe an illegal (in France) and supposedly deadly alcoholic drink that is a bright green, bitter, licorice-flavored liqueur. For fans of the movie Moulin Rouge you might recall "the green fairy." Absinthe is brewed with the use of wormwood, the nature of which lends hallucinogenic properties to the drink. Today a substitute is used. Vintners and wine merchants objected to its popularity at the end of the 19th century, and when it was suspected in several high-profile murders as "madness inducing", it was, through their influence, made illegal.

Anyone having the From Hell DVD might also have seen information about absinthe on that. The History Channel also ran a documentary on the drink several years ago.

For Tomorrow We Die (92116-15)

Darius (Werner Stocker) makes his second appearance in the series as Duncan's friend and mentor. Look for a chess game, and a bit of insight into Darius' character.

Immortal thief and murderer Xavier St. Cloud confesses to the immortal priest within the confessional that he has robbed and murdered that day.

Roland Gift, head singer of the rock group The Fine Young Cannibals makes the first of about five appearances as Xavier St. Cloud, one of HL's most intriguing villains. Even after his eventual death on the series, the producers brought him back via flashbacks because he was a fan favorite.

When DM learns that Xavier is in town and what he has done; and that Darius cannot help Inspector LeBrun of the Paris police with what he knows, DM does his own investigations into the crime and attempts to locate Xavier on his own. They have a history together.

Tessa's new job as a curator of an exhibit of sculpture plays heavily in this episode, as does Richie's libido. He gets lucky but the object of his affections is not exactly what he supposes.

All in all a fine episode!

The Beast Below (92123-16)

Darius makes his third appearance, albeit a brief one in this episode that is a take on Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera plots. But we do get a glimpse of his sense of humor in the "mold tea" scene.

Richie has met a young American singer who will be a part of a comeback concert for fading diva Carolyn (Dee Dee Bridgewater). Having been invited by his new girlfriend to watch a rehearsal, he takes along Mac and Tessa. When a light falls from the rafters killing Carolyn's manager, with whom she has just had a fight, Mac senses and pursues the immortal whose presence he feels.

Mac discovers that the immortal is the gigantic and simple-souled Ursa (Christian van Acker), whom he had helped in 1634, shortly after leaving Connor and coming to France. At that time he had placed Ursa in an abbey for his own protection.

After meeting with Darius, Mac decides he must find Ursa and discover the truth of what happened. Meanwhile Ursa approaches Carolyn, and she thinks she sees a way to get what she wants: total control of the concert and the money. It is all about her, she feels, all about her! Suddenly Richie's young friend is in serious trouble and it will take both Mac and Richie to save her.

And into the sewers we go!

In research about the Highlander series, I read where the original idea for the character of Darius was that he would be imposing in size and ugly. I have often wondered if Christian van Acker was one of the actors who tested for the role. Obviously, the producers went in a different direction for the character of Darius. (It seems a German company was putting up the money and did not want the character to be ugly. That may have been a wise decision!) Things might have gone differently if van Acker had landed the role of Darius.

Saving Grace (92120-17)

Immortal Grace Chandel's lover Paul is killed and she flees to Darius' cell for comfort. MacLeod is also there visiting and he recalls meeting Grace in 1660 as he helped her deliver a baby. She was a midwife then, and is now a medical researcher. They have remained friends over the years, and were once lovers.

Grace (played by Julia Stemberger) fears that another of her lovers, Carlos Sendaro, is responsible for Paul's death. MacLeod offers her his protection and help as he did once before. Now to introduce her to Tessa!

Darius makes his last real appearance in the series in today's episode. Because of his illness, Werner Stocker was unavailable for the remaining episodes. Bits of film cut from earlier episodes were used in the season finale The Hunters.

Also making his last of three appearances on the series was Hughes LeForestier as Inspector LeBrun. This would also signal the end of the series' attempt to have a "continuing" police presence suspicious of MacLeod and his involvement in beheadings. From this point on, new story editor David Abramowitz may have already been planning the Watchers as the humans against which the world of Immortals would be set. The police presence became just a minor one as a script or plot needed.

