Highlander: The Series
Encyclopedia
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy
-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod
(Adrian Paul
) of the Scottish Clan MacLeod
, as the Highlander
. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film
with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985. In fact, original Highlander
star Christopher Lambert
appeared in the Pilot episode so as to pass the torch to Adrian Paul
.
The series was an international hit and was nominated three times for the Gemini Awards and once for a Saturn Award in 1998.
(played by Alexandra Vandernoot
). They were co-proprietors of the antique shop MacLeod & Noël Antiques. The pilot introduced Richie Ryan
(Stan Kirsch
) as a thief who entered Duncan's shop and witnessed the confrontation between Duncan, evil Immortal Slan Quince (Richard Moll
) and Duncan's fellow clansman Connor MacLeod
, the hero from the movies.
It was established that Duncan had lived nearly 400 years, and that there were many such Immortals in the world. Connor came to Duncan to ask him to return to The Game and help good win over evil, where "The Game" is the term used by the Immortals to describe their hunting of one another, seeking "Quickenings
" by beheading
their opponents. Duncan had hidden from other Immortals for some time, removing himself from The Game. Hunted by Quince, Duncan had no choice but to face him and by the end of the first episode, Slan had been defeated and Duncan was clearly caught up in The Game again.
Storylines revolved around Duncan MacLeod and his relationship with mortals and other Immortals. These relationships were a theme in the series, especially Duncan MacLeod's relationship towards his friends, family, lovers and foes (see Duncan MacLeod's relationships). As the series progressed, there were changes in concept and normal growth in the characters and their relationships. Several recurring Immortal characters such as Amanda
and Methos
became frequent guests on the show and the Watchers
like Joe Dawson were introduced in season 2.
In the final episode of season 5, "Archangel", the character of Richie Ryan
was killed and the supernatural
demon
Ahriman
was introduced into the storyline. Of the 13 episodes of season six, two did not feature MacLeod, while a few showed him in cameos while the producers experimented with introducing a new female Immortal character for a spin-off series. None of these were chosen, and what came to be Highlander: The Raven
would feature recurring character "Amanda" in a starring role, though it would be canceled after one season.
This narration was slightly changed in the show's sixth episode, "Deadly Medicine" (again by Duncan):
The narration changed again in the second season, when Watcher Joe Dawson was introduced (narrative by Joe):
The narration changed again at the beginning of the fourth season, and remained until the end of the series' run (narrative by Joe):
.
The French leading production company Gaumont Television
bought the rights to the series to have it produced in syndication in America with a local crew, a ground-breaking move at the time. Highlander marked the first time a French production company was creatively involved in a show intended for the American market. The show was co-produced in syndication by international partners including Gaumont, RTL Plus
(Germany), Rysher Distribution
(United States), Reteitalia Productions (Italy), Amuse Video (Japan) and TF1
(France). The budget of the first season was US$26.1 million. Keith Samples, president of Rysher, stated that "about 75% of the guaranteed budget came from overseas sales." The remaining 25% came from United States sales and the producers retained the distribution rights, which allowed the show to produce $800,000 per episode only from international income, believed to be the top result of the 1992-1993 season. To secure an adequate share of European content, and as a result of the co-production agreement, each season was divided into two segments, the first segment was filmed in Vancouver
, British Columbia, Canada (posing at the fictional location of Seacouver
, Washington, United States), the second in Paris
, France. The production of the first segment began in Vancouver on 13 July 1992, while the production of the second segment started in December 1992 in Paris and used the studios of French state production agency Société Française de Production (SFP) at Bry-sur-Marne
near Paris.
The executive producer
s were Bill Panzer, Peter S. Davis, Gaumont Television president Christian Charret and Gaumont co-production chief Marla Ginsburg. Steven Maier, Sheryl Hardy and Guy Collins were co-executive producers. Kevin Droney and Philip John Taylor were supervising producers at the beginning of the season; from the seventh episode onwards, David Abramowitz became supervising producer instead of Taylor. The producers
were Barry Rosen
and Gary Goodman. Executives in charge of production were Marc du Pontavice
and Denis Leroy. Scripts were contributed by both staff and freelance writers, Brian Clemens
among the latter. Brent-Carl Clackson was line producer
on the Vancouver segment, from episode one to thirteen. When production moved to Paris, Clackson was succeeded by Patrick Millet (with the title of production manager) for episodes fourteen to twenty-two. The regular directors
were Thomas J. Wright
, Jorge Montesi and Ray Austin. The fencing coach was Bob Anderson
, who coined for himself the title of Master of Swords. Anderson choreographed the fights on the Vancouver segment then was succeeded by Peter Diamond, credited as second unit
director and stunt coordinator
on the Paris segment. The opening theme was "Princes of the Universe
" from the 1986 album A Kind of Magic
by Queen
; incidental music was composed by Roger Bellon. The pilot episode was originally intended to be a third Highlander Movie (To act as a TV movie),but the low budget and Lambert agreeing to reprise his role as Conner Macleod late into production caused the pilot to be written as a 1 hour pilot.
did not wish to do television, though he agreed that there should be a series, and originally Connor MacLeod was to be the protagonist. After Lambert declined, and because there were still films being made with the Connor character, it was decided at Adrian Paul's request to have the series focus on another MacLeod. Lambert agreed to appear in the pilot and pass the torch. They were only able to afford him for three days of filming. Lambert declined to do any future episodes.
Alastair Duncan
was the original choice to play the lead (as Connor MacLeod) before Adrian Paul was cast. Duncan later appeared as Immortal Terence Coventry in the fifth season. Martial artist Gary Daniels
was also a popular favorite for the lead role.
Adrian Paul beat out 400 hopefuls for the lead role. Originally, the actor was a tough sell to the investors because he was an unknown (though he played Russian ballet dancer Kolya in The Colbys
). But some of the producers felt that he would appeal to both men and women fans of the franchise. Paul reminded them of a young Sean Connery. Adrian said in an interview that he was drawn to the series because it had so many layers: history, romance, adventure, spirituality.
