6-5: To Be, Not to Be, 2008 Reunion

[MarlyM]

Episode 119: "Not to Be"

Well, Tessa's alive: good enough justification for Duncan never existing! He just had to mess with her head, didn't he? So, she's in a lame marriage--so what? Still, it's splendid to have her back in the show. Much like "To Be," this episode starts off really, really strong and then goes into corny fan-fiction mode. Also, some things just don't jive: how can Fitz know about his existence in different timelines, and why would it matter to him? Still, Horton's return is welcome, and the reunion of the Horsemen (2 out of 4, at least) is a cool idea. Bad Guy Methos = good times for us. Richie looks a little too Season 5 for his material to make much sense even in an alternate timeline. The writers must really hate Richie, since they felt the need to kill him yet again.

The fight at the end was nice, and it was helped immensely by the moody lighting. The use of Amazing Grace during the Quickening was ludicrous, and Bonny Portmore gets tiresome after a while, especially in a needlessly-long montage. Ultimately, this finale captures the show rather well: some genuinely compelling moments mixed up with silliness and poor ideas. And hey, it's nice to know that Duncan's existence means diddly squat to Connor's life, as the elder Highlander wasn't affected at all! Lucky him. He didn't even make it into the montage...

Without recycling footage from the first episode or getting Lambert to be in it, I'm not sure they could have Connor in that 'what if Duncan didn't live' scenario. From what I've heard Lambert wasn't really keen on doing television, he'd really just rather do movies is what I remember him saying.

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I admit I haven't watched every Highlander tv series episode but I've watched all the ones with Methos, towards the end of "Not to Be" where Duncan fights Methos, he says he's seen him pull out a dagger move before. What other episode has Duncan watched Methos fight? The only time I remember seeing Methos pull out the dagger was "Forgive Us Our Trespasses" but did Duncan watch the fight as I thought he was still "dead" from being shot. Or is it implied he watched the fight between Steven Kean? and Methos, but Duncan didn't stop it until Methos was about to take his head.

[johnnybear]

It was a great way to end the series and it gave us Ritchie one last time in an alternate reality where the evil Watchers succeeded in a world where Duncan never existed and Fitz was his guide!
JB

[Wilusa]

"To Be, Not to Be" - Not only do I think it was a bad idea to do a "homage" of anything as the series finale, I happen to hate "It's a Wonderful Life"! Given that, it "played well," if we weren't meant to take it seriously. But on balance, I wish they'd never done it.

[dubiousbystander]

Oh no. They should have called her Kate. Because MacLeods seem to get involved with Kates often.

[Aleander]

What works about the finale is the performances and the directing, and certainly it looks good - better than almost anything else this season. Alas, its a silly story that rides solely on Duncan and diminishes every other character's importance in the overall show. I mean, they even kill Richie a SECOND time! Damn it, guys.

Although it does allow for Duncan to look at himself with a better light, seeing as where the two films after this took him into, this finale feels largely superfluous. Indeed, everything since "Forgive Us Our Trespasses" does, with the exception of "Indiscretions".

[Tootsie Bee]

Episode 119: "Not to Be"

Well, Tessa's alive: good enough justification for Duncan never existing! He just had to mess with her head, didn't he? So, she's in a lame marriage--so what? Still, it's splendid to have her back in the show. Much like "To Be," this episode starts off really, really strong and then goes into corny fan-fiction mode. Also, some things just don't jive: how can Fitz know about his existence in different timelines, and why would it matter to him? Still, Horton's return is welcome, and the reunion of the Horsemen (2 out of 4, at least) is a cool idea. Bad Guy Methos = good times for us. Richie looks a little too Season 5 for his material to make much sense even in an alternate timeline. The writers must really hate Richie, since they felt the need to kill him yet again.

The fight at the end was nice, and it was helped immensely by the moody lighting. The use of Amazing Grace during the Quickening was ludicrous, and Bonny Portmore gets tiresome after a while, especially in a needlessly-long montage. Ultimately, this finale captures the show rather well: some genuinely compelling moments mixed up with silliness and poor ideas. And hey, it's nice to know that Duncan's existence means diddly squat to Connor's life, as the elder Highlander wasn't affected at all! Lucky him. He didn't even make it into the montage...

[Tootsie Bee]

The reunion special posted above is...meh. If they'd been able to round it out with more on-screen characters and actual sword fights, it would be a welcome addition, but as is, it's more of a sketch than anything. I'm also irked that Amanda gives Duncan's current love interest the name Sarah--they should have gone with either Faith or Anna for continuity's sake.

The actual episodes of the series are legally hosted on Cinedigm's YouTube channel for free:

Episode 118: "To Be"

Until Fitz showed up, this episode was quite engrossing. Then it went into Frank Capra mode became shamelessly silly. Fitz is once again annoying beyond redemption. I scoff at the idea that Duncan is the sole reason that the Hunters did not overtake the Watchers (even if it's cool to see Horton in action again). Seeing a Duncan-less world is kinda fun, thanks to some cute "What if?" moments with the other characters. The whole affair feels like quirky fan-fiction, and it just doesn't belong as a part of the canon.

[Tootsie Bee]

Discuss the two-part series finale (To Be, Not to Be) and the 2008 reunion special.