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2-7: Legacy, Prodigal Son, Counterfeit

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  • 2-7: Legacy, Prodigal Son, Counterfeit

    Discuss these Season 2 episodes:

    Legacy
    Prodigal Son
    Counterfeit
    __________________________________________________

    "Really? We are trapped in a room with a machine that can cut off my head. Now that's a longshot."
    --Connor MacLeod in Peter Bellwood's original Highlander II script

  • #2
    All episodes courtesy of Cinedigm:



    Episode 41: "Legacy"

    Not a fan of magical stones.
    __________________________________________________

    "Really? We are trapped in a room with a machine that can cut off my head. Now that's a longshot."
    --Connor MacLeod in Peter Bellwood's original Highlander II script

    Comment


    • #3


      Episode 42: "Prodigal Son"

      A good episode with a great villain. The flashback to a Connor-era Duncan was fascinating. Richie's return was a great relief, but it's done much better in season 5.
      __________________________________________________

      "Really? We are trapped in a room with a machine that can cut off my head. Now that's a longshot."
      --Connor MacLeod in Peter Bellwood's original Highlander II script

      Comment


      • #4


        Episodes 43-44: "Counterfeit"

        Part 1 was all set-up for Part 2, which means that it's really not strong on its own. And Part 2? What a waste of Horton. What a mockery of Tessa. What a bad season finale. Horton acts out of character by using plastic surgery to create a false Tessa, but by the end, the greatest villain of the series dies a pathetic death with no hope of returning.
        __________________________________________________

        "Really? We are trapped in a room with a machine that can cut off my head. Now that's a longshot."
        --Connor MacLeod in Peter Bellwood's original Highlander II script

        Comment


        • #5
          I think it's in Legacy that we see Rebecca and her student Amanda almost certainly having been in bed together. And not for lack of space: they're in some kind of castle! I've eventually come to think of the character of Amanda as being bisexual (after she'd been introduced to it by Rebecca). We see her unnecessarily holding other women's hands, being awfully "chummy"...and in Raven, of course, she has a live-in female housekeeper/friend. (How would fans have reacted if Duncan MacLeod had a live-in male in a comparable role?)

          Comment


          • #6
            I think "Counterfeit" (treating the 2-parter as one story) was one of the series' worst. The one interesting bit for fans was having Adrian's then-wife play the "pre-surgery" character. But otherwise, the whole idea was bad. The plastic surgery required to produce a double of someone else would surely have been impossible. There wasn't even an attempt to explain the changed voice (such as saying they'd gotten a recording of Tessa's voice for the lookalike to study and copy).

            But a basic objection, more important than any of that: Horton had no reason to think MacLeod would be attracted to a lookalike for Tessa! Sure, he was - because the plot demanded it. But it wasn't believable. In real life, a person would probably find the resemblance so creepy that he'd get as far away from that woman as he could! Especially since she couldn't be passed off as a hitherto unknown twin or cousin - Mac knew Tessa's background too well for Horton to attempt that. It had to be pure - creepy - coincidence.

            I so wish Horton had been left dead back in "Unholy Alliance"!
            Last edited by Wilusa; 07-31-2017, 10:12 AM.

            Comment


            • #7
              But...when I think about it, there are two more interesting bits. It's in "Counterfeit" that we see, in a flashback, how Mac told the real Tessa he was Immortal. (I can imagine fans havng asked about that!) And we eventually learned that the actor playing the young man Horton had gotten to strike up a friendship with Richie - for a horrible reason - had been one of those considered for the role of Richie. I think all of us enjoyed learning "inside stuff"!

              I always want to kick myself after criticizing the writers - because they had a really hard job. Way more scripts needed per season than for most shows nowadays...instructions about what characters could and couldn't be used at different times...and other odd requirements (like a script meant for use in filming in France not having been written by a Canadian writer).

              Comment


              • #8
                "Legacy" is alright, but I really hate the way that Rebecca dies. Her boyfriend is so dumb and is frankly entirely to blame. Her death is made even worse by the fact that Rebecca herself is so obviously such a cool character. I've no idea why they'd introduce her just to kill her off, but they did that a lot. Maybe the actress was too expensive to have as a regular or something. Still, it feels like a waste of both a great character and a talented actress.

                "Prodigal Son" is one of my favourite episodes from Season 2. Possibly my favourite.

                I really don't like "Counterfeit". I just don't find it interesting. Not only that, but I've never liked Horton as a character. The idea of a mortal who feels threatened by the immortals is a great idea, but Horton is portrayed as a really cartoony villain and he's never given a chance to elaborate on why he's so determined to kill the immortals. You could have given him a really good justification that would have made the audience at the very least understand his point of view. As it is, he's just one more guy who's doing evil stuff for the sake of it.
                Formerly known as "Quickening"

                My latest video in which I visit an ancient broch and cairns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxY2hYR6GXw

                Comment


                • #9
                  Legacy - I am not a huge Amanda fan. But I enjoyed seeing her story. I have heard the guy that played Luther had such a thick accent, they had to do do voice overs for him.

                  Prodigal Son - Here we go with this this guy. Martin Htde. He was a cool character, but such a big deal is made out of him hunting seeeeaaasoned immortals. If you go look at the Watcher Chronicles, neither Connor nor Segur were overly seasoned at all. The end fight was good, but Hyde got overly aggressive and it cost him his head.

