Flashback - Highlands of Scotland, 1622 (1x02: Family Tree) DM - Where do I come from?

Various clips from first 4 episodes Narrator - [voice-over] Where a legendary swordsman seeks the ultimate prize of infinite knowledge and holds the fate of the world in his hands. From the producers of the original 'Highlander' films comes the dawn of an all new series, "Highlander".

Narrator - [voice-over] 'The Making of Highlander: The Series' will continue in a moment.

Narrator - [voice-over] We now return to 'The Making of Highlander: The Series'.

Clips from 'Highlander' movies & 'The Gathering' Narrator - [voice-over] In 1986, the 'Highlander' films introduced a world of Immortal beings locked in deadly struggle between good and evil. This fall, the epic saga continues with an all-new Immortal hero.

Director - [offscreen] Okay, guys, stand by for rehearsal. Narrator - [voice-over] Adrian Paul stars as Duncan MacLeod, an Immortal hero from the past. Adrian Paul - I think Duncan is a hero. I think the reason he's a hero is he has vulnerabilities, uh, but he's also fearless. Narrator - [voice-over] In the series' first episode, guest star Christopher Lambert reprises his powerful screen role as the original Highlander, Connor MacLeod.

Loft apartment - kitchen (1x01: The Gathering) CM - You can't stay out of the Game, Duncan. You've tried before.

Christopher Lambert - Connor, in the first episode, is like what Sean Connery was in 'Highlander' one. He's... he's probably the mentor of Duncan MacLeod, who is part of the same clan but a different time, different year.

Duncan's warehouse (1x01: The Gathering) CM - Slan is mine. DM - Protecting Tessa's my job.

Flashback - Dakota Territory, 1872 - Lakota tribe (1x01: The Gathering) Adrian Paul - [voice-over] Connor was his mentor, and they've been through a lot of war and battle and, uh, pain together.

Flashback - Pacific Northwest, 1872 - Shaman Island (1x01: The Gathering) CM - I know you loved her, but you can't keep them from dying. They all do.

Bill Panzer (Executive Producer) - We were very careful to try and create a show that is in the true spirit of 'Highlander'. Director - On set, please. And action. Bill Panzer - [voice-over] Everything that there is in the 'Highlander' movie is going to be in the 'Highlander' series. There are special effects. There are flashbacks. When you cut off some guy's head, there's the magic of the Quickening.

Side of road (1x04: Innocent Man) DM - Oh! [falls to his knees] Tessa - Mac! Mac! DM - He's dead.

Loft apartment - living room (1x01: The Gathering) Narrator - [voice-over] Alexandra Vandernoot portrays MacLeod's great love, Tessa. DM - Tessa, you're the most wonderful woman I've known in my entire life. Tessa - All four hundred years? DM - I'm not four hundred. I won't be four hundred for... another four months.

Alexandra Vandernoot - She's been with him for twelve years, and she always thought she was going to die before him. And now she realizes that he can be killed, too, by another Immortal, and that's something she never would think about.

Antique store - office (1x01: The Gathering) DM - Tessa, I want you to leave. Tessa - What? DM - There's no way you could have known what this was going to be like. Tessa - Well, I have an idea now. ...Damn you!

Adrian Paul - Duncan is, uh, very much in love with her. He doesn't want to see her hurt.

Inside antique store, night (1x01: The Gathering) Slan - [to Tessa] We haven't been properly introduced, but you'll get to know me, my dear.

Antique store - workshop (1x01: The Gathering) Bill Panzer - [voice-over] When you go through the door, the 'Highlander' door, you never know what's going to be on the other side. People aren't who you think they are.

Desiree's cabin (1x04: Innocent Man) Bill Panzer - [voice-over] Good guys may not be good guys. Every time you tune in...

Bill Panzer - ...you don't know what's going to happen. It's going to be a surprise, but it's going to play by the 'Highlander' rules. Narrator - [voice-over] The secret life of the Immortals is accidentally discovered by a teenage thief, played by Stan Kirsch. Stan Kirsch - Richie is a street-wise, street-smart, seventeen -- eighteen-year-old guy who's, uh, had kind of a rough time growing up.

Inside Metropolitan Police Station (1x01: The Gathering) DM - If I let you out of here, I do not want anyone coming around asking about your little fantasies. That is the deal.

Adrian Paul - [voice-over] I think Duncan finds him very much as a young... Duncan. He's brash, he's, uh, he's very quick with talk, he has a sense of humor. And Duncan finds that very beguiling, I think.

Outside antique store, night (1x01: The Gathering) Director - [offscreen] Action, Christopher. RR - Damn. Sir Lancelot. Stan Kirsch - [voice-over] When Richie's first confronted with these Highlanders...

Stan Kirsch - ...he's just freaked. He can't believe what's going on.

