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       /<`\ `\        /`/` /``\ \./------> /|\./\     |\./|  / | \
      /< `\`\ `\    /`/` /`   | | |----\ /  | |\ \    | | |././^\ \
 |\__{o}\--`\`\ `\/`/` /`-----| | |-----`------\`\`\--| | |----^ \ \----.
[\\\\\\\{*}==`>      <`=======| | ==============`\`\`\| | |=====\ \ \==-->
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      \<  /`/` /`  `\`\ `\    | | |_____,.'>| | |   `\`\| | /'    \ \ \
       \< /` /`      `\`\ `\  ,/ /^\------> / |/^\|   \ | |/       \/^\\.
      /`/\>/`           `\`\ `\`~~~~~~~~~~~\ / ~~~~~   )^\,\,      '~~~~~
     `~~~~~`             '~~~~~`            `          ~~~~~~
==========================
XENA: THE MEDIA REVIEW #09
==========================
http://www.teleport.com/~gater/IAXS.html
c/o RIF BBS, P.O. Box 81181, Bakersfield, CA 93308
RIF BBS (805) 588-9349  [24hrs, 14.4bps, free]

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Xena Media Review (XMR) is a periodic annotated review of
mainstream media reports found in electronic form regarding the
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. 09
Release date: May 31 1996
2nd edition: 07/10/96
Covering  10-29-95 to 11-20-95

Annotations 069 to 083c
   [069a] 10-29-95. DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Nominal mention
   [069b] 11-05-95. THE RECORD. Same as XMR069a.
   [069c] 11-12-95. THE BUFFALO NEWS. Same as XMR069a.
***[070a] 10-31-95. MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Lots info
***[070b] 11-09-95. HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Same as XMR070a.
*  [071] 11-02-95. MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Mention.
   [072] 11-06-95. CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Minor mention.
   [073] 11-06-95. BOSTON HERALD. Nick Kokotakis.
   [074] 11-09-95. SEATTLE TIMES. Minor mention.
***[075] 11-09-95. HOUSTON CHRONICLE. O'Connor interview
*  [076a] 11-09-95. DAILY VARIETY. The Reckoning ratings
*  [076b] 11-13-95. VARIETY. Top 20
*  [076c] 11-13-95. ADWEEK. The Reckoning placing
   [076d] 11-06-95. DAILY VARIETY. Ratings commentary
   [077] 11-10-95. DAILY VARIETY. Renaisance Pictures
*  [078] 11-11-95. INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Answer to question
   [079] 11-13-95. USA TODAY. Passing mention 
   [080] 11-15-95. DAILY VARIETY. Minor mention
   [081] 11-05-95. LOS ANGELES TIMES. Ted Raimi
***[082] 11-17-95. ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE. Mythology
   [083a] 11-17-95. DAILY VARIETY. Sinbad
   [083b] 11-17-95. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Sinbad
   [083c] 11-20-95. VARIETY. Same as XMR083a.

-------------
Introduction:
------------
   I have some news about the progress of the "summer projects".
   I am formally announcing the establishment of the Inter-
national Association for Xena Studies (IAXS).  All are invited to
join.  The only requirement is that each member MUST submit an
article to the Journal at least once a year.  It's PUBLISH OR
PERISH, just like in real life! Do not panic just yet, though.
Size is not important (is it really ever?). We are attempting
universal participation, not marathon papers. If there is a
problem with your submission, you will be gently aided by the
editorial staff or assigned a board member to hone that great
work of scholarship just busting to get out. If you cannot think
of a theme, again the IAXS will help you by suggesting topics of
inquiry and aiding you in your process. It's a win-win situation.
You can aid Xena fandom and enjoy the fruits of others' labors.
   The submissions will be presented at least quarterly in the
Journal of the International Association of Xena Studies.  All
members of the Association will receive copies of the journal
(all charter subscribers of XMR will receive the Journal for the
first year gratis; charter members are those requesting the
netzine in March 1996).  The Journal's name will be "Whoosh"
(long story...BTW, do you get it?).  I will be the Executive
Editor aka Editor-in-Chief, and the two other editors will be
Tricia Murphy (West Coast) and Marian Samuels (East Coast).  When
Xena is released world-wide in September, we will appoint further
editors for each country.
   IAXS will be ran by a board of people chosen by me the first
year, and thereafter voted on annually by the rank and file
membership. Membership on the board requires that you take an
ACTIVE part in the duties of running the Association and/or
contributing submissions to each quarterly journal. If you are
interested in joining the IAXS as a laymember or as a board
member please e-mail me. 
   The duties of the board will include maintenance of a web
page, the production of the journal, aiding laymembers in their
submissions to the journal, organization of regional conventions,
and whatever else arises.
   The duties of the laymember will be to submit at least one
article per year to the journal.
   Although the first journal will highlight the Hercules
episodes "Warrior Princess", "The Gauntlet", and "Unchained
Heart", other article themes will be considered for inclusion.
For example, along with the synopses and reviews of the trilogy,
I want to include an article on the relationship between
"Hercules and the Amazon Women" and "Hooves and Harlots" in the
development of Lucy Lawless' interpretation of Xena. 
   Please e-mail me your suggestions and RESERVE YOUR TOPIC
TODAY!
   This week's XMR covers the cites 69 to 83. Next week's will
cover 84 to 99. At ten issues, that averages 10 cites per
newsletter. I am up to my 280th cite this week. That works out to
be about 18 more weeks before catching up, not including the
accumulating future months of articles.  It looks like I will be
issuing at least two XMRs per week sometime over the summer. My
goals are to be caught up by the start of next season.  I also
want to devote the lion's share of my time to Whoosh!. That means
I have to (1) get caught up in my day job; (2) get caught up in
my family job; and (3) get caught up on my other publishing
ventures.  Luckily, RIF is established enough that I do not have
to solicit submissions. I have enough material to do into
automatic. I will have to cut down on my editorials (is that a
collective cheer I hear?). 
   Eventually, XMR will retreat into the background as an IAXS
research project. I anticipate it being issued once to twice a
month. The real action will be Whoosh! I want it to be everything
a good fanzine can be. But I can't and won't do it alone. For all
those who missed the boat at the beginning of Star Trek fandom,
this is it. The boat is leaving...now! Jump in while you have a
chance. I will endeavor to make "the projects" as stressless as
watching XWP can be and to keep it's FUNdamental fun perspective.
   Due to size I had to cut the interview with Lucy Lawless
(XMR084). It will begin XMR #10.  However, the O'Connor interview
and the mythology article should keep you sated until next week.
--Kym


