'The Watchers'

[ithildin]

Highlander Season Two

The Watchers, Air Date: October 1993

Determined to investigate the death of his old friend Darius, MacLeod follows a lead back to his old stomping grounds in the Pacific Northwest. He meets Joe Dawson, a bookstore owner with a secret; he soon learns that Dawson is a high-ranking member of an ancient secret organization known as The Watchers, who observe and record the lives of the Immortals, passing their archives down from generation to generation. Unbeknownst to Dawson, his brother-in-law, James Horton (the man who killed Darius), has been recruiting Watchers to kill Immortals. ~ recap via tv.com

Comments

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

Are you kidding? This is where we find out about the Watchers and meet Joe Dawson for the very first time. I mean - the meeting between Watcher and his Immortal subject is just so cool And Joe is great the way he explains everything to Mac. I also love the way Duncan looks in that scene in the bookstore where they meet. And the way he look over his sunglasses when he leaves the store.

Very excellent episode. And Horton gives me the shivers.

[robi-travels.livejournal.com]

"And the way he look over his sunglasses when he leaves the store. "

Agree. He looks like he just got the keys to the candy store. You can tell he really wants to vent anger on somebody for Darius' death.

"Very excellent episode."

It was good. The intro of the watchers and the addition of Jim as Joe Dawson really helped to let the series find its footing and momentum. With the subsequent addition of Methos it hit its full stride.

" And Horton gives me the shivers. "

Very much one of the best bad guys. Frankly I never figured why they did not just shoot the smug bastard. I kept envisioning a raider of the Lost Arc moment with the gun versus sword and a big surprise for Horton when Mac pulls a gun. But alias, as Methos was not around yet - had he been Horton would have gotten his just, proper and excruciating end.

Roberta

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I remember being thrilled when I saw Jim Byrnes was in it! I was a big Wiseguy fan, so I was stoked :)

I also liked how Richie and Tessa interacted. Him trying to be brave and manly was very cute. It had been so many years since I'd seen the ep, I'd forgotten those little details.

[robi-travels.livejournal.com]

"I was a big Wiseguy fan, so I was stoked :) "

Dido the Wiseguy fan - loved that show. Sonny Steelgrave and mel Proffit have to rate as two of the best bad guys ever. Very complex, very human.

Also William Russ was great in later episodes.

Would love to get the DVD's but read somewhere the music is all different because they did not get the rights originally. And if memory serves the music in that was a big part of the montage / emotion in a number of significant scenes.

As an FYI - I actually think Jim aged better and liked the look in now and in the HL series then in Wiseguy.

Also, he got to use his music in HL.

Roberta

[macgeorge1.livejournal.com]

I did a summary a while back of what TPTB said about this episode, along with a description and commentary at:

http://www.wordsmiths.net/MacGeorge/episodes/Season2/Watchers.htm

But, to summarize and quote myself *g*:

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. 3) Tessa demonstrates that she won't put up with shit from anybody, including Duncan (or Richie). I like her a lot. 4) There were several very well-played scenes, full of dramatic tension.

[unovis-lj.livejournal.com]

2) We see Duncan in his warrior/hunter mode, aggressive, angry and barely under control.

Heart goes thump. There are things about Duncan in the earlier seasons that I crave. God, do I love him like this, and God, do I love Tessa dealing with him.

I remember seeing this when it first aired and sitting bolt upright at the Watcher introduction. Great idea, great way to involve the viewers, and dammit, a great way to resolve the loss of Darius. That's how you use character death.

[mischief5.livejournal.com]

"Oh, great. Another window!" I loved the ad-libs in the series!

I also loved the fact that even though Mac had every reason not to trust the Watchers, Joe knew him. He knew MacLeod and trusted him to the point that he put his life in Mac's hands when Horton tried to use him as a hostage.

This is incredibly significant. Joe Dawson valued the honor of his Immortal more than he did that of his fellow Watcher and brother-in-law. Even when Joe didn't want to believe, he still listened and followed up on what Mac had to say. He didn't just blindly take sides.

To me, this episode says more about Joe's character than it does about the Watchers and Horton. And that's what's great about the writing in HL. There are so many layers to it. This really is a groundbreaking episode.

[mackiedockie.livejournal.com]

Goes without saying, one of my favorite episodes, too. Love watching Mac stalk into the bookstore, all ready to find and fight Evil Incarnate....and then meets this guy whose eyes light up like he's the second coming *g*.

Confusion, suspicion, a grudging "OK, I won't kill you _this_ time...!"

I think the introduction of the Watchers was essential to the series, not only to keep it from becoming a beheading marathon, but also to allow a full variety of interactions with knowledgeable and dangerous mortals without dragging in police or governments. Which would have grown stale fairly quickly, IMO.

[lastrega.livejournal.com]

I have a deep and abiding love for most of season 2 and this ep in particular. Joe has such a straight-guy crush on Duncan.

"I have a weakness for beautiful things..."

Yeah, Joe, we get it. And Joe looks so nice in S2 too, I love the suit and tie thing. In fact there's much pretty in S2, probably more than any other. If only we could swap Richie for Methos, it'd be damn near perfect.