                  Counterfeit - Good story, mainly because Alexandra was back on the screen and I am in love with her. Interesting note; the axe from the flash back looks to be the same one used in Mountain Men.
                  "It's Rock & Roll. If you aren't breaking some sort of law, then you are doing it wrong." - me, answering a bandmate's question of what would happen if someone called the law on us for playing too loud at an outdoor show.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    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?


                    2x19: Legacy
                    Scenes cut from this episode include: Duncan and Amanda talking about sensing an Immortal and missing Rebecca as they leave the cemetery; Duncan and Amanda talking to Paul in the antique store, then getting lured away by an Immortal ‘buzz’, and moments later, realizing it was a trick to get them out of the store; a few extra moments of Amanda rifling through Leon’s jacket pockets before Duncan shows up; the end of the breakfast-in-bed scene; Maurice telling Amanda “the story of his life” before Duncan arrives; and lastly, Duncan dancing with Amanda and Amanda seeing Raynaud through the porthole.The first cut *is* referenced in the very next scene, when Duncan asks Amanda why she lied about sensing an Immortal at the cemetery, but otherwise doesn't add much to the story. As for the antique store cut scenes, I think I prefer the version where Duncan & Amanda don’t make it to the store before Luther’s guys, rather than them getting fooled into leaving Paul (and the crystal) unprotected. Most of the rest are filler, although Amanda noticing Raynaud lurking on the quay does help explain how Amanda knew to sneak out the next morning to confront them. This one is a tough call, but I’m going with...

                    Winner: Domestic cut!


                    2x20:Prodigal Son
                    The domestic cut mainly just loses small snippets of different scenes, none of which are necessary or interesting...

                    Winner: Domestic cut!


                    2x21: Counterfeit I
                    The domestic cut loses an entertaining scene where Richie refers to the Hunter at the carnival as “Fruitcake” and sasses Duncan about reading Pete’s mind and being psychic as well as Immortal. We also lose the beginning of the drunken revelry in the England flashback, RR defending Pete again after hearing he broke parole for armed robbery, the surgeon examining Lisa, and a few other inconsequential bits. Also, Horton’s monologue to Lisa while she’s swathed in bandages recovering from surgery is changed up a bit, and instead of Lisa replying “Whatever gets you off”, we have her just laughing at him, which is really kind of special, because he’s being pretty ridiculous and deserves to be laughed at. I might be tempted to weigh that against the other cuts, but the “Fruitcake” scene definitely has me coming down on the side of...

                    Winner: DVD/European cut!


                    2x22: Counterfeit II
                    The domestic cut of part 2 loses the following: beginning of Pete’s funeral, portion of Duncan searching for Lisa in the cemetery, Lisa watching Duncan change for dinner, Duncan and Lisa’s conversation while leaving the restaurant, Joe thanking Richie for saving his life, and the beginning of the scene back at the cemetery at the end of Act 3. Honestly, even the two scenes with actual dialogue in them are not all that great, so...

                    Winner: Domestic cut!


                    Updated tally:
                    Domestic = 14
                    DVD/European = 8

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Oh, I am 100% interested in those videos! Thank you so much for posting these details!

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by dubiousbystander View Post
                        Oh, I am 100% interested in those videos! Thank you so much for posting these details!
                        I will add you to the list of people to share them with!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          As much as I liked the character of James Horton, I felt it was beyond reason to keep bringing him back. More so the way he died as it were each time. I mean just how did he survive Duncan's sword in The Watchers and then to come back twice more!!! I know, I know he came back in even more shows later on too but not as the real Horton!
                          JB

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by johnnybear View Post
                            I mean just how did he survive Duncan's sword in The Watchers and then to come back twice more!!! I know, I know he came back in even more shows later on too but not as the real Horton!
                            JB
                            I get you! Though they were right. Immediate and proper medical attention is perfectly plausible as saving him.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Well we know Joe saved his life the first time as that split him and McLeod but how he just turned up again after his alleged death after Duncan took Xavier's head has always mystified me!!!
                              JB

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Originally posted by johnnybear View Post
                                Well we know Joe saved his life the first time as that split him and McLeod but how he just turned up again after his alleged death after Duncan took Xavier's head has always mystified me!!!
                                JB
                                The episode where Joe shoots him in the chest?

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Yes, Horton was obviously wearing a bullet proof vest though I'm thinking! I had read something once that Horton was going to be revealed as an immortal himself which would have really plagued him! not sure if that was a fan theory or a possible story thread to come at the time...
                                  JB

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Originally posted by johnnybear View Post
                                    Yes, Horton was obviously wearing a bullet proof vest though I'm thinking! I had read something once that Horton was going to be revealed as an immortal himself which would have really plagued him! not sure if that was a fan theory or a possible story thread to come at the time...
                                    JB
                                    I can't refute that 100%, but my gut rejects it. Pretty sure it was only fans.

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      I wonder is there any footage of Luther talking in his real accent? I liked the way that Bill Panzer said that at a screening of the episode for thee execs that no one could really understand what he was saying!

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        Originally posted by johnnybear View Post
                                        I wonder is there any footage of Luther talking in his real accent? I liked the way that Bill Panzer said that at a screening of the episode for thee execs that no one could really understand what he was saying!
                                        As the actor was also in Patient Number 7, and maybe they didn't redub him there, there's a level at which I think they're full of it.

                                        Comment


                                        • #21
                                          But he wasn't a major character in that episode and as Jocko, couldn't they have given him a better name?
                                          JB

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