# Guilty pleasure: I love the old Highlander TV series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 26, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777 "2008-12-26T21:13:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/41 "2008-12-29T16:06:58Z")
Favorite comedy episode: The Unusual Suspects that was a very _Clue_-like. :: hangs head in shame for being a series fan :: ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/42 "2008-12-29T17:09:23Z")
I remember somewhere reading a story where a caveman Immortal gets killed by some ambitious young fella in the 1200’s. Since the caveman guy had sooo much power, he “took over” the youngster’s body. Thus Methos got his “current” body and face. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/43 "2008-12-29T17:17:29Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > I believe this is explained in more detail in some of my many Highlander: The Series books. I’ll have to check. Oh, no. There is a _book series_??? :: shakes fist :: Damn, you! Now I’ll have to hide trashy literature, I’m running out of room where my Highlander Series DVDs are hidden! ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/44 "2008-12-29T19:04:10Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I remember somewhere reading a story where a caveman Immortal gets killed by some ambitious young fella in the 1200’s. Since the caveman guy had sooo much power, he “took over” the youngster’s body. Thus Methos got his “current” body and face. Wait, what? Where was that? ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/45 "2008-12-29T19:16:53Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > Oh, no. There is a _book series_??? :: shakes fist :: Damn, you! Now I’ll have to hide trashy literature, I’m running out of room where my Highlander Series DVDs are hidden! Ah, yes. During my last Highlander jag, I bought them all. They’re awesome. I think I have … um … let’s see … five Highlander The Series novels, plus the short story collection (written by cast and crew members) **An Evening At Joe’s**. I just went on Amazon and found three more Highlander books that I don’t have yet. Damn. Well, NOW I have them… ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/46 "2008-12-29T19:29:03Z")
And what’s all this “shame” and “guilty pleasure” business? **Highlander** was an awesome show, by jove, and Adrian Paul and Peter Wingfield and Jim Byrnes were super-cool actors! And while I’m at it, **Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World** was awesome as well. I just wish they’d gotten that @#$% fourth season made… ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/47 "2008-12-29T19:49:21Z")
> [@chorpler](#): > > Wait, what? Where was that? I want to say fan fiction. I only remember it because the idea of a caveman immortal just seemed cool. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/48 "2008-12-29T20:42:52Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > Favorite comedy episode: The Unusual Suspects that was a very _Clue_-like. Hey, I’m watching that now! Don’t remember if I’ve ever seen this one before, but hey … gotta love Hugh Fitzcairn. … oh, MAN, he just showed up pretending to be his own father. ROFL. > [@](#): > > :: hangs head in shame for being a series fan :: Raise that head back up, man! We must persevere! ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/49 "2008-12-29T21:00:11Z")
I just found this: “The Methos Chronicles” [http://www.actiontattoos.com/methos/chronicles.html](http://www.actiontattoos.com/methos/chronicles.html) it’s pretty crappy animation and voice acting but Peter Wingfield voiced Methos. It is fairly short. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/50 "2008-12-29T21:05:50Z")
> [@Tahssa](#): > > I just found this: “The Methos Chronicles” > > [http://www.actiontattoos.com/methos/chronicles.html](http://www.actiontattoos.com/methos/chronicles.html) > > it’s pretty crappy animation and voice acting but Peter Wingfield voiced Methos. It is fairly short. Aw, dammit! Didja _have_ to post that while I’m at work? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/51 "2008-12-29T21:19:42Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > Aw, dammit! Didja _have_ to post that while I’m at work? It’s really not very good and the whole thing is about 3 minutes long. The idea behind it is good though. Also I should probably add the TV series is still one of my favorite tv shows. I got the first season on VHS way back when and I intended to get the other series as they came out but I never did and now that they are on DVD I’ll be collecting the seasons. ---
**Author:** ![Heloise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e36b37/32.png) [@Heloise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heloise)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/52 "2008-12-29T21:28:04Z")
I really liked Tess. I thought it was a complete waste when she died, yet Richie lived. Hugh was great, so was the guy who played King Arthur in Excalibur. Excellent bad guy. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/53 "2008-12-29T21:31:03Z")
> [@Tahssa](#): > > I just found this: “The Methos Chronicles” > > [http://www.actiontattoos.com/methos/chronicles.html](http://www.actiontattoos.com/methos/chronicles.html) > > it’s pretty crappy animation and voice acting but Peter Wingfield voiced Methos. It is fairly short. Oh man.. watching that. Imagine Sean Connery’s accent said with William Shatner pauses (later on, episodes 9, 10 and 11). “Yes.. yes.. now you’re dead.” _pans to the headless body_ It’s so bad.. but funny. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/54 "2008-12-29T22:03:48Z")
The tv show would occasionally have really good episodes where they explored the premise a bit more, or at least had an awesome fight. Overall, I think they started with a great premise and didn’t really know where to go with it. And some realistic touches were soon abandoned; e.g., in the pilot episode, McCleod had to deal with the consequences of leaving a headless body around, but before long, he was decapitating guys regularly in what looked like fairly public places, with no apparent interest from the police. In the books, do they ever answer the question, “Mommy, where do Immortals come from?”? In the show, it seemed like every immortal we were given a backstory on was adopted or a foundling of some kind. So who were their mothers? Did they just pop out from under cabbage leaves? ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/55 "2008-12-29T22:17:50Z")
> [@Tahssa](#): > > I just found this: “The Methos Chronicles” > > [http://www.actiontattoos.com/methos/chronicles.html](http://www.actiontattoos.com/methos/chronicles.html) > > it’s pretty crappy animation and voice acting but Peter Wingfield voiced Methos. It is fairly short. Thanks for posting that–it starts off interesting, but it’s unfinished! And it looks like it’s been almost a year since the last episode was posted. And Peter Wingfield stops doing the voice in episode 9. Episode 9 is also where the story jumps the shark when the Sean Connery character shows up! Oh, and that Sean Connery voice gets my vote for worst celebrity impression ever. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/56 "2008-12-29T22:18:54Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > In the books, do they ever answer the question, “Mommy, where do Immortals come from?”? In the show, it seemed like every immortal we were given a backstory on was adopted or a foundling of some kind. So who were their mothers? Did they just pop out from under cabbage leaves? I kind of liked the unanswered questions like that. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/57 "2008-12-30T01:02:25Z")
> [@Baldwin](#): > > And some realistic touches were soon abandoned; e.g., in the pilot episode, McCleod had to deal with the consequences of leaving a headless body around, but before long, he was decapitating guys regularly in what looked like fairly public places, with no apparent interest from the police. Actually, what bothered me more was the fact that the quickenings weren’t really all that discreet – I mean, huge electrical arcs, small explosions, bursting windows, car alarms, and nobody ever notices a thing? Like the guy in the middle with the huge sword standing over the headless corpse? …on second thought, I probably wouldn’t ‘see’ anything, too. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2008, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/58 "2008-12-31T06:29:45Z")
One of the many reasons that I liked this show is that it was filmed and set in various European locations with european actors I’d never seen before. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777/59 "2009-01-01T19:03:51Z")
I bought the DVDs a while back when I had way too much disposable income and time on my hands. My favorite moment: many episodes have a blurb from the creator telling us something about that episode. One of them just featured him saying, “I apologize wholeheartedly for this episode.” I can’t remember the details, but I think it had Duncan and his buddies helping fight gang violence in the 'hood, or something like that. It was awful, and it was refreshing to hear people responsible acknowledge it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guilty-pleasure-i-love-the-old-highlander-tv-series/478777.md?page=2)