"He is Immortal. Born in the Highlands of Scotland four hundred years ago. He is not alone. There are others like him. Some good, some evil. For centuries, he has battled the forces of darkness, with holy ground his only refuge. He cannot die unless you take his head, and with it, his power. In the end, there can be only one. He is Duncan MacLeod. The Highlander." ~spoken by Joe Dawson

Starring: Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod); Alexandra Vandernoot (Tessa Noel); Stan Kirsch (Richie Ryan); Jim Byrnes (Joe Dawson); Philip Akin (Charlie DeSalvo); Michel Modo (Maurice).

Season 2 begins today, and with it a new character is introduced to the world of Highlander to counterbalance with his humanity… the villain introduced in the last episode of Season 1. Today… we get our first glimpse of Joe Dawson.

In Paris, it is a few weeks following the death of Darius, and Duncan continues to mourn and stew… thinking deep thoughts and starting bar fights. Richie is concerned. Tessa gives up her fabulous Paris job to follow DM back to the states to discover the meaning of the really odd set of letters and numbers written in the book Darius, before his death, had left for DM to discover. For some reason they think it is a zip code, although it contains letters. No US zip code contains letters.

Back in Seacouver, DM drives the T-bird throughout the city (as he often did during Season 1). At last he finds a rare bookstore and meets the manager, Joe Dawson.

Joe wishes to buy the book… but DM declines to sell it. As he leaves… he notes he is being watched. Confronting the "watchers" he wants to know who they are. Joe follows him and offers to explain.

After listening to Joe's explanation that the Watcher Organization is benevolent and only there to "watch, record, but never interfere", DM returns to the antique store where Tessa and RR are setting things up.

DM still wants to find the man who killed Darius… and he does. James Horton is given a name and is introduced as Joe Dawson's brother-in-law.

Can Joe be trusted? Is what he says to be believed? Will DM be able to avenge Darius' murder? Are the Watchers dangerous?

This second season will deal with these and other questions.

Having received an invitation to a photography exhibit from an old friend, Duncan takes Tessa and Richie to the show where he meets two old friends. One, immortal Gregor (call me Greg) Powers was once a doctor. Now his photos seek to showcase and explore the dark underbelly of human existence. He has become a nihilist who feels dead inside. The second friend is an elderly woman, Linda Plager, who was once DM's lover. He had encouraged her to use her gift of photography to find the beauty of life, but he never told her about his immortality. Now faced with her imminent death, she sees DM once more… recognizing him… and it is clear even to Tessa… DM still loves this woman.

As DM struggles with his memories of Linda and their life together… Greg takes RR under his wing and encourages him to participate with him in reckless activities, which might result in RR's death. Greg no longer feels anything… as a result… he is pushing the envelope trying to recall what it was like to feel fear… to feel alive. He asks Richie, "What do you feel?" He and RR also discuss the "what if you were immortal?" scenario.

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

This episode is another of the moral dilemma ones that David Abramowitz so loved. The episode explores what it must be like to live so long that life has no meaning… What then must we do to regain the joy of life? In the final fight… the defeated Greg once more feels fear… and in that moment must choose to live or die. He chooses life and leaves. Greg Powers is still on the active roster of immortals… and is said to be studying medicine in Chicago. (Maybe he'll show up on ER someday.)

I really like this episode. Instead of "DM meets and kills the k-immie of the week" … it finally seemed that there were other types of immortals out there… some neither good nor evil… but lost in the shades of grey that make up most of humanity. Some, leaning as Greg is towards darkness, may be redeemed by the intervention of a friend.

Is long life to be preferred? Or is a short life with meaning better? Can we make a difference in the world? How should our passing be perceived? Do we effect change for good or for evil by our choices?

This is a most thought-provoking episode.

Being a fan of the Forever Knight series, I was absolutely ecstatic to see Geraint Wyn Davies in this episode as Michael Moore, an old friend of Duncan MacLeod's. I actually at that point began one of my first fan fiction pieces for Highlander, a crossover between Highlander and Forever Knight… but I digress.

