A spin-off of the popular movie, Highlander: The Series follows the exploits of immortal Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul), another member of the Highland clan that produced the older Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), who was the focus of three feature films and a supporting character in the first episode of the new series.
Also appearing in the series: Stan Kirsch as the headstrong Richie Ryan; Alexandra Vandernoot as Duncan's love interest, Tessa Noel; the late Werner Stocker as Darius; Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson, a member of the Watchers; Elizabeth Gracen as Amanda, another immortal; and Peter Wingfield as Methos (a five-thousand-year-old immortal masquerading as a Watcher.)
While the first season suffered from a lack of diversity in story lines (the basic theme involves immortals beheading each other in a process called "The Game" -- the survivor receives the energy of the loser via "The Quickening"), the producers finally managed to provide some interesting twists via the introduction of the Watchers, a secret society of mortals dedicated to observing the lives of the immortals. Vandernoot, homesick for Paris (where the series filmed half its episodes, due to a co-production deal), chose to leave the series at the start of the second season, with her character being killed off and Richie being revealed as an immortal at the same time. Blues artist Jim Byrnes became a regular during the second season. The Watchers were featured in many episodes, with the existence of the organization (and of immortals) sometimes on the verge of being revealed to the world. In the fifth season, Duncan was revealed as a Champion for Good, eventually resulting in an ultimate battle against the evil Ahriman and the death of Richie at the end of the fifth season and the beginning of the abbreviated final season. After six seasons, production on the show was ended, with Adrian Paul signed to appear as Duncan in the fourth movie (several movie-length videos were released during the course of the series) and producers Davis/Panzer planning a new television spin-off, this time featuring a female immortal.
