Highlander, Lost, and Sidekicks

[jellyfrog]

If there are any Highlander fans on my flist (or heck, anyone with even a slight familiarity with it), I could really use some company! :(

I've been working my way through the series from the beginning and just finished watching season 5.  What timing I have! Just when I thought I had seen the most depressing season finale ever with last week's LOST

Comments

[cylune9]

If Ron dies, I'm going to curl into a ball and just wish for the world to end.

Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit but it's just so depressing when creators kill the sidekick. They obviously cannot kill the hero so next in like is the best friend/sidekick/underdog in order to give the hero even more angst. And poor us that loved the sidekick more than the hero...

You know, I didn't enjoy 24 very much this season and I think it's because there wasn't a 'sidekick' character that would bring humor and humanity to the plot. Sidekicks are essentials - you kill them and your killing the heart of your story.

Have you seen the movie Sky High with Kurt Russell? It's funny, sweet, and very sidekick-friendly. I loved it.

[jellyfrog]

After the TV I've been watching this week I'm starting to feel like the death of the sidekick is inevitable... I'm really worried about Ron now! :S

And it's not even so much that they die, but because it usually seems to be like what you said -- to give the hero more angst. Or to put the audience on edge. "Increase the tension." (Did you listen to the writers' commentary for LotR? Every story change they made was to "increase the tension." I can't even read the word "tension" anymore without hearing it spoken with a New Zealand accent in my head. But I digress...) It's emotionally manipulative is what it is.

The sidekick dies in one of my very favorite books, and it was sad, but didn't make me angry because it was impossible for it to go any other way. It had to happen... I kind of hoped it wouldn't, but I could accept when it did because that's what the story was about. It wasn't just done to add some punch or to make you think that "anyone can die". :p

On a side note, the same author wrote another book where she killed the

[elfdream]

Arggh!No! Stupify!

You know its funny but I think I could take the death of Harry Potter better than I could Ron dying! I think Harry would go out like Charlie...saving the world and I could take that. Ron...I don't think so.

[jellyfrog]

Me too. There's been so much speculation about Harry dying that it just makes me more worried that it's a all a red herring and Ron will do something stupid and heroic and get himself killed.

I'm getting paranoid! :P

[pat_t]

I dont think Richie dying killed the show. In fact, there are some really good episodes in season 6. The problem was that Adrian was tired. And he had already told them he wouldn't be doing another season. So they over-looked the obvious and tried to find a female immortal to carry the show. Because the sad fact is, TPTB has never gotten it through their heads that their audience wasn't a group of teen-age and 20 year old boys.

If they had gone with a show based on the Watchers, for instance, and maybe Joe-centric. Joe could talk about watching Duncan and kept him in canon, while at the same time focusing on other immortals that Watchers under Joe were watching. And Methos could even pop in from time to time. Hell, Adrian may not have even minded coming in for a one-off. But - nooooo. They wanted an immortal with tits for those boys who *weren't* watching the show.

Oh yeah - Richie bugged the piss out of me. *g*

[jellyfrog]

Yeah, I'm probably one of the few people who actually liked Richie. :P And him dying makes me sad, not just about the episodes in season 6 that I haven't seen yet, that he's not going to be in, but retrospectively. Some of the episodes I just watched seem kind of depressing now, knowing how he was going to die.

So who was their audience? I only know a few people who watched it, and they were mostly women. I watched it sporadically when it was on TV and I was in my 20's, and I think I stopped when I kept tuning in and not seeing anybody I recognized. I liked Joe, but I don't think I would have watched a show based around the Watchers at the time -- it was pretty much all about Duncan for me back then -- but I'd love something like that now.

[pat_t]

Interestingly enough, they had a very wide audience. But alot of us are middle aged women. (most not so middle aged when it aired *g*) Women and some men from all over the world and every walk of life. But for some reason they always thought they were playing to young males and that's what they kept trying to gear their movies to. And they bombed.

Richie is actually in "To Be" and "Not To Be". And Joe and Methos carry "Indiscretions" from season 6. I liked Amanda but her appeal was in her relationship and how she played off of Duncan. I think Methos is better with Duncan too.