Having learned that his old nemesis, Quentin Barnes, has once more escaped into the world from a prison grave, Michael returns to Seacouver to ask DM to make good on the promise DM made at the grave of Michael's wife Jeanette some 70 odd years before. If Michael cannot kill Barnes… or dies before he finds him… DM will finish the job. Barnes was caught by authorities in 1963 and executed… but both Michael and DM know he is not really dead. Now… those involved in Barnes' execution are being systematically murdered.

DM asks Watcher Joe Dawson for help in finding Barnes.

Dawson tries to explain that he cannot become involved, that his job is to watch… not to interfere… but DM convinces him. When Dawson's people start dying, he begins to have second thoughts about the slippery slope he is now on. Should he continue to have a relationship with DM? What will be the cost if he does? JD feels deeply the guilt associated with the death of those under his command… and yet… the chance to know… really know an immortal… continues to draw him in.

Tessa has some great scenes in this episode as she attempts to befriend Michael and comfort him as the memories of Jeanette's murder at the hands of Quentin Barnes seek to overwhelm him. She is at once friendly, warm, supporting, and yet when the moment of truth comes, she is strong and strives hard to not be the damsel in distress.

The concluding fight, the Quickening, and the aftermath of the event as DM works out alone in Charlie De Salvo's dojo are truly mesmerizing.

Philip Akin joins the regular cast as former Navy Seal and martial arts instructor, Charlie De Salvo in this episode.

When Alexandra Vandernoot indicated she wished to be released from her contract on Highlander, producers and writers scrambled for a way to accommodate her request, and to further the story of Duncan MacLeod by illustrating another facet of the immortal life… losing those we love.

Alexandra had agreed to appear in six, Second season episodes. "The Darkness" was the fourth episode, so the events were unexpected for all of us that first time.

While at a nightclub/pool hall, Duncan suddenly realizes just how much he loves Tessa, and what a fool he has been not to make their relationship more permanent. So he gets down on his knees and sings, "Will you marry me?" Tessa says, "Yes!" (Like she wouldn't?)

Meanwhile, Richie has met an intriguing young woman with the "gift of sight" or at least she has a pretty good act. Greta reads Tessa's palm and suddenly gets a true vision of swords and darkness. Terrified, she draws away.

The next day, Duncan begins to notice someone watching them. Deciding to find out if Dawson has someone on them, he runs down his quarry, but getting no information, and there is no tattoo, he returns to the antique store to discover Richie unconscious and Tessa kidnapped!

DM returns to the bar to question Greta. When she reads his palm… she comments on the size and width of his lifeline… like a river. Greta sees stuffed and mounted heads and mullioned windows with colored glass. She also sees something of DM's long life. Using the clues… DM attempts to track down Tessa's kidnapper, and save the woman he loves from the darkness that Greta sees will swallow them all.

Greta is played by Traci Lords, better known at the time for some… uh… other pieces of filmwork. Traci has since that time appeared as a continuing character on the series First Wave and has continued to improve as an actress.

Say goodbye to Tessa after this episode. We won't see her again until the two-part season finale!

Rock star Sheena Easton guest stars in this episode which takes place shortly after the events of "The Darkness".

Sheena plays immortal Annie Devlin, an Irish patriot who has used a campaign of terror against "the Brits" for centuries. She is still angry over the killing of her first husband.

Richie… now RR, immortal, and Duncan MacLeod are adjusting to their new roles as teacher/student. DM has purchased Charlie De Salvo's dojo and is living upstairs in the loft, having had RR sell the antique store.

DM is morose over his loss of Tessa and is not yet ready to move on with his life. Yet he understands he must… but he must work through his grief in his own way and his own time.

While on a walk, DM and RR witness the attempted assassination of a British diplomat by immortal Annie Devlin (an old friend of Mac's) and her current band of terrorists.

They intervene to save the diplomat's life. RR's interference (he has no fear of dying) leads to the death of one of the terrorists. Annie threatens to kill RR.

This forces DM to step up his training of RR so that he will be ready to face her if need be.

