THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS.... TWXN 39 10/27/96 Brought to you by Xena: Media Review (XMR): http://www.teleport.com/~gater/IAXS/IAXS.html XMR is a periodic annotated world press review of reports regarding the internationally syndicated television show XENA: Warrior Princess (1995 - ) and the castmembers, Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor. For a free e-mail subscription send "subscribe XMR" to ktaborn@lightspeed.net. Excerpts from the following cites will appear in future issues of XMR. EDITOR'S NOTE: I am going to stop covering the Lucy Lawless injury stories in TWXN. There are too many. Anyways, everyone should know by now she was released 10/16/96 from St. John's Hospital and that she is now recovering at some undisclosed area, most likely in Southern California. I am planning, though, to devote an entire issue of XMR to the injury and the subsequent media coverage of it. Something to look forward too in the new century! There may be some exceptions to this rule since some mentionings of the injury are especially pertinent to the history of XWP's media coverage (other than passing on information about Ms. Lawless' injuries subsequent hospitalization). I have started work on XMR #19, but don't hold your breath. XMR #19 will cover the first of the SPECTRUM articles, and they require significant more commentary than usual. Expect it in a month or so; or sooner if I find some time. --Kym [ c] 10-14-96 ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Page 37. 760 words. "Mipcom Notes" By Greg Spring COMMENTARY: More dirt on MIPCOM at Cannes. The big news was MTM's showing of it's new action hour "Eighteen Wheels of Justice", which follows the exploits of a long-haul trucker pursuing justice on the roads along the United States/Mexico border. Just when you thought everything was going to be mythological and fantasy driven next season! Other news was that MGM has developed an action hour based upon the movie "Stargate". It will first air on Showtime and then be released to syndication (same as their strategy for "Outer Limits" and "Poltergeist"). Warner Brothers/Universal Television hawked the international distribution rights to their action hour "Cloak and Dagger". "Cloak and Dagger" also picked up a 13 episode order from ABC. This show was executively produced by Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert, those same wild and crazy executive producers of XWP. MCA, of course, retained all domestic distribution rights to the show. Nickelodeon announced a 90-minute live-action adventure movie to be shot in Australia called "Doom Runners" which will be shown on Showtime. MCA's "Burning Zone" and "EZ Streets" was sold to more than 22 countries and 17 countries, respectively. It looks like the powers that be might be steering away from fantasy action hours and looking more into science fiction and reality based hours for the 1997-98 season. [ ] 10-15-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 354 words. "Atlantis battles for 'Earth'" By Eric Hansen COMMENTARY: Article on the Atlantic Communications and Tribune Entertainment partnership for Gene Roddenberry's "Battleground Earth". XWP was mentioned as an action hour that was successful for Tribune Entertainment Co. [ ] 10-15-96 THE DENVER POST. Tuesday. Page E1. 563 words. "When TV and computers merge, forget about sleep" By Joanne Ostrow COMMENTARY: In a review of the computer game Myst, the reviewer began with "I've escaped into 'the surrealistic adventure that will become your world.' And I don't mean 'Dark Skies,' 'The Pretender' or 'Xena: Warrior Princess." [ ] 10-18-96 to NOTE: ORPHAN OF WAR (#25), 1st release, 09/30/96. Ranked as the 3rd action hour with a 4.3 rating. The standings for action-hours were as follows: 1. ST:DS9 5.3 2. HTLJ 4.8 3. XWP 4.3 4. Baywatch 3.8 5. Outer Limits 4.6 6. Viper 3.4 7. Highlander 3.1 8. Babylon 5 3.0 9. Sinbad 2.6 9. Poltergeist 2.6 9. Psi Factor 2.6 9. F/X 2.6 10. Two 2.5 11. The Cape 2.4 12. Tarzan 1.5 13. Bounty Hunters 0.8 14. beach Patrol 0.8 [ a] 10-18-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 382 words. "Viper' uncoils at No. 5 for syndie hour weeklies" By Steve Brennan COMMENTARY: Orphan of War, 1st release. Hollywood reporter misreported Viper as no, 5, when it was actually no. 6 in the action/hour category. [ b] 10-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. Friday. Page 3. 819 words. "Debuts Balled-up Sports Devour Most New Syndie Hours" By Jenny Hontz COMMENTARY: Orphan of War, 1st release. Hontz observed, "A syndicator of one top weekly said that to break even, pricey action hours generally must rate at least a 4." Regarding the heavy action hour competition this season, Hontz predicted, "Expect the environment to shift next season, when off-net dramas such as Twentieth TV's "X-Files" and "NYPD Blue" debut in weekend syndie, presumably giving the first-run weeklies a scare and crowding some out of their timeslots." [ ] 10-20-96 THE BOSTON GLOBE. Sunday. Page 8. 1742 words. "for Women Strong Is Beautiful" By B.J. Roche. COMMENTARY: In an article about how women are starting to use athletic women as role models, B.J. Roche wrote, "Xena, the Warrior Princess (a woman not to be messed with), attracted such a following on the syndicated television show "Hercules," that she now has a show of her own." [ ] 10-21-96 DAILY VARIETY. Monday. Page 1. 714 words. "Viacom, MCA near accord in cable nets dispute. Peace over TV Land MCA, Viacom Ready to Settle" By Anita M. Busch and Joe Flint COMMENTARY: Mention of USA channel's purchase of the re-run rights to XWP in an article about Viacom and MCA's proposed settlement over MCA's lawsuit against Viacom's start-up of the TV Land channel.