----------
TIMELINE
----------
01. "SINS OF THE PAST". 09/04/95. Synopsis given in XMR #06
02. "CHARIOTS OF WAR". 09/11/95. Synopsis given in XMR #07.
03. "DREAMWORKER". 09/18/95. Synopsis given in XMR #07.
04. "CRADLE OF HOPE". 09/25/95. Synopsis given in XMR #07.
05. "THE PATH NOT TAKEN". 10/02/95. Synopsis in XMR #08.
--. "THE WARRIOR PRINCESS". 10/09/95. Synopsis in XMR #08.

   "THE RECKONING". Release date: 10/16/95. Episode #6. Share:
1st showing: 5.2 (14th, 3rd place); 2nd showing: 5.3.
   Synopsis:
   Xena, minding her own business, finds a group of peasants
being attacked by a mysterious and magical foe. The peasants, as
peasants are wont to do, are having the dickens beaten out of
them. The New and Improved Xena (tm), perceiving a grave
injustice, jumps in and heads off the magician.  The magician is
wily and quick. Xena is deprived of victory when the magician
disappears as the peasants' peers come over the hill.
   The peasant peers immediately deduce that Xena was slicing and
dicing their people. Unfortunately all the survivors are dead
except for one guy, who passes out.
   The villagers take Xena to the village where the unwashed
masses want to string her up. A village elder arrives to remind
everyone of habeus corpus and Xena's inalienable right to trial.
The trick works! The villagers leave mumbling.
   Meanwhile it is discovered that (1) the magician was none
other than Ares, THE god of war; (2) there is a bully/sadist who
lives in the town and he blames Xena FOR EVERYTHING; and (3) Xena
really feels bad about killing a lot of people in her past [this
trait is exploited more in "Callisto", episode #22].
   Gabrielle finally gets to town and decides she'll be Xena's
representative at the trial. At the same time Ares is playing
massive headgames with Xena. He wants to seduce her back to the
Dark Force. While rotting away in the dank prison, Ares
perioidically whisks Xena (oh, calgon, take me away!) to Olympius
to work on the seduction. He even encourages her to enact
universal education and public good works programs if and when
she becomes Ares' representative on earth. Xena starts to see
some wisdom in Ares' plan.
   Meanwhile, back on earth where Xena's physical self still
remains, the little village sadist arrives with his friends to
torture Xena after the guy in the coma dies.  Little did the guy
realize that Xena could have whupped the entire village but did
not because she would have felt like a hypocrite.  After several
sessions with Ares, Xena could have cared less about being a
hypocrite. In mid-torture Xena goes into a fine frenzy and starts
literally ripping the place apart (not to mention the sadist and
friends). Gabrielle comes in during the mayhem and gets belted
and thrown across the room by the Old and Unimproved Xena (tm). 
Xena sobers up and becomes once again the New and Improved Xena,
quickly offering emergency first aid to all of her victims.
   After Gabrielle's attempts to disprove the prosecution's case
against Xena are thwarted by Ares, and Xena refuses to be party
to a jail break, Xena is saved by her own quick wit. Using
cunning logic that only a warrior princess could get away with,
she tricks Ares into bringing back to life the villagers that
Ares slaughtered (duh, Ares). The villagers then, of course,
think Xena is the best thing since sliced bread, and they all,
especially the little sadist, see the error of their petty little
ways. 
   Ares is majorly bummed, but the gals slap the backs of the
villagers, laugh a few laughs (hey! mistakes and misunderstanding
happen all the time), then head out on the road again.

