2-5: Under Color of Authority, Bless the Child, Unholy Alliance

[johnnybear]

Fitz's first appearance in The Hunters was not the same as his later episodes. Obviously roger Daltrey hadn't perfected the relationship he had with Adrian at the time and probably never knew that he would be coming back each and every season (not the second though) plus you could say that he was alarmed at the prospect of finding out about a human group who had not only found out about the immortals but actively seeking them out and killing them! His comments about if dying that they would be cheating many hundreds of women out of his love making was quite funny and very in character though!
JB

[dubiousbystander]

He was sort of wrong about that, I think. Killing off Fitz removed him as a player in the modern day, which yes sadly limited them to flashbacks. But they'd set his friendship with Mac early enough that there was plenty of room. Aside from that, if there could have been times when they told flashbacks about Fiitz, from the Watcher records or another Immortal.

[Michel de Burgoyne]

Mako's mentioning of Mac and Fitz still struggling to read a century or so earlier would have been a great flashback if only they'd have invited Jonathan Banks back for a three minute cameo!
JB

Hi! Go on watching the episodes you'll soon be satisfied!

Mako's mention about Mac & Fitz proves that Fitz was already a key character for the rest of the serie.
That questions me as I read somewhere Abramowitz made his biggest mistake with Fitzcairn destiny.
I'd like to ask more here, but I'm affraid I will spoil you.

[johnnybear]

Okay, I was only suggesting...
JB

[dubiousbystander]

But what about Bill Panzer (sucking a button) and David Abramovitz's memories of the episodes in question? Surely they're not on YouTube?
JB

What about them? This is about watching the episodes. Not everyone has space, or the extra cash.

[johnnybear]

But what about Bill Panzer (sucking a button) and David Abramovitz's memories of the episodes in question? Surely they're not on YouTube?
JB

[dubiousbystander]

Buy the DVDs!
JB

I have them. For me, this is not about having the DVDs, this is about being able to share URLs right away. Also not everyone does have the DVDs, or is in a position to get them. In general, though, if you can read this forum, you can use YouTube. Just a click away and much more fun than having to load the DVDs from wherever they might be.

[johnnybear]

Buy the DVDs!
JB

[dubiousbystander]

Cinedigm has closed the Highlander episodes! Or deleted them. I don't know which. Darnit!

[Ceridwen]

Ed Lauter being the guest star while the rest of the cast didn't really bring much to the table to be honest...
JB

That's as maybe, but there wasn't much he could really do to elevate this one. This always ranked among the worst episodes for me, badly written, weakly motivated, I never deliberately rewatch this one.

[johnnybear]

Mako was definitely winning the contest with Richie, but for his misstep on the cabinet we might have seen Mako taking Richie's quickening instead! But would Mac have challenged Mako straight afterwards for killing his friend?
JB

[johnnybear]

Mako's mentioning of Mac and Fitz still struggling to read a century or so earlier would have been a great flashback if only they'd have invited Jonathan Banks back for a three minute cameo!
JB

[johnnybear]

Ed Lauter being the guest star while the rest of the cast didn't really bring much to the table to be honest, outside of the bear!!!! I thought at first that they were filming the bear in two different scenes with both the actors and the ursine beast miles apart but apparently not as the trio gently walk past the hairy carnivore and out of the shack. I'm glad Duncan shut it in that's all!
JB

[johnnybear]

I'm rewatching the series in the Canadian order (just Bless The Child before The Fighter really) just so I can hold back on the best episodes to savour the quality!
JB

[johnnybear]

Unholy Alliance was one of my favourites from the entire series and Under Colour of Authority was a good episode giving Richie his first quickening!
JB

[Zzickle]

Just finished going over the official domestic cut of these FOUR episodes, kindly provided by the wonderful Gillian Horvath. I have converted them from their VHS tapes to mpg (m4v) format if anyone is interested in them. Also, the official 'Eurominutes' are now marked out on my transcript pages. [www.zzickle.com/tv/transcripts.html]

And now for the showdown: DVD/European cut vs Domestic cut - who wins?


