XENA MEDIA REVIEW (XMR) #21 Part 1 of 4 ============ CUT HERE ================== _____ ______ ._ `\`/>`\ /`/` /`__________,.'>___ _____ )~\ /<`\ `\ /`/` /``\ \./------> /|\./\ |\./| / | \ /< `\`\ `\ /`/` /` | | |----\ / | |\ \ | | |././^\ \ |\__{o}\--`\`\ `\/`/` /`-----| | |-----`------\`\`\--| | |----^ \ \----. [\\\\\\\{*}==`> <`=======| | ==============`\`\`\| | |=====\ \ \==--> |/~~{o}/-- /`/ /\ \ `\------| | |---------------`\`\\ | |------\ \ \--' \< /`/` /` `\`\ `\ | | |_____,.'>| | | `\`\| | /' \ \ \ \< /` /` `\`\ `\ ,/ /^\------> / |/^\| \ | |/ \/^\\. /`/\>/` `\`\ `\`~~~~~~~~~~~\ / ~~~~~ )^\,\, '~~~~~ `~~~~~` '~~~~~` ` ~~~~~~ ========================== XENA: THE MEDIA REVIEW #21 ========================== An All Talk No Action Publication http://xenafan.com/xmr c/o RIF BBS, P.O. Box 81181, Bakersfield, CA 93308 RIF BBS (805) 588-9349 [24hrs, 14.4bps, free] 584 subscribers and growing! This document has 2491 lines. Xena Media Review (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. Copyright, legal, and editorial notices are found at the end of this newsletter. Issue No. 21 Release date: January 23, 1997 Covering May 15, 1996 - May 31, 1996 Annotations 288 - 310 INTRODUCTION: Why I Watch XWP & The Convention DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT: The Philippines CONVENTION REPORT: Dallas Stellar Con 12/27-29/96 TIMELINE AMENDED ANNOTATIONS [123.5] 01-01-96. US Magazine. 63rd on story list [144.5b] 01-29-96 THE EVENING POST. HTLJ NZ prem [184] 03-01-96 THE EVENING POST. HTLJ:TWP (#09) prem [186.5] 03-04-96 THE EVENING POST. TWP (#09) prem [219a] 04-02-96. THE GLOBE. Date discovered! [219b] 04-05-96. TRUTH (Auckland) Tabloid trash!!! [234.5] 04-14-96. THE SUNDAY NEWS. Tabloid trash! [276c] 05-20-96. CHATTANOOGA TIMES. Pathfndr contest [276d] 05-20-96. ARIZONA REPUBLIC/PHOENIX GAZETTE ANNOTATIONS [288] 05-16-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Ratings #19 [289] 05-17-96 XENA MEDIA REVIEW. No. 7. [290] 05-17-96 ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Nominal mention [291] 05-18-96 through 05-25-96. BEASTMASTER [291a] 05-18-96 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT (Norfolk) [291b] 05-21-96 CHICAGO TRIBUNE. [291c] 05-24-96 THE NASHVILLE BANNER. [291d] 05-25-96 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. [292] 05-19-96 through 08-11-96. New York Times. [292a] 05-19-96 NEW YORK TIMES. LL/RT int & story [292b] 08-11-96 CALGARY HERALD. [293] 05-19-96 THE SUNDAY NEWS (Auckland) HTLJ [294] 05-20-96 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. ST vs. XWP [295] 05-20-96 A FISTFUL OF DINARS (#14) 2nd release [296] 05-23-96 through 06-05-96. Heather Matarazzo. [296a] 05-23-96 NEWSDAY. [296b] 05-26-96 THE NEW YORK TIMES. [296c] 06-05-96 THE TORONTO SUN. [297] 05-23-96 through 06-07-96. Ratings for #20 [297a] 05-23-96 DAILY VARIETY. [297b] 06-07-96 ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY [297c] 05-27-96 VARIETY. [298] 05-24-96 XENA MEDIA REVIEW. No. 8. [299] 05-24-96 MORNING STAR. Passing mention [300] 05-24-96 THE ORLANDO SENTINEL. Dog name [301] 05-25-96 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. HTLJ [302] 05-25-96 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. LL int & story [303] 05-25-96 through 05-28-96. Passing mention [303a] 05-25-96 THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL (Memphis) [303b] 05-28-96 ATLANTA JOURNAL AND CONSTITUTION [304] 05-27-96 through 06-03-96. L.A. Screenings. [304a] 05-27-96 VARIETY. mention [304b] 06-03-96 ELECTRONIC MEDIA. mention [305] 05-27-96 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT. Wonder Woman! [306] 05-27-96 WARRIOR...PRINCESS (#15), 2nd release [307] 05-28-96 CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Rare RO int!!!! [308] 05-31-96 XENA MEDIA REVIEW. No. 9. [309] 05-31-96 LA WEEKLY. Negative review [310] 05-31-96 through 06-03-96. Ratings for #21 [310a] 05-31-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. [310b] 05-31-96 DAILY VARIETY. [310c] 06-03-96 VARIETY. [310d] 06-03-96 VARIETY. THE BACK PAGE ------------ INTRODUCTION ------------ WHY I WATCH XWP What initially attracted me to XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS was that it was about a woman fantasy figure who was not waiting around to be rescued or accompanied by a man, but was 'doing it for herself'. What kept me watching was the growing friendship between the characters, Xena and Gabrielle. When I first saw XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, I thought, 'This is really silly. No woman could do that!' I then stepped back and realized that in the male versions, no males could really do what they were doing on screen either. It was the hero archetype. It was supposed to be larger than life. Then I understood what was going on. I had been socialized against questioning the right of men to participate in fantasy, and yet, I questioned the same right for women. Somehow society had embedded in me this concept that men had the power to transcend reality whereas women did not. The greatest power a human being has is their power to transcend reality. With the advent of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, our society now has an alternative to the whimpering damsel