I have always loved this episode and have often wondered at a number of things which seem to be going on in it that might have foretold what the writers had in mind for the future of the character of Darius… one that did not happen.

And of course, there is the music. Amazing Grace was sung in this episode and its words are as important as the reference to Grace herself, an Immortal who does not fight, but who works to save the lives of mortals.

This is truly an amazing episode. Be certain to catch it!

The Lady and the Tiger (92121-18)

Amanda (Elizabeth Gracen) enters the world of Highlander for the first time in this light comic episode with serious overtones.

Someone sends Duncan tickets for the circus. As he, Tessa, and Richie watch, he sees aerialist "The Amazing Amanda" with whom we learn he has shared a rather lusty past. But DM knows Amanda is a thief and a liar (although she makes him laugh) and while he claims not to have seen her since the Barnum & Bailey tour of the American Southwest in 1926 he knows she is up to something.

She says someone is after her. Well he is. Her former partner, immortal Zachary Blaine has escaped prison--to which she had sent him after having framed him for her "death"--and he is out for her head… or is he?

Watch for DM to do his circus routine from the back of a horse! Watch for "where the heck did Amanda hide that sword?"

Enjoy the villainy of Jason Isaacs (who was the villain in Mel Gibson's The Patriot and who plays Malfoy's evil father in several of the  Harry Potter films) as Zachary Blaine!

Enjoy Tessa's lovely visit to a circus historian. Enjoy RR being manhandled and confused by the amazing Amanda! (She knew Richard the Lion-heart: he had stamina! She knew Rodin: he worked with his hands… in clay!)

Have fun!

Eye of the Beholder (92124-19)

Duncan takes Tessa and Richie to a Paris fashion show featuring his old friend, immortal designer Gabriel Piton played by Nigel Terry (he was King Arthur in John Boorman's Excalibur).

We learn that DM and Piton partied hearty during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, before they had a parting of ways. Still on friendly terms, DM tells how Piton always had this knack for appreciating women and making them feel beautiful. Alas, he is also a thief of rare one-of-a-kind objects, and will murder to protect his collection.

At the fashion show, Richie meets again the lovely model Maya (real-life model Katia Douvalian) with whom he had recently shared an "interesting" meal. When news comes that Maya's roommate and Piton's model (and secret lover) has been killed, Maya and Richie suspect Gabriel Piton for good reason.

DM warns Richie to stay out of it or he could end up dead. Richie decides that justice is more important and decides to investigate anyway before anyone else ends up dead.

DM is furious. He may very well lose a friend over this…

Avenging Angel (92122-20)

Stabbed in a bar fight, Alfred Cahill stumbles out into a Paris street right by Duncan MacLeod. Sensing that Cahill is about to die and be re-born as an immortal, DM abandons his car in the middle of traffic and follows Cahill to the museum of the Knights Templar. While awaiting Cahill's re-awakening, DM goes through the man's pockets to learn what he can about him.

Cahill, upon his resurrection decides DM is the Angel Gabriel (the messenger) and that he, Cahill, has been called back to fight the forces of evil--prostitutes, pimps, purveyors of porn. He runs off on his "mission" before DM can explain immortality, the game and its rules to him.

Meanwhile Tessa tries to get in touch with an old friend from the Sorbonne whom she believes is a successful interior decorator. But Elaine is really a high-priced call girl and a tempting target for the newly immortal Cahill. DM and Tessa find themselves protecting Elaine and dealing with Cahill's insanity. A thought-provoking episode.

One moral of this tale is that we can re-make ourselves as we wish. We do not have to remain in a life that beats us down. We can choose to be other than that which we have become. (DM's advice to Elaine on changing her lifestyle.)

