Plot: What’s it about?
There can only be one. As the world goes through its motions, with people living their lives and such, there is a presence of constant change. After all, people have a limited lifespan and as some pass on, others are born to take their place. This creates the cycle of life and death that keeps the world in constant motion, but even that system has exceptions. Some of those men who walk the world do not pass on like the others, instead they travel the lands and seek out others of their kind, with whom to do battle. These men are immortals, so time has no impact on them and they watch as the world goes through its cycles. One such man is Duncan Macleod (Adrian Paul), who tries to live a normal life, even though he has to watch as all of his friends and family perish, while he is forced to continue on alone. Duncan has walked the lands for over four centuries now, as he attempts to mask his immortal status, especially to other immortals. These immortals seek each other out, as a swift beheading can end their lives and if they can behead a fellow immortal, all of that person’s powers are absorbed into themselves. This leads to all out hunts, with immortals tracking their own kind with ruthless passion. All of this happens because when there is just one immortal left, he will be the most powerful being ever to walk the world. But there can only be one, so can Duncan somehow survive and gain that incredible position?
As a fan of the original Highlander movie and to a lesser extent the various sequels, I looked forward to the Highlander television series. After all, Xena and Hercules had proven that action and fantasy could still thrive on the small screen, so Highlander seemed like a natural choice to unfold in such episodic fashion. The show turned out to be a success, with star Adrian Paul getting a lot of attention. His presence is the focus of the show, but the spotlight is well earned, as Paul is always on his game. He brings a lot to the table in Highlander: The Series, which is good news for fans of the source material, as a strong lead was crucial. He is surrounded by other talented folks also, as well as assorted guest stars and short term players. The show’s limited budget sometimes holds back the more effects driven portions of the series, but the action comes across well and overall, the production values seem solid. I love all the duels and visual effects, but rest assured, the storylines aren’t just tossed in by pure chance. No, Highlander: The Series has a lot of good writing involved, which ensures the small and large arcs are effective. In this final season, storylines close in on their conclusions, which means you’ll need to see the prior five seasons to get the entire picture. So if you like action and fantasy, then do yourself a favor and check out Highlander: The Series on DVD.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in full frame, as intended. The visuals look terrific here, with no real problems to report. Of course, this is a television series shot on limited funds, which means the transfer was limited from the start. If this were a big budget series, then perhaps the image would be more slick and refined. So yes, there is a raw and soft texture to the visuals, but that was the case when the show was on television. As such, I see no reason to raise a ruckus, since this preserves the intended presentation. The prints look clean and show minimal debris, though some light grain is evident at times. The grain doesn’t impact the contrast much, as black levels remain solid and consistent throughout. So while the episodes are a tad on the rough side, this is as good as we can expect, which is all we can ask.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio here is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1, which means all the action driven scenes have some extra boost. If you’ve screened the previous seasons, then you know about what to expect in terms of overall performance. The surrounds are put to work often and with solid results, but don’t expect a dynamic audio assault. There are some scenes with power, but this is not a balls to the wall mix, just a good one that hits when it needs to. So some might be let down, but I found the audio to be effective at all times. Not the most memorable soundtracks as far as power and presence, but the material is well served. The music kicks in a little more surround action, while dialogue is clean and never proves to be a problem.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is the final season and all the stops have been pulled, as you’ll find a wealth of supplements here, all sure to delight fans. All thirteen episodes have combinations of audio commentary tracks, video commentary sessions, and bonus footage. While not all the episodes have all three features, all thirteen have at least one and most have a couple, then a few have all three included. You’ll hear from both cast and crew members in the commentaries, as the folks share their memories and production stories. A Watcher Chronicles is also found for each episode, which gives added information about the people and places within the episode. A slew of behind the scenes material closes us out, but there is a lot to wade through. A look at some of the best Quickenings is quite fun to watch, while the piece on Swordmaster Bob Anderson is informative and really shows how important he was to the show. A pair of featurettes explore the final episode, one which provides on set footage from the series finale, while the other is a more general piece with cast & crew recollections. You can even watch a reel of Duncan’s memories from his epic lifetime. The final supplement is an hour long piece about Adrian Paul and a race car, so at least its here, right?
