THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS....
TWXN 40
10/31/96

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:
  Okay, okay. I am behind. But what else is new?
  I threw in a reprint which peripherally refers to
LL's injury...it's ABOUT US, so I didn't annotate. I
also broke my rule again with an excerpt of the Letters
to the Editor section from the San Diego Union-Tribune
commenting upon the 10-15-96 article the paper ran
called, "Xena Allure Makes Her Legend in His Own Mind"
by Welton Jones.



[   ] 10-24-96
   THE BUFFALO NEWS. Thursday. Page 5C. 1093 words.
"Channel 49 Is Playing Catch-up on WB Network's New
Fall Season" By Alan Pergament
   COMMENTARY: Local Buffalo, NY station Channel 49
joined the WB Network. Mr. Pergament observed that "WB
only programs seven hours, leaving plenty of room to
experiment this week. There also is considerable prime
time room for first-run syndicated programs like
'Baywatch,' 'Hercules' and 'Xena' to fill Channel 49's
schedule".


[   ] 10-25-96
   LOS ANGELES TIMES. Friday. Page F1. 566 words. "ABC
Invests $15 Million in 'Timecop'" By Brian Lowry.
   COMMENTARY: ABC TV has ordered 13 episodes of a
television action hour based on the movie TIME COP
based on the premise alone (no actors or scripts are
yet attached). The series will be produced by Universal
Television. Mr. Lowry wrote, "Universal has made a
strategy of producing such expensive action-adventure
fare. The studio distributes two of the top-rated shows
in syndication (programs sold directly to local
stations, as opposed to networks) in "Hercules: The
Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess." Their
popularity has spawned numerous imitators, including
series based on Tarzan and Sinbad."
   The article did not mention that Renaissance
Pictures was a producer of the original film.


[   bl] 10-25-96
   ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Page 14. 309 words. "Jim
Mullen's Hot Sheet. What the Country Is Talking about
this Week..." By Jim Mullen
   COMMENTARY: In a humorous list of trendy items
happening in the entertainment biz, XWP was mentioned
in regard to Ms. Lawless' injury. While in questionable
taste, the mention did attest to XWP's rising
popularity: "10 XENA The Warrior Princess hurt herself
falling off a horse in L.A. Fortunately, Dr. Quinn
belongs to her HMO."


[   ]
   NOTE: REMEMBER NOTHING (#26), 1st release, 10/07/96.
Ranked as the 3rd action hour with a 5.3 rating. The
standings for action-hours were as follows:
   1. HTLJ 5.8
   2. ST:DS9 5.6
   3. XWP 5.3
   4. Baywatch 4.2
   5. Sinbad 3.4
   6. FX 3.2
   7. Viper 2.5
   8. Two 2.4
   8. The Cape 2.4
   9. Poltergeist 2.1
  10. Tarzan 1.9


[   bm] 10-27-96
   THE SUNDAY STAR-TIMES (Auckland). Page 3. 261 words.
"Get well messages swamp Warrior Princess: By Helen
Bain
   COMMENTARY:
   REPRINT:
   XENA Warrior Princess star Lucy Lawless has been
swamped by thousands of Internet messages wishing a her
a speedy recovery after breaking her pelvis. 
   The New Zealand television star fell from a horse
two weeks ago after filming a stunt for the the NBC
network's Tonight Show but is recovering well and has
been discharged from a Los Angeles hospital.  
   An MCA TV series spokesman said her spirits had been
boosted by thousands of fans from around the world who
sent e-mail messages, including the star of the
Hercules TV series, Kevin Sorbo. Xena Warrior Princess
is a spin-off from the Hercules series in which Lawless
also appeared with Sorbo. 
   "Lucy, what can I say? You're the greatest. Get well
soon," Sorbo's message says.
   "Get well soon! Hope the insurance companies don't
make you wear a seatbelt from now on," another
wellwisher's message says.
   "Best wishes for a speedy recovery, remember you're
supposed to kick their butts, not the other way round,"
says another.
   One wellwisher says she adopted a feral kitten and
named it Xena "in your honour because she's a feisty
good-looking girl".
   The MCA spokesman said Lawless was now able to walk
again but it is slow and painful.
   "We are anticipating her recovery will be quick."
   He said Lawless hoped to be back at work filming
Xena Warrior Princess in four weeks, including
performing fairly rigorous stunts.
   The spokesman said Lawless was coping extremely well
emotionally following the accident.