Although Immortals are scattered around the world, the events of the series are most notably located in Vancouver
, British Columbia
and Paris
, France
. However, flashbacks during the series often brought the show to a variety of places. The locations for the present switched at the midway point of season 2-5 from Seattle/Vancouver to Paris. Thus it became the second international TV series about a Scottish
swashbuckler
in France after Quentin Durward
which had already been shot in back in 1970 and resembles many of Duncan McLeod's (and Connor McLeod's) historical flashback
s. In Paris, Duncan lived on a barge located on the Seine
River (at approximately 48.836743°N 2.374941°E) while in the fictional city of "Seacouver, WA" (somewhere in the Pacific Northwest) Duncan moved after Tessa's death from their antiques store to an apartment above his recently acquired freestyle dojo.
, the distributor that had sold the series to the American market, had to make a decision about financing a new season. At this point, the European partners still had not aired the first season, so the decision fell to Rysher. Willing to take the risk, Rysher announced that it would produce a second season. The France/Canada co-production agreement of the previous season was reconstituted, albeit with some different partners. Gaumont Television
(France), Rysher TPE (United States) and Reteitalia (Italy) agreed to renew their participation to a new season. French leading channel TF1
was forced to cancel its participation because it was no longer legally allowed to qualify a show filmed in English as French content, and was replaced by French smaller channel M6, which was still allowed to do so. RTL Plus
(Germany) and Amuse Video (Japan) were also no longer part of the co-production, but Gaumont Television president Christian Charret signed Filmline International (Canada) as a new partner. As a result of this new co-production agreement, with less wealthy partners, the budget of the season decreased from US$26.1 million the previous year to $22 million. Half of the funding came from French and other European sources; income per episode from international sales, which had reached $800,000 in the previous season, decreased as well. According to The Hollywood Reporter
, pre-production started in April 1993, and filming in June the same year. Like the first season, the second season was divided into two segments; the first segment was filmed in Vancouver
, British Columbia, Canada (as the fictional city of Seacouver
, Washington, United States), and the second in Paris
, France, to secure an acceptable share of European content as part of the co-production agreement. Creatively, the second season was intended to be more action-oriented than the first, but lead actor Adrian Paul
refused to do "another kung fu series," insisting that more romance and history be brought in the scripts.
, which have mostly received negative reviews (with the exception of the animated film Highlander: The Search for Vengeance, which has received more positive reviews).
Rob Lineberger of DVD Verdict said, "The direction is sometimes uncertain, but Highlander: The Series gives viewers something unique and inspiring. Each episode gives us a provocative glimpse into the trials and concerns of immortality, great swordfights, stylish flashbacks to bygone eras, and occasionally wicked immortals with awesome quickenings." Lineberger added, "These actors, writers, producers, directors, and crew delivered one of television's great successes, particularly in the fantasy genre. Highlander: The Series took us to places we otherwise could not have gone, and did so with intelligence, style, and wit." Lineberger gave the six seasons scores of 92, 93, 90, 92, 87, and 70 out of 100, respectively.
Abbie Bernstein of Audio Video Revolution said, "Although it would be another two years until the series fully hit its stride, it was already [in the first season] offering something out of the ordinary narratively; in terms of production value, it remains one of the best-looking quasi-period shows ever to come down the pike, holding its own and then some against much better-funded product from the major studios." David Oliver of CHUD said that "whereas the sequels ultimately strayed from the mythology of the original [film] in the pursuit of more storytelling (translation: more money), the series built upon the mythology."
Carlo Cavagna of About Film criticized the series, saying that it consisted of "pedestrian one-hour confrontations pitting Duncan MacLeod against one overacting nefarious immortal after another, each a pale imitation of Clancy Brown
's delicious overarching villainy in the first film," and felt that the series featured "a wide array of unappealing supporting characters" and that "the writers didn't know what to do with the Highlander concept." Similarly, Danél Griffin of Film as Art remarked that "the six-season Highlander: The Series has a loyal following, but let’s be honest: Adrian Paul, the lead, is not an interesting actor, and there’s not one moment in the show—not one—that comes close to matching the wit or liveliness of the first film
."
Critics have pointed to the middle seasons of the show as its best. Lineberger remarked, "There was a dramatic boost in quality from season one to season two. Season two had better writing and quality control, [and] season three is better than season two." Bernstein claimed that "during season five, [the show] was at the peak of its creative glory." Kathie Huddleston of Syfy
said that "season four was arguably the best season of the series, as the show said goodbye to characters from the previous season and delved into what made the regulars and the most notable recurring characters tick."
Critics have singled out the sixth and final season as the worst of the series. Lineberger remarked, "I haven't attempted to hide my disappointment with this season. For the first time ever in my life as a Highlander enthusiast, I found myself utterly uncaptivated." Oliver awarded the sixth season a score of 3.9 out of 10, saying: "Like The X-Files
, Highlander: The Series simply went on too long. If the star is wanting to get out of a show as much as Paul was ready to hang up his katana, then I say let it go."
(2000
) and Highlander: The Source
(2007
). The films feature Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod, Peter Wingfield as Methos and Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson.
), Kyra (played by Alice Evans
), Katya (played by Justina Vail
), and Reagan Cole (played by Sandra Hess
). None of the new characters introduced in the spin-off episodes proved satisfactory, however, and the spin-off went to Elizabeth Gracen
as the popular character Amanda
. The spin-off only lasted one season due to low rating and the change in the marketing of syndicated shows. Highlander Raven was given to Amanda because the fan reaction was negative concerning the season six female Immortal guest stars, according to the behind the scene interviews and the watcher's guide book.
, a character drawn from the television series. Peter Wingfield was the voice actor for the main character of the short series, which lasted only one eight-episode season. There was some plan to develop a live-action series in the early 2000s, and Peter Wingfield
was willing to participate. However, since then there hasn't been any significant news.