[jellyfrog]

It's funny, I always thought their audience was young males myself, and that I was some kind of anomaly for liking it. I guess because of the martial arts, motorcycles, vapid female characters... I figured they must not have had any women on their writing staff. I haven't liked most of the female characters, except Tessa, and she never had much to do. Amanda is okay, but like you said, she's interesting in how she complements and contrasts with Duncan, not so much by herself.

I can see where it would be the same with Methos. He seems to have been written expressly to be the anti-Duncan and you'd need the man of principle there to balance him. I love Methos with Joe though; I'm looking forward to seeing "Indiscretions". It helps to know ahead of time that Duncan's not in it so I won't be watching for him. I still like Duncan best.

[lunacow]

My mom was an enormous Highlander fan when the series was on, like she went to conventions and everything. As a result, I watched the show sometimes, but only the first season was while I was still living at home and may have caught most episodes. I probably saw a few of some of the following seasons, but probably none of the last couple seasons, including what you're talking about. I only vaguely remember Richie, to be honest, but I sympathize with your pain.

You really need to watch Buffy next, though I'm not promising it will spare you from pain. You know that Joss doesn't shy away from killing off major characters.

[jellyfrog]

Hmm, Highlander conventions might be kinda scary... All those swords... ;)

I should start Buffy at the beginning... I've only watched bits and pieces of it before. I already know that Joss does, in fact, kill my favorite character. Spike. But he doesn't die until the very last episode and he sacrifices himself to save the world, so not a bad way to go. :)

[pat_t]

*giggle* The only swords at HL conventions are the ones being auctioned off by the actors. People at Highlander conventions look and dress and act just like everyone else. Except we're a group of people who get together to visit with old friends and spend time with the actors we like who have given us a wonderful show that still inspires us today. Who are we? Doctors, lawyers, Financial analysts, nurses, Editors, Writters (professional and fan fiction *g*), housewives, business owners, and everything in-between. The only time one of us gets scary is when we're bidding at an auction and someone tries to stop us. (okay pattyfeidt, I didn't *really* almost hit you when you grabbed my hand to stop me bidding).

[lunacow]

Yes, yes, start Buffy at the beginning -- and through the first season, which is of lower quality than the rest, keep reminding yourself that it gets better. So, Spike is your favorite -- he's not a sidekick, he's nothing like Simon, I can't speak to Charlie, but does he fit in with your pattern? Or do you not actually have a pattern? It's true that he does die, and it's rather heroic. There are worse heartbreaks along the way, but I'll say no more!

[valliegurl]

unfortunately, i don't know what that is.
♥

yeah, i think i might not ever EVER read the books or watch the movies if JK Rowling kills off any of the main or cool characters (as she seems apt to like doing)

[jellyfrog]

Since the next book is the last, with the final showdown with Voldemort, I have a feeling Rowling is going to make it hurt. :S I hope she's smart enough not alienate her audience though.

This next book could make or break the whole series -- I sure hope she can pull it off! I'd be a nervous wreck right now if I were her, waiting to see how it goes over. :P

[xeyra]

Trying to post this again, since last time I tried it didn't go through

[jellyfrog]

I wasn't sure I was going to watch all of season 6, but it looks like there's at least one episode I want to see on each disc, so I'll probably at least sample all the episodes, even if I don't watch them all straight through. I'm looking forward to "Indiscretions"! I love Joe and Methos together. :)

I watched the first three episodes last night, and they were okay. I'm not crazy about meditating, peaceful, centered Duncan. He seems disconnected, kind of flat and bland. Pick up the sword, man! I'm also deeply mourning the loss of the ponytail. His haircut is very distracting. :P

But so far it's not so depressing as to color the whole series for me, which I was a little worried about. Maybe it'll help that my expectations are low.

Is it unreasonable of me to hope that all the main HP characters come out of Deathly Hallows alive? ;) I'm convinced Snape is going to die, which would make me sad, but I could live with it. I might be a little bitter about either Ron OR Harry though.

an Hero's sacrifice is always a great plot

[jellyfrog]

Finished watching season 6. It wasn't horrible. I think it did help that my expectations were low -- instead of being cross about the lack of Duncan I was just happy when he showed up at all, even if his only purpose in the episode was comfort sex for the auditioning female immortal of the week. :P

The Joe and Methos ep was great, and I really liked the two part finale too, although the ending felt sad. Poor Duncan.