- Title: Highlander – The Hunters
- wiki: link
Throwback Thursday takes us back to a man born in the Highlands of Scotland more than 400 years ago and a murderous game between sword-wielding immortals where there can be only one. The final episode of Highlander‘s First Season offers a turning point for the show. Although they won’t be named or begin having their mythology explored until the next season’s premiere, “The Hunters” introduces the Watchers (humans who have watched and chronicled the exploits of immortals for generations). The ones introduced here are far less passive than the rest of the organization as they hunt down and kill immortals hoping to prevent a winner of the Gathering from garnering enough power to rule mankind. Darius (Werner Stocker, who only appears in flashbacks and existing footage as he was too ill make a final appearance on the show) becomes their latest victim, as the show says farewell to one of its longest recurring characters but also introduces a new one in Hugh Fitzcairn (Roger Daltrey), an old friend of MacLeod‘s (Adrian Paul) who helps look into the group hunting them (and later needs Duncan to rescue him).
Daltrey proves to be great fun as Fitzcairn, both in the Musketeer-style flashbacks and in his current predicament of nearly losing his head to a bunch of crazy humans. Thankfully Fitz survives allowing Daltrey to return for six more episodes over the next few years. The action isn’t some of the show’s best, but is serviceable as the mystery and looming threat really pushes the story forward. Peter Hudson is introduced here as James Horton, the leader of the more rebellious faction of the Watchers obsessed with killing immortals. He would return for another 11 episodes over the series run to plague MacLeod. Richie (Stan Kirsch) and Tessa (Alexandra Vandernoot) get smaller roles in the season finale, but Richie does get to ride to the rescue and save MacLeod from a gang of Watchers. As for the Watchers, Duncan will learn far more about them in the Second Season premiere with the introduction of Joe Dawson (Jim Byrnes).
