In the Highlander Worldwide group, we’re rewatching the series, one episode a week. I thought it would be fun to try to review each episode as I rewatch it with the group. Please be aware there are spoilers not just for this episode but the whole series.
This was a necessary episode with very necessary backstory and themes. It’s also got some super sweet “awwwwww!” moments. But it’s also got a lot of unnecessary things in it.
Family Tree
First lines in the episode:
Richie: “Seven out, wide away, don’t stay paid.”
Last lines in the episode:
Richie: “Hey, you want me to tune it back down? It’s your car.”
Duncan: “Mm-hmm.”
Richie: “Just one more time?”
Duncan: “Go for it.”
Favorite quote:
Duncan: “I always thought there’d be more.”
Things I love:
- How realistic but also how kind Duncan is as Richie tries to figure out where he came from
- The way Clinch says “Day number… two!”
- Richie’s tear when he’s moved by something Jack says.
- The genuine concern both Duncan and Tessa have for Richie as well as their desire for Richie to be happy, even if they disagree about Jack specifically… and even if they get distracted by sex
- Ian and Duncan’s conversation and then Duncan telling it to Richie; love that father-son parallel
- Duncan telling Richie he gets to decide who he is; love that bit (and it’s not a bad one to end with, minus the eurominutes)
Things I dislike or don’t get:
- The old woman screams when Duncan comes to life, but then she’s calm again a second later and instead of saving her, Ian MacLeod closes her back up in the room with his demon son when he runs away.
- Richie’s shoes during the “finding Mr. Stubbs” montage are absolutely RIDICULOUS. How does he even walk in those?
- Apart from trying to get out of the exposition/backstory and trying to get on with the plot, why does Duncan honk to pull Richie away from talking with Mr. Stubbs? They spent all that time trying to find him and then Duncan just cuts it short without knowing how far along the discussion went?
- Ugh. No, it can’t wait ‘til morning. You’re adorable together, but if you’d just gone to Richie with your concerns immediately, Jack wouldn’t have had a chance to steal the mask.
- The themes are great, but the plot is painfully obvious and poorly executed. Seemed like a lot of excuses for Duncan to show off his skills… which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just painfully forced in this case.
Things that make me squee:
- Richie being part of the family now. Awww
- “Deliver Me” montage song (first non-Queen montage song?)
- Duncan being all angsty about his past. I love seeing the flashbacks to find out about Duncan’s first death. That’s super important this early into the series
Ten images:
Richie does a poor impression of a messenger:
Duncan dies for the first time:
Time for family dinner:
Richie and Duncan in the car, looking pensive together:
Richie and “his father” have a heart to heart:
Inside that doll, there’s a diamond. Inside Richie, his heart is melting:
Obligatory Duncan looking attractive while sitting on a chair (and grilling Richie’s “father”):
Duncan and Tessa disagree but make up quickly:
Duncan fights Clinch:
Duncan and Richie bond over the T-bird, back to old times again because Richie knows who he can actually depend on now:
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