The Checklist: Relic Hunter (S2 Ep4) “The Legend of the Lost”

Relic Hunter ran in first run syndication here in the United States for three seasons. With the first episode airing on September 20, 1999 and the final episode airing on May 20, 2002.

I personally have zero recollection of this series, but I recently saw some chatter about it online and it sounded like a show that I would be into. So I did a little digging and found the entire series was currently on Prime Video.

But to help me determine if I really should invest my time into watching Relic Hunter, I decided to pick an episode at random and put it to The Checklist test…

The episode that was randomly selected was the fourth episode of season two, entitled “The Legend of the Lost”.

• Synopsis: Professor Sydney Fox and her trusty sidekick Nigel team up with a CIA agent in search of a lost tribe in the jungles of New Guinea.

#1. Did the show have a quality opening?

One sign that a show has a quality open is if a first time viewer can watch the open and get an instant feel for what the show is all about. Relic Hunter accomplishes this with its show open.

There’s nothing ground breaking here, but the simplicity of introducing the series regulars with a montage of key clips from adventures past of these characters in various predicaments and exotic locales works. Then the cherry on top is the finish with the star of the show, Tia Carrere, at her desk and spinning the big globe… you instantly know you are in for some globetrotting action! 1/1

#2. Did the show have an interesting premise?

As a huge fan of Indiana Jones, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is easily in my Top 5 movies of all-time, by default I am a fan of checking out all things Indy related and inspired.

Relic Hunter combined elements of the Indiana Jones films and Tomb Raider video games, with lead character Professor Sydney Fox (Tia Carrere, Showdown in Little Tokyo) and her assistant Nigel Bailey (Christien Anholt) traveling the world in search of rare antiquities.

It is baffling given the premise that is surely of interest to me and the fact that the show ran for three seasons that I did not find this show. 2/2

#3. Were there any notable guest stars?

Louis Mandylor (The Quest) plays CIA agent Derek Lloyd. Derek Lloyd was a recurring character that made a single appearance in all three seasons of Relic Hunter. In “The Legend of the Lost” Derek is directly responsible for Nigel being in New Guinea, since he abducts Nigel. This then causes Sydney to make her way to New Guinea to help her friend and once she is there is convinced by both Derek and Nigel to lend her expertise will be able to help locate a lost tribe that was thought to have gone extinct back in the Bronze Age.

Later in the episode we learn that Derek has not been 100% truthful with Sydney and Nigel and was using them to help him find a CIA agent that traveled to New Guinea in search of hidden Chinese missile sites and instead found the lost tribe and declared himself king of the tribe.

This CIA agent turned king is Jonathan Quelch. Quelch was played by Jeff Wincott of Mission of Justice fame. Quelch is none too happy that his former co-worker, Sydney and Nigel are trying to disrupt the new life he has made for himself and dethroning him and allowing the tribe to rule themselves again becomes the goal of our heroes. 3/3

#4. Did we get to see Sydney use her compact crossbow?

One of the things I spotted in the show’s open was Sydney using a compact crossbow. Now I’ve been a sucker for a woman with a crossbow dating back to G.I. Joe’s Scarlett, so I was hoping that it was Sydney’s weapon of choice in the series.

I am happy to report that the compact crossbow was used and ended up being the key for Sydney, Nigel and Lloyd escaping after “King Quelch” had them locked up. 4/4

#5. Did Sydney find herself in any romantic entanglements?

Television audiences love a little romance, don’t believe me? Just watch an episode of any television show filmed in front of a live studio audience and listen to the reaction whenever there’s an on screen kiss.

With a beautiful leading lady like Tia Carrere, it only makes sense that her character would find herself in romantic situations. And that was certainly the case in “The Legend of the Lost”. After some serious sexual tension between Sydney and Derek through out the episode, the show ends with an apologetic Derek doing his best to sweep Sydney off her feet. 5/5

• Final Score = 5/5 (100%) After watching one episode of Relic Hunter, I think I have found a new old show to binge. Tia Carrere makes a great lead and I look forward to watching Sydney Fox use her brains and her brawn in further adventures!