THIS WEEK IN THE XENA NEWS....
TWXN #28
09/20/96

Brought to you by Xena: Media Review (XMR):
http://www.teleport.com/~gater/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.

From Kym: Everything is behind, okay???? OKAY???!!! 



[   b] 09-09-96
   THE DES MOINES REGISTER. Monday. Page 4. 627 words.
"Lucy Lawless is a star on the strength of 'Xena'" By
Christy Slewinski. New York Daily News
   COMMENTARY: Another appearance of the The Daily News
article from 08-19-96 (see TXWN #21)


[   ] 09-10-96
   DAILY VARIETY. Tuesday. Page 25. 263 words. "Syndie
talkers tumble; tabmags take a hit" By Jenny Hontz
   COMMENTARY:  Altared States (#19), 2nd release,
08/19/96. Ran Ranked as the 2nd action hour with a 4.4
rating. [HTLJ took 1st place with a 5.2 and ST:DS9 too
3rd for the fifth straight week with a 4.2]. 1st
release: 04/22/96, the show did not make the top
twenty.


[   ] 09-11-96
   THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. Wednesday. Baylife. Page 3. 555
words. "Xena faces a new battle: to keep fans" By Walt
Belcher.
   COMMENTARY: Mr. Belcher took many words to say that
XWP had changed channels and times in Tampa, Florida,
because the original station (Channel 13) said XWP was
too expensive to continuing running. Channel 10 picked
XWP up, but will run it midnight Sundays starting
10/06/96. The area still will receive XWP over WGN for
those who have cable.


[x053] 09-11-96
   THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE. Wednesday. Page 06. 99
words. ""Adopt a Pet"
   COMMENTARY: Not a XWP mention, but Putnam County is
offering a Siamese cat named 'Xena', for adoption. Only
$25!



[   ] 09-11-96
   THE BALTIMORE SUN. Wednesday. SPORTS. Page 2D. 713
words. "Numbers show Ravens, Orioles cutting into each
other's ratings" By Milton Kent
   COMMENTARY: I always find it heartwarming to locate
a XWP mention in the sports pages! Mr. Kent mentioned
XWP in passing when he dwelled upon whether HTLJ or XWP
would be delayed for a big sports event.


[   ] 09-12-96
   THE TORONTO STAR. Thursday. Page SW64. 3167 words.
"New for '96 Canadian specials Socumentaries, movies
and mini-series"
   COMMENTARY: In a preview of the what each
network/channel will be offering for Toronto this new
TV season, it was mentioned that XWP will be broadcast
on the New VR station.


[   ] 09-12-96
   THE TORONTO STAR. Thursday. Page SW74. 1764 words.
"New for '96 Kidstuff" By Louise Brown
   COMMENTARY: A preview of shows coming up in the new
season which are targeted to the 9-13 year-old crowd.
The article noted that half of the 'tween live action
dramas are from Australia "where quality programs for
young adults clearly is a priority."
   XWP was mentioned in the description about "The
Adventures of Sinbad". Ms. Brown wrote, "No, this isn't
another vehicle for the standup comic, but rather the
latest entry in the hot new genre of muscle-bound,
barechested hunk heroes such as Tarzan, Hercules and
Xena (well, she wears a pointy bra thingy)."
   Pointy bra thing? Do you think she was thinking
about Madonna by mistake? Madonna, Warrior Princess.


[   c] 09-14-96
   THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Saturday. Page 15C. 1010
words. "The Cape' has earthbound moments, but it often
soars" By Ed Bark.
   COMMENTARY: In a review of "The Cape", Mr. Bark
mentioned XWP. He wrote: "Whatever the verdict, The
Cape clearly is classier than most of syndication's
competing action hours.  Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess strive to be
nothing more than 'knucklehead TV' in the words of
producer Sam Raimi.  Highlander, High Tide, Baywatch
and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues are merely more
junk-on-a-bunk."
   We should be grateful Mr. Bark did not include XWP
in "junk-on-a-bunk". While Mr. Bark was alluding to his
own interview with Mr. Raimi (The Dallas Morning News,
03/25/96, "Knuckleheads, Raimi's your guy"), he took
liberty with Sam Raimi's 'knucklehead TV' quote. 
Raimi's original quote was embedded in Mr. Bark's
sentence, "Xena, an evil warrior introduced in a recent
Hercules episode, is likely to get her own
'knucklehead, fun adventure'". From this Mr. Bark
deduced 'knucklehead TV.' 