, Elizabeth Gracen
, and Jim Byrnes
reprising their roles. The 17 minute special was a low budget project that takes place 10 years after the series (or between the fourth and fifth movies). Filming took place at producer Peter Davis' beach home with the actors volunteering in their roles. The plot involved the characters discussing Methos' plans to get married and settle down with a mortal woman and her son.
In 2009 Big Finish
released a series of four audio adventures featuring Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod. They are set sometime after the events of Endgame. These are:
Each play in the first season is around an hour long, and contains a new music score and new Highlander audio theme by Jamie Robertson
Season Two
A second season of four plays was announced in August 2009, to be produced by Paul Spragg and script edited by James Swallow
.
, season 1, episode 15 ("Coming to Grips"), Bert "Sock" Wysocki pretends to be Duncan MacLeod
as he wields the scythe
'vessel' they are going to use to capture the escaped soul; presumably because - like swords in the Highlander series - it could be used to decapitate someone.
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod is a fictional character from the Highlander multiverse. Duncan MacLeod serves as the protagonist for the TV continuation of the Highlander franchise, which comprises Highlander: The Series and its spin-off movies, Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source...
(Adrian Paul
Adrian Paul
Adrian Paul Hewett , better known as Adrian Paul, is an actor best known for his role on the television series Highlander: The Series as Duncan MacLeod. In 1997, he founded The Peace Fund charitable organization.-Early life:...
) of the Scottish Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
, as the Highlander
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film
Highlander (film)
Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985. In fact, original Highlander
Highlander (film)
Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
star Christopher Lambert
Christopher Lambert
Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert is an American-born French actor who has appeared in French, European and American productions. He is best known for his role as Connor MacLeod, or simply "The Highlander", from the movie and subsequent movie franchise series of the same name...
appeared in the Pilot episode so as to pass the torch to Adrian Paul
Adrian Paul
Adrian Paul Hewett , better known as Adrian Paul, is an actor best known for his role on the television series Highlander: The Series as Duncan MacLeod. In 1997, he founded The Peace Fund charitable organization.-Early life:...
.
The series was an international hit and was nominated three times for the Gemini Awards and once for a Saturn Award in 1998.
History
In the pilot episode the main character was established as MacLeod living quietly with his girlfriend Tessa NoëlTessa Noël
Tessa Noël is a fictional character in the television series Highlander: The Series, portrayed by Alexandra Vandernoot. A mortal artist and sculptor, Tessa is the French lover of the protagonist Immortal, Duncan MacLeod, played by Adrian Paul...
(played by Alexandra Vandernoot
Alexandra Vandernoot
Alexandra Vandernoot is a Belgian actress. While having starred in a number of French films, her best-known role internationally is as Tessa Noël, Duncan MacLeod's girlfriend, in the fantasy television series Highlander: The Series...
). They were co-proprietors of the antique shop MacLeod & Noël Antiques. The pilot introduced Richie Ryan
Richie Ryan (Highlander)
Richie Ryan is a fictional character from Highlander: The Series, portrayed by actor Stan Kirsch. He is an Immortal. Richie is first introduced in the pilot episode "The Gathering" as a young, quick-talking petty thief...
(Stan Kirsch
Stan Kirsch
Stanley Benjamin Kirsch is an American actor, screenwriter and director.His first acting job was at the age of 4 when he appeared in some Campbell's soup television commercials...
) as a thief who entered Duncan's shop and witnessed the confrontation between Duncan, evil Immortal Slan Quince (Richard Moll
Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
) and Duncan's fellow clansman Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod, also known as The Highlander, is a fictional character in the Highlander film series, as well as the television programs Highlander: The Series, and Highlander: The Animated Series...
, the hero from the movies.
Quickening (Highlander)
The Quickening is a phenomenon in the Highlander films and television series. When an Immortal is beheaded, there is a powerful energy release from their body which is called a Quickening. Lead Highlander: The Series actor Adrian Paul explains, "The Quickening is the receiving of all the power and...
" by beheading
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
their opponents. Duncan had hidden from other Immortals for some time, removing himself from The Game. Hunted by Quince, Duncan had no choice but to face him and by the end of the first episode, Slan had been defeated and Duncan was clearly caught up in The Game again.
Storylines revolved around Duncan MacLeod and his relationship with mortals and other Immortals. These relationships were a theme in the series, especially Duncan MacLeod's relationship towards his friends, family, lovers and foes (see Duncan MacLeod's relationships). As the series progressed, there were changes in concept and normal growth in the characters and their relationships. Several recurring Immortal characters such as Amanda
Amanda (Highlander)
Amanda is a fictional character in the television series Highlander: The Series and Highlander: The Raven, portrayed by actress Elizabeth Gracen. She is one of the Immortals, immune to old age and death except by beheading...
and Methos
Methos
Methos is a fictional character from the Highlander universe - the film series, the television show Highlander: The Series, and several fiction books. He is an Immortal. He is portrayed by actor Peter Wingfield in both series and the movies. Methos, as one of the The Four Horsemen, represents...
became frequent guests on the show and the Watchers
Watcher (Highlander)
Watchers are a secret organization that watches the Immortals in the Highlander: The Series and all subsequent related series and movies.They were introduced in the season 1 finale as a cliffhanger for the following season...
like Joe Dawson were introduced in season 2.
In the final episode of season 5, "Archangel", the character of Richie Ryan
Richie Ryan (Highlander)
Richie Ryan is a fictional character from Highlander: The Series, portrayed by actor Stan Kirsch. He is an Immortal. Richie is first introduced in the pilot episode "The Gathering" as a young, quick-talking petty thief...
was killed and the supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
Ahriman
Ahriman (Highlander)
Ahriman is a character from Highlander: The Series.-History:Every thousand years, the Zoroastrian demon Ahriman returns to wreak havoc on the Earth. He had been defeated centuries ago by an Immortal named Timothy of Gilliam. An archaeologist warned Duncan MacLeod that he was the champion chosen to...
was introduced into the storyline. Of the 13 episodes of season six, two did not feature MacLeod, while a few showed him in cameos while the producers experimented with introducing a new female Immortal character for a spin-off series. None of these were chosen, and what came to be Highlander: The Raven
Highlander: The Raven
Highlander: The Raven was a short-lived spin-off from the television series Highlander, continuing the saga of a female Immortal. The series followed the character of Amanda , an Immortal who had a recurring role in Highlander: The Series...
would feature recurring character "Amanda" in a starring role, though it would be canceled after one season.
