In the early nineties, syndicated television was a bit of a wasteland. You had cheap talk shows, grainy reruns, and the occasional high-budget anomaly. Then came Duncan MacLeod. When Highlander: The Series premiered in 1992, nobody really expected it to outshine the 1986 cult film that birthed it. The movie was a self-contained lightning bolt—literally. But the show did something the films couldn't quite manage: it made immortality feel heavy. It wasn't just about dudes with katanas cutting each other's heads off in rainy alleys, though there was plenty of that. It was about the crushing weight of time.
Adrian Paul stepped into the role of Duncan MacLeod, a clansman of the original film's protagonist, Connor MacLeod. Honestly, he nailed it. While Christopher Lambert brought a sort of twitchy, alien energy to the big screen, Adrian Paul gave Duncan a soulful, weary elegance. He was a guy who had seen too many friends die. That’s the core of the show’s longevity.
The Game and the Burden of Living Forever
The premise is simple, right? Immortals live among us. They can only die if you chop off their heads. When one falls, the victor receives the "Quickening"—a chaotic surge of electricity and soul-energy that transfers the loser's power and knowledge to the winner. "There can be only one." It sounds like a basic battle royale, but the show turned it into a meditation on ethics.
Duncan wasn't a hunter. He was a guy trying to hide. Most episodes followed a "flashback" structure where a modern-day problem mirrored an event from Duncan’s past. This wasn't just a gimmick. It allowed the writers to explore the French Revolution, the World Wars, and the Wild West through the eyes of a man who lived through them. You’ve got to appreciate the budget constraints here, too. They shot in Vancouver and Paris, switching locations mid-season. The "Paris half" of the seasons always felt more atmospheric, with Duncan living on a barge on the Seine. It gave the show a European noir vibe that set it apart from the flashy, neon-soaked American action shows of the era.
The Supporting Cast That Actually Mattered
A show about an immortal is only as good as the mortals who keep him grounded. We started with Tessa Noël and Richie Ryan. Tessa, played by Alexandra Vandernoot, was the heart of the early seasons. Her death in season two remains one of the most shocking moments in 90s television. It wasn't a heroic sacrifice in a duel; it was a random, senseless street crime. It broke Duncan. It broke the fans.
Then you had Richie. Stan Kirsch played him with this frantic, younger-brother energy. Watching Richie grow from a petty thief to an Immortal-in-training was the show’s best long-term character arc. And we can't forget Joe Dawson. The introduction of the "Watchers"—a secret society of mortals who observe and record Immortals without interfering—changed everything. Jim Byrnes brought a gravelly, blues-man wisdom to Joe that made the lore feel real. It wasn't just magic anymore; it was history.
Why the Quickening Effects Actually Worked (Mostly)
Let's talk about the Quickenings. In the 90s, CGI was in its infancy. Highlander: The Series relied on practical effects, pyrotechnics, and lots of breaking glass. Every time a head rolled, the set basically exploded. Chimneys collapsed. Car windows shattered. It was messy.
There’s a specific visceral quality to those scenes that modern digital effects struggle to replicate. You felt the physical toll it took on Duncan. He didn't just win a fight; he absorbed a lifetime of someone else’s malice or virtue. Sometimes, it changed him. The "Dark Quickening" arc, where Duncan absorbs too much evil and goes on a rampage, showed that being the "good guy" wasn't a permanent state. It was a choice he had to make every single day for four hundred years.
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Methos: The Oldest and the Best
If you ask any hardcore fan about the best part of the series, they’ll say one name: Methos. Introduced in season three, Methos was the legendary "oldest living Immortal," over five thousand years old. Peter Wingfield played him not as a wise sage, but as a cynical, sarcastic survivor.
Methos didn't care about honor. He cared about staying alive. He lived in a tiny apartment, drank beer, and worked as a researcher for the Watchers—the very people meant to hunt him. His chemistry with Adrian Paul was electric. They represented two different ways to handle immortality: Duncan’s rigid moral code versus Methos’s fluid, pragmatic survivalism. Their friendship was the most complex relationship on the show.
The Lore Mistakes and the Successes
Look, it wasn't perfect. The show struggled with its own mythology toward the end. The fifth and sixth seasons felt a bit lost. The introduction of Ahriman—a literal Zoroastrian demon—felt like a jump-the-shark moment. Highlander worked best when the stakes were personal and historical, not supernatural and apocalyptic.
And then there were the spin-offs. Highlander: The Raven tried to center on the character of Amanda, a world-class thief and Duncan’s occasional lover. It lasted one season. It lacked the gravitas of the main series. The movies that followed, like Highlander: Endgame, tried to bridge the gap between the film and TV universes, but they often ended up feeling cluttered.
But the core of Highlander: The Series remains incredibly solid. It handled guest stars brilliantly. You had actual musicians like Roger Daltrey and Roland Gift playing recurring Immortals. These weren't just cameos; they were fully fleshed-out characters with centuries of baggage.
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The Action Choreography
Adrian Paul is a legit martial artist. He did a huge portion of his own stunts and sword work. This is why the fights look so much better than other shows of that period. They weren't just swinging props; they were using Katana, Rapier, and Broadsword techniques that felt distinct to the characters' origins. Duncan’s style was a blend of his Scottish roots and the Japanese training he received later. You could see his history in the way he moved.
How to Experience the Series Today
If you're looking to dive back in or see it for the first time, skip the first half of season one. It’s a bit clunky as it tries to find its footing. Start around the episode "Band of Brothers" (Episode 13). That’s where the show really starts to understand what it wants to be.
- Watch the "Watcher" Arcs: Focus on seasons two through four. This is the peak. The tension between the secret society and the Immortals adds a layer of paranoia that elevates the standard "villain of the week" format.
- Pay Attention to the Music: The score by Roger Bellon is phenomenal, blending orchestral sweeps with ethnic instruments that match the flashbacks. And of course, the Queen theme song "Princes of the Universe" is unbeatable.
- Track the Flashbacks: Notice how the costumes and sets change. For a syndicated show, the production design for the historical segments was surprisingly ambitious.
- The Paris Episodes: There is a distinct shift in tone when the production moves to France. These episodes are generally darker, more philosophical, and visually striking.
The series is currently available on various streaming platforms like Peacock or Freevee (depending on your region), and the Blu-ray remasters actually hold up surprisingly well on modern screens.
Final Thoughts on Duncan MacLeod’s Legacy
Highlander: The Series succeeded because it didn't treat immortality as a superpower. It treated it as a long, lonely road. Duncan MacLeod wasn't a hero because he was the best fighter; he was a hero because he managed to keep his humanity despite losing everyone he ever loved. In a world of "there can be only one," he proved that being "the one" was actually a pretty tragic fate. It’s a show about the importance of memory and the cost of survival. That’s why, thirty years later, we’re still talking about it.
To get the most out of a rewatch, focus on the "Chronicles" collections if you can find them—they group the best character-centric episodes together. If you're a newcomer, stick with the 4:3 original aspect ratio if possible; the widescreen crops often cut out the top of the sword blades during the best fight scenes. Grab a drink, settle in, and remember that even if you live forever, the past is always right behind you.