The original title of this episode was "The Education of Richie Ryan" and it was meant to press home to him not just that he must learn to use a sword… but some of the other aspects of the immortal life… and the choices immortals must sometimes make.

Great training scenes with swords!

The fight between RR and Annie is sub-par (neither actor being overly familiar with weapons) but is staged on a staircase so that their weaknesses are covered somewhat.

Look for DM to get a little comfort in this episode… although it does seem a little soon.

However… when first run… there was nearly a month's interval between the events of "The Darkness" and this one. One can only imagine the events which occurred between the two.

Okay… whenever the subject of "Worst Highlander episode" comes up. This one gets my vote.

A miss-able episode if there was ever one made. Even the producers apologized to the fans on the DVD set for producing this one!

Joe Dawson approaches Duncan with a request. One of his people has been killed in "The Zone"… an area of the city peopled by the underbelly of society and the homeless. Joe wants DM to check out someone down there and see if he IS an immortal… a man named Canaan.

DM tells Joe to "kiss off" basically… he's not a cop. But DM eventually relents and takes Charlie with him. Seems Charlie knows this area and the people who live there.

This episode ran short and contains filler scenes. The plot is weak… the villain is NOT an immortal… and it is too much out of character for all concerned.

That said… it does offer Philip Akin a chance to develop his character and begins his curiosity about the lifestyle of his new employer.

Elizabeth Gracen makes her second appearance in the Highlander universe today as Amanda… Duncan's sometime paramour and all-round pain in the… uh… assets.

Immortal thief Amanda arrives in Seacouver… all innocence and batting eyes… assuring DM she only wants to tell him how sorry she is for Tessa's death… Now why doesn't DM believe her? He knows her far too well. When he accompanies her to her hotel room where they are set upon by US Treasury agents… he finally gets the story from her.

During WWII, Amanda had obtained some fake currency plates with which US money could be printed. She'd laid them aside for a rainy day. It seems the rainy day has arrived. Because she is "trying to go straight" and no longer be a thief… at DM's request her avenues of funds have dried up. So… she thought she'd print up her own money.

Against his better judgment… DM finds he must help her out of her jam, as the lead agent on this appears to have decided to go into the "printing" business for himself.

Don S. Davis who currently plays General Hammond on Stargate: SG1 and who also played Agent Scully's father in the X-Files plays the treasury agent with a real flair for the part. He obviously loved playing a shady government agent.

This episode is delightful and a welcome change from all the dark, emotionally draining episodes of the early part of this season. And somehow… we don't mind if DM and Amanda fall into bed at some point… in fact… many of us may be on the edge of our seats waiting for it to happen.

Today's episode… another in the category of Duncan must use his immortality to solve a crime perpetrated on the mortal world by mortal villains… is a good one. In fact… of all in this category… it may be one of the best.

The difference between this episode and others we have discussed is a tight plot… excellent guest casting… and a message that is more than… villains will pay for their crimes.

Charlie deSalvo's former student Jimmy Sang (Dustin Nguyen in his 2nd Highlander appearance) is an up and coming martial arts picture star. He has written a script (based on his early life) and is starring in it. Jimmy's producers have rented the dojo as a film site and Charlie appears in a bit part.

When a stunt man dies on set… DM is immediately suspicious about Jimmy's secrets and about just who might be planning to kill the young actor.

DM's investigation leads him to Tong leader Johnny Leong (played by Robert Ito who will return next season as the noble Hideo Koto).

Both guest actors shine in their rolls. Dustin does his own fight sequences.

The moral dilemma for Jimmy is to rise above the dark shame of his past and be free of it… not let it pull him down. Revenge… is not the answer… it only makes us become what we do not wish to become. Yet evil must be stopped.

Enjoy! This is a good one!

This is one of the premier episodes of the Highlander series. This episode is one the producers and actors felt was one of the best they ever did, as it doesn't just tell a story… it illuminates a chapter of America's past.

This episode is the first to feature background music by Jim Byrnes… a noted Vancouver blues player who joined the cast at the beginning of this season as Watcher Joe Dawson. His song "Jack of Diamonds" was so popular with the crew that the scene it was to be used over… was extended so that more of the song could be heard.

