I've watched a few episodes of season 4 tonight good stuff, show feels very 1995 at this point I keep waiting on Mulder and Scully to come walking around the corner. Duncan is seriously fucking bad ass and that katana is a real work of art. The actor Adrian Paul seems like he really took to sword fighting through filming all the fights, the fights are really good and he's a natural with the blade, you can tell theres not a stunt double he actually is in the fights, unlike say Chuck Norris in probably 90% of any fight scenes in Walker Texas Ranger where it's a stunt double and a lot of quick editing.

The show did need more pro wrestler guest stars like the Piper episode, change the actor in the pilot out with Sid and tell me that episode wouldn't have been like 100 times better. Was Edge in one of the straight to DVD movies they did?

Sept 8, 2022 3:13:37 GMT Neo Zeed said:

The show did need more pro wrestler guest stars like the Piper episode, change the actor in the pilot out with Sid and tell me that episode wouldn't have been like 100 times better. Was Edge in one of the straight to DVD movies they did?

Meh. Sid would have no showed or broken his leg. According to @ness Edge was indeed in a Highlander movie. Don't remember this myself, but then I only ever really had time for the series.

Going out tonight so I'll only manage to squeeze in one episode today with just enough time for a quickie review.

6. A Bad Day In Building A- This episode was pretty ridiculous in a good way. Call it more entertaining crap, but even more entertaining (and crappier?) than the last one. Got serious 80s-90s action movie vibes from this one. I bet Nobi would love it. It's all about Duncan being a badass. I mean even more than usual.

Tessa apparently gets parking tickets more frequently than Duncan takes heads and it's her day in court. Duncan drops her off and waits in the car while Richie accompanies Tessa to court as she faces the law. A 7 time murderer named Bryan Slade is being sentenced to life in prison in another part of the building. As he's being taken away a group of workmen we saw earlier open fire on the police and bailiffs escorting Slade, killing two. Swerve! The workmen were members of Slade's gang. Tessa & Richie are taken hostage along with some random jobbers. Duncan falls asleep outside and ends up getting yet another ticket. But upon hearing the commotion he wakes up and goes inside. Hostage negotiations and other stuff happens and Slade eventually shoots Duncan on camera. Now it really gets good in an over the top action movie sort of way as Duncan takes out Slade's increasingly paranoid lackeys one by one after resurrecting. It all builds to an anticlimactic confrontation where Duncan skewers Slade with pointy stick sort of thing since he made the mistake of not bringing his sword to court. This episode was even more entertaining crap than the last one. Love it!

The reporter lady from a few episodes ago showed up again. We also got a new main police officer in Stosh Cominski appearing for the second episode in a row. Guess the first semi-regular cop got the boot. My least favorite part of this episode was the annoying little girl. She's the daughter of the building's janitor who he brings to work. She hangs out in the janitor closet playing with dolls while her daddy is working. They were going for "cute," and I could buy it at first, but then she just got really annoying. Of course she ends up with Duncan and is all "I have to go potty" or "Tell me a story or I won't do the thing you want me to do." Of course Duncan being Duncan risks lives by doing exactly what she wants. What a guy! Oh, the story was related to Duncan's immortal heritage. Sadly no flashback though.

Duncan told Tessa & Richie to leave without him before walking off sad and alone at the end. Didn't really get that part until I read a Youtube commenter saying it's because he hadn't taken a mortal life in a while before taking four in this episode. Makes sense.

This was not a bad episode I wasnt super crazy about it but didn't hate it either. Caught some heavy Die Hard vibes at times

Caught another episode last night from season 4 where Duncan has to face another female immortal, this one had some amazing tits and a particularly nasty attitude. Duncan has her dead to rites but refuses to take her head and tells her to scram. So I'm catching that he won't take a female immortal's head. Methos on the other hand, comes from a time before chivalry existed, what a fucking epic line. Pick up your sword bitch

I am becoming more and more fascinated with Methos, definitely breathed a new life into the show

Sept 9, 2022 1:54:50 GMT Neo Zeed said:

I am becoming more and more fascinated with Methos, definitely breathed a new life into the show

Told ya Methos was the man. I wouldn't steer you wrong.