**************SPOILER*************

And that final fight? It does not take place on Holy Ground as it appears, but in the museum dedicated to the Knights Templar, an order of religious knights during the Crusades who originally were dedicated to guarding pilgrims visiting the Holy Land. The members of the order became wealthy and powerful. To control them, rulers accused the members of heresy; their amassed wealth was stripped from them, the order was disbanded and its members disgraced. Many were killed. I'd have to do additional research on them, but I believe the order existed from about 1118 to about 1312 and fought in most campaigns of the Crusades during that time. Their lost "treasure" was featured in Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code. If anyone ever saw The Maltese Falcon it's the same order.

By the way, Cahill was played by Martin Kemp the bass guitarist of Spandau Ballet.

Nowhere to Run (92125-21)

Tessa takes Duncan and Richie to visit an old family friend Allan Rothwood (played by Anthony Stewart Head, later Giles of Buffy… the Vampire Slayer). While there, a band of mercenaries, led by immortal Col. Everett Bellian surround Allan's estate and want justice for the rape of Bellian's adopted daughter Lori by Allan's son, Mark.

When Mark denies such a rape ever occurred, DM, recalling another instance when an innocent man under his command was wrongly killed, tries to convince Bellian to follow the due process of law to prove his case. Bellian refuses. He wants justice now! DM decides to barricade the chateau and defend it against Bellian and his people. Shades of Home Alone including a "hot" doorknob! Sorry, but that's what I think of whenever I see this episode!

Gradually, the truth comes out and the final showdown is not between DM and Bellian, although they have a grand fight; but between Lori and Mark. The sword-fight between Bellian and DM looks great on film with the morning mist rising as they fight, and scenes from it were used as part of the opening credits in later seasons.

An interesting if not "great" episode that explores the nature of truth and the folly of failing to appeal to the rule of law by taking justice into one's own hands.

The Hunters (92126-22)

With this episode, we lose Darius.

Werner Stocker's illness at the time this episode was filmed meant he was unable to film or to perform in it. David Abramowitz did a hasty overnight re-write to allow stock footage of Stocker as Darius from earlier episodes to be used. Further, his re-write padded the part of Hugh Fitzcairn (Roger Daltrey of the rock group The Who in his first of several Highlander appearances) and investigated Duncan's and Fitz's past together. More information would follow in later episodes as Daltrey proved to be an absolute joy on the series and one of their "casting coups".

DM and Tessa are enjoying some afternoon delight, when DM's old friend Fitz arrives to talk to DM about the disappearance of several of their old friends. Suddenly concerned, as Darius has been talking about his own death recently, DM calls the priest and gets no answer.

Upon their arrival at the church, they find his headless corpse on holy ground. Furious, as no immortal would have dared to do such a thing, DM and Fitz begin an investigation to discover who killed Darius and why. Their search leads them to discover a group of mortals bearing tattoos of a symbol that DM recalls having seen once before, centuries ago.

Upon his return to Darius' cell at the church, DM discovers a book in ancient German that tells of strange beings who rise from the dead and live forever. It is a history of immortals. Someone has been watching immortals for centuries. Now DM wants to know more. He will stop at nothing until he tracks down and destroys these mortals who have killed his friend and mentor.

If Werner Stocker had not been ill, would Darius have still died? I have read two different versions of this. One says "yes" but he would have returned in flashbacks. The other says "no"… he was too popular. But would he have remained on holy ground? Or would he have finally moved on? Clues to his past were presented in the Highlander novel Shadow of Obsession. Some of the facts from that novel do turn up on the Watcher entries included on the DVD's, as well as on the New Watcher Chronicles CD-ROM.

Stocker's death was reported shortly before this episode aired in May 1993. He likely never knew how much impact his role had on audiences. The influence of his character was felt throughout the entire run of the series.

However on the happy side, the character of Hugh Fitzcairn, originally slated to die in this episode, won a reprieve and became a fan favorite. So much so, that not even his character's eventual death in Season Three could stem the tide. One of the novels, White Silence is even based on an adventure he and DM shared during the Alaska Gold Rush! It was the last of nine series-based novels to be printed.