In today's episode, Charlie's car is stolen and Duncan discovers that it was at the direction of an old immortal friend of his… former slave Carl Robinson. This episode features some gorgeous flashback scenes filmed in muted colors as if from film of the mid 1920's or the 1950's. DM saves a group of blacks from hanging at the hands of a lynch mod. One of the men is immortal Carl Robinson… who has returned to the area to visit. He had been a slave in these parts years before.

Carl wants to make something of himself… and thinks that he might just be good enough at baseball to become the first black man in the national leagues. Years later… he has the opportunity… but when segregation is declared unconstitutional (Brown vs. The Board of Education) Carl decides to get his education and go into politics.

In the present day… Carl's life has degenerated to that of an embittered street thug… who hates drugs and drug dealers… but is not above lying or stealing to protect the downtrodden. Now a cop is after him… and DM thinks the cop may be one of the Hunter/Watchers who were members of Horton's group.

Bruce A. Young doesn't just portray Carl Robinson… he owns the role and lights up the screen with his intensity. He will make a second appearance later in the run of the series… and will be mentioned in a third episode.

What happens when an innocent bystander witnesses an immortal fight and then dies as a result?

It is this question that propels this episode. What do immortals, who leave dead mortals in their wake… owe the survivors?

While doing roadwork at a closed amusement park… Duncan meets immortal Gallen (Rowdy Roddy Piper of wrestling fame) and the two immortals begin a duel… closely fought… evenly matched. Suddenly… Gallen leaves… running over and killing a mortal man who happens upon the fight.

His feelings of guilt in overdrive… DM attempts to revive the young man and later attends his funeral where he meets the young man's Scottish born mother. DM befriends her and decides to find out why her son Tommy was there that day… and why he died.

Look for Richie to help, DM to have some fun with some thugs, and a quickening involving a carousel.

Also watch for Gabrielle Miller (who will later play immortal rebellious teen Michelle Webster) in a bit role… err… roll in the hay… for DM in a flashback.

This is a so-so episode… but it has some nice comic moments amongst the more serious ones.

Emmy-winner Bruce Weitz whose role in the 80's television series Hill Street Blues earned him that award, appears in this episode about boxing… which because of the number of blows landed in the episode… placed Highlander on the list of "most violent TV shows. Seems… each blow landed counted as one act of violence… no matter that the episode was about boxing.

Anyway, Duncan MacLeod and Charlie attend the fights at the invitation of an "old" friend of Mac's… Thomas "Sully" Sullivan, whose new fighter might very well be a contender. But… Sully needs someone to become a partner with him until they can make the big-time. Guess, who becomes a partner?

Meanwhile we learn that although a genius as a fight promoter, Sully is rather like Miles Standish around women. He adores pretty waitress Iris but cannot string together two words in conversation with her. Guess who is chosen to help Sully with his courtship of Iris? No.… Charlie.

But it also seems that the big interests of the local boxing establishment are out to undermine Sully and steal his boxer… and are using Iris to split them up. People start turning up dead… and DM starts becoming suspicious as to who is doing the killing.

"Oh Mac… you know I play fast and loose with the rules… but I never killed nobody that didn't deserve it," whines Sully when confronted. DM agrees and then things get worse.

On a minor note: Nicholas Lea, who would later come to fame as "Rat Boy" on the X-files appears as Iris' gambling indebted brother. Lea would also return to the Highlander universe in Season Five's "Money No Object" as immortal Cory Raines.

Bruce Weitz shows that immortals come in all shapes and sizes… not all of them are over six feet, gorgeous, and primarily interested in the game. His portrayal of Sully, however, is another of those casting coups the series is known for.

The unofficial title of this episode was "Richie Takes a Head!" or at least that was the running joke about it.

Yes… Richie fans… the curly-haired Richie Ryan must do some growing up after this episode. He must join the "Big Boys!" now… whether or not he's ready!

In today's episode… Richie takes a page from Mac's book and decides to help someone… a pretty young thing running for her life… or so she says… from her father-in-law's money and connections. Richie also notes that whoever is after her… has a long lifeline. He therefore heads directly to DM's… he does not pass Go and he does not collect $200.00.