   "THE GAUNTLET" Release date (3rd showing): 10/23/95. [Showings
as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys: 1st, ---; 2nd ----]. This
was shown as a special encore showing of a Hercules episode in
Hercule's timeslot. Share: 3rd release: 5.9.
   Synopsis:
   Xena gets booted out by her co-warlord-in-chief, Darfus,
because he's become impatient with Xena's rules about not killing
women and children and allowing villagers who agree to supply
them to go unplundered. He forces Xena to walk the gauntlet,
which is a Klingon-type, piratey, painstick-like thang. The
gauntletee must walk through the gauntlet, where the gauntleters
use deadly force to keep the gauntletee from walking the whole
distance (when pin the tail on the donkey gets too dull). Suffice
it to say, Darfus thinks he's killed Xena, but she survives and
gets really miffed at Darfus.
   Meanwhile, Herc decides he wants to eradicate Xena's army.
Salmoneous gets involved and is the first to see Xena's "change".
When he finds out that Xena is on a vengeance kick against
Darfus, and that Herc wants to destroy the army, Salmoneous
suggests that they pair up. Xena refuses and goes off to her own.
   Xena kills Darfus, but Darfus is a special "friend" of Hera,
so he comes back to life.
   
   "UNCHAINED HEART" Release date (3rd showing): 10/23/95.
[Showings as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys: 1st, ---; 2nd ----
]. This was shown as a special encore showing of a Hercules
episode in XWP's timeslot. Share: 3rd release: 5.9.
   Synopsis:
   Xena relents, finds her good side, has a roll in the hay with
Hercules, slowly makes friends with Iolaus, saves the baby, saves
Salmoneous (helped by Herc), and decides that an unchained heart
heart is okay. Telling Hercules that although her heart is now
unchained, she must hit the road to redeem herself and discover
this thing called "do-gooding".
    

-----------
ANNOTATIONS
-----------
[069] 10-29-95 through 11-12-95
   NOTE: This Q&A from the Dallas Morning News ran on 10-29-95
and was reprinted in The Record 11-05-95 and The Buffalo News on
11-12-95.

[069a] 10-29-95
   THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS. TV Magazine. Pg. 3. 533 words. "Q&A:
Your Questions;" 
   COMMENTARY: One of the first notices in popular print about
the Beastmaster movie project. 
   Beastermaster started out as a small-budget action/fantasy
movie from the late 1980's. It starred Marc Singer and had a
sequel which went quickly to video-release. Because Beastmaster
always found itself in the top five most-requested videos in the
entire Turner library (tentative XMR270c), the Action Packers
wanted to develop the property for a 2 hour TV movie with a
possibility of it becoming a series.
   Beastmaster was an attempt by Action Pack to capitalize on the
Hercules/Xena goldmine.  Reported plans to develop "Captain Zoom"
into a series would be put on hold until the ratings from
Beastmaster could be studied (tentative XMR238). 
   The Hollywood Reporter in March 1996, stated that MCA
announced that Beastmaster would be a weekly series (tentative
XMR210), while Daily Variety the same month reported it would
only if it only did well ratings-wise.  Then it would be
developed into a series that would be begin to be aired September
'96 or January '97 (tentative XMR211).  The Daily Variety
repeated this sentiment in April as well (tentative XMR238). 
   Unfortunately, part of Hercules & Xena's success is due to the
creative efforts of Renaissance Pictures, the production company
headed by Sam Raimi and Robert Tappert. That part is sadly
missing from Beastmaster as is mentioned by some reviewers
(tentative XMR275 and tentative XMR270a-d).
   EXCERPT:
   ...Q. Can you tell me what happened to Marc Singer?  I saw him
a year ago in an episode of Highlander and also in an episode of
Sirens. - M.S., Tallahassee, Fla.
   A. You'll be seeing more of him next year when he stars in his
third Beastmaster movie.  The new entry in the Beastmaster series
will be released on home video in January 1996, then makes its TV
premiere later in the spring.  A syndicated series, part of MCA's
Action Pack (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior
Princess) lineup, comes later.  Mr. Singer (V, Dallas) will
co-star with Lesley-Anne Down (North & South), Tony Todd
(Candyman) and David Warner (Star Trek: The Next Generation). 

