HIGHLA-L Digest - 11 Nov 2003 to 12 Nov 2003 (#2003-13)
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Wed, 12 Nov 2003 22:00:23 -0500
There are 2 messages totalling 158 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Season Two: The Watchers
2. Complete HL DVD set
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Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2003 23:47:32 -0500
From: kageorge <kageorge@erols.com>
Subject: Season Two: The Watchers
Commentary: Abramowitz and Panzer introduce themselves. I haven't seen
Abramowitz on screen before, and I was immediately pleased that he was
going to be doing commentary. Panzer is okay (the abuse of Grecian
formula aside), but Abramowitz was the real creative force behind the
series, IMO. Panzer does say that the 6 years of doing the HL series
were the best years of his life, and I've heard him say that before in a
way that made me believe it.
They talked about the casting of the role of Joe Dawson, saying that
Michael York and David McCallum both wanted to play the part. They cast
Jim Byrnes because he was "more real, more earthy", although I suspect
that York and McCallum also wanted more money, and that may have entered
into the equation. Then Panzer started talking about Byrnes' background
and mentioned he had done tours in Vietnam and lost his legs there, and
was a real man, a real "mench" at which point Abramowitz gets this very
funny look on his face, and tells Panzer he's mixing up Byrnes'
character with Byrnes' real life, since Jim lost his legs in a car
accident. Both men totally lost it, they were laughing so hard and the
camera finally cut away.
Abramowitz said the originally conceived character of Joe Dawson was a
much tighter, more serious personality, but it was clear that Byrnes
himself helped define the role. Panzer mentioned that the notion of the
Watchers was unique to the series, a new element that had not been
introduced in the movies. Abramowitz said it brought a human
perspective and let the audience become a part of the show, and give
them someone to identify with, and Joe became Everyman.
Abramowitz said Dawson had an agenda, and that he thought DMotCM should
be the One because not only was he a great fighter, but he had a
righteous soul, and (as Abramowitz said) "he was right."
THE EPISODE: The episode opens with Duncan and Richie in a bizarre bar
in Paris, with loud rock music playing and some seriously anti-social
individuals sitting around at tables. Duncan is brooding about Darius'
death and clearly went there spoiling for a fight. That's what I think
is interesting about that scene, frankly. EDM was right on the
surface. He was angry, frustrated and wanted to hurt somebody. Duncan
is a natural aggressor, proud of his strength and quickness and power
and used to using that power to resolve conflict. With only a little
provocation, he beats the crap out of some bar bullies and would have
literally killed a guy if Richie hadn't stopped him.
Then DM, Tessa and Richie all pick up and go back to Seacouver (Tessa:
"Either we're together, or we're not". Gotta love that woman) to track
down the clue Darius left (how did they know it related to Seacouver and
not to Paris, or to Timbucktu, for that matter? Ah, well, literary
license, I guess.)
And DMotCM walks right into a Watcher stronghold (the bookstore), and we
meet Joe Dawson. Very cool guy from the moment he shows up on screen.
Fearless, bold, unintimidated and clearly secretly delighted to finally
get to talk to the guy he's been Watching for so long. Great, great
character.
The scene with Horton and Dawson and MacLeod at the party, where Duncan
hits Horton was fascinating in its restraint, really. It took a lot for
MacLeod not to let loose on Horton then and there, but he stopped
himself, also watching for Dawson's reactions and not quite able to
figure out how much Dawson knew.
And that scene in the warehouse, where Duncan gives Joe the slightest
signal, and Joe instantly understands, trusts, and turns away at the
right moment. After a long, tense tussle where Duncan slowly turns
Horton's gun on him, with his finger on the trigger ready to blow
Horton's face off, Duncan, ever the sucker for a woman's pleas, lets
Horton live because his daughter begs him to, leaving his demise to
"another day." Nicely played, both physically and emotionally. My only
real objection to that scene is that DM turns his back on Horton,
leaving the gun on the table within reach, an incredibly arrogant, or
incredibly stupid move (or both).
Horton grabs the gun and shoots DM several times as his daughter tries
to stop him and Joe yells (ineffectually). Fatally wounded (three or
four shots, I think), Duncan manages to run Horton through, gasping,
"For Darius!" before he staggers away and dies as Horton's daughter is
kneeling by her father's body screaming, "Why?".
Duncan gasps awake, but now he is alone in the warehouse, and Joe has
disappeared from the office he had occupied, leaving a blank computer
behind (why would he leave a laptop computer behind?). He believes he
has killed Darius' murderer but we know, of course, that Horton didn't
die, but returned to cause havoc in later episodes.
I like this episode for a number of reasons:
1) We meet Joe Dawson, and learn about the Watchers, which is a whole
cool concept that has marvelous potential; 2) We see Duncan in his
warrior/hunter mode, aggressive, angry and barely under control
(foreshadowing of the DQ); 3) Tessa demonstrates that she won't put up
with shit from anybody, including Duncan (or Richie). I like her a lot,
and; 4) There were several very well-played scenes, full of dramatic
tension.
I don't know what the Euro minutes were (but that could just be me
having a senior moment), so that implies that they weren't particularly
memorable as additions to previously unseen material.
MacGeorge
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Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:17:32 -0700
From: Firefly <airedale@northerntel.net>
Subject: Complete HL DVD set
Sorry if this is old news, but I haven't seen it here yet.
I just got a "Legendary Heroes" catalog today. (Is this perhaps "formerly
known as the Highlander Store" catalog?) It's showing ALL the seasons as
being available on DVD now. You can order them separately for 89.95 or all
in one complete set for 595.00 which also includes the Best of set. I'll
just be patient and wait for them to show up at other places at a lower price.
Loads of other stuff too. Mostly tacky.
Barbara (wondering what the hubby would do if I put the Four Horsemen
ornament on our Christmas tree, LOL)
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End of HIGHLA-L Digest - 11 Nov 2003 to 12 Nov 2003 (#2003-13)
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