Television series

Highlander

Other titles called Highlander: the 1986 film.

Highlander is a swashbuckling fantasy about immortal swordsmen scattered through history, waiting for a final battle that will crown a champion. It's campy, earnest, and genuinely charming—a show that commits fully to its absurd premise and rewards that commitment with clever episodes, surprising guest stars, and real emotional weight beneath the sword-clashing surface.

TVMaze rating3.9

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you want episodic action-fantasy with a loyal, bickering circle of long-lived friends, the kind of 1990s syndication adventure where a sword fight and a wry conversation carry equal weight.

Skip it if you need slick modern production values or a tightly serialised mystery; the effects show their age and the tone can swing from earnest to goofy.

What it asks of you: An hour at a time, unhurried and sincere, with a tolerance for cheesy dialogue and a commitment to six seasons and 119 episodes.

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The Spy Who Loved Me1977

James Bond at his most purely fun, with Roger Moore's charisma, a villain with teeth, and the kind of globe-trotting adventure that makes you believe in impossible heroics. Gillian Anderson's performance anchors it.

But The plot is thin, the pacing uneven, and much of the humour lands awkwardly by modern standards. It's sometimes silly in the wrong way.

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Kung Fu1972

David Carradine as a wandering monk searching for his brother, fighting injustice with martial arts and philosophy. Quiet, meditative, with action that means something. Every episode is a small perfect story.

But It moves slowly and deliberately. If you need constant momentum and modern special effects, you'll find it glacially paced and visually plain.

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The Witcher2019

A monster-hunter navigates a morally complicated world, meeting immortal beings with their own agendas. Dark, witty, with excellent action and the kind of intricate plotting that rewards attention.

But The first season jumps between timelines in ways that confuse many viewers. Some character decisions feel arbitrary, and the show asks a lot of patience.

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Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Highlander

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Sword of the Stranger2007

Both centre on a solitary swordsman whose skill and history define him, moving through the world testing his code against situations that challenge it. The Quickening's mythic weight finds its echo in Sword of the Stranger's fatalism.

A nameless swordsman travels with a child, pursued by assassins. Animated, gorgeously drawn, with action sequences that are pure cinema—long, intelligent fights that build rather than cut-jump-cut.

But It's anime, which many avoid. The plot is deliberately thin, and if you need complex character arcs or dialogue-heavy storytelling, you'll find it sparse.

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More like this (8)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer1997

A teenager fights monsters while navigating real life—heartbreak, family trauma, the weight of responsibility. It's funny, scary, and genuinely moving, with seven seasons that mostly stick the landing.

But Early episodes are rough, and the tone shifts wildly. If you need consistent grittiness, some of the sillier monster-of-the-week plots will feel out of place.

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Arrow2012

A billionaire becomes a hooded archer fighting crime in his city, with a tight ensemble cast and mythology that deepens across seasons. Sharp action, real stakes, and characters you come to care about.

But It relies heavily on CW melodrama and romance subplots that can overwhelm the main story. The later seasons lose focus and feel stretched.

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Conan the Barbarian1982

John Milius directs pure myth-making: a slave becomes a warrior through blood and will, with Schwarzenegger's physical presence and minimal dialogue conveying everything you need. Genuinely epic.

But The pacing is deliberate and the dialogue sparse to the point of bareness. It's operatic rather than naturalistic, which won't work for everyone.

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The Mandalorian2019

A lone gunslinger travels strange worlds, helping others and slowly revealing his own past. Beautifully shot, episodic, with real emotion and terrific action sequences that feel earned.

But It's deliberately low-key and episodic; some find it too slow. The finale of season two feels like setup for bigger things rather than a satisfying conclusion.

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Xena: Warrior Princess1995

A reformed warlord becomes a hero, fighting monsters and gods alongside her best friend. It's campy, sincere, and genuinely clever, with mythology as a playground for wild stories.

But The production values are obviously cheap, and the tone veers wildly between serious and absurd. If you need consistent quality and modern effects, it won't impress.

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Vikings2013

Norse warriors raid and explore, driven by ambition, faith, and fate. Excellent performances, brutal action, and a willingness to let characters surprise you and fall in ways that matter.

But It can be bleak to the point of weariness, and the later seasons lose narrative discipline. Some storylines drag, and the show's relationship with violence becomes numbing rather than meaningful.

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Hourou Musuko2011

Both are about identity across time—who we are, who we become, the version of ourselves we show the world. Highlander's immortals are constantly reinventing themselves; this show watches characters discover who they actually are.

A gentle Japanese anime about friendship, identity, and growing up. Quiet, achingly human, about young people becoming themselves. It moves slowly and observes carefully, finding poetry in ordinary moments.

But Nothing really happens. It's meditative to the point of stasis. If you watch for plot momentum or dramatic confrontation, this will bore you.

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Marketa Lazarová1967

Both centre on warrior codes tested across generations, on immortality and legacy, on what it means to be bound by history and oath. Where Highlander is adventure, this is mythic tragedy—the same question asked at the highest register.

A Czech New Wave masterpiece about warrior clans, medieval violence, and the collision of pagan and Christian worlds. Visually stunning, narratively unconventional, genuinely strange and powerful in ways modern films rarely attempt.

But It's in black and white, subtitled, from the 1960s, with a non-linear narrative structure. It demands active watching and assumes patience. Many find it impenetrable.

Marketa Lazarová poster

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