[069b] 11-05-95
   THE RECORD (Bergen Record Corp.). Television. Pg.O14. 563
words. "TV Q&A" by Norma Cavazos  
   COMMENTARY:  Same as XMR069a.

[069c] 11-12-95
   THE BUFFALO NEWS. TV Topics, Pg. 5TV. 831 words. "Singer Is
Filming Third 'Beastmaster'; Series Then Makes its TV Premiere in
the Spring" by Norma Cavazos
   COMMENTARY: Same as XMR069a.


[070] 10-31-95 through 11-09-95
   NOTE:  The Milwaukee Journal ran the article on 10-31-95, and
the Houston Chronicle picked it up 11-09-95.  The Houston
Chronicle ran it in tandem with an article/interview with Renee
O'Connor [XMR075].
   No quotes from any actors, but a nice rolling account of a
commonly answer to the question "Why are these shows so
popular?".  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out,
but it is nevertheless amusing to read how the myriad television
critics grapple with the problem.
   

[070a] 10-31-95
   MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Cue & Family  Pg. 1. 490 words.
"Hercules, Xena give legends a loony charm'" By Joanne Weintraub.
   COMMENTARY:  Graphic is of Kevin Sorbo alone. Charatcerizes
both HTLJ and XWP as "the Southern Hemisphere's gifts to trash
TV." but then apologizes immediately. It is like you are
participating in the debate going on in the interviewers head:
she wants to call it trash, but can't.
   REPRINT:
   What comes from New Zealand and has four strong arms, two
incredibly good-looking heads and two colons?
   Give up? It's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (Tuesdays, 7
p.m., Channel 18) and "Xena: Warrior Princess" (Wednesdays, 7
p.m., Channel 18), the Southern Hemisphere's gifts to trash TV.
   Actually, "trash" is too harsh. You wouldn't confuse either of
these hourlong adventures with a BBC adaptation of "Bulfinch's
Mythology," but "Hercules," after just a single season in
national syndication, displayed enough loony charm to end up on
both Rolling Stone's "Hot List" and Entertainment Weekly's annual
canon of Cool. Xena, who won a show of her own this fall after a
guest shot with Herc, is every bit as cool and, beneath that iron
breastplate, just as hot.   
   Shot in New Zealand by American TV and film monstermeister Sam
Raimi ("The Evil Dead," "Darkman," "American Gothic"), both shows
employ a mix of Yanks and Kiwis, so that when half the actors are
going around yelling, say, "Join our party!" the other half are
bellowing, "Jawn air paddy!"
   Notwithstanding all the lush N.Z. scenery, the Hellenic names
and the references to such famous neighborhoods as Assyria and
Thrace, Raimi asks us to imagine that these stories are set in
"fantastic mythical worlds . . . long before ancient Greece and
Rome." Sure.
   Played by an astonishing hunk from Minnesota named Kevin
Sorbo, Herc goes everywhere in tight breeches and a distractingly
teeny tunic. The gods have endowed him with not only a blinding
smile and a totally buff bod, but a working sense of humor as
well, so that, unlike Hercules-es of the past, he actually has
more charisma than a tree.
   Our hero despises violence but is forced by an endless parade
of warlike barbarians to engage in long, exhausting bouts of
self-defense. Unfortunately, the creators seem to want to have
their cake and beat it, too, giving Hercules ample time each week
to commit mayhem on other people (and the occasional god or
Gorgon) so as to teach them that mayhem is bad.
   Xena, portrayed by a brooding beauty from New Zealand with the
unbeatable name of Lucy Lawless, is fully as gorgeous and nearly
as gigantic as Herc, though she hasn't always been as virtuous.
When first introduced on "Hercules," in fact, Xena was quite the
warlike barbarian, but now that she has her own series she only
makes war on behalf of widows and orphans.
   It's a shame these good guys can't go for five minutes without
having to teach some bad guy a lesson by means of a pre-Greco-
Roman knuckle sandwich, because in other ways both "Hercules" and
"Xena" would be good fun for families. The jokes are light-
hearted, the slapstick is nimble, the scenery is groovy and the
odd giant serpent or many-headed horror is more than adequately
animated. 
   If the fisticuffs and spear-slinging don't bother you too
much, you may want to look in on this pair once or twice. Or even
Thrace.
   GRAPHIC: Photo color. Kevin Sorbo is Hercules.

[070b] 11-09-95
   THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Pg. 1. 532 words. "Syndication gods
smile on 'Hercules,' 'Xena'"  By Joanne Weintraub.
   COMMENTARY:  Same as XMR070a.  It was run in tandem with
XMR075, which was an indepth article/interview with Renee
O'Connor. 


