'Till Death'

[ithildin]

A day early, but what the heck? I love this episode, well, to death! So I figured it deserved an extra day of discussion.

Welcome to the eighth installment of Methos Episode Discussion. You can find the last one for 'Through a Glass, Darkly' here. All episode discussion links can be found over on the sidebar.

Till Death, Air Date: May. 1996

When Gina and Robert de Valicourt met 300 years ago, even Gina's suitors MacLeod and Fitzcaim had to admit they were destined for each other. Each century, as Robert and Gina renewed their wedding vows before their friends and fellow Immortals, their love grew stronger. But now their marriage is on the rocks. MacLeod decides it's up to him to reunite the once happy couple, and he enlists a very unwilling accomplice in his cunning plan. ~ via tv.com

Next up will be Judgement Day. Look for it on Monday.

Quotes below the curtain






Methos: The apartment I'm renting is being sold. I hate moving.
Duncan: Then move into a hotel.
Methos: I wouldn't live in any hotel Adam Pierson could afford.
________________________

Gina: It's over - the son of a bitch (Methos) is dead.
Duncan: No, no! It was all a joke it...
(Methos pops up on the barge)
Duncan: Not funny!
Methos: Oh I don't know, pretty funny from here.
Duncan: Oh yeah? Maybe I should take your head.
_________________________

MacLeod: With friends like you, who needs enemies?
Methos: I was just thinking the same thing!
_________________________

Methos: I knew it. I knew it! Getting between a married couple. It's a rule I haven't broken for 2000 years!
_________________________

Gina: Maybe we aren't meant to spend three centuries together. I mean...who mates for life? Swans? Geese? Lobster?
__________________________

Robert: She's leaving me, Mac. She's really leaving...she divided up the record collection.
MacLeod: The vinyl?!
__________________________

Methos: You're not listening to me, I don't give a damn about their marriage.
Duncan: Well I do!
Methos: Is it really that important to you?
Duncan: Yes it's that (bops Methos on the head) important to me.
Methos: All right...I do this for you, and you give me the barge.
__________________________

Gina: I gave you the best centuries of my life.
___________________________

Methos: (looking at Duncan's CD collection) Opera... opera... opera... opera. A lot of opera here. Better do something about this music. There's no Springsteen, there's no Queen...
___________________________

Methos: You're wasting your time. I haven't felt guilt since the eleventh century.

Comments

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

I love this episode! I think this is my favorite episode after "Chivalry." It's just so much fun, from that first scene in which Duncan finds Methos meditating in his barge. I love how Methos asks Duncan if there's anything good in the mail. Duncan looks slightly annoyed at the invasion of his privacy, but also, not.

I love how he cajoles Methos into helping him. Duncan cajoles Methos an awful lot. :-)

Another favorite line: "Where's your sense of drama?" And then, *plunge* with the sword.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I love how Methos asks Duncan if there's anything good in the mail. Duncan looks slightly annoyed at the invasion of his privacy, but also, not.

Back during one of the other episode posts, I said that Methos has a knack for that sort of thing. He does seem to enjoy getting under Duncan's skin. Well, after all, he is 'easily amused' :)

I love how he cajoles Methos into helping him. Duncan cajoles Methos an awful lot. :-)

LOL, he does! And despite the old guy's many protests, I have a sneaking suspicion that he rather likes being needed.

Another favorite line: "Where's your sense of drama?" And then, *plunge* with the sword.

I love that part!

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

Not to mention when Methos runs away after he runs robert through and Duncan goes after him - then there's that little scene where Duncan is trying to get Methos to go and Methos is standing there arguing with Duncan and it is so cute.

Oh yeah - and in the car when Duncan tells Gina it is a new immortal after Robert's head *g*

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

I love the cajoling! One gets the sense that Methos rather enjoys it too. I also liked how Methos tells Robert he hates boats and water, which highlights the playfulness of Methos asking for the barge in payment. *g*

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

Yes, the whole asking for the barge thing, and playing at being the new owner, is hilarious.

There's that one tiny moment when Methos shoos Duncan away so he can sit at the desk, and put his feet up on it, that I love. And the looks he gives Duncan! And the faux furiousness of Duncan's response. Too much!

Another fave line: "I'm an act-or, dahling!"

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, that lines goes perfectly with the earlier one: "Do I *look* like an actor to you?" *giggles*

The playfulness that PW and AP brought to their roles in this episode is marvelous. And it's easy to see how this will be figured as a more 'innocent' time after CaH and R:6.8. Also, the slashy vibes are *everywhere* in this. ^_^

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

Yes, sigh, a much more innocent time.

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

*nods* And from a slash prespective, I find (as I said below) that the parallel between Gina dropping the Ming vase in front of Robert at the beginning of the episode and Methos dropping another Ming vase in front of Duncan at the end is very intriguing.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Isn't it Duncan that drops the vase when Methos tosses him the keys?

