While the entire series is available on DVD, that hasn't stopped Anchor Bay from returning to the Highlander well one more time to release Highlander: The Ultimate Collection - essentially a greatest hits package containing the fifteen most popular episodes as chosen by the fans.

For those not familiar with the television series or the series of films that it was based on, a quick rundown is probably in order. In short, Duncan MacLeod is an 'Immortal' and he's gotta keep the world safe from other 'Immortals' while dealing with his day to day problems. It deals with Scottish mythology to an extent but it primarily an excuse for guys to run around in modern times with old school swords. That's not a bad thing, mind you, it makes for good entertainment but let's face it, even when the show is firing on all cylinders it's entertainment first and little more. Not to say it's poorly written, as it's actually fairly clever and quite interesting at times, but it is what it is. Enjoy it that way.

What's amazing is how strong the fan community that's been built up around this show remains, long since the final episodes aired. New Highlander material continues to show up and there are still very active online communities dedicated to the series and the films. People are passionate about the series and it's since become part of pop culture (just watch that one episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force for proof.... There can be only one!). At any rate, odds are pretty good that if you're reading this piece than you're at least somewhat familiar with the series. So let's get on with it. The results of the vote are the fifteen episodes presented in this collection in the following order (which, coincidently, is not chronological but in order of popularity):

Comes A Horseman: (Season Five) This episode finds Duncan chasing a man named Melvin Koren who turns out to be none other than Kronos, the man in charge of the Four Horsemen, a sinister gang of immortals responsible for untold chaos and destruction. Cassandra has been waiting a long time for a shot at him, and it looks like she might yet get her chance.

Revelation 6:8: (Season Five) It's looking like Kronos is going to get his old gang back together after all and to make matters worse, they've got technology on their side this time around. Will Kronos and the Four Horsemen bring about the apocalypse or will MacLeod save the day?

Homeland: (Season Four) MacLeod gave an old flame of his a bracelet years ago and she was buried with it when she died. He returns to the land where she was buried and soon becomes involved in trying to stop a murdering immortal, the same one who was responsible for the death of his own father.

The Samurai: (Season Three) Cultures collide when Duncan MacLeod has to help out a relative of a Japanese samurai master from his past.

Indiscretions: (Season Six) The past comes back to haunt Methos and Joe when, as the title implies, their indiscretions come back to haunt them. Morgan decides it's time to take action against Methos and so he kidnaps his daughter.

The Gathering: (Season One) The series debut finds Duncan MacLeod living with his lady friend, Tessa. An immortal named Slan Quince shows up and soon Connor MacLeod has to convince Duncan to give up domestic bliss and join the battle.

Methos: (Season Three) It becomes obvious, when the bodies start pilling up, that Kalas is after Methos. Duncan knows that he can't let Kalas take him down and usurp him as the oldest immortal and so a race begins between MacLeod and Kalas to get to Methos first.

The Return Of Amanda: (Season Two) Amanda returns to the scene and surprises everyone involved by announcing that she is going to retire permanently. Duncan soon clues in to the fact that she's up to something that she doesn't want the rest to find out about...

Duende: (Season Five) A Spanish Immortal named Octavio Consone who MacLeod once trained with over a century ago in hopes of mastering an elaborate sword fighting style. The two men meet again, this time with MacLeod having to defend a dancer who Consone is intent on taking for his own.

Timeless: (Season Four) A pianist named Claudia Jardine (Rae Dawn Chong) doesn't realize it yet but destiny has decided she should become Immortal. Walter Graham, a man responsible for training many Immortals in his time, takes her under his wing and kills her so that she may be reborn but MacLeod knows that this will cause problems...

Legacy: (Season Two) Amanda's mentor is murdered by an Immortal named Luther and so she sets out to avenge her death though the reality is that Luther will probably kill her. She goes to Duncan and he decides to take her battle as his own thinking that he'll have a better chance at coming out alive.

The Lady And The Tiger: (Season One) MacLeod runs into Amanda again, by chance, at the circus. MacLeod soon finds out that her last partner has broken out of prison and is out to kill her and of course, MacLeod wants to help her not realizing that there's much more to her plan than he realizes.

Deliverance: (Season Four) MacLeod goes to France and starts wreaking havoc when Methos tries to stop him, almost getting his head chopped off in the process. Methos doesn't want to have to take MacLeod's life, but his actions are becoming increasingly more insane and he may soon have little choice.

To Be: (Season Six) The series wraps up with this two-part episode where MacLeod is forced to save Amanda and Joe Dawson by laying down his life. He gets a supernatural look into what it would be like with him out of the picture from Fitzcairn, an Immortal who has been dead for three centuries.

Not To Be: (Season Six) Fitzcairn shows MacLeod how it will all end and MacLeod does not like what he sees... saying anything more would be spoiling it.

So how does this fine selection of sword wielding madness hold up? Fairly well. There are continuity issues galore but for the most part anything you need to know about these episodes you'll sort out on your own. An in-depth knowledge of the series and tis mythos might help in ones enjoyment of what's provided here but it isn't essentially. This is, simply, the best of the best as decided by those who made the series a success in the first place. Some episodes are better than others, such is the way of the TV series, but for the most part this is a very solid selection of material. It's entertaining, creative and well made. If you're not a fan of the series then this isn't going to change your mind but for those who want the best that the show had to offer in one convenient and attractively packaged set, hey, here you go. Rock on. The DVD

Video:

The 1.33.1 fullframe transfers present the episodes in their original aspect ratio as they were meant to be seen. Video quality is quite good. There is a bit of edge enhancement around if you want to look for it but aside from that, things are quite clean and quite clear. Color reproduction is solid and black levels stay consistent. You might pick up on just a slight bit of mpeg compression in one or two scenes but odds are pretty good that if you're not looking for it directly, you won't likely see it. Detail levels are fine in both the foreground and the background and while this material isn't flawless, it's certainly a strong presentation all the way around.