[071] 11-02-95
   MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. News  Pg. 8. 333 words. "The Lake
Effect" by Kathy Cave & Marilynn Marchione.
   COMMENTARY:  Local boy does good. He directed a XWP! 
   EXCERPT:
   ...SHOOTING THE BREEZE: From Marquette University to "Xena:
Warrior Princess." Not exactly a straight path for Charles
Siebert, class of 1962. Siebert, who played an uptight doctor on
the show "Trapper John, M.D." is the director of the female
version of "Hercules."...


[072] 11-06-95
   CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. What's News; Pg. 37. 255 words. "Kinsley
Stepping Out of 'Crossfire'" By Kevin M. Williams
   COMMENTARY:  After three months, someone finally noticed that
Vanishing Son had *disappeared*.  The Vanishing Son "controversy"
is covered in XMR011a, XMR012, XMR014 - XMR016, XMR020, XMR025,
and XMR029.
   EXCERPT:
   ...YOU ASKED IT: What happened to the Channel 9 show
"Vanishing Son"? 
   ANSWER: Well, it vanished. The martial arts drama wasn't doing
well, so it was replaced by "Xena, Warrior Princess," a show that
better suits the theme set by its lead-in, "Hercules."


[073] 11-06-95
   THE BOSTON HERALD. Television. Pg. 038. 346 words. "New team
replaces pair of 'Silk Stalkings'" By Mark A. Perigard
   COMMENTARY: Article about Nick Kokotakis, who appeared in XWP
"Chariots of War" as "Darius", the pacifist widower with three
children who befriend Xena after she was incapacitated by an
arrow. XWP mentioned in passing.
   EXCERPT:
   Viewers of the USA cable network's sexy "Silk Stalkings" got
their first jolt last night when actor Nick Kokotakis debuted as
Detective Michael Price. He's no threat to the sudden romance
between detectives Rita Lance (Mitzi Kapture) and Chris Lorenzo
(Rob Estes).
   He's simply the series' new star. And fan favorites Estes and
Kapture are kaput.  
   "It's sex, marriage and death, all in about three weeks," said
executive producer David Peckinpah of the episodes he wrote to
ease in newcomers Kokotakis and Tyler Layton and to send off the
stars who have been with the series since its 1991 premiere.
   "I completely understand fan fears about losing Rob and
Mitzi," said Kokotakis, a New York native whose previous acting
experience consists of a few commercials and one episode of
"Xena: Warrior Princess." "But it's still 'Silk Stalkings' and it
will still be a lot of fun to watch."
   Estes set the story line in motion at the end of last season
when he decided to quit the show, Peckinpah said. As first
drafted, the two detectives would tumble into bed, then realize
they had destroyed their professional relationship. Estes would
take a job in another city, leaving Kapture with a new on-screen
partner.
   Then Kapture announced during the taping of the third episode
that she was pregnant.
   "Hello! What do I do now?" Peckinpah said, recalling how he
scrambled to save his story. Estes' character would never abandon
a pregnant lover, so his became a final exit. Meanwhile, Kapture
couldn't serve as an action heroine while pregnant, Peckinpah
said, and after much negotiation about a diminished role, she
decided to leave.
   Price is a hardened Chicago cop who transferred after
discovering his fiancee was having an affair with his brother. As
Holly Rawlins, Layton is a career cop from Alabama out to avenge
the death of her drug-addicted sister. 
   "I can't remember another show reinventing itself mid-season,"
Peckinpah said. "We're taking an enormous gamble, but it's one we
feel we will win."...


[074] 11-09-95
   THE SEATTLE TIMES. Tempo. Pg. G39. 662 words. "New 'Barefoot
Executive' Is an Entertaining Romp" by John Voorhees.
   COMMENTARY: A passing mention was made in regard to other
weekly series which were having characters from other shows
appear. It was happening on almost every other show that week. Of
course, XWP was playing the same game.
   EXCERPT:
   ...More visitors: Hercules visit "Xena: Warrior Princess" at 8
tonight on KIRO-TV...


