HLS4: 'Timeless'

[ithildin]

Highlander Season Four

Chivalry, Air Date: February 1996

World famous pianist Claudia Jardine has a secret that even she doesn't know -- she's destined to become Immortal. Immortal impresario Walter Graham, who has guided the careers of mortal greats like Shakespeare, sees his chance to shepherd Claudia's genius forever and kills her, triggering her latent Immortality -- against MacLeod's better judgment. Meanwhile, Methos has fallen for Alexa, a waitress at Joe's who has a secret of her own.

Next week: The Blitz

Comments

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I love this episode. When a secondary character is your favourite, you really cherish the episodes where they shine, and this episode is one of those. I love Methos in this, and this is the Methos I remembered when we move farther along in the series and find out about his past. Methos seems so alone most of the time, and in this episode we get a tiny glimpse of Methos in love. And Joe and Duncan get to see another aspect as well. There's a gentleness and a sweetness here that just makes you love the character of Methos even more, with all his facets and dimensions.

That final scene between Duncan and Methos really gets to me. The look on Duncan's face -- only another immortal could truly understand the pain of that moment, I think. What it must be like for them when they fall in love with a mortal.

I enjoyed the other storyline as well, but will make that a separate comment since I've rambled on longer than anyone should have to deal with :) Sorry bout that!

[robi-travels.livejournal.com]

Hey, great timing actually just re-watch this this weekend on the Ultimate collection DVD. I agree with everything you said. Also, this had great Methos lines. The "I can do cute" line and body language is priceless. He does seem lonely, and frankly a little insecure about "Adams" charms even with 5,000 years experience. "The Alternative is Unthinkable" is the best pickup line anywhere. And Ocean was truly adorable in this role. She infused the right amount of hope, suspicion, sadness and humor.

As for the A line story, it was good. Rae Dawn did a great job too, but it definitely took a back seat to Methos.

Just my thoughts.

Roberta

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Lots of great Methos lines in this one!

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

I love this ep, especially the humanity it gives Methos after we've seen in Chivalry how pragmatic he can be, no matter whose feelings are involved. The on screen chemistry is beautiful between Methos and Alexa, and Methos gets some great lines (again), one of my faves being the bit about his nose!

As for Claudia's story, it pales in comparison to the brilliance that is Methos, but it's a good premise. I like the tension and the shared history between Walter and Duncan, and I love the line near the end about Duncan needing to take Walter's head just to shut him up. Claudia comes across as being suitable driven, and you do feel sympathy for her when she loses that 'spark' as well as feeling exasperated with her when she discovers what she needs to get it back.

[aeron-lanart.livejournal.com]

I also feel the need to post a pic, even though I know it's a discussion thread, but it's a lovely pic!

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Oooh! I love that scene. Exactly what I had in mind when I was writing, 'There's a gentleness and a sweetness here that just makes you love the character of Methos even more, with all his facets and dimensions.'

Pics are always fine, BTW :)

[holde-maid.livejournal.com]

Also, I like that they made Claudia such a spoiled brat. It makes such good sense. :-)

[macgeorge1.livejournal.com]

As usual, I'll just repost my summary comments from my lengthy and detailed original discussion of the episode, at:
http://www.wordsmiths.net/MacGeorge/episodes/Season4/Timeless.htm

SUMMARY: This is one of the top ten episodes of the entire HL series. It has everything in it, wonderful performances, a resonant theme, and is chock full of both humor and pathos. The production values are rich in color and visual interest, and everybody just looks so damned good. Walter is handsome and elaborately debonair, “Adam” is charming and winsome, Alexa has a transcendent beauty, Joe looks ruggedly handsome, and Duncan looks great in every scene, even the ones where he is a poorly shaven cross-dresser in a wig. Even Claudia looks lovely, and conveys a wonderful brattiness, but still manages to be vulnerable and likeable.

It’s not perfect. Gillian is right, the sudden loss of Claudia’s gift as a performer creates a believability gap, and Duncan makes for a rather tall, unshaven woman, although he gives it his best shot.

