'Studies in Light'

[ithildin]

Highlander Season Two

Studies in Light, Air Date: October 1993

A fellow Immortal, Greg Powers, invites MacLeod to his photography showing. At the gallery, MacLeod becomes deeply disturbed by the violent images of his friend's work, but what becomes more disturbing than the fact that Greg's personality has been replaced by that of a hardened cynic. As he reviews Greg's work, he comes across a photograph taken of himself 50 years ago which triggers a flashback of a time he spent with a young photographer, Linda Plager. In a chance meeting, the now 73-year old Linda recognizes Duncan as her old mentor and lover of 50 years ago, which thoroughly convinces her nurse that she's senile. Upon learning that Linda is dying, MacLeod longs to tell her the truth.

Meanwhile, Greg seduces Richie into his destructive lifestyle and coaxes Richie into a dangerous motorcycle stunt. After a confrontation with Macleod, Greg snaps...frustrated by his inability to feel any real emotion because of the insulation from death his immortality gives him, he attacks Richie, and Linda, then fights MacLeod on the roof of the hospital. Only when MacLeod's sword is inches from his neck does Greg break down and face the truth that he doesn't want to die. ~ recap via tv.com

Comments

[mischief5.livejournal.com]

Guh! Heartbreaking...One former lover trying to hold on to life, the other trying to destroy himself. Just...heartbreaking.

[robi-travels.livejournal.com]

"One former lover trying to hold on to life, the other trying to destroy himself."
Did I miss something? When did Gregor become his lover?

Roberta

[mischief5.livejournal.com]

That's just my opinion (and a few others). Gregor is on our list of possibles and on my list of very probables. *grin*

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

YMMV but I thought he was totally flirting with Richie.

[mischief5.livejournal.com]

I thought he was too (and trying to hurry him into the Game) but just to piss off Duncan.

Gregor was doing anything and everything to make the people around him feel something. He didn't care which emotions he evoked as long as he could study their reactions and live vicariously. It was almost as if they were lab rats to him.

To me, his main goal was to push Duncan as far as he could just to see what he'd do. He used Tessa, Richie and Linda in various ways, pushing every one of Duncan's buttons until Duncan had to deal with him with brute force. That speaks of the kind of intimate knowledge one has of a former lover who has remained a friend.

Again, YMMV, but I think you have to be very close to someone to know which buttons to push, how hard and when. Gregor did just that to Duncan and very nearly succeeded in getting himself killed. And he didn't want just anyone taking his head; he wanted it to be Duncan. That's what makes me think there was more going on in their past than just being buddies.

[lastrega.livejournal.com]

He was definitely flirting with Richie. I didn't see any flirting with Duncan, but eye of the beholder and all that.

[robi-travels.livejournal.com]

This is one of my favorite non-Methos episodes. I loved the guest actor (Joel Wyner) who played Gregor. He did a very nice job in the role. The back-story was nice, and while I find any women actually leaving Duncan for a job a stupid premise, the impact of a mortal women versus his immortality had to play to Tessa's fears.

Also AP's "death bedside" scene with her was a solid performance.

Roberta

[macgeorge1.livejournal.com]

I did my own commentary, including reporting on what TPTB had to say about this episode, at:
http://wordsmiths.net/MacGeorge/episodes/Season2/Studies.htm

The commentary has my opinions scattered throughout with regard to specific scenes, and this is truly one of my favorite episodes of the second season, but some general observations at the time were:

In the flashback, Duncan is a kind of gopher, delivering medicines and shuttling things and people around during a cholera epidemic. Gregor is the doctor, trying hard but unable to save a lot of his patients. I think it is interesting that this is a consistent role for DM - medic, ambulance driver, resistance fighter. Did he not feel sophisticated or smart enough in his "book knowledge" to become a doctor, or was the more active role of physically moving people and things more suited to his personality? I personally think it was the latter. Given his persistent pursuit of physical activity of all kinds, it seems consistent that he feels most in control when he is moving in the physical world. While he certainly works at intellectual pursuits, those things that are most ingrained in his psyche as being "useful" are related to movement and action. Those are his strongest innate skills and the ones he relies on to prove his worth.