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

*checks* Oh yeah, it is! That will teach me to check my sources! Still he drops the vase *because* of Methos, so it's still somewhat parallel.

(And the sound the Duncan makes - so cute and aggrieved!)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Just finished watching and yes, I love that bit. Methos really knows how to wind Duncan up (minds out of the gutter, slasherettes! [g])

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

Well, it's less of a wind, and more of a stroke - *stops, blushes*

My mind is *always* in the gutter!

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes.

There are lots of possible slash parallels here.

For instance, when Methos makes that remark about being married 68 times but never to "one of us," because he can't imagine making that kind of commitment, is he looking at Duncan...longingly? Expectantly? Wonderingly?

And what would Methos and Duncan be like after 300 years together? (see my comment below)

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

I think there is a bit of wonder and longing in Methos's look there. It's quite clear that he's very intrigued by Duncan, that he let himself be discovered by the Highlander on purpose, and that he doesn't just keep coming around because of Duncan's beer suspply. *g*

And after 300 years - well I think my computer is trying to tell me something as it just skipped from one version of "Can't Stand Me Now" to another! Seriously, by that time, they would probably both ridiculously devoted to each other and ready to kill each other.

There aren't many fics that really explore that far into the long-term, are there? Truthfully, I have problems imagining Methos being able to make that kind of commitment, however much he wants to, unless he feels that he has plent of space. Duncan can be overwhelming, and I think Methos, drawn to the fire as he is, is also very afraid of being trapped in the flames. ^^

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

Duncan can be overwhelming, and I think Methos, drawn to the fire as he is, is also very afraid of being trapped in the flames.

Oh yes, very nicely put.
I can't imagine the two of them living together for 300 years the way Gina and Robert have. But I can definitely imagine them having a relationship spanning that amount of time, during which Methos sort of shows up whenever he feels like it. You know, kind of like in canon. :-) And yeah, he's definitely not there just for the beer.

I wish there were more long-term relationship fics! So far I've only read one ("Kindle," by Julia), though a bunch of PWPs I've read seem to take imply that a LTR is in progress.

and you're the lover I had who ever slept with a knife

[ekaterinn.livejournal.com]

I read your comment, and was like, oh, right, like Amanda! And then I went, well, what if Amanda and Methos showed up at the same time...mmm, threesome. Um, yeah, I'm not sure how much more intelligent discussion you're going to get out of me tonight. *g* But it's an interesting point, because the ending of a lot of D/M fics imply the beginnings of a long-term relationship without setting out the parameters of it. Are we talking monogamy here? Would Duncan want Methos to stay around for longer, try to the domestic thing for a bit? Would Methos try, just for MacLeod? Would that be a point of tension?

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

is he looking at Duncan...longingly? Expectantly? Wonderingly?


He sort of glances over at him, with a 'go figure' kind of of expression on his face. (I even replayed that bit out of curiosity!)

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

Heh. That's because you don't have your slash goggles on!

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

That's because I don't own any [g] But that's okay, since you guys more than make up for my lack of a slash gene!

[(Anonymous)]

There's that one tiny moment when Methos shoos Duncan away so he can sit at the desk, and put his feet up on it,

Yes, that is one of my all time favorite parts. Just the mannerisms of PW in that are delicious.

Another fave line: "I'm an act-or, dahling!"

Another great line. And what about the "darling"? Have to love it. In truth Methos is probably the worlds best actor. After 5000 years and a lot of "lives' I am sure he can easily slip into any role - hence the convincing Adam Peterson, mild mannered, cute, geeky grad student.

Duncan should have realized here and now, that he never had a chance of winning anything with Methos.

Roberta

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

Definitely an element of camp in the delivery of those lines.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I rather get the feeling that between the lot of us, we could quote the entire episode!

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

Heh.

Are You Tired of Me, Darling?

[eveningblue.livejournal.com]

Another bit that I really like is toward the beginning, when Methos admits he's been married a zillion times but never to "one of us. Couldn't make that kind of commitment. You'd have to love someone a hell of a lot to be with them three hundred years. Tough to imagine, huh?" And Duncan says, "No, it's not," and gets that dreamy faraway look in his eyes and then we go to a flashback of Gina and Duncan and Fitz and Robert.

It makes me think about Methos and Duncan being together 300 years, and all the trouble they might have making things work after so much time (as Gina and Robert do in this ep).

Makes me long for fanfic that might deal with this hypothetical situation. :-) (sorry, non-slashers)

I was just listening to Nanci Griffith sing a song called "Are You Tired of Me, Darling?" and thinking how it might apply.

Are you tired of me, darling?
Answer only with your eyes.

Re: Are You Tired of Me, Darling?

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Makes me long for fanfic that might deal with this hypothetical situation. :-) (sorry, non-slashers)

Hey, whatever floats your boat :)

(currently watching 'Till Death')