[075] 11-09-95
   THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Houston. Pg. 1. 646 words. "Houstonian
revels in role as 'Xena' sidekick". By Mike Mcdaniel
   COMMENTARY:  Reprinted in full. The first major media 
interview with Renee O'Connor.  The article pointed out that XWP
earns a higher rating there than HTLJ. Could it be Ms. O'Connor
is a native daughter?
   Ms. O'Connor stated that she signed a 5 year contract to do
XWP. The interview included Ms. O'Connor's take on Gabrielle and
some personal information.
   REPRINT:
   Herc may hail from Minnesota, Xena from New Zealand, but
Houston can claim Gabrielle.  And as loyal viewers know, Xena's
nothing but a single-dimensional sword-swinger without
Gabrielle.
   ""She's like a comic sidekick,'' says 24-year-old Renee
O'Connor, who plays the character.  ""She seems to talk herself
into trouble and then talk herself out of it. '' 
   Gabrielle also provides Xena the focus she needs to prevent
her from annihilating her evil opponents.  Xena's one mean
dude-ess, just in case you've missed the show (8 p.m.
Thursdays, Channel 39).
   ''Xena"" is clearly a syndicated hit in Houston,
averaging a 6 rating in October (1 rating point higher than
''Hercules,'' please note).
   And O'Connor clearly revels in her role.
   Gabrielle is a romantic, she says, and ""everything is a
storybook to her.  She likes to study myths, mythology, maps,
creatures, monsters and all that.
   ""Xena is the personification of all this.  That's why she has
to be a part of Xena.  Through Xena she's able to live these
stories. ''
   But when it's time to draw swords, Gabrielle leaves the
impaling to Xena.
   Not that O'Connor is a wimp -she's up at 3:30 every morning
for a pre-work jog, plus she lifts weights.
   ""I think she definitely needs to be strong, and I keep myself
physically fit just to be able to sell the fact that she's
walking all over the country. ''
   The fact that O'Connor gets to play in luscious New Zealand is
an extra-special bonus.
   ""It's beautiful here,'' she said with emphasis on the ""beau.
'' ""It reminds me of San Francisco - and actually Houston, too. 
   The rain passes pretty quickly. ''
   O'Connor, born in Houston and reared in Katy, has called
Auckland, New Zealand, home since June.
   ""We do our filming about 30 to 45 minutes from here, on
farmlands and in tropical forests.  There's so many types of
geography around this small island.  You can go to a black sand
beach on one side and maybe an hour away will be a white sand
beach.  It's just bizarre - and so beautiful. ''
   The beauty doesn't stop her from getting homesick from time to
time.  On the other hand, she's already been visited by a
boyfriend, a girlfriend and her mother, Sandra Wilson, who owns,
with husband Eddie, the Austin restaurant Threadgill's. 
   When we reached her downtown apartment recently by phone, her
dad, Walter, who works at Houston's Greentree Financial Corp.,
was visiting.
   O'Connor's route to TV started during a school program
offered by the Alley Theater.  From there she earned a spot at
Houston's High School for Performing and Visual Arts, although
she chose to graduate with her friends from Katy's Taylor High
School.
   Talent manager Lee Peterson got her an audition for a
''Mickey Mouse Club"" serial called ''Teen Angel,'' which
O'Connor parlayed into stints in Danielle Steele's ''Changes""
(with Cheryl Ladd), a ''Rockford Files'' movie (with James
Garner), a ''Tales From the Crypt"" episode (Arnold
Schwarzenegger's directorial debut) and a guest spot on ''NYPD
Blue. '' Producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi had her audition for
a part in one of the pre-series ''Hercules"" movies and were
impressed enough to cast her in the made-for-video ''Darkman II.
'' The leap to the ''Hercules"" spinoff, ''Xena: Warrior
Princess,'' was a natural one.
   ""They're good people,'' O'Connor says of her producers.  ""I
think that's kind of rare, especially in Los Angeles. ''
   L.A., which she now calls home, is where she hopes to be
during the Christmas break.  Then it's back to Auckland for as
long as the series demands - she's signed a five-year
commitment.
   Which will keep the phone company happy.  ""Between my mom,
dad and my boyfriend, I have these huge phone bills,'' she says. 
   Maybe she should have Xena take a look at them.  She's rough
on bills.  And Harrys and Johns and Steves.
   GRAPHIC: Houston's Renee O'Connor, plays Gabrielle, the impish
sidekick to Lucy Lawless Xena.


[076] 11-09-95 through 11-13-96
   COMMENTARY:  Ratings for "The Reckoning" released 10/16/95
(The Reckoning: Full of torture and Xena-abuse, it contains the
memorable scene where Xena slugs Gabrielle while in a bloodlust
moment.  The next time Xena gets into a wild bloodlust like that
will be in "Ties That Bind" (episode no. 20), where although Xena
does not get to whack Gabrielle again, Gabrielle gets to whack
Xena. There is balance is the universe). The Reckoning ranked
overall 14th, and placed as third highest action hour. 


[076a] 11-09-95
   DAILY VARIETY. News. Pg. 5. 768 words. "Series Wreaks Syndie
Havoc; Baseball preemptions plague mags; 'E.T.' tops 'Oprah'" By
Jim Benson.
   COMMENTARY: Ratings for The Reckoning.
   EXCERPT:
   The final four games of the World Series caused widespread
preemptions and intense competition for some high-profile
syndicated magazines and other shows during the week ended Oct.
29, according to the Nielsen national barter rankings...
   ...Of the weeklies, Par's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"
returned to winning form, gaining 12% to a 7.7, up 4% from a year
ago. MCA TV's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena:
Warrior Princess" rounded out the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, with All
American's "Baywatch" fourth and MGM's "The Outer Limits"
fifth...

