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Highlander: Deliverance

Joe: "Maybe you should just stay away, because he will kill you if he can."
Methos: "I'm tougher than I look."

Yes, this episode was fabulous; it absolutely worked, and I loved it. But I've always thought it was hilarious that Duncan was essentially cured of his dark quickening by cutting off the head of a psychiatrist.

Taking Sean's head didn't cure him immediately, though; it took awhile for the goodness to seep back in. But Duncan never did go completely psycho, like Coltec did. He didn't kill Davis or rape Davis's wife, although I kept thinking he would. The fact that Duncan called Sean Burns on the phone in the first place meant that the good man inside of Duncan was looking for help, and knew that Sean might be the only one who could do it. Too bad that he took Sean's head, instead of opting for psychotherapy.

Duncan went to Darius's church for help and guidance, and Methos found him there. In many ways, Methos has replaced Darius as the older, wiser immortal friend that Duncan can rely upon. Methos saved Duncan's life, as well as his sanity. Methos gave us the reason, too. He said that Duncan was "too important to lose." Clearly, Methos has decided that Duncan should be "the one."

Which means that Methos doesn't see himself as "the one." After five thousand years and an obvious desire to stay alive as long as possible, why wouldn't Methos want to be "the one" himself? Everything Methos does seems to bring up more questions than answers. He's far from self-sacrificing, but he also doesn't see himself as a hero. Maybe he thinks Duncan would be better for the world.

Jim Coltec had a spiritual connection to people and things. The sacred spring that healed Duncan was spiritual as well as somewhat magical, but not too bibbity bobbity boo, fortunately. The duel in the cave, with Duncan fighting himself, was done well. And they didn't stretch the bounds of fantasy too much, since Duncan fought his evil self only in his head.


Flashback notes:

— 1917 France. Ambulance driver Duncan and doctor Sean Burns, a good immortal who was a natural healer to the point of psychic empathy. A little touch of magic there, too, although Burns attributed it to Freud.

Bits and pieces:

— Interesting way to get us back to France for the second half of the season. I should have realized when Duncan got on a ship that it would end up in France.

— I always found it a little shocking that Duncan attacked Methos on holy ground.

— Methos made me laugh out loud more than once. Yelling at the guy whose classic car Duncan stole that he hoped he was insured. Flat on the ground muttering to himself, "I'm too old for this."

— Evil Duncan acquired an earring. That was so we'd know he was evil. And Adrian Paul actually managed to look unattractive with the stubble and the shapeless, ugly black sweater.

— The watcher outside Mrs. Davis' house was the same one that Kalas killed. They didn't show his mouth: just his eyes, a phone, and his watcher tatt. Maybe they needed something there, ran out of time to film it, and thought no one would notice.

— The locations, particularly the small church right by the cliffs and the cave with the spring, were pretty impressive. I bet it was cold in that cave. You could see Adrian's breath.

— No flashy black sports cars for Methos. He drove a dark, nondescript wagon. (Yes, I know we saw it before.)

— We had a little visit from "cousin" Rachel MacLeod from the episode "Homeland." She came along with the MacLeod family sword.

— Methos said he left Alexa in Athens.

Quotes:

Duncan: "To heal the mind, to heal the damage inside. Do you think that's possible?"
Sean: "Sigmund Freud does. Brilliant mind, disgusting cigars."


Duncan: "Psychotherapy. Can it work for immortals?"
Sean: "I suppose. But we're so much more complex than mortals. Upon our page, so much more is written."

Sean: "You're here because you want me to help you. I can't do that without my head." Wrong.

Duncan: "I'm warning you, I trashed the place, the place is a mess. I haven't been myself lately."

Another terrific episode. Four out of four stars,

Billie
---
Billie Doux knows that there can be only one. And that's Methos.

1 comment:

  1. Methos is a wonderful twist on the "wise elder / grey pilgrim" archetype. Instead of looking like Gandalf or Dumbledore, he's an easily-amused laid-back apparently-twentysomething.

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