When, inevitably… the pursuer ends up at Mac's… it turns out he and our beloved Highlander know one another. Mako is a bounty hunter… once a sheriff… always a lawman… who kinda like the Terminator… cannot be reasoned with, cannot be bought off, and will never, never stop… until he has his man… or in this case woman.

DM knows Mako is an honorable man. Rather than simply face him for no reason… DM decides to investigate Richie's girl, and the truth of why she is running.

This is another of those… do as I say not as I do episodes. DM can help people… but as soon as RR attempts to do so… DM tries to convince him why he should not get involved. (Just wait until "Bless the Child" and the shoe is on the other foot!

Jonathan Banks gives an understated and menacing portrayal of Mako… an immortal for whom the letter of the law has become far more important than the spirit of the law. A man for whom law supersedes justice.

Not a great one… but interesting… and one of the strangest settings ever for a quickening… and the way Richie wins… <blows hair out of face with a laugh> The paint flying alone is worth the notice!

This episode, much like the above mentioned "The Zone" is often considered one of the weakest episodes of the series. Together with "The Zone" and "Bad Day in building A" this trio of episodes attempted to have DM come up against a mortal enemy and use his immortality to solve the problem and bring justice to the victims.

It's a good idea. But for some reason… these episodes fail to capture us as they should. Each has some good moments in them… but more are not so good.

The flashbacks of DM in the 1920's being propositioned by a young woman desirous of having a baby… play off against the modern frame… where DM and Charlie… on a camping trip… save a young Indian woman and her baby from a burning truck. She claims she is attempting to get her son away from her father-in-law who doesn't want her to raise him as she's "not white enough." This gets to Charlie… product of a bi-racial couple.

And DM…remember how in "Under Color of Authority" he was immediately suspicious of Richie's young lady friend? Well… he is immediately taken in by Sarah… or seems to be… although his suspicions grow later. He does, however, assist her in a cross-country trek to get away from the men following her.

Guess its "do as I say… not as I do."

With his break-up with RR still fresh on our minds… this episode plays falsely. Why is DM so adamant about helping this young woman… when we in the audience are suspicious of her?

Ed Lauter plays Avery Hoskins… the landowner searching for Sarah and the baby. Michelle Thrush is Sara Lightfoot.

A so-so episode… but the scenery is gorgeous!

Immortals throughout the world are dying. Joe Dawson comes to see Duncan MacLeod and warn him of that fact.

"It is the time of the Gathering, Joe," replies an unconcerned DM… but he does appreciate Joe's forthrightness in getting him this information.

Viewers know the beheadings are being orchestrated by a one-handed Xavier St. Cloud who is making up for his "shortcomings" by using a band of mortal gunmen to kill his victim so he can take the head and the quickening.

Since Xavier had lost his hand to DM… we know he will be coming for the Highlander… sooner or later. And it is sooner. When he appears at the dojo DM realizes what's next and pushes Charlie into the office where they cower under a hail of bullets.

DM manages to pull the fire alarm so the attackers are forced to leave. Charlie later gets very suspicious when his boss refuses to tell the police anything about Xavier. He is suspicious enough to begin following DM and inserts himself into a covert ops situation to help DM with his investigation.

Things do not go well… and DM spots a dead man helping Xavier.

Be prepared fans… this first of two parts pulls out a lot of surprises.

Roland Gift returns as the deliciously evil Xavier St. Cloud. Peter Hudson returns as the supposedly dead James Horton. Stacey Travis makes the first of three appearances as Special Investigator Renee Delaney.

By the end of this episode… we know where DM is bound: Paris… again… after all… the French put up part of the capital to make the series.

One of the better episodes. Tightly plotted and well-paced.

Following the startling events at the end of part one, Duncan disassociates himself from Joe Dawson… a man he no longer feels he can trust and flies to Paris to search for Xavier St. Cloud and James Horton. Upon arriving… he learns that Renee Delaney has also come to Paris and is insisting on his working with her.

