|
|
HIGHLANDER:
THE SERIES
|
|
|
|
Filmed almost entirely in Vancouver
(which doubled as the United States) and Paris, the small-screen
spin-off of Russell Mulchahy's monster movie was a curious cocktail.
Leading man Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod was striking - a handsome,
imposing figure from an undetermined cultural background, complete with
a mixed accent that contained elements of American, English and Irish -
and he seemed the perfect actor to portray an Immortal. Born in 1959 and
raised in Britain, Paul travelled around Europe as a dancer and model
for six years before moving to Los Angeles, and he had a regular role in
Season Two of War of the
Worlds. His associates, however, betrayed the series'
financial backers.
The appearance in the first episode of
Conner MacLeod, with Christopher Lambert slipping effortlessly back into
the role, was a bonus that helped kick things off. He turns up to help
out Duncan, who is a fellow Highlander; "same clan, different
vintage," as Conner points out. Duncan was born to the Clan MacLeod
some fifty years after Conner's time, and remembered the stories from
his grandfather of the young man who was mortally wounded in battle only
to return to full health. Conner found and helped Duncan discover his
full potential in much the same way as Ramirez helped Conner. In the
second series, to introduce more variety into the formula, semi-regulars
Joe Dawson and Charlie DeSalvo were introduced. Dawson was one of the
Watchers of the Season Two opening episode, and provided help and
information when needed.
The stories were fairly routine for the
most part, with only occasional high points, and quite often the actors
themselves (Adrian Paul could often be included here), delivered wooden
or hammy performances, but Paul produced a likeable character which the
audience could warm to. The programme found a niche for itself, but the
only recognisable names from the film version, apart from Christopher
Lambert's usually charismatic appearance in the first episode, were
those of Gregory Widen, the original Highlander writer, and Peter
S Davis and William Panzer, who masterminded the production of the first
film.
In Britain, the video release of the
first half dozen episodes predated the premier satellite screening by
two months, as the vagaries of an increasingly broadening multimedia
market made programme purchase ever more uncertain. The programme
finally made it to terrestrial tv on Monday 3rd September 1996, but,
denied a network screening, it was placed at 11.40pm on Carlton alone.
It’s appearances have been patchy ever since.
|
|
|
|
REGULAR CAST
Duncan MacLeod Adrian Paul
Tessa Noël Alexandra Vandernoot (Seasons 1-2)
Richie Ryan Stan Kirsch (Seasons 1-4)
Joe Dawson Jim Byrnes (Season 2 Onwards)
Charlie DeSalvo Philip Akin (Seasons 2-3 US Only)
Moris Michel Modo (Seasons 2-3 Paris Only)
Dr Ann Lindsey Lisa Howard (Season 3 Only)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Based on the Character Created by: Gregory Widen
Executive Producers: Peter S Davis,
William Panzer, Christian Charret
and Marla Ginsberg
Co-Executive Producers: Steven Maier,
Sheryl Hardy and Guy Collins
(All Season 1 Only), Nicolas Clermont
(Season 2 On)
Producers: Gary Goodman and Barry
Rosen (Season 1), Ken Gord (Season 2
On)
Supervising Producers: Kevin Droney
and Philip John Taylor (Eps 1-11),
David Abramowitz (Ep 12 On)
Associate Producer (Season 2 On): Marc
du Pontavice (Season 2-3), David Tynan
(Season 4)
Creative Consultant (Season 2 On):
David Abramowitz
Theme Music: Queen
Incidental Music: Roger Bellon
|
US Production/UK Screening:
Season One: 22 Episodes
1992-93/3rd April - 4th September 1994
Season Two: 22 Episodes
1993-94/11th September 1994 - 10th May 1995 1
Season Three: 22 Episodes
1994-95/17th May - 10th December 1995 2
Season Four: 21 Episodes
1995-96/17th December 1995 - 16th January 1997 3
Season Five: 18 Episodes 4
1996-97/23rd January - 22nd May 1997
Season Six: 13 Episodes 5
1997-98/9th January - 3rd April 1998
A Gaumont Télévision Production, in association with
RTL Plus, Rysher Distribution, Reteitalia Productions, Amuse Video and
TF1, with Filmline Intl (Highlander) Inc (Season 4)
118 colour 44-minute episodes (Season 1 x 47-minutes)
(Sky One)
|
|
|
Note
1: The second series stopped showing on Sky One with the episode The
Vampire, shown on 25th December 1994, when the schedules were
rearranged to put Star Trek: The
Next Generation in the Highlander slot. The series was
resumed on 6th April 1995, now on Thursdays on Sky One.
Note 2: True to its usual form, Sky One
discontinued the series halfway through a season on 31st August 1995,
restarting the series back in its original slot of 9.00pm Sundays, from
29th October 1995 onwards.
Note 3: The fourth season was
discontinued on 19th May 1996, just three episodes from the season's end.
It was restarted on 9th January 1997. With a twenty-one episode run it is
possible that a more unsuitable episode had been dropped by Sky.
Note 4: Four episodes shorter than a
standard season, Sky may, once again, have dropped episodes, although no
announcements to that effects were made.
Note 5: The final season was planned to
run for only half length from an early stage, as the French half of the
season was dropped. Sky broadcast the season at the end of a run of
repeats, and with no visible advertising, so many regular viewers missed
it entirely.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All details are
trademarked and copyrighted by their respective producers. All character and location
names are also copyright. No infringement of any copyright is intended.
Home.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