Sept 9, 2022 1:49:34 GMT Neo Zeed said:

Caught another episode last night from season 4 where Duncan has to face another female immortal, this one had some amazing tits and a particularly nasty attitude. Duncan has her dead to rites but refuses to take her head and tells her to scram. So I'm catching that he won't take a female immortal's head. Methos on the other hand, comes from a time before chivalry existed, what a fucking epic line. Pick up your sword bitch

Agreed. Mentioned that line in passing earlier in this thread. There honestly aren't a ton of individual episodes, moments, or one off characters I remember from Highlander. For example none of the Season 1 episodes so far have rang any bells. But the bulk of the stuff that did stick with me is Methos related. 

7. Mountain Men- Nobi mentioned this episode a few times. Poor Tessa is just a magnet for trouble. This time she takes a solo trip to the woods while Duncan is away only to be kidnapped by a trio of survivalists wanted for the murder of two police officers. The lead survivalist intends to marry her. He's also an immortal. It's up to Duncan to save Tess upon his return. Flashback is Duncan being trained in the art of tracking back in the day by another half mad survivalist, albeit a babyface one this time. Survivalist Immortal's lackeys end up having Duncan trapped so Mac commits suicide by jumping off a cliff. Didn't remember Duncan intentionally dying so many times to throw his enemies off. Neat trick, but also a bit on the shady side. Doesn't really fit Duncan's heroic style imo. Strikes me as more of a Methos move. Paranoia soon sets in on the survivalists. Duncan kidnaps the lead guy's adopted son. Lead guy ends up shooting the other mortal, who was a real piece of work, for thinking he had something to do with the disappearance of his adopted son. It all leads to a big showdown between Duncan and Survivalist Guy where Survivalist Guy actually puts up a strong fight. I guess because he had Mac's sword was Duncan was forced to use an unfamiliar ax? Survivalist Guy has Duncan on the ropes a time or two but Mac does take his head in the end.

Didn't outright hate it, but this was on the lower end of the eps I've watched so far. It was the first time I began to get bored for more than the occasional minute or two. When Tessa got kidnapped in the beginning I was all like "Come on! This is getting ridiculous now with back to back Tessa in peril episodes." At this point I just want one episode where they do normal 90s stuff for 48 minutes. Go to the grocery store. Watch some tv. Play board games. Sell some antiques. That sort of thing. Another thing that annoyed me was the survivalists all having Southern accents. It's hinted the show takes place in the Pacific Northwest. That's about as far from the South as you can get! I understand "every rural character must have a Southern accent!" is a common trope (X Files did it with New Hampshirites, Pennsylvanians, and I'm sure others well north of the Mason Dixon line), but it's one that annoys me.

This one also reminded me of a major 90s pet peeve of mine I often argued with my friend Chuck (the only Highlander fan I knew) about. Duncan is just too perfect. Basically Superman with a sword. All his stats are maxed out. He's the coolest. The strongest. The best fighter. Etc. Here he's the best tracker. He makes the locals look like yokels and even manages to outdo a guy whose whole deal is "crazy local survivalist." I'm more accepting of Super Duncan these days because he IS 400 years old so he's had lots of time to learn....everything. But there are still immortals even older who should be Duncan's superior in some things. Anyway, I did like how they gave Survivalist Guy some depth with a rather tragic backstory. Reminds me of a theory I came across the other day where somebody postulated so many immortals end up going mad because of their long lives. Loss is the darkside of immortality. There's also the Dark Quickening theory which I'll cover more in depth later. Gist of it is if you take too many Quickenings of bad people you tend to become evil yourself.

There were two well known actors in this one, though I recognized them only by name. Survivalist Guy was over the top even by Highlander standards.

*That one ran way long lol. Be back in a bit with a review of the other episode I watched.

