Highlander (TV Series) The Darkness (1993) User Reviews

Powerful moment in the Highlander Story

[laclone · 9/10 · 31 August 2013]

Pivotal episode in the series that changes the whole direction of the storyline.

This episode was written because the actress who played Tessa asked to written out of the series because of her pregnancy, not because of some decision made by the writers. So they took her request and made it into one of the most important moments in Duncan's life. It also answers the question as to why Duncan decided to take Ritchie under his wing at the beginning of the series.

Besides wishing that they had fleshed out the villain and his relationship with the Watchers a bit more, I think they missed out on an opportunity to develop the Greta character into a re-occurring role in the series. After all, the existence of Immortals among us is all ready a spiritual one in nature, why not add a psychic into the mix, especially that of a reluctant one.

The closing song, 'Dust in the Wind', by Kansas, was a masterful stroke of genius, and fit perfectly into the established mood, and echoed the feelings experienced by Duncan only 2 episodes ago in 'Studies in Light'.

L.

Sadness as this is the end of "The Gang." There's a revelation about Richie. The episode overall is good, but I did have some issues with it.

[reb-warrior · 8/10 · 8 March 2020]

Tessa is kidnapped(again) by Watcher creeps. Former disciples of Horton I think. The blonde one, the leader, uses immortal's girlfriends to lure the immortal to their death. He turns the light off and uses night vision glasses to cheat and kill the immortal.

They never show what happens when an immortal is killed by a mortal. Not with Darius either. Does the quickening rise out? Is there lightning? That would have been interesting to see what happens.

Mac asks Tessa to marry him. This is spurred on when a palm reader, Greta, a friend of Richie, tells Tessa she is in danger. Duncan flashes back to a time he's with gypsies and in love with one. She reads his palm which indicates he will love many women but never be married. Let's stop here for a moment. Something I haven't written in my other reviews is about Mac's love life. So here goes. As the series goes on we'll find out that Mac has been in love about a million times. It also becomes clear he can't go without a woman for more than 5 minutes. I love the character, I think he's romantic in his own way, but the writers wrote him in love too many times. Ok, done!

Mac spends almost the entire episode looking for Tessa. Richie brings back a file for him to examine. It's never explained what this file is. Did someone give it to Richie? Did Richie do some research at the library again? If he did, what exactly did he research? I found this to be lazy writing. Greta ends up giving Mac clues after she has more visions.

I hate that Tessa's last day/moments in her life were of being terrorized by men yet again. I hate that the kidnapper called her "a b*tch," and slapped her. I hate that the robber called her "b*tch," right before he killed her. She didn't even get to have a last meal as she threw her plate at the kidnapper. I hate that Tessa was killed off. I know the actress wanted to leave, but I hate that terrorizing her yet again was the method they chose to use. What a wonderful character she was. Underrated. She was the best romantic pairing Mac ever had. No other woman fit with Mac so perfectly as she did. The actress did a great job in her role.

The kidnappers have watcher tattoos. I found it stupid that the subject with Mac specifically never came up. Where was his anger? Why didn't he ream out Joe? I know Joe wasn't responsible, but it would have been only human. I can't believe that after this episode Mac was still ok with The Watchers watching immortals, with watching him. It's never brought again on the show about what Horton's disciples did to Tessa, tho it is about Darius. Shakes my head.

Did anyone else wish the Mac would have given the kidnapper a good beating? I mean the guy was a creep and was perv with his "I get off on it," pronouncement, Not to mention so smug that you kind just wanted him to suffer a little. I mean I wanted him to look afraid and angry that his plan failed. Even just for a few seconds. But Mac ran him through. If you blink, you'll miss perhaps an annoyed expression on the kidnapper's face when Mac light ups the matches. I love the part when Mac took out the matches and lit them up by the way. Anyway, I wasn't quite satisfied with his quick death.

Mac seems shell-shocked after Tessa dies. Good job by Adrian Paul. I love that they used one of my favorite songs of all time, 'Dust in the Wind,' as Mac grieves looking around their store later.

In some of my earlier reviews in season one, I mention that there is some foreshadowing about Richie going on. That Mac is watching Richie closely for some reason. Well, now you know. Richie is an immortal. Mac and Connor sensed it right from the beginning. Immortals can not only sense one another, but the can sense an immortal "not born" yet. Tho I think the feeling is different in that case. In 'Eye of the Beholder,' in season one, that's why I mentioned in my review that there was a plot gaffe regarding Gabriel's comment about Richie.

Well, this is the end of what I coined "The Gang," in some of my previous reviews. I was sad to see it end. I was sad that Tessa died. The show has a different dynamic now. Still really good, but different. I gave this episode an 8/10. It could have been a 9/10, but I hate the way the writers terrorized Tessa yet again. I hated the lazy writing about the file. I hated that Mac never acknowledged The Watcher's involvement.

What a great show

[fbustamp · 10/10 · 1 July 2018]

This is the fourth time that I watch this show, The first time, I never knew that Richie was "one of us", till the end of this episode.. That was awesome. Great writing. There Can Be Only One.