Tessa was lovely in this episode. She came face to face with one of Duncan's former lovers, now grown old, just as she would, someday. Yet she let him go to her without a word of reproach. How could she, after all, since if she did, she would be condemning Duncan for loving someone without reservation or regard to time or appearance - and that is what she wanted for herself, as well.

I also note that Duncan didn't carry a sword a lot the time in these Season Two episodes. He seemed frequently without one, and didn't carry one when he went to see Linda in the hospital. Intellestink.

[mackiedockie.livejournal.com]

I think Duncan's role as expediter may fit in well with his earliest training as the son of a clan chief. He's been trained to look at a situation from all aspects. He knows that a doctor cannot save as many lives if his basic supplies of medicines, bandages, clean water and food are choked off. Roles such as ambulance driver and sutler give him far more leeway to bypass bureaucratic channels in ferrying needed supplies in an emergency situation. His martial skills are a huge advantage in intimidating those who would otherwise commandeeer valuable assets.

The expediter roles also give him many options for independent action without being subject to military chains of command. While he cut a fine figure in uniform at Waterloo, I think he took Darius' words to heart and began to move beyond the role of pure warrior. In the long run, he may feel he makes more of a difference to the living as an independent operator, helping the experts like Gregor do their jobs with the best tools available.

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it would be really hard for Duncan to sit still for long enough? I know in a lot of the times we see Duncan doing medical-assist type things, you just apprenticed to a doctor, and when he said you were a doctor, you were a doctor - whether that would take less or more time than our standard MD-getting process, I don't know.

Methos I can see studying for years, going back and getting re-certified every few centuries as much for the enjoyment of it as anything else. Duncan? A couple of semesters, and then somebody would need rescuing, or some love of his life would show up, or a Kimmie would need whacking...

[jotribe.livejournal.com]

Did he not feel sophisticated or smart enough in his "book knowledge" to become a doctor, or was the more active role of physically moving people and things more suited to his personality?
This is a very interesting question. I love seeing vulnerability in Duncn. I think Duncan wants to protect mortals, and you would think being a doctor would play into that. But I think he feels removed from the mortal world. Going to med school and working as a doctor would be too "mortal" a life for him, if that makes sense to anyone besides me...

The end scene always chokes me up. It's one of the best scenes that AP did in the entire series - IMHO.

and yeah, later in the series, after Tessa dies, after Darius is killed, after a million and one betrayals, he *always* has his sword.

[lastrega.livejournal.com]

I think (while I totally agree with what you've said) that there's also an element of Duncan's acute awareness of how temporary his time in any particular 'life' might just be and how quickly he may need to walk away from it. If he's only a spear-carrier, then he's not ultimately responsible for the care of patients and so, I'd think, he wouldn't feel as bad about having to do a flit.

Which, it suddenly occurs to me, sounds much more like Methos than Duncan, but Methos is the one who was a doctor. Go figure.

[keerawa.livejournal.com]

I would say that, in older times, doctors were FAR less useful than basic hygiene and supplies in saving lives. Those roles would fit well with his self-image of a providera dn protector.

In modern times, Duncan doesn't stay still long enough to become a medical doctor.

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

A year ago, we were looking at the shows in order on Highlandgirl (when I belonged to the group- don't know if they are still doing it or not). In any case, this was my commentary then about the show:

Part I

I absolutely adore this show. Duncan looks great. Tessa looks great.
They have some really good scenes together. Richie has started to
mature and we really see him as part of the family now.

And we actually get an immortal who has issues, different parts of
himself that aren't all right or wrong, black or white. And he's
Duncan's friend. And we get the first show where Duncan has to look
at these issues.

The first thing we see is Greg and we learn right away that he's
pretty insensitive and he obviously doesn't hold mortal life in high
regard. He plays fast and loose with others.

So, next we see Duncan and Tessa, looking very couple-y and very
happy with Richie. And, once again, this show really shows them as a
family unit, more so than the others I think. We find out that
Duncan and Greg are friends and that Greg is a photographer.

Then we meet Linda Plager, also a photographer, who recognizes
Duncan. I think both actors played this scene very well. Linda's
confusion and Duncan's hesitancy and discomfort came through very
well. I could tell that it pained Duncan to see her so unsure and he
wanted to admit who he was, but he knew he couldn't. Then again, he
didn't feel comfortable letting her remain unsettled and he was
certainly suffering emotionally, trying to decide what to do.