Narration
Each episode began with an opening montage of scenes from Duncan's life, over which was a narration giving a brief overview of the series' theme. The first six episodes of the first season were narrated by Duncan himself:This narration was slightly changed in the show's sixth episode, "Deadly Medicine" (again by Duncan):
The narration changed again in the second season, when Watcher Joe Dawson was introduced (narrative by Joe):
The narration changed again at the beginning of the fourth season, and remained until the end of the series' run (narrative by Joe):
Origin
Highlander: The Series originated in Europe. Christopher Lambert, who starred in the first four Highlander movies, had previously worked with French leading entertainment conglomerate Gaumont's president Christian Charret. Lambert knew that Highlander producers Peter Davis and Bill Panzer wanted to make a Highlander series and connected them with Charret. Gaumont bought the rights to the series. Highlander was one of the first projects developed by Gaumont's television branch opened in 1992 and one of its financial backers was the French bank Credit du NordCrédit du Nord
Crédit du Nord is a French retail banking network.It consists of the followings banks:* Banque Courtois, Toulouse, Aquitaine * Banque Kolb, Alsace, Lorraine* Banque Laydernier, Savoy...
.
The French leading production company Gaumont Television
Gaumont Film Company
Gaumont Film Company is a French film production company founded in 1895 by the engineer-turned-inventor, Léon Gaumont . Gaumont is the oldest continously operating film company in the world....
bought the rights to the series to have it produced in syndication in America with a local crew, a ground-breaking move at the time. Highlander marked the first time a French production company was creatively involved in a show intended for the American market. The show was co-produced in syndication by international partners including Gaumont, RTL Plus
RTL Group
RTL Group is Europe's largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries...
(Germany), Rysher Distribution
Rysher Entertainment
Rysher Entertainment is the owner of TV and film programming content, primarily distributed around the world by CBS Television Distribution and CBS/ Paramount Pictures...
(United States), Reteitalia Productions (Italy), Amuse Video (Japan) and TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
(France). The budget of the first season was US$26.1 million. Keith Samples, president of Rysher, stated that "about 75% of the guaranteed budget came from overseas sales." The remaining 25% came from United States sales and the producers retained the distribution rights, which allowed the show to produce $800,000 per episode only from international income, believed to be the top result of the 1992-1993 season. To secure an adequate share of European content, and as a result of the co-production agreement, each season was divided into two segments, the first segment was filmed in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia, Canada (posing at the fictional location of Seacouver
Seacouver
Seacouver, Washington is a fictional city in the Highlander universe. The city of Seacouver appears in the first 5 seasons of Highlander: The Series, and is best known as the home of Duncan MacLeod and several other Immortals, as well as many Watchers. The city's name is a portmanteau for a...
, Washington, United States), the second in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France. The production of the first segment began in Vancouver on 13 July 1992, while the production of the second segment started in December 1992 in Paris and used the studios of French state production agency Société Française de Production (SFP) at Bry-sur-Marne
Bry-sur-Marne
Bry-sur-Marne is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.The commune of Bry-sur-Marne is part of the sector of Porte de Paris, one of the four sectors of the "new town" of Marne-la-Vallée.-Personalities:...
near Paris.
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
s were Bill Panzer, Peter S. Davis, Gaumont Television president Christian Charret and Gaumont co-production chief Marla Ginsburg. Steven Maier, Sheryl Hardy and Guy Collins were co-executive producers. Kevin Droney and Philip John Taylor were supervising producers at the beginning of the season; from the seventh episode onwards, David Abramowitz became supervising producer instead of Taylor. The producers
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
were Barry Rosen
Barry Rosen
Barry Rosen is a director and producer of many television shows and movies. His filmography includes Zorro, Highlander: The Series, Police Academy: The Series, The Mighty Jungle, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, The Stranger Within, Secret Weapons, Christmas Everyday and Quarterback Princess...
and Gary Goodman. Executives in charge of production were Marc du Pontavice
Marc du Pontavice
Marc du Pontavice is a French animator who is the creator of Oggy and the Cockroaches , The Extreme Ducks, The Magician", Space Goofs, and Ratz...
and Denis Leroy. Scripts were contributed by both staff and freelance writers, Brian Clemens
Brian Clemens
Brian Horace Clemens OBE is a British screenwriter and television producer, possibly best known for his work on The Avengers and The Professionals...
among the latter. Brent-Carl Clackson was line producer
Line producer
A line producer is the key manager during the daily operations of a motion picture production.The line producer supports the vision given by the director but does not have direct influence on the creative expression or narrative of the film....
on the Vancouver segment, from episode one to thirteen. When production moved to Paris, Clackson was succeeded by Patrick Millet (with the title of production manager) for episodes fourteen to twenty-two. The regular directors
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
were Thomas J. Wright
Thomas J. Wright
Thomas J. Wright is an American television director. Wright has directed episodes of Smallville, One Tree Hill, Firefly, and many other programs. He also worked extensively on Chris Carter's Millennium, directing 26 of the show's 67 episodes...
, Jorge Montesi and Ray Austin. The fencing coach was Bob Anderson
Bob Anderson (fencer)
Bob Anderson is an English actor and fencer. Anderson also owns a claim to fame for being a swordfighting trainer for several films, as well as a stunt double for Darth Vader in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. He is one of seven people to...
