Highlander: The Series Season 1

Highlander: The Series Season 1 has built a real following on and among viewers who want their sci-fi to think as hard as it looks. A compact run that never overstays its welcome. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Adrian Paul's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

Highlander: The Series Season 1 arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The world-building is meticulous, but it is the characters who carry Highlander: The Series Season 1 through its more ambitious moments. The adventures of Duncan MacLeod, a 400-year-old Immortal who can only die if he is beheaded; conflict inevitably finds him because he is part of the Game, an ongoing battle in which all Immortals have to fight and behead each other until only one is left. Adrian Paul and Alexandra Vandernoot lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 1992. What separates Highlander: The Series Season 1 from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, Highlander: The Series Season 1 fits the bill. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. A contained run means every episode is doing real work. Adrian Paul grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.