in distress who seems to be a cultural darling. Whether by design or luck, the creators of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS have unleased a new model of what a woman can be. There are very few characterizations of adult women pursuing a mature friendship on television. One of the more attractive aspects of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is the depiction of how a close friendship grows through time. This theme is rarely shown or even attempted on a weekly series, let alone in an action one. The strength, appeal, and the rapidly growing viewer dedication of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, in my opinion, results from the intricate interweaving of nine different aspects which are cultivated and nurtured by the creators and producers of the show. This opinion is based entirely upon my own subjective experiences with the show, discussions with some production staff, and my flirt with fandom (resume time: I edit three XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS on-line publications, run an international fan organization, and have been active in Xena on-line fandom for longer than I care to admit!). To come clean, I have also, quite shamelessly, ripped off a great amount of material from Diane Silver and Welton Jones, who are two very fine professional news reporters; the former from Lawrence, Kansas, and the latter from San Diego, California). What inspires people to drop everything on a moments notice to fly cross-country on the chance sighting a cast-member of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS? The Burbank Xena convention was sold out several days prior and even though the records say 1,710 people were there...trust me, there were more! People came from all over the United States to attend that historic convention. What is the attraction? (1) ACTION. This is the most obvious pull. From the cartoonish marital arts to fighting mythic critters, XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is first and foremost an action-adventure series which is based in fantasy. It has never attempted to be historically correct, or even politically correct in some instances. Sam Raimi, one of the executive producers even referred to it as "knuckle-headed" referring to Three Stooges slang. (2) HUMOR. The humor is campy, self-referential, mired in the popular culture of our times, and respectful of the show's characters and situations. A critical subset of the humor is the basic attitude exhibited in the production. The show is totally anachronistic and abounds in self-created inconsistencies. There is a shared conspiracy, as Welton Jones observed in his "Xena Allure Makes Her Legend in His Own Mind" article in the 10/15/96 SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, which has been created between the show and the viewers regarding these inconsistencies. The show draws in the viewer as a fellow conspirator. The creators of the show communicates to the audience with the tongue-in-cheek and campy humor which abounds in each episode. I know I watch the show and marvel over some of the wittiest self-referential dialogue I have ever seen on TV. (3) REDEMPTION. Xena's search for redemption is the foundation of the show and of the character, Xena. What we are seeing in XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is a direct exploration of the psychological impact of violence and victimization and a search for a way out of the cycle of revenge. (This very topic was wonderfully deconstructed by Diane Silver in a variety of posts to the various XWP mailing lists in December 1996). To my knowledge there is nothing else on TV that is facing this issue so directly, especially in a fantasy show. From this comes Xena's heroism which is forged from the battle between Xena's quest for morality and redemption and the curse and pull of her past. Xena's past is a very compelling storyline. The viewers are always wondering about Xena's dark side. This accounts easily for the very grateful and gushing fan anticipation reaction to the upcoming episode DESTINY which is currently being played out in the mailing lists and forums. DESTINY is selling itself as a key redemption episode. The fan reception is intense. (4) XENA AND GABRIELLE. Despite the fact that there has been much debate about the nature of Xena and Gabrielle's relationship, the entire gamut from platonic friends to secret lovers, the remarkable thing is how all agree that the relationship is central to the show. Why? Although steeped in fantasy, the show tweaks a deep wish of many people who are too busy or too confined or otherwise unable to seek out a soulmate or close friend whom they could share their lives, their hopes, and their fears with. Xena and Gabrielle are not only set in mythic times, but they exhibit a seemingly mythical relationship which many people find irresistably attractive. (5) THE DEPICTION OF FREE WOMEN. This aspect is at the core of the show, and is the topic of another wonderful decontruction by Diane Silver. This depiction may be the most compelling reason why many adult women are attracted to the show and may mark the central reason why XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is not just a