It's a classic element of genre TV shows that unusually talented actors get trapped in a purgatory of camp, rarely if ever escaping. From Patrick Stewart's inescapable tenure as Captain Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation to Lucy Lawless and her unfortunately unforgettable turn as the title character of Xena: Warrior Princess, actors with admirable performing chops end up carrying whole series that never quite seem to match their pay grade. Though I enjoy Legend of the Seeker and frequently defend it as a much smarter show than it seems from the outside, I still acknowledge that it's a fantasy adventure series with no pretense toward the kind of gravitas of anything that airs on weekdays. To that end, I'm glad that Craig Parker finally got to be the center of an episode. The cast of Seeker is far from weak, but Parker definitely stands out as an indelible screen presence.

As Darken Rahl, Craig Parker has obviously been having fun. From his very first appearance, he has luxuriated in Rahl's middle-management evil by alternating between near-comic lethargy and little sparks of sociopathic glee. Ironically, Rahl has featured much more heavily in Season 2 as a dead man than he ever did as Season 1's big bad. I suppose this has something to do with Rahl becoming strangely sympathetic in his newfound position as the Keeper's right-hand ghost. As the season has progressed, Rahl seems to be realizing that he chose the wrong side, not because he wants to be good but because he never had the urge to do varsity-level evil. In that sense, he's kind of like Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He's not a good guy except by accident, but he also doesn't want to end the world.

So, when Rahl used an old asset to return to life in this episode, I couldn't help but cheer him on. The first half of the episode revolves around a meek fellow named Walter who had the bad fortune to be born with a face almost identical to the then-alive Darken Rahl's. He starts out impersonating the tyrant as a street performance act, but quickly gets the attention of a D'Haran captain who brings him to the real Rahl to act as a body double. A little grooming and impromptu nose surgery makes Walter into a proper stand-in for Rahl at low-grade functions of state. In the meantime, he and the captain live the good life. That is, until the real Rahl dies and they botch an attempt to steal a bunch of his treasure. As Walter, Craig Parker gets to indulge in a little bit of comedy, undercutting the cold confidence of his portrayal of Rahl while creating a sympathetic figure in the space of a single episode.

When circumstance creates the perfect conditions for Rahl to return to life without falling back into his usual company, he manipulates Richard et al into giving him Walter's body while transferring Walter's soul into the body of a dead D'Haran soldier. For his trouble, Richard gets his hands on the Stone of Tears Official Instruction Manuel while the newly reincorporated Rahl escapes all of his would-be captors. Next week, the former king of the Midlands will show up again, thankfully not barking orders from a camp fire.

Best Moment: Walter's death and resurrection scene. It looked like all the actors were having a lot of fun, which is always an enjoyable prospect for viewers.

Notes: Craig Parker has a pretty good American accent, which is a rare commodity on this show.

Episode Rating: 5/5- What do you know? We got some main plot arc action along with an interesting side plot, plus a much-deserved moment in the sun for one of the show's most under-used actors. I'm looking forward to the new and improved Darken Rahl.

*Edit: In light of a commenter's good memory catching a pretty significant plot hole (thanks, Matthew L.), I've decided to bump this episode down to 4.5/5. It seems that the show's writers were a bit too eager to give Rahl some skin.