Upon his barge… he meets Maurice… who has moved into DM's barge… although his own small boat is next door… as it were… and has been drinking DM's wine, doing laundry, using DM's shower, and DM's toothbrush. DM.… however… decides Maurice might be a welcome friend in an otherwise cold and water-logged Paris.

Besides, Maurice… once a chef… knows everything about caviar… Xavier's favorite food! And caviar is one of the few clues DM has in his attempts to find the one-handed immortal.

With Renee's and Maurice's help… DM sets out to follow the trail to Xavier St. Cloud… and to James Horton.

Once more… a tightly plotted and well-crafted episode.

First of all… I'm a sucker for Vampire myths. I have read and seen nearly all versions of Dracula… I read Anne Rice's novels… I was a fan of the soap opera Dark Shadows… and of the syndicated series… Forever Knight. Is it any wonder that my imagination tried several times to come up with a plot that could have DM meet up with a vampire? But never in my wildest dreams did I ever come up with an immortal (of the David Bowie persuasion--bleached hair… what?) who used vampirism as a cover for his activities of killing people to earn his money the old-fashioned way--by marrying it.

In Paris… Duncan learns that the daughter of an old friend (whose father has recently died) is considering marrying a musician… Nicholas Ward. DM recalls meeting Ward in 1840 where the vampire hysteria covered Ward's tracks as he killed the owners of businesses he wanted… and then tried to marry the young, female heirs whom he later dispatches. He does this once too often… to someone DM knows… and escapes into the fog. Now DM fears Ward will kill his friend.

DM teams up with Joe Dawson, and the two forge an uneasy friendship as they attempt to research Ward and stop the killings.

This episode is noteworthy for the by-play between DM and Joe on stakeout and for the comments that indicate their relationship is growing. Slowly… they are beginning to forge a friendship… albeit one fraught with danger.

Jeremy Brudenell who plays Ward will also play immortal Robert deValicourt in Season Four. He will do so without the affected manner and the bleached blonde hair. That episode, "Till Death" also features our boy Methos… in a most important role!

During the Russian Revolution, Duncan MacLeod helps an aristocratic family he has befriended escape from the clutches of an immortal by promising him he will never face him… until and unless they are the only two immortals who remain.

DM is a man who lives by his word… and his promises sometimes return to haunt him.

At the Paris Opera, DM is amused watching a young woman try to convince her way into the performance. Since he happens to have an extra ticket… he obliges her if she will be his date. The young woman turns out to be a reporter seeking an interview with Arthur Drake… the immortal DM once knew as Drakov in Russia. The reporter is escorted from the premises.

Almost immediately after, DM sees a man try to gun down Drake. He stops him to save him and learns that during WWII Drake was the Nazi who had killed the man's family. He wants justice for his dead loved ones and begs DM to help him.

But a promise is a promise… and DM declines. Then… things get really interesting.

This is another of those moral dilemma episodes so loved by David Abramowitz and a theme to which he will return again and again. What is honor? How long is a promise good for? If we keep our word… to someone who does not deserve it… do we lose our honor?

Watch and consider. The floor is now open for discussion.

Okay guys… get a really good eyeful of the luscious body that emerges from 2000 years in a sarcophagus… more or less. Immortality must be an amazing thing if she comes out still looking the way she went in!

While driving through the streets of Paris, Duncan MacLeod becomes aware that an immortal is passing by in a truck. Curious… <he likes to know who's around he will tell Methos one day>, DM follows said truck to a deserted warehouse (is there any other kind) and discovers a stolen sarcophagus is the source of the immortal buzz he is feeling.

Pulling away the wrappings… DM discovers Nefertiri… an immortal who has been entombed for 2000 years and who… while not knowing anything about modern life… speaks perfect English! OK… they were likely speaking Latin… P/D just saved money on the sub-titles and having the actors speak in Latin until English replaced their Latin as in Hunt for Red October when the Russian eventually became English. (Wasn't Sir Sean magnificent in that one? But I digress…)

Nia Peeples plays Nefertiri who seems to adjust fairly well to the modern world… at least until she sees her old lover and enemy… Marcus Constantine, played by James Faulkner.

