Highlander: The Raven
Encyclopedia
Highlander: The Raven was a short-lived spin-off
from the television series Highlander
, continuing the saga of a female Immortal
. The series followed the character of Amanda
(played by Elizabeth Gracen
), an Immortal who had a recurring role in Highlander: The Series. The series was filmed in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
and Paris
, France
and was produced by Gaumont Télévision
and Fireworks Media in association with Davis-Panzer Productions.
(Paul Johansson
), a cop who is investigating a series of robberies. During the course of the investigation, Amanda is framed for murder by a crooked cop from Nick's department. Amanda's name is cleared, but not before Nick's partner Claudia Hoffman (Torri Higginson
) sacrifices her own life to save Amanda's. Nick discovers Amanda's immortality when he sees Amanda die, then get up and run away.
Claudia's death has a profound effect on Amanda, and throughout the series (with help from Nick's own strong moral code), she attempts to change and become a good person. She discovers that she caused the deaths of a battalion
of soldiers in World War I
, which further influences this change. Amanda finds herself facing up to Immortals, even if she doesn't think she can beat them, when previously, she would have run away.
In the final episode, Nick inhales a deadly poison, and is told he has twenty-four hours to live. Amanda, trying to do the right thing, shoots him. When he awakens a few seconds later, he discovers that he too is Immortal. The reason behind shooting him was that his immortality could only be triggered by the shock of a violent death. Unfortunately for Amanda, Nick is none too happy about it. The series ends with Nick walking away, angry at Amanda for not telling him that he was Immortal (which she had known all along), and for making the decision for him.
Nick Wolfe (played by Paul Johansson) An ex-cop who befriended Amanda and together solved crimes.
, which has received generally favorable reviews from critics. Rob Lineberger of DVD Verdict praised several episodes of the show ("War and Peace" in particular, for "recaptur[ing] the magic of classic Highlander through carefully staged flashbacks, compelling moral questions, Immortal ethics, and amazing stunt work") and said that "there is something singularly compelling about [the show], something that makes [the DVD set's] $40 street price worth considering," but said of the show overall: "The writing is below the common denominator, using clichés in the blandest ways, ... the chemistry between the two leads is rudimentary at best, with little to no character development, [and] the style of the show is somehow off, the music awkward, the direction formless."
David Nusair of Reel Film said: "[While] Gracen and Johansson are effective in their roles, ... it's not terribly difficult to see why Highlander: The Raven never took off; the show essentially abandons the sort of elements that made the previous series and all the movies so successful, choosing instead to take a less conventional route. And while all these episodes are entertaining enough, fans hoping for another by-the-book Highlander spin-off will surely be disappointed."
Peter Schorn of IGN
criticized the series for its "weak writing, lame action, and utter lack of chemistry between the stars." Schorn said that while the second half of the show "beg[an] to find its footing" by having a "greater sense of atmosphere" and "balanc[ing] the cast to preserve some semblance of Highlander continuity," the first half "features generic cop show convention exploited to exhaustive effect while the characters undergo rote personality arcs and character development better suited for Moonlighting
knock-offs."
Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk also felt that "the second half of the series is more interesting [than the first]," saying: "At first I did not find the show appealing at all. The problem was the show is not Highlander and it tried to move in too many different directions. For the most part it tended to be a cop show with immortals. ... Once the series was about halfway through, my opinion began to change. I found the show was getting more entertaining as it started to fall back to the traditional format of Highlander. By the end of the last episode, I felt cheated there was not more because the finale ends with a cliffhanger that would have been a great lead into a second season." Robinson concluded: "I enjoyed watching Highlander: The Raven, but not enough to recommend it."
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
from the television series Highlander
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, continuing the saga of a female Immortal
Immortal (Highlander)
Immortals are a group of fictional characters seen in the movies and series of the Highlander franchise. Since they are immune to disease and stop aging after becoming Immortal, they can live forever and they only die when they are beheaded....
. The series followed the character of Amanda
Amanda (Highlander)
Amanda is a fictional character in the television series Highlander: The Series and Highlander: The Raven, portrayed by actress Elizabeth Gracen. She is one of the Immortals, immune to old age and death except by beheading...
(played by Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Gracen
Elizabeth Ward Gracen is an American actress who won the title of Miss America in 1982. She was born Elizabeth Grace Ward but should not be confused with another Elizabeth Ward who worked as a television actress during the first half of the 1980s....