[robi-travels.livejournal.com]

"It’s not perfect. Gillian is right, the sudden loss of Claudia’s gift as a performer creates a believability gap, and Duncan makes for a rather tall, unshaven woman, although he gives it his best shot. "

I never found the loss a believability gap. The women was shot, point blank, and saw it coming. That kind of shock can rattle things including her ability to play.

I am sure over time the magic in her fingers would have returned even without the "death" threat. But in her mind she linked the two.

[holde-maid.livejournal.com]

"I never found the loss a believability gap. The women was shot, point blank, and saw it coming. That kind of shock can rattle things including her ability to play."

Personally, I did have a hard time believing that. After all, you could select pieces that are about fear, and pour the fear you felt into them. Music is versatile like that. :-) Also, her argument is that it took fear away from her altogether. My wild guess is that they originally had the experience leave her numb, then realised that at least one of her two rivalling mentors would make her see that the numbness would pass with the shock. And then time ran out, and they were stuck with this bit as it was. :-D

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

and Duncan makes for a rather tall, unshaven woman, although he gives it his best shot.

*snicker*

[unovis-lj.livejournal.com]

Well -- count me among the few who gagged on Methos and Alexa. It was a cute idea, but horribly over-written and flatly unbelievable, for me, mainly because of that one scene where Methos wibbles to Mac. We were supposed to accept the thunderbolt of love explanation for Methos being smitten, not seeing much of Alexa that was that terrifically appealing (one aspect that could have been sold so much better in print than as it was on the screen). Without the scene of Methos acting unconvincingly like an insecure adolescent, his infatuation and the other aspects of the relationship, and Methos emerging from Adam Pierson, would have been more compelling and real. But still, it seemed to work for so many people, so go figure. It's Methos In Love in canon and acting cute.

Other than the bad Methos as puppy scene, I quite liked the Shakespeare flashback; I loved Walter as another friend of Duncan's with questionable morals and charisma (whom Duncan spanked but didn't kill); I liked the continuity of Duncan looking out for pre-Immortal friends and for talented young women he stumbled across (in a genial, avuncular sort of way).

Wow, internet access is cool!

[amberleewriter.livejournal.com]

What can one say about Timeless that hasn't been said? It's easy to parrot with this episode because it's all true: great performances, a balanced A/B storyline, a bit of romance, a bit of sadness, a bit of tension, a good swordfight, and Duncan in drag. Who can ask for more?

Still, with all these great things going on, the parts I always come back to are the scenes between Joe and Methos at the bar. Joe's behavior toward Alexa, the way he forces Methos to declare his intentions as if she is his own, resonates with me. It is particularly poignant in the backward view when you realize that Alexa is barely older than Joe's own daughter -- one whom he has never been able to acknowledge much less participate in her life. I often wonder if this was part of Joe's motivation in hiring a young woman he knew would be only a moderately reliable employee due to her illness and the treatment for said. Joe seems protective of her in a way that is very paternal and she, in turn, seems to have a great affection for Joe. Of course, the fact that Jim Byrnes knew Ocean from the time she was a wee thing certainly helps in this regard, but it is this added layer of unspoken affection which often raises the bar within Highlander episodes. Seeing Joe and Methos square off and alpha one another over Alexa is, without a doubt, one of my favorite moments.

Joe - Methos - Alexa

[holde-maid.livejournal.com]

Very good point, Amberlee.

Also, great icon! :-)

Oh, yeah!

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

There's so many things I like, and I forgot one earlier.

I always like that bit of 'Methos' we get when Methos confronts Joe about where Alexa lives. Excellent bit. I've read in the past that some people think Methos falling for Alexa was some sort of way to play at being Adam, but that moment is pure Methos with no Adam in sight.

[pat-t.livejournal.com]

[amberleewriter.livejournal.com]

Every time I see the first screen shot (the expression along with the hand position) all I can do is hear him doing the Monty Python line from The Holy Grail, "and she 's got huge...tracts of land..."

^_^

[holde-maid.livejournal.com]

The epi's an alltime favourite of many fans for good reason. It has humour and drama nicely balanced, morals without preaching, it makes a point and asks you questions at the same time. It has Methos, Duncan and Joe interacting with each other as well as with well-rounded characters designed for the epi. Also, the acting was very good, by and large.