show, but very likely the beginning of a new popular legend (as Welton Jones pondered in his 10/15/96 article). What is meant by free? I cede to Diane Silver's explanation. To understand, look at the ties that bind women. Traditionally, women have been blocked by the belief that they are not strong enough or smart enough to be independent (i.e., free). They have been obstructed by the belief that their needs and interests must always come second and that it is their job to put men first in their lives -- no matter what it costs them in the destruction of their own personalities. They have been blocked by the belief that their relationships with other woman -- no matter how deep and important -- must always come second to their relationships with men even if the relationship with a man may be shallow and unfulfilling. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS uses both humor and drama to shatt these traditional constrictions. (6) FANDOM. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is still somewhat a cult hit, only reaching 6 million homes per episode on a good week. However, XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is beginning to catch interest all over. Once can hear it referred to on any number of network TV shows and one can read references to it as an aside in countless mainstream newspaper articles. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is clearly in its ascendancy. The internet has found thousands of fans for the show. There are three primary mailing lists and many minor ones which easily have a combined readership in the thousands; there is the NetForum which MCA sponsors; there are alternative NetForums, sponsored by both corporations and fans; there are over a hundred web pages, some with hits up into the tens of thousands; and there are newsletters with combined subscriber lists of over a thousand. The internet is adding a new aspect to fandom for these popular culture events. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is riding a wave and is quite the darling of many internet accessible fans. (7) ATMOSPHERE Not to be confused with attitude! This show is filmed in New Zealand. It uses large, vivid, and gorgeous landscapes with wonderfully eclectic set design; they use a huge multi-ethnic cast who utilize a variety of acting styles. There is simply nothing else on television which matches the visual appeal of this show. (8) CASTING. Lucy Lawless was to U.S. audiemces an unknown, but one that could carry the show. She was not afraid to push herself and the results are captivating. Whether it is because she is from New Zealand, or it is just her, Lucy Lawless brings freshness to the show. There is also a chemistry between Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor who plays Gabrielle. The multi-ethnic cast is presented so naturally that it raises subtle questions about the artificiality of tokenization elsewhere. (9) STORIES. The writers are very creative and have crafted well-written scripts that live up the superior production standards. The writers use the background of Greek mythology as a jumping off point for stories which are ripe for re-telling. They use the fantasy elements in order to hide moralistic tales which have relevance today. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS is a bare-bones morality play, very similar to STAR TREK in the 1960's. Both shows were and are able to artfully discuss current events in ways that are not as threatening otherwise. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS uses the mythological backgrounds to shed a new light on age old debates. For instance, BEWARE OF GREEKS BEARING GIFTS (#12), finally asked what Helen thought of all the Trojan war nonsense and offered a Helen who had interests separate from either warring side; ALTARED STATES (#19) successfully demonstrated the various views regarding religious tolerance and intolerance by a re-telling of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac/Ishmael; IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE (#24) bravely took on the idea of cartoon violence and showed rather grimly and explicitly what really happens when you get skewered by a sword or two; and THE PATH NOT TAKEN (#05) and MORTAL BELOVED (#16) presented an interracial relationship without making it a plot point of the show. That is why I watch XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS. THE CONVENTION Burbank Creation Con January 12-13, 1997 Okay. I went. It was...wow. More than wow. I am not usually one to gush about conventions, but I have absolutely no problems gushing about this one. Anyways, what were the two most important bits of info I received there? (Other than, of course, meeting so many wonderful people and having a major bonding with my two roomies, Diane Silver and Betsy Book, to whom I have pledged my undying love and loyalty forever -- hey, it was part of the magic of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS!) EASY!!! First, the actress who was originally cast as Xena was Vanessa Angel who is currently working on WEIRD SCIENCE, and second, Lucy Lawless stated herself she was not originally a blonde. I feel, VINDICATED. My crack investigative reporting came to that