[076b] 11-13-95
   VARIETY. Television; Pg. 29. 184 Words. "Nielsen Syndication
Ratings"
   COMMENTARY: The Reckoning.
   REPRINT:
For week ended October 29, 1995  
                                      Stations/
Rank  Program                         % coverage   AA %   GAA % 
1    Wheel of Fortune                  224/96      11.6   --  
2    Jeopardy!                         220/96       9.5   --  
3    Home Improvement                  215/97       8.5   9.2  
4    Star Trek: Deep Space Nine        233/98       7.7   8.2  
5    Entertainment Tonight             170/94       7.0   7.1  
5    Oprah Winfrey Show                234/99       7.0   7.0  
7    Seinfeld                          214/98       6.6   --  
8    Imagination III                   144/95       6.5   7.1  
9    Simpsons                          185/96       5.9   5.9 
10    Journeys of Hercules              222/97       5.8   6.3 
11    Home Improvement-Weekend          203/93       5.7   -- 
11    WCW Wrestling                     179/93       5.7   8.6 
13    Inside Edition                    163/91       5.4   5.5 
14    World Wrestling Fed. PR           153/89       5.2   6.4 
14    Xena                              198/96       5.2   5.7 
16    Fresh Prince of Bel-Air           158/90       5.1   5.4 
17    Baywatch                          212/95       5.0   5.2 
18    Jenny Jones                       208/96       4.9   5.2 
18    Roseanne                          171/93       4.9   5.0 
20    Hard Copy                         168/90       4.8   4.9 
   AA average refers to nonduplicated viewing for multiple
airings of the same show.
   GAA average encompasses duplicated viewing.
   GAA average does not apply when there is only one run of a
show. 

[076c] 11-13-95
   ADWEEK. Culture Trends. 1803 words.
   COMMENTARY: The Reckoning
   EXCERPT:
   ...Rank Program           Rating  Stations  Cvrge...
   ...14    Xena              5.2       198     96...

[076d] 11-06-95
   DAILY VARIETY. News. Pg. 8. 689 words. "'ET' Ends Oprah's
9-month Streak; Newsmags slip in syndie ratings" By Joe Flint.
   COMMENTARY:  Although what the weekly Variety is referring to
should cover the ratings for "The Reckoning", it is obviously
referring to the week where Action Pack aired two Hercules
episodes, "Unchained Heart" airing in Xena's timeslot.
   EXCERPT: 
   ...for the week ended Oct. 22...
   ...Among the weeklies that may have felt the impact of
post-season baseball, Paramount's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"
lost 19% to a 6.9; that's down 9% from last year's 7.6. However,
it still was strong enough to finish first in the category.
   MCA's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" lost 3% to a 5.9,
while his colleague, "Xena: Warrior Princess," took the week
off...


[077] 11-10-95
   DAILY VARIETY. News. Pg. 4. 386 words. "ABC orders 13 hours of
'Lorne'" By Jim Benson
   COMMENTARY: An update on Renaisance Pictures' then current
productions. Renaissance created and produced XWP. Renaisaance
Pictures is covered in XMR028, XMR039, XMR057, XMR063, XMR065,
XMR095, XMR143, and XMR187.
   EXCERPT:
   ABC has provided a 13-episode series commitment to Rob Tapert
and Sam Raimi's Renaissance Pictures for a new action hour next
season.
   "Lorne & Max"-- described as an American "The Avengers"-- is
the first project from the producing team behind "American
Gothic,""Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior
Princess" since their pact with MCA/Universal expired in April.
   In confirming the deal, Tapert said the team is searching for
a deficit financing partner. ABC Prods. and Disney, which is
slated to take control of the Alphabet web shortly after the
first of the year, are among those talking to the producers.  
   ABC will have the option of airing the new Renaissance series
next fall or midseason. If it does opt for a September start, the
network is eyeing "Lorne & Max" for 8 p.m. Thursday, where it
would serve as a young-skewing counter-programming vehicle
against NBC's powerhouse sitcom lineup. 
   Production is scheduled to begin in late February or early
March on the pilot penned by brothers Sam and Ivan Raimi.
   The plot, according to Sam Raimi, revolves around Lorne and
Maxine, who are involved in solving high espionage cases outside
of a national security agency. Sometimes the characters work with
the agency, other times against it. 
   For added measure, there is a love triangle involving the two
principals and an agency insider named Alex, who earlier had a
fling with Maxine...
   ...Raimi and Tapert are known for incorporating visual effects
into their firstrun shows. "Hercules," which debuted as a weekly
series last January, quickly established itself as the second
highest-rated syndie hour behind Paramount's "Star Trek: Deep
Space Nine."
   In September, "Hercules" spinoff "Xena" debuted. During its
most recent Nielsen outing, the princess muscled All American's
"Baywatch" out of third place. The two MCA TV hours run
back-to-back in many markets. 
   The producing team's two most recent feature films were "The
Quick and the Dead" and "Timecop." Sequels to their 1992 pic
"Darkman" are being released via Universal Home Video as
direct-to-video titles.