Inside antique store, night (1x01: The Gathering) RR - I'm on like "America's Funniest Home Videos", right? CM - Sorry, Duncan, but this one's mine. RR - Man, these guys are out there.

Narrator - [voice-over] As the adventure of 'The Highlander' continues, MacLeod must face the wrath of evil Immortals determined to destroy him. Thomas J. Wright (Director) - Well, he's pure evil, a huge villain, a giant villain, a handsome villain. He's just bigger than life, you know, he's a great villain. Narrator - [voice-over] Appearing as the sinister Immortal, Slan Quince, is former 'Night Court' funnyman Richard Moll. Richard Moll - Slan Quince is a... an Immortal. That means he's been around for a mighty long time.

Antique store - workshop (1x01: The Gathering) Slan - [puts sword to Tessa's neck. Tessa screams.] You know what some wags call me? Slan the Cat, because I like to play with my victims first.

Richard Moll - Yes, I want to get ahold of Tessa because I want to shake up Duncan MacLeod, make him worry, so he doesn't do too really well in the final swordfight.

Soldier's Bridge, night (1x01: The Gathering) DM - Your cutting is slow, Slan, Come on!

Richard Moll - Slan is out for every other Immortal head that he can find, even the evil Immortals. He's an evil Immortal... because there can be only one! Barry Rosen (Producer) - Yeah, I think that the evil Immortals in the film 'The Highlander' are exactly what we're doing every week. They are bigger than life. They are as bad as you can imagine. Narrator - [voice-over] The world of the Immortals is not ruled by men alone. Rock star Joan Jett appears as the series' first Immortal woman and MacLeod's mysterious protégé, Felice Martin.

Duncan's warehouse (1x05: Free Fall) DM - If I were to take your head right now, I would receive all your knowledge and strength. That's the Quickening. Felicia - I'm afraid I don't have very much knowledge or strength. DM - Guess I'd better wait awhile.

INT. LOFT – NIGHT (1x05: Free Fall) Tessa - Is there any way of telling if she'll be good or... DM - Or evil?

Barry Rosen (Producer) - There are people dueling on bridges. There are people fighting battles the way they learned in the sixteenth century.

Mountain road (1x04: Innocent Man) Powell - MacLeod! Narrator - [voice-over] Not all the Highlander villains are Immortal. Human criminals also cross the path of MacLeod...

Warehouse (1x03: Road Not Taken) Narrator - [voice-over] ...including guest stars Dustin Nguyen...

Gustavson's Casino (1x02: Family Tree) Narrator - [voice-over] ...and Peter Deluise. DM - Go for your gun and I'll make you eat it.

Barry Rosen (Producer) - I think what this show is about is this ultimate battle of good and evil.

Flashback - China, 1780 - Kiem Sun's residence (1x03: Road Not Taken) Kiem - The world is within my grasp.

Narrator - [voice-over] 'The Making of Highlander: The Series' will continue in a moment.

Narrator - [voice-over] We now return to 'The Making of Highlander: The Series'.

Flashback - Glenfinnan, 1622 (1x02: Family Tree) Ian - [kneeling beside mortally wounded DM] Duncan... DM - Father, I... Ian - No, no, no, save your strength. You fought well. You fought like a MacLeod! DM - I wanted to... be part of the victory. Ian - You will! You'll be part of a great victory. DM - I always... thought... there'd be more. [dies] Ian - Duncan... Duncan. Oh, Duncan.

Stephen Geagan (Production Designer) - My job is amazingly satisfying because I'm given a new thing to research and design each week.

Flashback - Tennessee, 1863 (1x04: Innocent Man) Stephen Geagan - [voice-over] Each episode presents a whole new era to deal with in the flashbacks. DM - This man needs water! Cpl Ezra - Hush up, spy! DM - He's dying of thirst! Cpl Ezra - He'll be dying of more than that, if'n you don't hush up.

Stephen Geagan - [voice-over] And we've had an awful lot of fun dealing with the flashbacks in all the shows to date. Adrian Paul - As you can see, I change my look every time I do a period piece. It's actually quite nice. Karen Matthews (Costume Designer) - As a designer, it's always challenging to do any kind of period work, especially within the context of taking a character which is contemporary and moving them back and forth and through varying periods. Stephen Geagan - [voice-over] We've been in an ancient Chinese temple, we were in the Scottish Highlands for his first death and did a black hut in the Highlands of Scotland.

Flashback - Glenfinnan, 1622 (1x02: Family Tree) DM - It is a miracle! Ian - No. 'Tis the work of the demon master of the world below. DM - Father! Ian - Nay, you're no bairn of mine! You're not my son! You're not my son!

