The Immortal

A guy (Christopher George as Ben Richards) has immunity to all things and even ages at a fourth the rate of the rest of us and it's his blood that's the key. He's offered "everything he could ever want" by a rich guy that wants him for regular blood transfusions. Problem is, immunity guy leads a dangerous life so rich guy demands of immunity guy to live a risk free lifestyle, soft and cushy protection hosted by rich guy. Immunity guy loves his dangerous lifestyle and prefers it to a protected one that would be torture to him so he refuses the offer. Rich guy doesn't take no for an answer and considers himself entitled, irregardless to any idea of individuals having self ownership.

So then comes the drama, rich guy hires an oily creep to capture immunity guy and bleeds him when he catches him, but immunity guy keeps getting away...DOH'.

While the chase from rich guy and company goes on, immunity guy comes upon various unfortunate individuals whom he saves by giving them a blood transfusion.

There's also an undercurrent (and actually most important) theme about individualism, freedom etc. There's something to the theme about the nonconformist personality who is always under attack to get back in the box. This show was a variation of that theme.

This may seem familiar or similar to those who know the Fugitive but I became pretty obsessed with this show when I was about 8 or 9 and recall being apoplectic when it was canceled! The story of a man who would live forever or 1000 years seemed so appealing to me as a young kid with my first portable Sony TV that parents gave me to lose my pester presence in front of living room TV nightly! Chris George was very good in this (my 8 year old mind was fairly discerning given I was kind of a oenophile even then). Think it was head an shoulders above many other dramas at that time which were mostly formulaic detective shows like Mannix. I never gravitated towards fantasy or Sci Fi other than this show and Twilight Zone but believe this was first show on at 10pm that I woke up tired for school because of. Sorry I don't remember more plots but if I can rematch it perhaps it will come flooding back.

I saw every episode, few as there were. Although I remember few plots, the recurring theme was similar to The Fugitive. Each week, Ben Richards would encounter some good people in desperate straits, and he would help them, despite the threat of capture. Frequently that help involved him giving someone a transfusion.

I suspect this concept would not work in the 1990's.

I tried to watch a friend's Vid of The Immortal tonight. I couldn't. It hurt too much. It was SO much a cliché hunk of nothing soap opera I had to turn it off.

Ben Richards, the brave race car driver who is immune to all of life's diseases. The evil old man Braddock wants to imprison him to vampire his blood so he will stay young forever. Sylvia, the soft focus blonde girlfriend of Ben who can't quite take it all.

The series was even worse than the made for TV movie. How many episodes can you go of Richards almost being captured? I have seen worse, but most of it was made specifically for children. I remember enjoying it when it was first on, but I was an eight year old child then. It seemed interesting and adult then. Now, it's just painfully badly written.

I have clear memories of watching this series and have never forgotten it. It does run along the same lines as the Fugitive, although the lead character is being chased by those outside the law.

Every time I watch the current series "The Pretender" I see the same story line as "The Immortal". The hero being chased by a corporate entity because of a special gift that he has (special blood in this case) and sorting out people's problems along the line.

I'd like to see the Immortal once again.