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Highlander: Line of Fire

Richie: "This is my chance to have a normal life."
Duncan: "Good luck."

Parenthood and immortality don't mix. Even when the children aren't theirs.

Duncan had an Indian family. (Or he was going to marry Little Deer, the widow of his friend. I'm sort of unclear on the technicalities, since we were told in no uncertain terms that Duncan has never been married.) The scene where Duncan found their bodies after the massacre had a lot more impact than it did in that brief glimpse we got in the pilot. I also thought the final scene where Duncan went after Kern with an Indian spear and Little Deer's beading around his neck was moving. Well, except for the weird-ass quickening-with-ghosts-and-levitation at the end, which went just a bit too far for me.

Of course, the parallel was Richie being confronted with a baby accompli that he refused to believe wasn't his. At least this time, Richie let go of his childish stubbornness after consulting with Joe, whom Richie apparently considered to be more of an expert on immortal fertility than Duncan.

This week's evil immortal, Kern, had style. At the very least, he did a better impression of Clancy Brown's Kurgan than anyone else has. I loved him coming at Duncan with a sword while still on a motorcycle; it was like a parody of a joust. I also thought the way he broke into the poor box and then made an addendum to his confession to the priest was pretty funny. If you're going to play an over the top character like this, go for it, baby.

This episode also had lots of other interesting bits. Like Duncan becoming enraged and actually throwing things, something he never does. Like Richie falling face first into a truckful of tomatoes. And Joe Dawson now has a cool blues bar of his very own. A much better place for Duncan to hang out, drink beer, and ask pointed questions about other immortals.

Flashbacks:

— 1872 Dakota Territory. We finally got backstory on Little Deer and her son Kahani, who were shown briefly in the pilot episode.

— The scene of Duncan and the funeral pyre was a duplicate of a flashback scene in the pilot with Connor. But without Connor.

Bits and pieces:

— Little Deer was played by Michelle Thrush, who also played Sara Lightfoot in "Bless the Child."

— Richie has an apartment. How is he paying for it? Does he have a job we don't know about?

— There have been a lot of short term girlfriends in the series for Richie, but I'm fairly sure we haven't seen Donna before.

— Donna didn't want Richie's very sharp sword around the house, and Richie wasn't about to give it up. Symbolic of the whole "immortals and kids don't mix" thing.

— Duncan, stripped to waist, working out with a stick... quarterstaff... whatever. Pretty hot. Also intended as a set-up for the spear in the final duel.

— Kern was the tenth evil immortal with a last name starting with K/C.

— Duncan: "I think you need some oil and vinegar." Yes, Richie was covered with tomatoes, but Richie is immature and requires some seasoning, as it were. I can find meaning in just about anything if I try.

Three out of four stars,

Billie
---
Billie Doux knows that there can be only one.

2 comments:

  1. I'd say the scene Kern charges Duncan on his motorcycle was not a joust parody, but like a cavalry attack, highly symbolic of their past. Kern did work for the US army in the west, which means the cavalry. And his sword sure looked like a cavalry saber to me.

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  2. The spear usage to remove Kern's head was a bit hard to swallow, so to speak.
    Also, why were the Lakota Souix always the Tribe during the 1990s? I suppose Dances with Wolves had a lot to do with it, but those of us from other Plains Tribes felt a bit shoved in the corner. I mean we do exist after all. I'm Pikani/Aniyunwiya & Scots, so I know what I'm talking about. LOL!

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