[   c] 09-15-96
   THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. Sunday. Page 48. 338 words.
"Actor finds "Xena' role grueling but fun" By Christy
Slewinski of the New York Daily News.
   COMMENTARY: Another appearance of the The Daily News
article from 08-19-96 (see TXWN #21).


[   ] 09-15-96
   LOS ANGELES TIMES. Sunday. Page 20. 634 words. "Turn
On, Tune in or Miss Out; PBS Discovers 'the West'; NBC
Reserves a 'London Suite'; HBO Congas with Gloria
Estefan in Miami" by Steven Linan.
   COMMENTARY: Linan mentioned XWP as being responsible
for such series as "Tarzan: The Epic Adventures."


[   d] 09-17-96
   PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. Tuesday. Page D-3. 385
words. "'Xena' Wins Fans' Admiration" by Christy
Slewinski, New York Daily News.
   COMMENTARY:  Another appearance of the The Daily
News article from 08-19-96 (See TXWN #21)


[    ] 09-17-96
   AP ONLINE. Tuesday. Entertainment, television and
culture. 1134 words. "Lawless Lays Down Law As Xena"
(also released as "Xena: So Mean She Got A Series") By
Eileen Glanton
   COMMENTARY: The amazing Ms. Glanton has recycled her
08-28-96 article about XWP for the third time and
relied heavily upon quotes used in the 08-28-96
article. However, this is the most fleshed out version
of the interview material.
   Ms. Glanton opened her article fantasizing what it
would be like to peruse the job requirements of being a
warrior princess (should be strong and brave; being
pretty is a plus; must vow to protect the powerless and
battle barbarians; superhuman powers are not mandatory,
but advisable; and must be able to save whole
civilizations in a single episode).   
   Reflecting on the shows popularity, Ms. Lawless was
quoted as saying, "It just seems to have hit the world
at the right time...The world is ready for a woman hero
who is smarter and stronger than she is good-looking." 
This is an exact reprint from the 08-28-96 article.
   Regarding Xena's costume, Ms. Glanton wrote, "While
no one doubts Xena's brains and brawn, executive
producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi don't mind having a
little fun with Lawless's beauty. Muscular, and nearly
6 feet tall, Lawless is laced each week into a
bustier-like costume of leather and metal.  If the
outfit seems a little exploitative for a feminist icon,
a bit constricting for a superheroine, that's one of
Xena's little jokes."
   Ms. Glanton then listed more "little jokes" in XWP
(the blatant anachronism; the disclaimers in the
credits at the end of the episodes; the show's wide
variety of sexual interpretations; and no respect for
the genre).
   Regarding the character of Xena, Ms. Lawless was
quoted as saying, "Xena can make mistakes, although
she's never made to look stupid...That gave me a whole
new perspective and I let go of all those
super-protective guards that actors like to have on
their characters." 
   Ms. Glanton also listed Xena's armory (chakram,
accupressure, battle cry, martial arts) and then
mentioned that Ms. Lawless was taken by surprise by the
heartfelt letters from fans, the Internet forums, and
the Ms. cover article that hailed Lucy Lawless as a
feminist icon.  Ms. Lawless was quoted as saying,
"People somehow find [Xena] really empowering...For a
long time, I was very afraid of the role model stuff.
But only recently, I'm realizing that this is just a
true honor." This was also taken from the 08-28-96
article.
   Ms. Glanton incorrectly stated that the second
season of XWP would consist of 22 episodes. The Daily
Variety reported the 2nd and 3rd seasons would have 26
episodes (two more than the 1st season's 24).