2x12: Under Color of Authority
The only thing dropped from the domestic cut of this episode is the middle-of-the-night scene between Duncan and Laura. Duncan expresses his distrust of Laura’s story and his concern for Richie’s involvement in her problems. I think it’s a shame to lose this scene, so...

Winner: DVD/European cut!


2x13:Bless the Child
The shorter the better.

Winner: Domestic cut!


2x14: Unholy Alliance, Part I
This episode has a number of cuts in the domestic version that really flesh out the storyline.Davis with Xavier at the end of the tag, Charlie & Duncan discussing Davis outside his apartment (and Delaney watching them from her car, before she plays damsel in distress with Duncan), Duncan telling Joe not to get involved, which is referenced in a later scene (“I told you, I didn't want your people involved.”), Duncan at the hospital accusing Joe of lying (and overhearing info about Joe’s doctor), and lastly, Duncan using that overheard information to finagle Joe’s home address out of a nurse. Overall, these help fill in small possible plot-holes and, as I said, flesh out the storyline a bit, so therefore I proclaim...

Winner: DVD/European cut!


2x15: Unholy Alliance, Part II
Again, the domestic cut of this episode loses a number of scenes that flesh out the storyline. Charlie asking Duncan about the swordfight he witnessed, Duncan visiting Catherine at her flower shop, Xavier admitting to Duncan that he and Horton are using each other, and a number of small moments between Duncan and Delaney, building their relationship. As with part I, I proclaim...

Winner: DVD/European cut!


Updated tally:
Domestic = 9
DVD/European = 6

[Mr.Slash]

Under Color of Authority - Great episode. Mako was a cool character. End fight....Richie did OK for a bit but Mako was winning. I am of the opinion that, if Mako doesn't fall through whatever he was standing on and gets stuck, Richie dies. He was getting cut up bad.

Bless the Child - There is nothing about this episode that was memorable other than the bear scene, which was ammusing.

Unholy Alliance - Excellent. Xavier was such a great villain. He is hell bent on killing Duncan. Horton as always is a great villain. The government agent woman, could have done without that side story. She was annoying.

[Wilusa]

I like "Under Color of Authority." Ditto "Unholy Alliance"; I wish they'd established that Horton was really dead after that episode, and hadn't given us the unbelievable "Counterfeit."

[Tootsie Bee]

Episode 37: "Unholy Alliance, Part 2"

Less satisfying than Part 1. It seemed to drag a bit. And despite the welcome bit of neck stump we see after the decapitation, I must say that Duncan's killing blow barely had enough force behind it to break the skin. Still, the threat of Charlie losing his life and the continuing conflict between Joe Dawson and his evil brother-in-law Horton make this a must-see. Besides, it's the last time in the series that the threat of the impending Gathering is really felt.

[Tootsie Bee]

Episode 36: "Unholy Alliance, Part 1"

This mid-season two-parter sees the return of James Horton (the best villain in the series, and the last really good use of him) and Xavier St. Cloud (still played by Mr. Fine Young Cannibals himself). I love how Xavier has the guys gunned down before decapitating them. I couldn't help but think, "Why don't more immortals do this?" But Xavier must be crazy if he thinks that he can still win the prize, even with Horton's help. Not to be ableist, but come on: he has one hand!

[Tootsie Bee]

Episode 35: "Bless the Child"

Possibly the worst episode of the series. Certainly the worst of Season 2.

[Tootsie Bee]

Every episode comes courtesy of Cinedigm on YouTube.

Episode 34: "Under Color of Authority"

AKA "Duncan's A Self-Righteous Jerk, Pt. 2." Duncan kicks Richie to the curb over the Mako thing, but didn't Duncan just do the same thing to Sully in the previous episode? Oh, but I guess since Richie and Mako were not friends, it wasn't right for Richie to kill him.

[Tootsie Bee]

Discuss these Season 2 episodes:

Under Color of Authority
Bless the Child
Unholy Alliance