As long as I slack like this I'll always be lowly mortal scum.

Ness youre like this threads version of the drunk black dude in the hotel lobby in the highlander movie, "I told you don't talk to the customers!" and he's all like "Aright aright man shit" 

Baker fucking sweet ass avatar I kept waiting for a Jeff Jarrett photoshop with a broad sword, which would have been epic

Sept 10, 2022 1:16:12 GMT Baker said:

7. Mountain Men- Nobi mentioned this episode a few times. Poor Tessa is just a magnet for trouble. This time she takes a solo trip to the woods while Duncan is away only to be kidnapped by a trio of survivalists wanted for the murder of two police officers. The lead survivalist intends to marry her. He's also an immortal. It's up to Duncan to save Tess upon his return. Flashback is Duncan being trained in the art of tracking back in the day by another half mad survivalist, albeit a babyface one this time. Survivalist Immortal's lackeys end up having Duncan trapped so Mac commits suicide by jumping off a cliff. Didn't remember Duncan intentionally dying so many times to throw his enemies off. Neat trick, but also a bit on the shady side. Doesn't really fit Duncan's heroic style imo. Strikes me as more of a Methos move. Paranoia soon sets in on the survivalists. Duncan kidnaps the lead guy's adopted son. Lead guy ends up shooting the other mortal, who was a real piece of work, for thinking he had something to do with the disappearance of his adopted son. It all leads to a big showdown between Duncan and Survivalist Guy where Survivalist Guy actually puts up a strong fight. I guess because he had Mac's sword was Duncan was forced to use an unfamiliar ax? Survivalist Guy has Duncan on the ropes a time or two but Mac does take his head in the end.

Didn't outright hate it, but this was on the lower end of the eps I've watched so far. It was the first time I began to get bored for more than the occasional minute or two. When Tessa got kidnapped in the beginning I was all like "Come on! This is getting ridiculous now with back to back Tessa in peril episodes." At this point I just want one episode where they do normal 90s stuff for 48 minutes. Go to the grocery store. Watch some tv. Play board games. Sell some antiques. That sort of thing. Another thing that annoyed me was the survivalists all having Southern accents. It's hinted the show takes place in the Pacific Northwest. That's about as far from the South as you can get! I understand "every rural character must have a Southern accent!" is a common trope (X Files did it with New Hampshirites, Pennsylvanians, and I'm sure others well north of the Mason Dixon line), but it's one that annoys me.

This one also reminded me of a major 90s pet peeve of mine I often argued with my friend Chuck (the only Highlander fan I knew) about. Duncan is just too perfect. Basically Superman with a sword. All his stats are maxed out. He's the coolest. The strongest. The best fighter. Etc. Here he's the best tracker. He makes the locals look like yokels and even manages to outdo a guy whose whole deal is "crazy local survivalist." I'm more accepting of Super Duncan these days because he IS 400 years old so he's had lots of time to learn....everything. But there are still immortals even older who should be Duncan's superior in some things. Anyway, I did like how they gave Survivalist Guy some depth with a rather tragic backstory. Reminds me of a theory I came across the other day where somebody postulated so many immortals end up going mad because of their long lives. Loss is the darkside of immortality. There's also the Dark Quickening theory which I'll cover more in depth later. Gist of it is if you take too many Quickenings of bad people you tend to become evil yourself.

There were two well known actors in this one, though I recognized them only by name. Survivalist Guy was over the top even by Highlander standards.

*That one ran way long lol. Be back in a bit with a review of the other episode I watched.

Sweet writeup I do love it, it's just so fucking goofy I can't help but love it. Everybody's accent is hilarious and make some of the lines so cheesy it's just lovely, I think at one point Beast Master says "First I'm going to take your quickening, then I'm going to take your woman!" and the way he says it with the accent had me dying. But then man that final fight was fucking epic and probably my second favorite duel of the series so far. The sword fights are a real treat on this show. Which makes it odd that anytime Duncan is unarmed the fight scenes are pretty bad, seems like choreographing sword fights would be harder to do than regular ones.