, who coined for himself the title of Master of Swords. Anderson choreographed the fights on the Vancouver segment then was succeeded by Peter Diamond, credited as second unit
Second unit
In film, the second unit is a team that shoots subsidiary footage for a motion picture. Its work is distinct from that of the first unit, which shoots all scenes involving principal actors...
director and stunt coordinator
Stunt coordinator
A stunt coordinator, usually an experienced stunt performer, is hired by a TV, film or theatre director or production company to arrange the casting and performance of stunts for a film, television programme or a live audience...
on the Paris segment. The opening theme was "Princes of the Universe
Princes of the Universe
"Princes of the Universe" is a song written by Freddie Mercury and performed by Queen. The song was written for the soundtrack of the movie Highlander and released on the A Kind of Magic album in 1986. This song is the only song which Mercury receives sole credit for on the entire album. Later it...
" from the 1986 album A Kind of Magic
A Kind of Magic
A Kind of Magic is a 1986 album by British rock band Queen. It was the band's twelfth studio album and their first to be recorded digitally, and is based on the soundtrack to the film Highlander, the first in a series directed by Russell Mulcahy....
by Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
; incidental music was composed by Roger Bellon. The pilot episode was originally intended to be a third Highlander Movie (To act as a TV movie),but the low budget and Lambert agreeing to reprise his role as Conner Macleod late into production caused the pilot to be written as a 1 hour pilot.
Casting the title character
Christopher LambertChristopher Lambert
Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert is an American-born French actor who has appeared in French, European and American productions. He is best known for his role as Connor MacLeod, or simply "The Highlander", from the movie and subsequent movie franchise series of the same name...
did not wish to do television, though he agreed that there should be a series, and originally Connor MacLeod was to be the protagonist. After Lambert declined, and because there were still films being made with the Connor character, it was decided at Adrian Paul's request to have the series focus on another MacLeod. Lambert agreed to appear in the pilot and pass the torch. They were only able to afford him for three days of filming. Lambert declined to do any future episodes.
Alastair Duncan
Alastair Duncan
Alastair Neil Duncan is a Scottish television, film and stage actor. He is sometimes credited as Neil Duncan.-Career:Duncan's breakout role was as side-kick DS Peter Livingstone to Mark McManus's Taggart in Scottish television's eponymous detective series.Leaving the show after the first two...
was the original choice to play the lead (as Connor MacLeod) before Adrian Paul was cast. Duncan later appeared as Immortal Terence Coventry in the fifth season. Martial artist Gary Daniels
Gary Daniels
Gary Edward Daniels is a British kickboxer and martial arts actor. Daniels appears mostly in action-oriented B-movies. Daniels has been in over 50 films since his start as an extra in an episode of the 1980s television series Miami Vice. He is best known for playing Kenshiro in the live-action...
was also a popular favorite for the lead role.
Adrian Paul beat out 400 hopefuls for the lead role. Originally, the actor was a tough sell to the investors because he was an unknown (though he played Russian ballet dancer Kolya in The Colbys
The Colbys
The Colbys is an American prime time soap opera, which originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985 to March 26, 1987. The Aaron Spelling-produced series was a spin-off of Dynasty, which had been the highest rated series for the 1984-1985 U.S. television season...
). But some of the producers felt that he would appeal to both men and women fans of the franchise. Paul reminded them of a young Sean Connery. Adrian said in an interview that he was drawn to the series because it had so many layers: history, romance, adventure, spirituality.
Location
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. However, flashbacks during the series often brought the show to a variety of places. The locations for the present switched at the midway point of season 2-5 from Seattle/Vancouver to Paris. Thus it became the second international TV series about a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
swashbuckler
Swashbuckler
Swashbuckler or swasher is a term that emerged in the 16th century and has been used for rough, noisy and boastful swordsmen ever since. A possible explanation for this term is that it derives from a fighting style using a side-sword with a buckler in the off-hand, which was applied with much...
in France after Quentin Durward
Quentin Durward (TV series)
Quentin Durward was a French-German swashbuckler TV series. It was produced in 1970, directed by Gilles Grangier and broadcast in 1971. The series starred the German actor Amadeus August as the protagonist and the French actress Marie-France Boyer as Isabelle de Croye...
which had already been shot in back in 1970 and resembles many of Duncan McLeod's (and Connor McLeod's) historical flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
s. In Paris, Duncan lived on a barge located on the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
River (at approximately 48.836743°N 2.374941°E) while in the fictional city of "Seacouver, WA" (somewhere in the Pacific Northwest) Duncan moved after Tessa's death from their antiques store to an apartment above his recently acquired freestyle dojo.
Second Season changes
The first season aired earlier in the United States than elsewhere, thus in early 1993, Rysher TPERysher Entertainment
Rysher Entertainment is the owner of TV and film programming content, primarily distributed around the world by CBS Television Distribution and CBS/ Paramount Pictures...
, the distributor that had sold the series to the American market, had to make a decision about financing a new season. At this point, the European partners still had not aired the first season, so the decision fell to Rysher. Willing to take the risk, Rysher announced that it would produce a second season. The France/Canada co-production agreement of the previous season was reconstituted, albeit with some different partners. Gaumont Television
Gaumont Film Company
Gaumont Film Company is a French film production company founded in 1895 by the engineer-turned-inventor, Léon Gaumont . Gaumont is the oldest continously operating film company in the world....
(France), Rysher TPE (United States) and Reteitalia (Italy) agreed to renew their participation to a new season. French leading channel TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
was forced to cancel its participation because it was no longer legally allowed to qualify a show filmed in English as French content, and was replaced by French smaller channel M6, which was still allowed to do so. RTL Plus
RTL Group
RTL Group is Europe's largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries...
(Germany) and Amuse Video (Japan) were also no longer part of the co-production, but Gaumont Television president Christian Charret signed Filmline International (Canada) as a new partner. As a result of this new co-production agreement, with less wealthy partners, the budget of the season decreased from US$26.1 million the previous year to $22 million. Half of the funding came from French and other European sources; income per episode from international sales, which had reached $800,000 in the previous season, decreased as well. According to The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
, pre-production started in April 1993, and filming in June the same year. Like the first season, the second season was divided into two segments; the first segment was filmed in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia, Canada (as the fictional city of Seacouver
Seacouver
Seacouver, Washington is a fictional city in the Highlander universe. The city of Seacouver appears in the first 5 seasons of Highlander: The Series, and is best known as the home of Duncan MacLeod and several other Immortals, as well as many Watchers. The city's name is a portmanteau for a...