), an Immortal who had a recurring role in Highlander: The Series. The series was filmed in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was produced by Gaumont Télévision
Gaumont Film Company
Gaumont Film Company is a French film production company founded in 1895 by the engineer-turned-inventor, Léon Gaumont . Gaumont is the oldest continously operating film company in the world....
and Fireworks Media in association with Davis-Panzer Productions.
Premise
In the pilot, Immortal thief Amanda meets Nick WolfeNick Wolfe
Nick Wolfe is a fictional character from the universe of the Highlander: The Raven, portrayed by actor Paul Johansson. He is an Immortal.Nick has an older brother, who was 4 when Nick was adopted...
(Paul Johansson
Paul Johansson
Paul Joseph Otto Johansson is an American-born Canadian actor, writer and director, best known for playing Dan Scott on the WB/CW television series, One Tree Hill, and for his role as Nick Wolfe on the short lived Highlander: The Series spin-off Highlander: The Raven...
), a cop who is investigating a series of robberies. During the course of the investigation, Amanda is framed for murder by a crooked cop from Nick's department. Amanda's name is cleared, but not before Nick's partner Claudia Hoffman (Torri Higginson
Torri Higginson
Sarah Victoria "Torri" Higginson is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles in the TekWar movies and series, The English Patient, Bliss, and Stargate Atlantis...
) sacrifices her own life to save Amanda's. Nick discovers Amanda's immortality when he sees Amanda die, then get up and run away.
Claudia's death has a profound effect on Amanda, and throughout the series (with help from Nick's own strong moral code), she attempts to change and become a good person. She discovers that she caused the deaths of a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of soldiers in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, which further influences this change. Amanda finds herself facing up to Immortals, even if she doesn't think she can beat them, when previously, she would have run away.
In the final episode, Nick inhales a deadly poison, and is told he has twenty-four hours to live. Amanda, trying to do the right thing, shoots him. When he awakens a few seconds later, he discovers that he too is Immortal. The reason behind shooting him was that his immortality could only be triggered by the shock of a violent death. Unfortunately for Amanda, Nick is none too happy about it. The series ends with Nick walking away, angry at Amanda for not telling him that he was Immortal (which she had known all along), and for making the decision for him.
Characters
Amanda (played by Elizabeth Gracen) A 1200 year old Immortal, a thief and Duncan's lover on more than one occasion.Nick Wolfe (played by Paul Johansson) An ex-cop who befriended Amanda and together solved crimes.
Reception
Critical reaction to Highlander: The Raven has been mixed, more so than Highlander: The SeriesHighlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, which has received generally favorable reviews from critics. Rob Lineberger of DVD Verdict praised several episodes of the show ("War and Peace" in particular, for "recaptur[ing] the magic of classic Highlander through carefully staged flashbacks, compelling moral questions, Immortal ethics, and amazing stunt work") and said that "there is something singularly compelling about [the show], something that makes [the DVD set's] $40 street price worth considering," but said of the show overall: "The writing is below the common denominator, using clichés in the blandest ways, ... the chemistry between the two leads is rudimentary at best, with little to no character development, [and] the style of the show is somehow off, the music awkward, the direction formless."
David Nusair of Reel Film said: "[While] Gracen and Johansson are effective in their roles, ... it's not terribly difficult to see why Highlander: The Raven never took off; the show essentially abandons the sort of elements that made the previous series and all the movies so successful, choosing instead to take a less conventional route. And while all these episodes are entertaining enough, fans hoping for another by-the-book Highlander spin-off will surely be disappointed."
Peter Schorn of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
criticized the series for its "weak writing, lame action, and utter lack of chemistry between the stars." Schorn said that while the second half of the show "beg[an] to find its footing" by having a "greater sense of atmosphere" and "balanc[ing] the cast to preserve some semblance of Highlander continuity," the first half "features generic cop show convention exploited to exhaustive effect while the characters undergo rote personality arcs and character development better suited for Moonlighting
Moonlighting (TV series)
Moonlighting is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989. The network aired a total of 66 episodes...
knock-offs."
Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk also felt that "the second half of the series is more interesting [than the first]," saying: "At first I did not find the show appealing at all. The problem was the show is not Highlander and it tried to move in too many different directions. For the most part it tended to be a cop show with immortals. ... Once the series was about halfway through, my opinion began to change. I found the show was getting more entertaining as it started to fall back to the traditional format of Highlander. By the end of the last episode, I felt cheated there was not more because the finale ends with a cliffhanger that would have been a great lead into a second season." Robinson concluded: "I enjoyed watching Highlander: The Raven, but not enough to recommend it."
DVD Release
Anchor Bay Entertainment has released the complete series on DVD in Region 1.| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete Series | 22 | June 14, 2005 |
|