I made it to about halfway through season 4 tonight and we get to an episode that introduces the idea of "Dark Quickenings" which really got me hooked, Duncan's Shaman buddy Immortal has turned to the dark side so Duncan has to take him out, and he experiences a dark Quickening himself and turns heel and it gets really interesting with him almost killing Richie in a duel in the dojo, then he appears to be going into exile on the ship in the end and it's ...to be continued. Fuck this show rules.

Do they even have swords in Tennessee?

Sept 10, 2022 1:22:13 GMT @ness said:

As long as I slack like this I'll always be lowly mortal scum.

You can try sitting out but The Game will always finds you in the end. Even if you are a slacker I like how you occasionally chime in. Shows at least one other person is reading this other than Nobi and I.

8. Deadly Medicine- OMG YES! Episode begins with Duncan grocery shopping! My wish has come true! Aww nuts! Stuff keeps falling out of Duncan's bag...or getting rolled towards him so he has to pick it up? That part is unclear. Duncan is hit by a car as he bends over to pick up the loose groceries. Mac is rushed to the hospital. He's near death. The doctors and nurses get distracted by another patient. Mac comes to and sneaks out. As he nears home he's stabbed with a needle. Turns out the mortal doctor is a mad scientist whose main hobby is experimenting on people until they die. He's fascinated by Duncan's supernatural healing powers and REALLY wants to experiment on him. It's the same basic premise as the episode with the Asian immortal. Guy starts off with good intentions (healing humanity in Mad Doctor's case). Becomes obsessed. Turns evil. Duncan eventually frees himself from Mad Doctor's home lab but he's still in a bad way due to the doctor's drugs making him woozy. Looks like drugs might be Duncan's kryptonite. There's also a side plot with Mad Doctor and his nurse. Nurse has the hots for him but Mad Doctor is more concerned with his experiments. Nurse learns more than she should so Mad Doctor kills her to really get him over as a heel. Woozy Duncan wanders around town for a while. Annoying reporter lady is back and on the case. There's yet another new cop. This is the worst one yet. First one had a modicum of personality with his smart aleck ways. Second one actually seemed pretty competent. This one is just a bore. As the walls are closing in Mad Doctor kidnaps Reporter Lady for more experimenting. Woozy Duncan runs in for the save after finally meeting up with Tessa & Richie. Woozy Duncan and Mad Doctor fight. Nerdy looking Mad Doc actually gives Woozy Duncan a run for his money before Mac conveniently shoves him into a needle. Mad Doctor dies. The end.

Really wasn't feeling this one. Though in the interest of fairness I will say it was really late and I was really tired but I just HAD to squeeze in one more Highlander episode. Yet another pet peeve of mine back in the day was the lack of 'real life' consequences as the result of Duncan and Friends shenanigans. Everywhere Immortals go headless bodies and lightning wrecking stuff follows. Yet we never saw any news reports or police investigations. Now I realize they did do these things, but they just didn't work from an entertainment standpoint. Same deal with the movie. I'm not saying it couldn't have worked. They definitely could have with better writing. But it just doesn't work the way they're doing it. Luckily I read all the 'real life' stuff gets scrapped pretty soon and replaced by The Watchers (which are also ridiculous in a completely different way). Dorky mad doctor guy was played by an actor who went on to become famous. Joe Pantoliono or something like that. I recognized the name. Weakest episode yet imo.

*Checked out the Highlander IMDb scores. The highest rated episode I watched so far was the pilot rated 80th out of 119. Meaning all eight (non-Horsemen) episodes I've watched so far rank in the bottom third. That bodes well for the future. A lot of these episodes have been meh and I wasn't sure I'd make it through all 119 at this rate. Discovering it gets better is a real confidence booster.

Yeah there is still some good stuff to get to in season 1(Grayson) and some bad stuff too, like the Mimes that drink absynth, the show to me got pretty bad during that stretch of episodes where they go to France for the rest of the season. But I still like the chemistry with the 3 of them like a little family through the episodes that was something that gets lost in season 2.