, Washington, United States), and the second in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France, to secure an acceptable share of European content as part of the co-production agreement. Creatively, the second season was intended to be more action-oriented than the first, but lead actor Adrian Paul
Adrian Paul
Adrian Paul Hewett , better known as Adrian Paul, is an actor best known for his role on the television series Highlander: The Series as Duncan MacLeod. In 1997, he founded The Peace Fund charitable organization.-Early life:...
refused to do "another kung fu series," insisting that more romance and history be brought in the scripts.
Reception
Critical reaction to Highlander: The Series has been generally favorable, and more favorable in general than the film sequels to the original HighlanderHighlander (film)
Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
, which have mostly received negative reviews (with the exception of the animated film Highlander: The Search for Vengeance, which has received more positive reviews).
Rob Lineberger of DVD Verdict said, "The direction is sometimes uncertain, but Highlander: The Series gives viewers something unique and inspiring. Each episode gives us a provocative glimpse into the trials and concerns of immortality, great swordfights, stylish flashbacks to bygone eras, and occasionally wicked immortals with awesome quickenings." Lineberger added, "These actors, writers, producers, directors, and crew delivered one of television's great successes, particularly in the fantasy genre. Highlander: The Series took us to places we otherwise could not have gone, and did so with intelligence, style, and wit." Lineberger gave the six seasons scores of 92, 93, 90, 92, 87, and 70 out of 100, respectively.
Abbie Bernstein of Audio Video Revolution said, "Although it would be another two years until the series fully hit its stride, it was already [in the first season] offering something out of the ordinary narratively; in terms of production value, it remains one of the best-looking quasi-period shows ever to come down the pike, holding its own and then some against much better-funded product from the major studios." David Oliver of CHUD said that "whereas the sequels ultimately strayed from the mythology of the original [film] in the pursuit of more storytelling (translation: more money), the series built upon the mythology."
Carlo Cavagna of About Film criticized the series, saying that it consisted of "pedestrian one-hour confrontations pitting Duncan MacLeod against one overacting nefarious immortal after another, each a pale imitation of Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
's delicious overarching villainy in the first film," and felt that the series featured "a wide array of unappealing supporting characters" and that "the writers didn't know what to do with the Highlander concept." Similarly, Danél Griffin of Film as Art remarked that "the six-season Highlander: The Series has a loyal following, but let’s be honest: Adrian Paul, the lead, is not an interesting actor, and there’s not one moment in the show—not one—that comes close to matching the wit or liveliness of the first film
Highlander (film)
Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
."
Critics have pointed to the middle seasons of the show as its best. Lineberger remarked, "There was a dramatic boost in quality from season one to season two. Season two had better writing and quality control, [and] season three is better than season two." Bernstein claimed that "during season five, [the show] was at the peak of its creative glory." Kathie Huddleston of Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
said that "season four was arguably the best season of the series, as the show said goodbye to characters from the previous season and delved into what made the regulars and the most notable recurring characters tick."
Critics have singled out the sixth and final season as the worst of the series. Lineberger remarked, "I haven't attempted to hide my disappointment with this season. For the first time ever in my life as a Highlander enthusiast, I found myself utterly uncaptivated." Oliver awarded the sixth season a score of 3.9 out of 10, saying: "Like The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, Highlander: The Series simply went on too long. If the star is wanting to get out of a show as much as Paul was ready to hang up his katana, then I say let it go."
Films
The series continued in Highlander: EndgameHighlander: Endgame
Highlander: Endgame is a 2000 fantasy film originally released on September 1, 2000. It is the fourth theatrical release in the Highlander film series, and it serves as both a continuation of the Highlander films and the Highlander television series...
(2000
2000 in film
The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor ....
) and Highlander: The Source
Highlander: The Source
Highlander: The Source is the fifth installment of the Highlander film series, directed by Brett Leonard, and was intended to be the first film of a planned trilogy on SciFi Channel though no further direct sequels are currently planned. Adrian Paul reprises his role as Duncan MacLeod from the...
(2007
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
). The films feature Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod, Peter Wingfield as Methos and Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson.
Highlander: The Raven
Plans for a spin-off series led to a group of sixth-season episodes focusing on five new female Immortals (called Fimmies by fandom) in the original Highlander series. The candidates were introduced; such as Alex Raven (played by Dara Tomanovich), Katherine (played by Claudia ChristianClaudia Christian
Claudia Ann Christian is an American actress, writer, singer, musician, and director, best known for her role as Commander Susan Ivanova on the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Career:...
), Kyra (played by Alice Evans
Alice Evans
Alice Jane Evans is an American-born English actress.-Early life:Evans, the daughter of educators and the granddaughter of a coal miner, was born in New Jersey, USA and grew up in Bristol, England. She graduated from University College London with a 2:1 in French and Italian.-Career:After...
), Katya (played by Justina Vail
Justina Vail
Justina Vail Evans is a life coach and actress.-Background:...
), and Reagan Cole (played by Sandra Hess
Sandra Hess
Sandra Hess is an actress best known for her role as Sonya Blade in the film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.-Biography:Hess began modeling and working on television commercials when she was 15...
). None of the new characters introduced in the spin-off episodes proved satisfactory, however, and the spin-off went to Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Ward Gracen is an American actress who won the title of Miss America in 1982. She was born Elizabeth Grace Ward but should not be confused with another Elizabeth Ward who worked as a television actress during the first half of the 1980s....
as the popular character Amanda
Amanda (Highlander)
Amanda is a fictional character in the television series Highlander: The Series and Highlander: The Raven, portrayed by actress Elizabeth Gracen. She is one of the Immortals, immune to old age and death except by beheading...