conclusion six month's ago. I can die a happy woman. I cannot thank Sharon of CREATION CON enough for being so wonderful and allowing IAXS and WHOOSH to have such a prominent presence at the convention. They treated us like we were REAL PEOPLE. WHOOSH #5, to be released on or about February 1, 1997, will be an ALL-CONVENTION SOUVENIR ISSUE. I will obsess more about the convention there. The on-line address for WHOOSH is http:www.thirdstory.com/whoosh. Be there or be square! ---Kym -------------------------- DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT -------------------------- Report on XWP Activities in the Philippines by correspondent: Lucy Tan (lucytan@i-manila.com.ph) In a time of modern technology, ...networks, ...and sponsors, ...a land in frustration cried out for a show... IT...was XENA (:WARRIOR PRINCESS), ...a mighty TV-series, ...forged in the heat of discussion. ...the characters, ...the storylines, ...the effects, ...its brilliance will change the world. When I first saw the promotions of XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS in the newspapers, I thought it was another one of those ridiculous TV series with bad storylines and even worse performances by amateur actors/ actresses. But in the folly of premature judgment, I told myself, "If I am going to hate this show, I might as well have a good reason." Then I watched an episode of XENA : WARRIOR PRINCESS... and I CONTINUED to watch, even when the station was airing an episode for the third time... until, it was cancelled. I do not know the reasons for its cancellation. I only know it saddened me and that I had to do something about it. I am planning to write a letter to the station, even get signatures if I can, to ask them to put XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS back on the air. Some friends have asked if I am not taking this "crusade" a bit too seriously. They ask me, "How come?". My answer is, how can I not? For a show that has taught me so much about love and friendship, about turning your life around, about the generosity of the soul, and most of all, about femininity and strength, I think taking my "crusade a bit too seriously" is the least I can do. ------------------------------------------------- CONVENTION REPORT: DALLAS STELLAR CON 12/27-29/96 ------------------------------------------------- "Would You Buy a Used Sword From This Man???" --------------------------------------------- By Cynthia Ward Cooper (cyn@netcom.com) Although the BIG Con was held in Burbank on January 12 - 13, 1997, the Dallas StellarCon (December 27 - 29, 1996) can claim the distinction of being the first to host a XENA/HERCULES cast member. This particular convention has traditionally focused on sci-fi programs such as STAR TREK and BABYLON 5. Something was in the air this time, though. Walking through the dealers' room, I spotted Xena, Xena t-shirts, and Ru Emerson's Xena books for sale at various booths. And, thanks to the efforts of a small group of fans, Robert Trebor (Salmoneus) was about to make an appearance at the event! I got a brief glimpse of THE MAN as he was heading to his first Q&A session. He looked just as I'd expected -- a regular guy, slightly apprehensive at the prospect of being quizzed by people who'd never seen the shows, but determined to enjoy it. The room wasn't full; I suspect many people weren't sure who he was. Bob patiently answered questions of the most rudimentary nature ("Who is it that you play?"), then retired to the hall to sign autographs with B5's Ed Wassell (Morden) and Walter Koenig (Bester). He was unfailingly cheerful; I presented him with a full-face glossy of him in Salmoneus mode, and he signed it across the forehead. I loved it! The following day, he appeared in a joint Q&A session with Walter and Ed. They all had a great rapport, and the audience responded accordingly. Outside, the Con staff had taken an especially animated picture of Bob as Salmoneus and captioned it, "Would You Buy a Used Sword From This Man?" The Trebor table was doing brisk business, selling autographable photos, raffle tickets, and tickets to the private reception that was to be held for him later that day. I bought one of the latter ($20, but worth it!), and gradually made my way to the appointed location. Over fifty people attended, and none came away disappointed. In Bob's honor, the hilarious "Best of Salmoneus" was screened, followed by a deluxe tape of bloopers (many of which were NOT shown in Burbank) from both XENA and HERCULES. Bob and his wife, Deirdre, charmed everyone. They went from table to table, chatting with guests and answering questions. I asked him how he'd taken Salmoneus from an annoying pest -- he pretended to take umbrage at this -- to a character who was often integral to the plot, mentioning Xena's "death" scene in THE GREATER GOOD (#21) as an example. (The producers saw what he could do, and used it. The "Proud warrioress" line was his idea, as it was the first thing Salmoneus had ever said to Xena, in THE GAUNTLET (HTLJ #12).) Someone asked him which set he liked more. (They're both great, but the HERCULES set has better food.) Another person wanted to know what his relationships with Kevin and Lucy were like. (Kevin, though