[   ] 10-27-96
   THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Sunday. Pg. E-2. 1006
words. "Xena'-philes like Keeping up with Jones Second
Noah' Synopsis Surely Missed the Boat Critic's
Kiss'-off Was Way off the Mark Reader Stages Her Own
Review of Welk's Mame' Theater Column Proved to Be Real
Page-turner" Letters to the Editor.
   COMMENTARY:
   EXCERPT:
   Xena'-philes like keeping up with Jones
   I adored (critic-at-large) Welton Jones' article
about TV's "Xena: Warrior Princess" ("Xena allure makes
her legend in his own mind," Oct. 15). I'm a
49-year-old SWF (who mostly watches PBS and "Star
Trek") and I fell in love with this show from the first
episode I saw.
   It's nice to read my feelings about it so
intelligently expressed.  I had half-suspected my love
for it was more on the comic-book level, so I was glad
for Jones' astute perceptions as to why, for what it
is, we can call it an excellent show.  
   He downplayed one thing, though -- perhaps out of
PC-ness or genuine feminist sensibility?  Men must feel
as strongly as we women do, even though in a different
way: While it's just ho-hum common to see guys kick
butt without apology, it's a thrill to see a woman do
so.  And a major babe, indeed. 
   I love hunks, too, but Hercules, the character or
the show ("Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"), never
captured me the way Xena did.  I also love the bonding
between Xena and Gabrielle, and am glad the
writers-producers don't seem afraid to let them be
close; too many people stay away from the "buddy" thing
out of fear of being construed as more. 
   KATHY STANIS San Diego 
   Never been such a fan of a TV show before.  I'm not
sure whether I'm more pleased that Jones' opinion
validates my own or that someone who is a wee bit
closer to my age (no offense) is also enamored with the
show. 
   My friends, none of whom watch the series, think I'm
a bit off my rocker -- so I don't mention it around
them anymore.  Maybe I should look for new friends. So
much for being a supposedly mature, professional woman! 
   Anyway, it's refreshing to have an article written
about Xena, actress Lucy Lawless and the series by
someone who has actually watched it -- and who
obviously has excellent taste. 
   D.J. RYAN San Diego
   On "Xena: Warrior Princess." His comparison of Xena
to Mr. Spock (of "Star Trek") is an especially apt one
in that "X:WP" appears to be developing along the same
lines of the first "Star Trek" series.
   The campy fantasy-mythology setting is a colorful
backdrop for wrestling with issues of heroism and
morality.  And for those who would just as soon ignore
the message, there are all those spectacular fight
scenes and zingy one-liners. It's a hard formula to
beat.
   Overall, I'm impressed with the production values,
the writing and directing. Critics who've used the word
"cheesy" in connection with "X:WP" aren't paying
attention.
   Despite the occasional weak guest actors, I'm
impressed with the performances of both Lucy Lawless
(as Xena) and Renee O'Connor (as Gabrielle). The
latter, especially, is rarely given sufficient credit
for her talent, somewhat overshadowed by the
larger-than-life warrior princess.  Lawless and
O'Connor have delightful screen chemistry. 
   CARMEN CARTER Front Royal, VA 
   Would we watch her if she didn't wear those leather
bustiers so well? 
   DAVID KAHN San Diego...
   ...GRAPHIC:...They love Lucy: Lucy Lawless plays the
title role in TV's "Xena: Warrior Princess," a show
popular with letter writers. 