As far as Tessa, her feelings weren't as clear cut. I don't think
she was jealous, but I do think it unsettled her to come face to
face with one of Duncan's former lovers. It definitely seemed to
calm her that he hadn't told any other lovers about his immortality.
Only her.

She was also unsettled by seeing someone Duncan loved as an old
woman, dying, and knew that some day that would probably be her.

That feeling was further fostered by Greg's attitude and prodding.

I loved this line by Tessa: "Were you born sensitive, or did you
have to study?"

She certainly didn't like Greg and she had no problems telling him
as much. She never let any of the immortals intimidate her,
including Connor and Grayson. I loved Tessa.

Another interesting thing for me was the walk and talk between Greg
and Richie. Greg asks Richie who he would like to be Immortal. Now,
we know that Greg probably knew Richie was a pre-immortal. Which
makes it very interesting in retrospect.

I think someone else mentioned how great it was that Duncan and
Tessa were home worrying about Richie when he and Greg were late
coming home. And Duncan's concern and worry when Richie came in hurt
was absolutely lovely. It certainly gelled for me the fact that they
were now a family unit and that Duncan had placed himself in the
role of Richie's dad and protector.

Also, in retrospect, now we know that Duncan had the fear that
Richie would play too fast and loose and that he would get killed,
thus throwing him into the game when he was too young and immature.
We didn't know that when season one first aired, however, so it's
interesting to go back and look at it from this perspective and
remember the difference in how the scene first played.

And I think the scenes in the hospital are some of Adrian Paul's
best work. He said in the commentary that it was some of the easiest
scenes he had ever played because the actress was so wonderful.

They both played the scenes so realistically, that I still feel
their heartbreak and the love between them no matter how many times
I've watched the show. When Duncan admits who he is and the tears
are running down his face -- when he admits that he loves her and
that he's proud of her -- has always been -- it is just so touching
and sad and real. That she dies -- knowing she's loved -- and you
can just feel the sadness and pain radiating off Duncan MacLeod.

As for Greg, his relationship with Duncan and Duncan's internal
struggle dealing with the man now versus his memories and feelings --
interesting and the first foreshadowing of another such internal
struggle.

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

Part II

When Tessa and Duncan were talking, Duncan tells Tessa that Greg is
not evil. And she asks him how he knows. All he can say is that he
knows because Greg is his friend. Thats all he has. But, yet, he
finally has to face who Greg has become and make a decision about
how to handle it.

He won't allow Greg to hurt those he loves, but he still only picks
up a weapon to protect himself. In the end he gives Greg a choice --
to either change or to die.

Rather a foreshadowing, I think of another relationship down the
road -- a friend-- only this time the friend has changed and he has
to find out that at one time this friend had been evil -- had
already hurt someone Duncan cared about.

Only the this time, Duncan never pulls his sword, never lifts his
hand or threatens death. This time the betrayal was more acute, much
more personal.

But I still think David Abromowitz opened up the possibilities with
Greg, gave us a complex character. Asked the hard questions about
immortality. As Greg asks, what is there when all you have to look
forward to is an eternity of nothing. Why should you care, how do
you keep caring when it just brings pain.

I think at the end of season six, Duncan was asking some of the same
questions. Only instead of hurting others, he was withdrawing from
those he loved. Withdrawing to shut down the feelings, lesson the
pain.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I think I referred to it in a fic as 'Immortal mid-life crisis' or something along those lines.

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

Didn't mean to kill the thread :-(

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Hardly! :) I think this is the most comments any of the non Methos episode discussions have gotten.

[keerawa.livejournal.com]

This is an extraordinary episode, and foreshadows several themes we see again later in Highlander.

There is Mac's loyalty to an Immortal friend, when that friend may have changed beyond all recognition. The choice that Mac offers Gregor at the end - poignant. There is Gregor's immersion in Mortal lives causing him such pain that he rejects all Mortal connections and emotions. We have MacLeod being forced to lie to people he held dear, to protect the secret of his Immortality. Gregor reminds me SO much of Byron in those scenes where tempts Mortals into risking their lives.

I love the photos at the beginning, and the way they evoke distinct positive and negative world views. I like the way that Tessa, Duncan, and Richie are a family here.

Anyone else moved by the fact that MacLeod lost Linda not once, but twice? The actress who played the older Linda was incredible.