Constantine was a Roman soldier who obeyed his emperor and assisted in the destruction of Cleopatra… despite his love for her handmaiden… the immortal Nefertiri. He has been searching for Nefertiri's sarcophagus for centuries.

In speaking with him, DM discovers that MC and Darius had been friends over the years… although little real information on that relationship is exchanged. He also learns that like Darius… MC has moved from the game into a desire to preserve history and to help mankind learn from history so that the world will become a more peaceful place. He wants to start by making amends to Nefertiri.

MC was the producers' first attempt at introducing an older immortal who might become a mentor to DM in the wake of Darius' death. Although this one didn't work… the character is still fascinating and in the Chronicles is said to have also been the teacher of Ceirdwyn (who viewers will meet next season) and MC is heavily featured in the Highlander novel Zealot.

I, for one, enjoyed this episode, especially the flashbacks. On a limited budget… the feel of ancient Egypt is still present in them.

I wish they had done more with Marcus' character… but if they had… would we have Methos?

(See… I've managed to bring up the Ancient One twice in this commentary!)

By the way… that is not Nia Peeples bare rear you see in that scene… but a body double's. Sorry guys!

Today we see what the cast and crew of Highlander considered the best episode of Season 2. It is the only episode from this season to grace the Best of… DVD set.

Considering that this season offers a number of very interesting major milestones for Duncan and company… i. e. the introduction of Joe Dawson, the death of Tessa, Richie's becoming immortal, the return of Xavier St. Cloud, and the developing arc of The Hunters… that says a lot for this episode.

Amanda comes to see DM on his Paris barge… tearful as she has learned that Rebecca Horne (played to perfection by the glorious Nadia Cameron) has died. Rebecca, as we learn in flashbacks, was Amanda's first teacher… one who did not teach her to steal… but to relish life, to read, to fight, to survive as an immortal.

Rebecca is called in the Chronicles… the grandé dame of the immortals. Glorious… several thousand years old, Mycenean, and gracious. Her death is a hard blow for Amanda to take.

DM had also known Rebecca.

Agreeing to go to the funeral with Amanda, the two learn that one of Rebecca's old students… Luther… had killed her… for the crystals Rebecca had possessed and given to each of her students as they left her. Amanda still has hers.

DM and Amanda further learn that Luther has been tracking down and killing all of Rebecca's other students and attempting to re-assemble the parts of the crystal so that together… they will make him all-powerful.

Luther is played by French actor Emile Abossolo-M'bo, who will re-appear in Season Six as the creepy asylum attendant who feels up a traumatized Kyra. By the way… that accent they give Luther came from re-dubbing his voice. Seems they feared no one would understand his heavily accented English. Luther is said in the Chronicles to be from Cameroon, I think.

This episode gives us a wonderful look at the forces, incidents, and people who helped make Amanda who she is.

The Quickening in this episode also is unusual as it goes from day to night and back to day. (Blame the time it took to film it… a lucky accident that really works!) On the Best of… DVD's interviews, it is explained how they filmed the after shots… and then set up for the quickening shots. It took longer than expected and was dark by the time they finished. Some clouds were added in post-production to give it an other-wordly, fantasy appearance and to smooth out the differences in the light in the shots.

Enjoy!

Little Richie Ryan is all grown up and riding pell mell across the French landscape trying to escape the terror that is following him. Someone is killing mortals with a sword and framing him!

All RR can think to do is to run home to Duncan and beg forgiveness. "Honest Mac, I didn't know what else to do?"

Hence the title of the episode.

But… DM recalls a similar chance meeting with an elder immortal he had not long after leaving Connor… and that he too went running back. But unable to find his mentor… he'd tried to face the adversary and fallen to his blade all too easily.

He'd survived only because said immortal, one Martin Hyde (no K here), does not consider green immortals worth his time. He laughs and leaves Duncan for another day.

Another time… Hyde had come for another of DM's teachers… an immortal named Pierre Segur. DM tries to interfere but Segur holds him off. "The challenge is to me!"