This mid-season 2 part in season 4 is off the fucking chain. This is definitely the best season so far

Aw fuck we get Duncan vs Evil Duncan in the finale of this 2 parter this is fucking baaaaad asssssssss DUDE! 

Sept 10, 2022 1:44:58 GMT Neo Zeed said:

1. some of the lines so cheesy it's just lovely, I think at one point Beast Master says "First I'm going to take your quickening, then I'm going to take your woman!" and the way he says it with the accent had me dying.

2. I made it to about halfway through season 4 tonight and we get to an episode that introduces the idea of "Dark Quickenings"

1. lol yeah I enjoyed that one too. Classic line
2. Hell yeah! The Dark Quickening episode(s?) ruled. Another of the relatively few things that always stuck with me from this show.

Sept 10, 2022 1:51:15 GMT Neo Zeed said:

Baker fucking sweet ass avatar I kept waiting for a Jeff Jarrett photoshop with a broad sword, which would have been epic

OMG yes! I shall try to do this. Not sure if there are swords in Tennessee now but with any luck there will be soon!
==============
Something I forgot to mention that annoyed me about the last episode was who hit Duncan in the beginning? Definitely looked like a set up to me. Felt like they were setting it up to be the smitten Nurse performing dastardly deeds for her doctor but they never followed through with it. Yeah, that episode was another one on the messy side.

This is the single greatest fucking show in human history

Sept 10, 2022 2:10:05 GMT Neo Zeed said:

Yeah there is still some good stuff to get to in season 1(Grayson) and some bad stuff too, like the Mimes that drink absynth

wtf did I just read?!? No lie I just laughed for a minute straight. Tears, dude. Bound to be either the best or worst episode in Highlander history. 

Sept 10, 2022 2:15:23 GMT Neo Zeed said:

This is the single greatest fucking show in human history

And you haven't even made it to the Horsemen yet! Gonna shoot straight with you. Every time you post an update my first thought is "one step closer to The Horsemen

"

Part One breaks the scale. 11/10 for sure.

Sept 10, 2022 2:20:39 GMT Baker said:

Sept 10, 2022 2:10:05 GMT Neo Zeed said:

Yeah there is still some good stuff to get to in season 1(Grayson) and some bad stuff too, like the Mimes that drink absynth

wtf did I just read?!? No lie I just laughed for a minute straight. Tears, dude. Bound to be either the best or worst episode in Highlander history. 

Another really bad one I think was in the latter part of season 3 called The Pharoahs daughter or something had Nia Peeples who is a babe and was a regular on the latter years of Walker Texas Ranger, I had such high hopes for that one and it was dreadful.

Nope. Still not over it. Keep thinking about the mimes that drink absinthe and breaking out into fits of laughter. Funniest thing this forum has seen since I shared the epic Marconi & Staletto Titantron card.

Got time to squeeze in one episode before bed. Let's go!

Disturbing lack of Queen montages thus far. Only 3 through 8 episodes. The way I remembered it there was a Queen montage in practically every episode. Maybe we get more Queen montages as the show improves over time? If so, I see a direct correlation between the two.

9. The Sea Witch- Richie is running an antique related errand for Duncan. His mission takes him to his old neighborhood where he encounters a hood being rude to a woman. Turns out the girl is an old friend of his named Nikki. Richie confronts the goon and they almost come to blows. The street tough is a real jerk whose only redeeming quality is an amazing denim over leather jacket in the style of HHH. Don't sleep on Richie's western style fringe jacket either. Goon and Girl leave together but Richie follows them to a drug deal. HHH Jacket gets whacked after trying to double cross the dealers. Dude deserved it. Nikki escapes with Richie and now the drug dealers are after them. Richie wants to go to Casa De Duncan but first they have to pick up Nikki's daughter. Drug dealers find them only for Duncan to swoop in just in time to save the day. I like how Duncan made quick work of the dealers after his poor showing against the nerdy doctor yesterday. Back at Duncan's Tessa tries to make friends with Nikki and Daughter but Nikki is being a huge pill. Richie justifiably gives her the business for being so rude to Tess. Nikki sucks. She was insufferable for 3/4 of the episode. She also hid $50,000 and a bag of coke from Team Duncan in addition to double crossing the drug dealers a second time with the old suitcase full of socks trick. Duncan flushed the bag of cocaine down the toilet with a classic line about "hoping there are no alligators in the sewers." The world missed out if Adrian Paul never did an anti-drug PSA. Luckily for us viewers Nikki was put on a bus out of town as the episode concluded so she won't be coming back as Richie's love interest.

