the immortal question (1 Viewer)

[Tom gre]

Hi
is the immortal series wroth picking up?is it like the higalander?

thank you

 

[TonyD]

i'm sorry.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

If you're talking about the old Christopher George series from the 60s, it is nothing like Highlander. Closer to The Fugitive or even Ben Gazarra's show, Run for Your Life. George played a professional race car driver who discovers that he has the ability to heal and regenerate his body tissue at a vastly accelerated rate (something like Wolverine, the Walt Simonson version of Manhunter or Claire from Heroes) In his case the ability also seems to be halting the aging process, making him effectively immortal. But as the series starts he's only just discovered this, so he's simply a 30 something guy who heels fast, not a centuries old wanderer on the Earth. The jeopardy in The Immortal comes from a dying millionaire (hey, it was the 60s, a million bucks went a lot further than it does today) who wants to capture George and use him as a guinea pig in experiments designed to unravel the secret of the "healing factor" in his blood. So George goes on the run, trying to stay a step ahead of the millionaire's assorted goons, corrupt cops and politicians and various traps. I seem to recall several episodes where he donated blood or gave transfusions that save critically ill or injured people, but I don't think I've seen a frame of the show since it first aired. I have a feeling this is one of those shows I kinda liked at the time but that wouldn't hold up very well if watched today.

In any event, it couldn't be less like Highlander.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Tom gre]

Hi Joseph

no it was from 2000-2001 lorenzo lamas steve braun april telek was in it.

 

[Jeff#]

I can't exactly agree with Joe's post regarding The Immortal series, because Chris George's character Ben Richards' ability to heal wasn't quite as impressive as Claire's in the "Heroes" series. Early in the first season she tried to kill herself in a variety of ways. Ben, meanwhile, could be easily be killed by a bullet, knife, or a passing train. He wasn't indestructible and didn't have anything to prove and he absolutely wanted to live. But understandably he too didn't want to become a lab rat either.

The Fugitive comparison is a somewhat valid one although a huge difference (other than the situations and the main characters' professions) is that in The Immortal a dying multi-millionaire (Barry Sullivan) purposely frames Ben Richards and a conspiracy that the old man orchestrated is what makes our hero a fugitive.

But this is more the opposite of Run for Your Life because in the Ben Gazzara series, successful San Francisco defense attorney Paul Bryan wasn't wanted by the law or any criminal element. In fact, The Immortal is the opposite of Run for Your Life in that respect: The dying Bryan voluntarily sold his law practice. He ran towards life by travelling around the world with his last $2 million to enjoy the remaining months (turned out to be 3 years) of his life. He did it by choice, while Richards had no choice.

I noticed that The Immortal took place entirely in the USA, and set only one episode in Mexico. As with Richard Kimble, Ben Richards never went overseas although both men considered that option.

The Immortal was a quality series that just didn't last long. In a way that's a good thing, because Christopher George was 41 when it began in 1970. If the show had been a hit and lasted several seasons he would have needed lots of makeup to not visibly age. After all....he was supposed to be "immortal". Unfortunately, George himself died in 1983.

Don't compare this to Highlander though, because that show was crap.

 

[Mary_P]

The OP is talking about a different series:

http://www.epguides.com/Immortal/

It's out on DVD; the Chris George series (unfortunately) is not.

Mary

 

[Hank Dearborn]

The Christopher George series was great. I think every kid I knew liked it but unfortunately it came before the days of demographics and the only thing that kept a show on the air was total viewers. I never heard of the other show. What network was it on?

 

[Bonnie*F]

TV.com has the following summaries for the two shows.

The Immortal
9/1970-9/1971
Starring: Christopher George
Ben Richards works as a test car driver. He is a young, handsome man with no cares in the world. His life is turned upside down after he donates a pint of blood. The doctor tells him that there's something different about his blood. Nothing "wrong" -- to the contrary, Ben's O negative blood contains antibodies and immunities that make him totally immune to everything, including old age. The billionaire who gets his donated blood is brought back from the brink of death because of those antibodies. He learns of Ben's blood and, as the effects of the transfusion wear off, decides he must control Ben's life so that this rare gift will be available any time he needs it.
Ben is offered everything in exchange for becoming the billionaire's private fountain of youth. He rejects the offer but finds himself imprisoned. He escapes and is forced to go on the run, leaving behind his job, his home, and his financee. Even after the billionaire dies, Ben is not safe: Fletcher, an employee of the deceased, recruits a new billionaire. Fletcher is given a blank check and the job of finding Ben Richards.
While looking over his shoulder for Fletcher, Ben is also on the lookout for his brother, Jason. The two were orphaned and separated as teenagers. No one knows if Jason's blood also possesses these miraculous antibodies. Ben only knows he has to find Jason before Fletcher does.

The Immortal
10/2000-6/2001
Starring: Lorenzo Lamas
"An oath sworn is an oath answered. An oath of vengeance for a life taken. A past destroyed, a future threatened. Enemy of darkness, he walks the earth, relentless. His mission, to hunt the messengers of evil, and drive them back to Hell. Now, the light of the earth depends on...the Immortal.(voiceover)"
With this opening narration, we find out about the backstory of Raphael Cain, a Dutch seamen stranded in Japan in the 17th century and who becomes married to Mikiko, a Japanese woman, and has a daughter. However, demons kill his wife and kidnap his daughter. His father-in-law, Yashiro, gives him the power to swear an oath that so long as there are demons walking the Earth, Raphael shall live as long as it takes to send them all back to Hell. Accompanied by his equally immortal "squire," Goodwin, the two have been around 300 years. Now, allied with a parapsychologist, Dr. Sara Beckman, they battle demons in the modern-day and hope that they will be able to recover Rafe's daughter Kiyomi.

Personally, I would like the Chris George version on DVD. I never saw the Lorenzo Lamas show and the description seemed like the network was trying to cash in on the success of Adrain Paul's Highlander series that had been cancelled a couple of years before. As well as other shows and likely movies as well.
There are people that enjoyed the show and were very happy that the series got a DVD release. Now it's time to make Chris' fans happy too.