Stephen Geagan - [voice-over] As each new director comes in, I'll walk through the sets with them and, um, familiarize them as to how things are used and some suggestions occasionally to solve stunts that will involve the set itself. Karen Matthews - The research that we go into is rather extensive. We go back and through art history and, or any pictorial representations whatsoever. We go back and try to find out, as accurately as possible, what they did in fact wear. A particular episode with Joan Jett, for instance, we've got her in disguise through a great part of it.

Duncan's warehouse (1x05: Free Fall) DM - That's much better. But remember, this isn’t an Olympic event. There's no medal for placing second. Anything and everything is allowed. Felicia - [knees DM in the groin] Like that? DM - [bent over] Yeah. Just like that. [stands up quickly & swings sword with one hand, then grabs Felicia by the neck with his other] Never forget you have two hands. [Felicia turns away in anger.]

Karen Matthews - And then when she comes in for her killings and comes in as the Immortal that she is, her look is completely different.

Beach, night (1x05: Free Fall) RR - Felicia? Felicia - [sneering] What? RR - I-I didn't recognize you. What-what... Felicia - It must be the outfit. I kinda like it. It's more me.

Stephen Geagan - The style of this production is extremely well thought out. Right from the lighting right down to the costuming and sets. It's extremely stylized and very, very precise, to have a very specific effect on the audience. I wince a lot when things have to be destroyed. The sword case, for one. I mean, I just have a nice place in my heart for that. We've destroyed, um, this lion behind me. And as the show goes on, more and more of the set will be destroyed and rebuilt. Narrator - [voice-over] The design and safety of the series' numerous stunts are overseen by stunt coordinator John Wardlow. John Wardlow (Stunt Coordinator) - I'm an odd person in the sense that I'm a stunt coordinator but I really don't like violence for violence's sake. I like the idea that this in some ways is a fantasy, and it gives me license to do bigger and more exciting things than if I was trying to depict reality. Narrator - [voice-over] Although most dangerous situations employ the use of stunt doubles during filming, many stunts are performed by the actors themselves. Each step is carefully rehearsed and double-checked to be certain that the highest safety precautions are maintained at all times. John Wardlow - Viewers in the series will see almost as much action, from the scripts that I've been reading, as I saw in 'Highlander' one. We intersperse our stories with quite a bit of action. I'm looking forward to doing this series because we're dealing with Immortals, so I can be a little bit more aggressive.

Soldier's Bridge, night (1x01: The Gathering) [Christopher Lambert throws himself over concrete barrier onto safety pads.] Crewmember - [offscreen] All right. [clapping] Director - [ofscreen] Cut. [CM falls over edge of bridge into the water.] Slan - Bye-bye.

Narrator - [voice-over] From Errol Flynn to Darth Vader, legendary sword master Bob Anderson has trained and directed Hollywood's greatest for more than forty years. Bob Anderson (Sword Master) - I pride myself on being one of the few people in the business with sufficient swordplay background to be able to train actors to not only look authentic on the film, but also to be safe. Adrian Paul - It is dangerous, because you think of a four-foot, six-foot sword being swung at you -- if you miss, and somebody else-- the problem is, there's safety factors involved. Bob is very good at safety factors. John Wardlow (Stunt Coordinator) - I've seen him within three days bring an actor who has had no experience at all with a sword into being a very safe actor, and part of it is learning to make the strikes against the sword not as hard as they appear on film. Bob Anderson - Adrian has got that combination of youth, the physique, which is extremely attractive, a lovely personality, and also highly coordinated and very well trained. Adrian Paul - I like to challenge Bob. It's a lot of fun because then I get into the situation of a real fight. You know, when we're playing around I'll do things that may surprise him, or he'll try and surprise me. Bob Anderson - He is the most talented physical actor I've come across in the whole of my career.

Warehouse (1x03: Road Not Taken) Kiem - This battle is mine! DM - It's mine now. [exchanges blows with Chou Lin, who pulls out second short sword] Mm. [exchanges more blows, turns to Sun] You taught him well.

Bob Anderson - What happens is when you're choreographing a routine, is you do it slow-time by numbers. Every villain that comes in, every guest artist that comes in has a different sword, so it keeps the prop department pretty busy trying to find all these swords. We've got Pat O'Brien, who is the prop master, and his job is to research the weapons. Pat O'Brien (Prop Master) - Based on the feature film, the swords are probably the most important prop that we have to deal with in the series. When we get the sword originally, we have a real sword, and then, we then have to have aluminum blades made for it, and those are done through our special effects coordinator. Rory Cutler (Special Effects Designer) - Our biggest area of working together with Bob Anderson is probably the sparking sword scenario. It's kind of a very involved piece. Essentially what we have to do is get cables running up his wardrobe, um, then it runs back to the welding box, which is usually about fifteen or twenty feet away off-camera to one side or the other. I think people are going to get a pleasant surprise with what they see in 'Highlander: The Series'. I think they're going to enjoy the action and find it quite exciting.