. The spin-off only lasted one season due to low rating and the change in the marketing of syndicated shows. Highlander Raven was given to Amanda because the fan reaction was negative concerning the season six female Immortal guest stars, according to the behind the scene interviews and the watcher's guide book.
The Methos Chronicles
The 2001 The Methos Chronicles was an animated Internet Flash-series based on MethosMethos
Methos is a fictional character from the Highlander universe - the film series, the television show Highlander: The Series, and several fiction books. He is an Immortal. He is portrayed by actor Peter Wingfield in both series and the movies. Methos, as one of the The Four Horsemen, represents...
, a character drawn from the television series. Peter Wingfield was the voice actor for the main character of the short series, which lasted only one eight-episode season. There was some plan to develop a live-action series in the early 2000s, and Peter Wingfield
Peter Wingfield
Peter Wingfield is a Welsh born television actor, well known for his television roles as Dan Clifford in Holby City, Dr. Robert Helm in Queen of Swords and Inspector Simon Ross in Cold Squad...
was willing to participate. However, since then there hasn't been any significant news.
Reunion
In 2008, a reunion special was filmed starring Peter WingfieldPeter Wingfield
Peter Wingfield is a Welsh born television actor, well known for his television roles as Dan Clifford in Holby City, Dr. Robert Helm in Queen of Swords and Inspector Simon Ross in Cold Squad...
, Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Ward Gracen is an American actress who won the title of Miss America in 1982. She was born Elizabeth Grace Ward but should not be confused with another Elizabeth Ward who worked as a television actress during the first half of the 1980s....
, and Jim Byrnes
Jim Byrnes (actor)
James Thomas Kevin "Jim" Byrnes is a blues musician, guitarist, and actor.-Life and career:Byrnes was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a homemaker mother and a municipal accountant father. He has lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, since the mid-1970s...
reprising their roles. The 17 minute special was a low budget project that takes place 10 years after the series (or between the fourth and fifth movies). Filming took place at producer Peter Davis' beach home with the actors volunteering in their roles. The plot involved the characters discussing Methos' plans to get married and settle down with a mortal woman and her son.
Audio plays
Season OneIn 2009 Big Finish
Big Finish Productions
Big Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
released a series of four audio adventures featuring Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod. They are set sometime after the events of Endgame. These are:
- The Lesson - Of all the sword fights Duncan MacLeod has fought over the centuries, the toughest have been against an Immortal named Pieter Gatlan. Starring Adrian Paul and Trevor Cooper. Written by Trevor Baxendale.
- Love and Hate - A roof-top duel between sword-wielding combatants becomes the talk of Seacouver – but Duncan is perplexed when both bodies are found with their heads intact. Starring Adrian Paul and Beth Chalmers. Written by Colin Harvey.
- The Secret of the Sword - Duncan MacLeod knows a lot about swords. Everyone knows that, so he’s called in to help Seacouver police value an antique blade. But then, when he sees the sword – there might be more to his involvement than he originally thought… Starring Adrian Paul and Toby Longworth. Written by Jonathan ClementsJonathan ClementsJonathan Clements is a British author and scriptwriter. His non-fiction works include biographies of Confucius, Koxinga and Qin Shihuangdi , as well as monthly opinion columns for Neo magazine...
.
- Kurgan Rising - With an increasing number of Immortals disappearing, Duncan and Watcher Joe Dawson decide to investigate, but nothing can prepare the Highlander for what he will find: an ancient terror reborn! Starring Adrian Paul and Toby Longworth. Written by Cavan Scott & Mark Wright.
Each play in the first season is around an hour long, and contains a new music score and new Highlander audio theme by Jamie Robertson
Jamie Robertson
Jamie Robertson is a film score composer from England.Born in Essex Jamie studied music from a very young age. With a theatrical background from just 10 He grew up knowing his love of music was to aim for film, TV and Radio....
Season Two
A second season of four plays was announced in August 2009, to be produced by Paul Spragg and script edited by James Swallow
James Swallow
James Swallow is a British author and scriptwriter. He is the author of several original books and tie-in novels, as well as numerous audio dramas and videogames....
.
Books
The Highlander: The Series novels are canon. Events from them are included in the Watcher Chronicles CD-ROM, which contains an extensive database of the events and immortals of the television series.- Highlander: The Element of FireHighlander: The Element of FireHighlander: The Element of Fire is the first official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Jason Henderson.-Plot introduction:...
, by Jason HendersonJason HendersonJason Henderson is a writer of computer games, novels and several comic book series.He is the writer of the young adult novel series Alex Van Helsing from HarperCollins and the comic book series Sword of Dracula from Image Comics, Strange Magic from Marvel Comics, and Soulcatcher...
— The chronicles of Duncan's training days with Connor MacLeod; the friendship between the two Highlanders through the centuries. A bloodthirsty and immortal pirate Khordas vows to kill the Highlander, making for a fearsome enemy that haunts Duncan and Connor for hundreds of years. - Highlander: ScimitarHighlander: ScimitarHighlander: Scimitar is the second official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Ashley McConnell.-Plot:...
, by Ashley McConnellAshley McConnellAshley McConnell is an American author. Her first novel, Unearthed, was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writers of America...
- When Joe Dawson receives an ancient sword, it triggers Duncan's remembrance of his involvement in the Arab Revolt in 1916. - Highlander: Scotland the BraveHighlander: Scotland the BraveHighlander: Scotland the Brave is the third official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Jennifer Roberson.-Plot introduction:...
, by Jennifer RobersonJennifer RobersonJennifer Mitchell Roberson is an author of fantasy and historical literature.Roberson has lived in Arizona since 1957. She grew up in Phoenix, but in 1999 relocated to Flagstaff. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Northern Arizona University in 1982 as an adult student...
- Annie Devlin returns to draw Duncan into a new quest to win independence for Ireland. He is reluctant, given his history with failed attempts to free his homeland, including his culpability in the fate of the Stone of SconeStone of SconeThe Stone of Scone , also known as the Stone of Destiny and often referred to in England as The Coronation Stone, is an oblong block of red sandstone, used for centuries in the coronation of the monarchs of Scotland and later the monarchs of England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom...
