The streaming era offers new opportunities for old content to become new all over again – all it takes is enough interest from enough users to get something trending. Of course, the issue is that there are now so many different streaming services and content library platforms that making a promising discovery of an “oldie but goodie” can be extremely hard to do. That’s where we come in.
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Among the many recommendations for good streaming content that we make is a truly rare, hidden gem. Highlander: The Series, one of sci-fi TV’s most groundbreaking series of the 1990s and 2000s currently has its entire run (all six seasons) available to stream on several different platforms. It also happens to be an acclaimed show that was spun off from a cult-hit movie franchise – a franchise which is currently in the midst of getting a big-time reboot.
What Is Highlander: The Series About?
Based on the Russell Mulcahy film from 1986, Highlander the TV series follows Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul) a “clansman” of Connor MacLeod, the protagonist from the film. Like Connor, Duncan finds himself being stalked by “not only other immortals trying to kill him before the time of the gathering, but also a secret society of mortals who call themselves ‘The Watchers’ and also seem intent on killing him, despite their creed to observe and record and never interfere.
Highlander: The Series ran for 6 seasons between 1993 – 1998. In addition to having Adrian Paul star as Duncan’s, the series also feature Stan Kirsch as Duncan’s protege Richie, with Jim Byrnes, Peter Wingfield, Alexandra Vandernoot, Elizabeth Gracen, Lisa Howard, Roger Daltrey, Amanda Wyss, Peter Hudson and others making appearances for arcs of varying length in the series.
Highlander: The Series Kept the Franchise Alive
Highlander struggled to become the kind of franchise IP many hoped it could be after the original film became a cult hit. A 1991 sequel film, Highlander II: The Quickening, tried to take the franchise into futuristic sci-fi territory; not only did it crash and burn at the box office ($15 million on a $22 million budget), it’s often included in the top rankings of worst films ever made. A 1994 threequel, Highlander III: The Sorcerer, tried to basically go back to the formula of the original film with better action and a bigger budget and star power (Mario Van Peebles, Deborah Unger), but only managed to just make back its budget and marketing costs.
After three films and no major box office wins, Highlander movies went dormant for over half a decade. The TV series was then truly free to expand upon the lore of the franchise, concerning the immortals, their abilities and rituals, and various organizations that have sprung up over history to ally with or oppose them. Highlander arguably set precedence for the future of the Marvel or DC cinematic universes; in 2000, the franchise released a new film, Highlander: Endgame, which took the continuity of the TV series onto the big screen, and crossed over with the movie continuity, with Christopher Lambert reprising his role as Connor MacLeod for a team-up with Adrian Paul’s Duncan MacLeod. The film was a box office flop ($15.8 million on a $25M budget), but again, it set a new precedent for cross-platform franchise IP, an move that only looks more forward-thinking and pioneering with time.
Highlander Is Getting A Reboot
There have been several attempts to get the Highlander franchise back on the scene, including multiple starts and stops on rebooting the films series. The latest attempt has brought Man of Steel and The Witcher star Henry Cavill to the table; Cavill will take on the role of Connor MacLeod, while his onscreen father from Man of Steel, Russell Crowe will play Connor’s mentor, Ramirez (originally played by Sean Connery). The Highlander reboot is expected to start shooting this fall, with John Wick co-creator Chad Stahelski directing from a script by Michael Finch. The reboot is expected to honor the original film, while taking its own liberties with the lore.
You Can Stream Highlander: The Series On Many Platforms
Just one more reason for fans to jump in now and watch Highlander: The Series. It is currently streaming on Peacock, Pluto TC, Tubi, Sling TV and Prime Video.
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