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5.17 The Modern Prometheus Byron: "There's a fire inside, and stories to tell. Do you have one?" Mary: "I do. Mine will be about the anguish of immortality." In 1816, Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, his future wife Mary, and Dr. John Polidori spent the summer together in a house near Geneva. One night, they decided to see who could write the most frightening story. Out of that house party came Mary Shelley's Frankenstein as well as Polidori's The Vampyre, the first vampire story in English. It's one of those delightful historical events that has always tickled my fancy; it's been written about and dramatized many times. Immortals participating in historical events was done many times on Highlander, but I believe this particular outing was the most successful. They didn't just add Methos; they made immortals, quickenings and resurrections the inspiration for Mary Shelley's famous book. Although the analogy applied to all immortals to some extent, Byron *was* the Frankenstein monster. He saw himself as an abomination that shouldn't have lived. He was so intensely jaded and so frantic to feel anything that he was using mortals as surrogates so that he could pretend to die. (Which, unfortunately, used up mortals.) This was no stiff costume drama. It was all about the sex, drugs and rock and roll, both in the present and at the house party in 1816. The flashbacks were something special. Every scene was beautifully filmed and fun to watch; I particularly loved the exuberant carriage chase, and the orgies on pillows piled on the floor. The classical score, mostly the Moonlight Sonata, was enhanced with rock music, and Byron's poetry was effectively scattered throughout the episode. I especially loved Duncan quoting Byron right before he killed him, as if he were acknowledging Byron's brilliance in the man's final moment. Exceptional quickening, too. Best of all, "The Modern Prometheus" was our first historical glimpse of the flip side of Methos' vicious Horseman persona. Methos was a doctor, a particularly selfless profession for an immortal who would never need one. The reference to the dissection of corpses also made me think Methos might have been trying to figure out why immortals were different from humans. Highlander tended to be morally black and white, good and evil. "The Modern Prometheus" showed us shades of gray. It showed us how different a spinoff series centered around Methos could have been. Methos loved Byron, and would never have taken him down no matter how many mortals Byron killed. And there was that amazing menage a trois scene. Methos stopped it for Mary's sake, but he was tempted; he was strongly attracted to Byron as well as Mary. I loved seeing this new side of Methos. Chivalrous, protective, compassionate, sexy, and possibly even bisexual when it suited him. Byron shot Duncan in the foot during the duel to even the playing field because Byron had a club foot. I thought this was a great writing choice; it transferred some sympathy to Duncan, and made the duel less like an execution. Even though Duncan brought Byron the death he longed for, Duncan's presence in this episode felt intrusive, considering it's his show. Probably because this episode was about Methos' world, not Duncan's. Flashbacks: -- 1816 Switzerland. The Byron/Shelley ghost party, with Methos as Dr. Benjamin Adams. His current pseudonym is Adam Pierson. The first man. It's like a continuing joke Methos plays on everyone. -- We saw Byron's first immortal duel with a jealous husband. Not surprising, because the real Byron had sex with everyone: women, men, farm animals. He even had an affair with his half-sister. -- Mary wasn't married to Shelley yet; she was his mistress. It was mentioned during the carriage ride that Shelley referred to Mary as his wife even though she was not. -- According to the Watcher Chronicles, Byron's first death was by suicide in 1815, and Methos was Byron's teacher. It appeared that Methos kept his real identity secret even from his proteges, because Byron always called Methos "Doc." Methos mentioned offhand in "One Minute to Midnight" that he had studied medicine at Heidelberg in 1453. -- There was a flashback transition of Byron fading into a goat. Probably this episode's Most Obvious Symbolism. Bits and pieces: -- The title of the episode is the alternate title of Mary Shelley's book, Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus. There was a brief mention that Methos wrote a story, too. I assume that would be Polidori's The Vampyre. -- Byron as a present day rock star reminded me of Lestat. He looked like a vampire, with a pale face and red lips, and emotionally, he was a vampire, existing off the blood of mortals. I thought Jonathan Firth was memorable as Byron. It's a shame the poor guy has to go through life overshadowed by his brother Colin. -- The present day bar/restaurant belonged to Maurice, who was in the episode for a few seconds. Blink and you'll miss him. -- Like "Revelation 6:8," this episode was directed by Adrian Paul. He knew what worked on his own show, and he even took it to the next level. Bravo. -- Hans Kershner, played by Highlander swordmaster F. Braun McAsh, had a K/C name. Was he evil, or just a jealous husband? I want to count him, because I like the idea of counting the Highlander swordmaster as one of the villains. So I will. He's number 45. Quotes: Byron: "Should I kill you here and now? Should I watch your spirit rise before me and pluck it from the air?" Mary: "Sometimes I wonder who is the more unhappy: those who die, or those who live." Byron: "Life, my friend, is in the details. I like almonds, not cashews, almonds, shelled, roasted, unsalted. And fetch me my women. Tall, beautiful women with long, black hair. I know you want to make me happy." Methos: "Still lacerating the help, I see." Byron: "It's good being a star." Byron: "Immortality gets pretty damned dull after the first couple of centuries, doesn't it? What's the secret, Doc? What do you do when there's nothing left but the dark, cold emptiness that stretches out for centuries behind you? When you look in the mirror and all that you see is the abomination that is you?" Methos: "We must live in secret." Mary: "Or you will be hunted." Methos: "For the perversion of nature that we are." Mary: "Poor, tormented creature. The sad hero of a never ending story. Resurrected by lightning to eternal life, and eternal loneliness." Duncan: "The mantle quits the cunning hand, wraps his fierce eye. Tis past -- he sinks upon the sand." From Childe Harold. This is my favorite Highlander episode. Five out of four stars, Billie View all comments or post a comment. |
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