. - Highlander: Measure of a ManHighlander: Measure of a ManHighlander: Measure of a Man is the fourth official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Nancy Holder.-Plot introduction:...
by Nancy HolderNancy HolderNancy Holder is an American writer and the author of several novels, including numerous tie-in books based on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She's also written fiction related to several other science fiction and fantasy shows, including Angel and Smallville.Holder is a four-time winner...
- In VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
1655, Duncan meets legendary manipulator - and, apparently, Immortal - Niccolò MachiavelliNiccolò MachiavelliNiccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
. Duncan only narrowly escaped Machiavelli's machinations once; he may not be so lucky when the Prince of Lies resurfaces in 20th century North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. - Highlander: The PathHighlander: The PathThe Path is the fifth official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Rebecca Neason.-Plot introduction:...
by Rebecca Neason - In 1781 Duncan meets a different kind of Immortal - the Dalai LamaDalai LamaThe Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
. Soon the Highlander embarks on the path to enlightenment and peace. But that peace may be short-lived when the Immortal Nasiradeen invades TibetTibetTibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. - Highlander: ZealotHighlander: ZealotHighlander: Zealot is the sixth official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Donna Lettow, who was a junior member of the writing team for the series.-Plot summary:...
by Donna Lettow - Duncan MacLeod was there when Avram Mordecai fought the enemies of his Jewish people in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, as he has for two thousand years. Now he finds himself trapped between his honor and his loyalties when he protects a Palestinian diplomat from his old friend. - Highlander: Shadow of ObsessionHighlander: Shadow of ObsessionHighlander: Shadow of Obsession is the seventh official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Rebecca Neason.-Plot introduction:...
by Rebecca Neason - Once Darius was a man of war, laying siege to RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Centuries later, as a man of God, Darius touched the life of Duncan MacLeod. Now a spurned lover from Darius' warrior days returns for revenge against all he called friend. - Highlander: The Captive SoulHighlander: The Captive SoulHighlander: The Captive Soul is the eighth official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Josepha Sherman. It is the first novel to focus in the character of Methos, rather than Duncan MacLeod.-Plot introduction:...
by Josepha ShermanJosepha ShermanJosepha Sherman is an American author. In 1990 she won the Compton Crook Award for the novel The Shining Falcon.-Buffyverse:*Visitors *Deep Water ...
- Three millennia past, Methos aided the Ancient EgyptAncient EgyptAncient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian pharaohPharaohPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
s when the HyksosHyksosThe Hyksos were an Asiatic people who took over the eastern Nile Delta during the twelfth dynasty, initiating the Second Intermediate Period of ancient Egypt....
invaded. He reluctantly becomes a spy inside the Hyksos royal house, when he meets the Immortal - and thoroughly insane - Prince Khyan. Methos misses his chance to take the madman's head, a mistake that returns to haunt him as the Oldest Immortal in New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
when Khyan returns to find his sword, killing all in his path. - Highlander: White SilenceHighlander: White SilenceHighlander: White Silence is the ninth official Highlander novel based on Highlander: The Series. It was written by Ginjer Buchanan.-Plot introduction:...
by Ginjer BuchananGinjer BuchananGinjer Buchanan is a science fiction editor and writer. Her published work includes three short stories in the anthologies Alternate Kennedys, Whatdunnits II, and By Any Other Fame; and also the novel White Silence , a Highlander tie-in...
- MacLeod, Hugh Fitzcairn and his young apprentice get trapped in the frozen YukonYukonYukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
. There they face their deaths... over and over and over again. - Highlander: An Evening at Joe'sHighlander: An Evening at Joe'sHighlander: An Evening at Joe's is an anthology written by the cast and crew of Highlander: The Series.-Main characters:*Duncan MacLeod*Richie Ryan*Joe Dawson*Amanda*Methos-Stories:Letters From Viet Nam by Jim Byrnes...
- An anthologyAnthologyAn anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
written by the cast and crew of Highlander: The Series.
In popular culture
In the TV series, ReaperReaper (TV series)
Reaper is an American television series that focuses on Sam Oliver, a "reaper" who works for the Devil by retrieving souls that have escaped from Hell.The series originally ran on the CW from September 25, 2007 to May 26, 2009....
, season 1, episode 15 ("Coming to Grips"), Bert "Sock" Wysocki pretends to be Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod is a fictional character from the Highlander multiverse. Duncan MacLeod serves as the protagonist for the TV continuation of the Highlander franchise, which comprises Highlander: The Series and its spin-off movies, Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source...
as he wields the scythe
Scythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...
'vessel' they are going to use to capture the escaped soul; presumably because - like swords in the Highlander series - it could be used to decapitate someone.
See also
- HighlanderHighlander (film)Highlander is a 1986 fantasy action film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and...
(the film) - List of Highlander characters
- List of Highlander cast members
- Immortal (Highlander)Immortal (Highlander)Immortals are a group of fictional characters seen in the movies and series of the Highlander franchise. Since they are immune to disease and stop aging after becoming Immortal, they can live forever and they only die when they are beheaded....
- Watcher (Highlander)Watcher (Highlander)Watchers are a secret organization that watches the Immortals in the Highlander: The Series and all subsequent related series and movies.They were introduced in the season 1 finale as a cliffhanger for the following season...
- List of Highlander episodes
- Highlander: The Series video releases
- Manuel BonnetManuel BonnetManuel Bonnet is a French author and an award-winning actor who primarily appears in French cinema and television.- Career :He studied at the Conservatoire national supérieur d'art dramatique in Paris from 1970–73 and has had many roles and cameo parts in film and TV over more than 30 years, mostly...
External links
- Official Highlander Store
- All of the series' episodes on YouTube
- Parisian and Scottish locations at:
- http://www.phys.ualberta.ca/~jdejong/personal/hl/highland.html