One Minute to Midnight

One Minute to Midnight
Series Highlander: The Series Season Four Episode 22 Protagonist Duncan MacLeod Friends Methos Joe Dawson Enemies Jack Shapiro Jacob Galati Set In Paris, France Flashbacks 1847 Europe, 1992 Europe Previous Story Judgement Day Following Story Prophecy
Credits Written by Gregory Widen David Tynan Directed by Dennis Berry Produced by Ken Gord Broadcast On September 23, 1996 Running Time 60 min. Production Code 95422-88

Synopsis

In this second part of the season finale, the first being Judgement Day, The Watcher tribunal believes Duncan has been killing Watchers with Joe Dawson's help. Jack Shapiro, the ranking European Watcher has gone a bit mad in a bid to avenge for his son, who was murdered by the immortal, Jacob Galati.  MacLeod tries to identify the real killer, while Methos treats Joe for gunshot wounds inflicted when Galati massacred Dawson's intended executioner and high ranking Watcher witnesses.

In flashback to 1847 Europe, Jacob Galati kills a mortal who raped his wife, Irena, and he is promptly hanged by the gypsy-hating townspeople. In the modern day, Jacob saves Duncan from a Watcher, and tells him Horton's renegade Hunters killed Irena. MacLeod tries to broker a meeting between Joe and Galati but Joe refuses to go, calling Galati a murderer.

Joe, with Methos' help, manage to breach Watcher defenses to talk to Shapiro, and arrange a meeting with Galati. To their horror, Shapiro double crosses them, and instead of a parley, murders Galati. A furious MacLeod goes after Shapiro, promising that the killing has just begun if Shapiro does not allow peace between the Watchers and Immortals. Afraid for his own life, Shapiro quickly chooses peace. Joe is reinstated, but Shapiro is expelled for his actions.

The friendship between MacLeod, Dawson, and Methos is strained to the breaking point. Methos, saying he does not know who he is anymore, disappears without a word to anyone. MacLeod and Dawson barely know how to speak to one another in the aftermath. 

Cast

• Duncan MacLeod: Adrian Paul
• Methos: Peter Wingfield
• Joe Dawson: Jim Byrnes
• Jacob Galati: Steven Tremblay
• Jack Shapiro: Jesse Joe Walsh

Continuity

This is the second time Methos vanishes completely without a word to anyone. He did so after being discovered in the episode, Methos, and does so again in this episode after he tell Joe he doesn't even know who he is any more.