DM knows by RR's return… that Hyde has returned… and now wishes to face DM in combat… considering him at last… a worthy opponent.

Enjoy! Not great… but interesting. It also has a great message about true friendship and family.

***

The scene at the end on the steps of the pont has always been one of my favorites. Whenever I think of DM and RR… it is that scene… and the one at the end of "Eye of the Beholder" from season 1 that I think of first.

The two scenes show a growing and close relationship between the two men. I think both of them shine with realism and joy. Both may have actually been unscripted fill-in shots for time, and allow viewers a glimpse of the relationship between the actors.

I do know they (or at least one of them) are also used in the montage of RR's life at the end of "Archangel" so now I always view them with a bit of poignancy.

If one also views this episode in the context of the parable of the Prodigal Son… recalling that story editor Abramowitz loved morality tales, one begins to see an even richer texture to the story.

Our children are our children. They grow up and our relationships with them change… but they are still ours to love and cherish… in ever more wonderful ways. And they can always come to us… or they should… and we should welcome them home with open arms.

Our children… are not disposable. And even DM learns this as he moves through his grief and into the next phase of his life. We do not turn our backs on children… or on friends.

Sociapathic Lisa Halle is being transferred from one prison to another… when she is kidnapped. There… the devil himself… makes her a deal… one she agrees to. "I can be anyone you want me to be," she tells him.

Yes folks… James Horton, whom we last saw watching DM make time with American investigator Renee at the end of "Unholy Alliance" is back… and he has a new plan.

Strip away all of Duncan's friends… and give him a new playmate. Confuse him and keep him off-balance. All the better to take his head.

Part one deals mainly with separating the newly re-united RR from DM. Thus comes Pete… a young mortal drifter with whom RR has a lot in common.

Pete saves RR from an attack and is injured in the process. But DM finds the entire incident… and Pete's easy knowledge of the attackers… too good to be true. But at each step of DM's investigation into Pete's past as well as the attackers… he seems to make progress only to be thwarted. Each clue he uncovers… only serves to convince RR that DM is looking for plots where none exist.

Will Horton succeed in dividing DM from RR? And just what does he plan to do with Lisa? Big surprise at the end!

Note: Lisa Halle is played by AP's wife at the time… Meilani Paul.

Peter Hudson once more reprises his role as James Horton… the man DM cannot seem to kill for good… the Watcher who comes to represent all the evil in the world… eventually.

Following the events of part one, while at the cemetery visiting Tessa's grave… DM sees a young woman walk by who looks amazingly like Tessa… she vanishes in the fog.

The next day… he sees her again and follows her… talks to her. With a laugh she brushes him off. DM is intrigued.

He sends her flowers where she works.

She shows up at his barge to thank him and he invites her to dinner. On their way… RR stops by and is stunned to meet "Lisa."

"Don't you think this is too much a coincidence?" he asks Mac.

Mac nods… but he doesn't seem to care.

In part 1, it was DM who was suspicious and who could not seem to get RR to believe him that Pete was an enemy. Now the shoe seems to be on the other foot. It is DM who does not seem to wish to consider that Lisa… a dead ringer for Tessa… is anything other than what she seems.

RR contacts Joe Dawson to talk with him. When a car zooms past and RR sees Horton level a gun at Joe… Richie does the all-American kid thing… and takes a bullet for Joe… thus cementing their developing relationship. He dies for Joe… so Joe and he become friends… after all… Watchers still give RR the creeps… but Joe is not HIS Watcher.

Enjoy folks! When Alexandra Vandernoot left the series after 4 episodes… she was assured two additional working episodes for flashback work in Paris or, she is said to have suggested, "Why not bring in my evil twin (as in a soap opera)!" The producers do just that.

This episode features Alexandra Vandernoot as the psychopathic Lisa who now looks like Tessa… and a flashback with the real Tessa.

When this episode first played… it was not at all certain that Highlander would return for another year… and the tie-up of the episode and the season feels also like a satisfying tie-up for a series that was only just reaching its potential!

Thank goodness it was picked up and we got three more additional seasons plus the abbreviated sixth season.