The lesser drug dealers meet their Eastern European boss. Turns out he's an immortal who soon suspects Duncan to be the one responsible for foiling his plans. A phone conversation between the two confirms it. Flashback is to Duncan's time in Soviet Russia where he worked to free people from Stalin's tyranny. He cut a deal with an immortal who owed him one because Duncan let him live in a previous fight. Of course said immortal turns out to be Head Drug Dealer Guy. The plan is for him to escort the Russians to freedom on his ship the eponymous Sea Witch. Swerve! He double crosses Duncan. The people are rounded up to be executed by Soviet army goons while Duncan escapes by diving into the water. Drug Dealer Guy would later brag about having his way with Duncan's Russian woman. They very coolly and calmly set up a showdown real Old West style. Instead of pistols at dawn it's a nighttime duel on The Sea Witch II.

Long fight this time. Drug Dealer Guy fights dirty by going to the eyes. They inadvertently turn the propeller on. Drug Dealer Guy gets thrown overboard and loses his head via propeller. That sure was different. I liked it. Duncan's final line- "Say hello to comrade Stalin for me."

Verdict- Another in a series of meh episodes. Not outright hating any of these but they're all just kind of there in that 5/10 sort of way. Fwiw it was rated 93 out of 119 on IMDb. So rather than thinking Highlander is a bad series for binge watching (not every show can be Lark Rise To Candleford after all) I just assume it's going to get better. 

I like how they made the final fight out to be this real big showdown. First time in a while we had a planned duel. Gave it that big fight feel. Best villain in a while too. Dude was a real sleazeball. All the Nikki stuff sucked though. But my biggest issue with this episode was the title. Never tease something cooler than you end up delivering. I read Sea Witch and expect to see something like Ursula from the Little Mermaid casting spells on Duncan and being awful. So here I am all hyped to see a literal Sea Witch and all I get is a stupid boat. Major bummer.

I felt the same way about this stretch of episodes, have they moved to Paris yet in this order you're watching? I felt the same way you did then the show really picked up in the beginning of season two, then there is another drag of episodes seemingly even more lifeless than these from season 1. Season 3 and 4 is definitely where the writers got it together and it reeks of 1994-95 charm, also a huge fan of that katana and the whole structure of the show where it just builds up to a showdown sword fight, and the quickenings never get old it's like a graphic effect in a rpg video game you always look forward to, I do love rotoscope animated lightning effects. Some of the quickenings are so corny too with the bad CGI, there was one where they had a big moon in the sky and the dark quickenings were gloriously fucking cheesy. 

@ness needs to change his av to Beast Master from Mounten Men or Kurgan, also Kilgore no selling this thread wtf dude 

No Paris yet. All episodes have taken place in what the fanbase calls Seacouver.
Found an amazing pic I’ll share tonight when back on my laptop.

Speaking of Kilgore I think I've said this on PW before but I always thought Pillman was one of those guys that should have been making his rounds on shows like this as the Monster Of The Week, seems like he would have been a natural heel on Walker Texas Ranger, Highlander, Renegade, X-Files and maybe even Hercules(or Xena?). Pillman should have been swiped away from Pro Wrestling and been in JCVD, Wesley Snipes, and Steven Seagall movies. 

Was he on Baywatch?