Family Tree

Richie, trying to find out more about his parents, tries to steal orphanage records and gets himself arrested. MacLeod bails him out again, and Tessa gently suggests that maybe Richie’s family research would go better if he had help. Eventually, Richie follows the trail of clues to a run-down apartment, where a man named Joe Scanlon rudely brushes off his requests for information. Richie leaves a business card from Tessa’s shop with Scanlon and then leaves. Scanlon’s next visitor isn’t so pleasant – a loan shark’s thug has come to collect $50,000. The next day, Richie is surprised when Scanlon shows up, claiming to be Jack Ryan – his father.

MacLeod, suspicious as always, checks out Scanlon’s apartment for himself, and runs into the thug who had visited there the previous day. After following the thug back to the club where he works, MacLeod learns the truth – Scanlon is a third-rate gambler, deep into debt, who has only two days to come up with the money. But even after MacLeod tries to warn Richie that he’s being scammed, Richie may risk his life to help “Jack.”

written by Kevin Droney
directed by Jorge Montesi
music by Roger Bellon

Cast: Adrian Paul (Duncan McLeod), Alexandra Vandernoort (Tessa), Stan Kirsch (Richie), Peter DeLuise (Clinch), J.E. Freeman (Joe Scanlon), Tamsin Kelsey (Mrs. Gustavson), Matthew Walker (Ian MacLeod)

Notes: Speaking of the family tree, guest star Peter DeLuise is the son of Dom DeLuise and, like many of his brothers, built a career in showbiz in Vancouver (Highlander’s North American filming location and base of operations). Peter later went on to direct and write many episodes of the Stargate series and Jeremiah, including one of the final Stargate SG-1 episodes, titled Family Ties.