From the dawn of time, moving silently, down through the centuries. Living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the gathering. When the few who remain will battle to the last. No one has ever known they were here... no one but us, the Watchers, for we have kept the chronicles of their lives.
Highlander-The Hunters (1993)
Duncan & Tessa must have purchased a new bed because they're enjoying it too much until The Hugh (Roger Daltrey) butts in with scary news. Enjoying Darius' meade, "honey nectar of the gods!" Hugh warns MacCloud of the strange vanishing of other Immortals including his friend, Thackery who he was to meet in Dublin. Surely it must be another Immortal in the Gathering? They go to Darius in his holy church for help, but someone else has beaten you to it!
Que Duncan's fab, albeit it, OTT reaction when they arrive. SOMEONE has murdered Darius on holy ground. No Immortal would desecrate holy ground, so who did?! Darius has had Nostradamus-style, prophetic dreams of his own death. Alas, the aforementioned murder, which begs the question. If you knew who your future murderers are why didn't you warn MacCloud beyond his Clan colours hidden in a bleeding wall & not prevent your own death?!
What transpires is a radical shift in the Highlander Universe. Someone knows about Immortals & more scary, how to exterminate you! There's a truly fab scene. Whilst hunting the Hunters, Richie barges into the, well, barge offering to help. Hugh's reaction to Richie is genius! Yes, Richie is a pre-Immortal, though he doesn't know that, yet! & MacCloud has chosen to be his mentor/father-figure. Hugh's reply to Ritchie's offer to help is both noble & touching. They go to a historic French hotel where they're attacked & Hugh captured, nice work, guys!
MacCloud is attacked by men in a van but his 'Bruce Lee' skills prove valiant. One of the assailants kills himself rather than talk & our hero notices his strange, wrist tattoo. We get a flash-back scene set in renaissance Italy where they get into a sword fight with Musketeers which seems innocent enough bar the unusual symbol, something which our hero immediately recognises after coming back from his trippy flashback. If that weren't enough, they attack him in broad daylight, a Parisian tourist area! Real smart, guys. Symbol of the beast?
The usual stalking by newbie villain's & questions of who the heck these guys are commence, but why these mysterious, new foes waste time to make an example of Hugh Fitzcarn is beyond this blog/reviewer. WHY do they wanna use a guillotine, a tourist purchase? & WHY isn't Hugh on their chronicle/database (explain in another blog/review!).
MacCloud goes to rescue Fitzcarn & we're treated to him taking on a small army in some relict castle all by himself! Whoa! The scene where MacCloud confronts Horton is brilliant, with an amazing speech from our newest villain on how Mortals will not be dominated, there can NEVER be one, etc, something which MacCloud denies, (bless him!), what about all those evil Immortals out there?! When Hugh is released from his bonds is hilarious, "The women of the World will thank you, my friend!"
As mentioned, this opened a new dimension to the Highlander saga. It also marks the end of Season one & a story arc that opens in the following one. Suddenly there's someone else out there & they're Mortal & they know how to kill you! THIS is so one of my personal favourites! :) Queen track 'Who Wants To Live Forever' is played during the late Darius flashback scenes, a song that is only played on special episodes. No, it didn't snow at Waterloo!
On a lighter note, to misquote Red Dwarf's Lister about a French Princess in a holo-deck fantasy, I just LOOOVE Tessa's French accent! Then there's the 'Immortal' question, are they right? Or are they cold-blooded murderers? Indiscriminatingly exterminating Immortals, good or evil, it matters not, an excuse to save the Human race or kill in the name of it? Are the hunted any better than the Hunters? After all, "There can be only one!"
Warner Stocker who played Darius died of a brain during filming of this episode, a cruel irony. Borgduck aka Stewart, to be continued..