younger, was like a big brother to him, while he and Lucy had a "fun, flirtatious" friendship.) He told us about how he'd improvised the Xena song in THE GAUNTLET (you remember, "Xeeeeeena, coming to your town! Xeeeeeeena, don't you hang around," accompanied by walnut shells), and about his least favorite scene (hanging upside-down from a tree in UNCHAINED HEART (HTLJ #13); due to frequent showers, he was left there for over two hours). By the time the reception was over, we all felt like old friends. His last Q&A session, held the next morning, focused on his non-Salmoneus roles. Another video spotlighting these parts was shown -- I'd forgotten how chilling he'd been as David Berkowitz, and how abrasive in the movie, TALK RADIO. The room -- full this time -- asked more perceptive questions: Why wasn't he in more X/H episodes? (It was too expensive to fly him down more than once or twice a season.) What was the hardest thing about filming in New Zealand? (Dealing with the jet lag.) Did he have a fan club? (Not yet, but stay tuned...) Then it was over. I came away from the Convention with a lot of respect for Bob. He makes playing Salmoneous look effortless, a fact which I could appreciate only after learning how difficult it truly was. The Xenaverse is a better place for having him. ---------- TIMELINE ---------- 5/20/96 14R A Fistful of Dinars 5/27/96 15R Warrior...Princess ------------------- AMENDED ANNOTATIONS ------------------- [123.5] 01-01-96 US Magazine. January 1996. No, 215. Page 44. "95 Biggest Stories of 95" COMMENTARY: Not very complimentary, but it made the list at number 63. Contributed by JodiMnstr@aol.com EXCERPT: ...63. 'HERCULES' AND 'XENA' The popularity of these cheesy syndicated shows proves only one thing: The gods must be crazy... [144.5b] 01-29-96 THE EVENING POST (Wellington). Monday. Page 3. 510 words. "New Age Hercules still flexes his rippling pecs" COMMENTARY: Extended promo for the NZ premiere of HTLJ. The Producer Eric Gruendemann interview was the same used in THE DOMINION, also located in Wellington, but was released the previous day. THE EVENING POST ran this story the day of the actual premiere. REPRINT: IN SHORT -------------------- What: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Where: TV3. When: 8.30pm, Monday. -------------------- LEGENDARY strongman Hercules has come of age. While the beefcake hero still packs a mean punch, he's developed a touch of 90s empathy - possibly the result of the series being filmed on our fair shores. Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, premiering tonight at 8.30 on TV3 before filling its regular 8.30pm Fridays slot, was shot entirely on location in New Zealand. As well as the familiar snow-capped mountains and beautiful beaches, there's plenty of familiar faces in the cast tonight, including Hercules' trusty side-kick Iolaus (Michael Hurst), his mother (Shortland Street's Elizabeth Hawthorne) and farmer Lycus (Mick Rose of Cover Story fame). Filming began in New Zealand three years ago with the making of four Hercules movies, which spawned the TV series. According to executive producer Eric Gruendemann, a Good Morning America special featuring Australia and New Zealand prompted his interest in filming Hercules: The Legendary Journeys in New Zealand. "Just four weeks before I had the assignment to find a location for the Hercules movies, I watched the Good Morning America special and was impressed by the beauty of New Zealand," he says. "We wanted a location that would set the show apart from the 1950s, 60s and 70s versions which were usually filmed in the sword and sandal' manner with very arid backdrops. We were looking for a primordial-looking beautiful land with lush ferns and waterfalls." At the time, Gruendemann says, the healthy exchange rate proved attractive, as did the state of the New Zealand film industry. "We were looking for a place that would provide us with technically proficient crew and wonderful artisans. I see New Zealand as an industry very much in the expansion stage - exciting things are happening here." The series takes viewers on a magical journey as Hercules, the son of Zeus, travels a mythical ancient world, fighting evil Gods, slaying dragons and fighting injustice. Hercules, played by "this ain't Jim Beam" man Kevin Sorbo, is devoted to defeating his scheming and wicked stepmother Hera, queen of the Gods. Hera sees Hercules as a constant reminder of Zeus' infidelity and torments her stepson at every opportunity. Hercules' world is shattered when the evil Hera wipes out his wife and children in an enormous ball of fire. Blinded by rage, he sets out on a path of destruction, obsessed with avenging their murders. Along the way, he saves the life of a young woman who persuades him to put aside his vengeance and help Lycus. With the TV series a major hit in the United States, Sorbo and Hurst have become household names. The series has spawned a major merchandising line of action dolls (set for release here later in the year) and another spin-off series Xena: Warrior Princess, starring Kiwi actress Lucy Lawless. GRAPHIC: Caption: MUSCLE MEN - Hercules (Kevin Sorbo, left) and Iolaus (Michael Hurst). ============ CUT HERE ================== Continued in part 2