Beach, night (1x05: Free Fall) Felicia - I take pride in my work. DM - Let's have a go. [They fight.] Director (offscreen) - Cut!

Narrator - [voice-over] 'The Making of Highlander: The Series' will continue in a moment.

Narrator - [voice-over] We now return to 'The Making of Highlander: The Series'.

Scenes from Highlander II: The Quickening [Quickening explosions]

Alexandra Vandernoot - I think he was very powerful and he gave to the movies something very strong and very rare and very new. Bob Anderson (Sword Master) - He's a dedicated actor and a dedicated swordsman.

Inside antique store, night (1x01: The Gathering) CM - You and me. Now. [CM & Slan begin to fight.]

Stan Kirsch - I think we'd all like to think that we're immortal, that we're invincible, that nothing can happen to us, and that's the lives that these guys really lead. And it's not always so pleasant.

Antique store - workshop, night (1x01: The Gathering) Tessa - After twelve years, is it that simple for you? DM - Of course not! But you didn't know... Tessa - I do now! DM - It will happen again! Tessa - I don't care! DM - Tessa. I love you.

Barry Rosen (Producer) - If the good wins, we have an incredible future for the planet of peace and hope and everything you can imagine, and of course if the evil wins, it's the worst case scenario.

Loft apartment - kitchen (1x01: The Gathering) Tessa - Why does this Slan person want Duncan? Please, don't say anything in front of the lady! Let me just go in the next room and crochet while you have cigars and brandy and talk about beheadings! DM - I told Tessa some of it. I thought I was out of it. She didn't need to know all the rules. CM - You're not out of it anymore! "There can be only one." Remember that rule?

Richard Moll - I love playing a villain. Playing a villain is fun for me because it's all I used to do in the old days. Perhaps you don't realize that. But it's true. I used to play guys that would have your liver for breakfast. Guys that would stand up and block out the sun.

Soldier's Bridge, night (1x01: The Gathering) CM - [swishes sword, laughs] Still worried about that pretty face of yours? Slan - Just protecting my most valuable asset.

Adrian Paul - It's a swashbuckling hero era that none of us have lived in but all of us have seen and all of us find very attractive.

Desiree's cabin (1x04: Innocent Man) [DM & Crowley fighting.]

Thomas J. Wright (Director) - What if you did live for a thousand years and never changed?

Flashback - Tennessee, 1863 (1x04: Innocent Man) Thomas J. Wright - [voice-over] You know, and you've seen history being made. You've seen everything. DM - I'm Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. Thanks.

Stephen Geagan (Production Designer) - I think that their expectations should be that the show has the same action, and it will. Certainly the same visuals... and it will.

Warehouse (1x03: Road Not Taken) Kiem - You have improved over the years, MacLeod.

Rory Cutler (Special Effects Designer) - I think they're going to find it exciting. I think they're going to enjoy what there is, the effects, the post work, which is going to be quite involved. Don Paonessa (Supervising Editor) - One of the exciting things about the show is that we're going to be using a lot of special effects that you would only see in films, and this is going to be like a first for TV. Karen Matthews (Costume Designer) - I think basically all the elements combined make the show very unique, and have a look and a style all of its own. Barry Rosen (Producer) - I think they'll love the action, they'll love a lot of what we're creating, but I think they'll love the fantasy. I think it's great fantasy.

Flashback - Highlands of Scotland, 1622 (1x02: Family Tree) DM - I am your son! Ian - No! And you never were! DM - Then where do I come from? Where do I come from? Where do I come from! Where do I come from!! [Ian rides off.] Where do I come from!! Where?! Where do I come from!!

Bill Panzer - The fans of Highlander who are really seriously into the mythology of it -- and they're great, because I run into these guys at conventions and comic book fairs and science fiction stuff and fantasy and, I mean, they know the movies inside out, and they're always on our tail to make sure that we're consistent all the way through the stuff. We are very conscious of that. We want-- I want them to watch this show and say, 'That's Highlander.'

Beach, night (1x05: Free Fall) Felicia - [fighting with DM] I guess I'm gonna have to kill this kid.

Soldier's Bridge, night (1x01: The Gathering) Narrator - [voice-over] The epic tales of the Highlander continue this fall with all new adventures. RR - Whoa.

Skyscraper office building (1x05: Free Fall) Director - [offscreen] Action! [Felicia jumps off roof of building.] Bob Anderson (Sword Master) - [voice-over] If you want to see an action series...

Bob Anderson - ...this is the one to watch. John Wardlow (Stunt Coordinator) - I think it's going to be an exciting show.

Soldier's Bridge, night (1x01: The Gathering) DM - It's over now.

Thomas J. Wright (Director) - You've got the bad guys, the good guys. Richard Moll - Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen. Adrian Paul - There can be only one. Richard Moll - [evil laugh] Narrator - [voice-over] Highlander.