[078] 11-11-95
   THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Extra. Pg. D9; 349 words. "Shull's
Mailbag: When will television shows promote safer sex?" By R.K.
Shull
   COMMENTARY: Is XWP "a weird mix of chop-sockie and fetishism"?
This viewer hit that nail on the head!
   EXCERPT:
   ...Xena phobia
   Saw an episode of Xena: Warrior Princess, a weird mix of
chop-sockie and fetishism.  Where did it come from and what is
its object?  It's strange stuff. - S.B.
   The syndicated show is filmed in New Zealand and it's offered
as a companion piece to Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.  Only
in this instance, the super-person is Lucy Lawless in a metal
breastplate.  She goes about chopping down evil with her whirling
sword.  Not very comforting to the average gender-threatened
male...


[079] 11-13-95
   USA TODAY. Life; Pg. 3d. 607 words. "Fall '96 talk shops seek
identities away from sleeze" By Alan Bash
   COMMENTARY: Passing mention in regard to how both XWP & HTLJ
have inspired more action pilots.
   EXCERPT:
   ... Beyond the talk realm, several weekly action hours are
rumbling through the development pipeline, thanks to the success
of Hercules and its spinoff, Xena. They include an updated Mad
Max: The Road Warrior, a new Poltergeist anthology...


[080] 11-15-95
   DAILY VARIETY. THE BACKLOT. 1900 words. "Changing Channels;
TV season in the sun: joy, fun and questions" 
   COMMENTARY: Minor mention in an article that dares to ask the
tough questions regarding television fare. In this case, it's
what word would describe a person who was afraid of Xena:
"xenophobic".
   EXCERPT:
   THERE'S NOTHING LIKE lying around on the beach for a few days
to make you think about the big picture, the really important
stuff, the issues that matter most to you and the world around
you.
   Then again, if you and the people you know happen to be
exceptionally shallow, you might spend that time pondering
unanswered riddles surrounding the world of television, like the
old "Bewitched" Dick York-Dick Sargent debate -- that is, "How
could they change Darrins in midstream?"-- or why every yokel
encountered by the lanky David Carradine on "Kung Fu" looked at
him and immediately assumed he was Chinese.
   While it's always tempting to dwell on the past, television
provides us with lots of confounding questions today as well. As
Rod Serling would say, consider if you will the following:
   ...IF SOMEONE WERE AFRAID of the lead character in the
syndicated series "Xena, Warrior Princess," would that make them
Xena-phobic?...


[081] 11-05-95
   LOS ANGELES TIMES. Orange County Edition. TV Times; 705 words.
Pg 9; "With an Eye on . . . Ted Raimi, 'Seaquest 2032's' Nerdy
Computer Genius, Looks to Grow into Leading-man Roles" By N.F.
Mendoza
   COMMENTARY: Article about Ted Raimi, who late in the Xena
first season joined the cast as Joxer.
   REPRINT:
   Ted Raimi won't don a pocket protector again.
   The "seaQuest 2032" star says his current role as ship's
navigator is his "last as computer geek. Hopefully, I'm getting
too old to play the nerdy whiz kid," Raimi says from the
Victorian-era home he rents in downtown Orlando, Fla., where
"seaQuest" shoots.
   Raimi's "played leading man twice and really enjoyed it.
That's what I'd like to be doing next. Character roles are
thankless. I'm tired of being the one who things happen to. I
want to be the guy who makes things happen."  
   The actor's made enough happen to be one of three remaining
original cast members in the futuristic show.
   On this third and new season, with a new captain at the helm
(Michael Ironside), Raimi plays computer genius O'Neill, the
reluctant sailor with a penchant for languages. He's still his
introverted, sensitive self, but he's 10 years older. And like
other cast members still looks youthful. "It's due to being in
outer space," Raimi explains.
   The show's "fun in a repertoire way and there's a real
professionalism to the new cast members, though I miss my
friends" who are no longer on the show, Raimi says.
   The Detroit native and son of retail barons -- mom's in
lingerie, now-retired dad was in furniture -- Raimi, 29, the
youngest of five, felt pressure to take over the family business.
"It's a very Midwestern thing," Raimi explains. "None of my older
brothers or sister were interested."
   Much younger than his siblings, Raimi "was basically like an
only child," with his childhood experiences forming his concept
of his on-screen nerd. "I was a very awkward-looking kid, with
thick braces and head gear and thick glasses," Raimi recalls. Two
bullies "threw me up on the lockers every day and said, 'Raimi,
we're gonna beat you up, dude,' and then, just in time for the
school bell to ring, they'd throw my books to the end of the
hall." 
   The weak kid grew up to be "a not unimposing" 6 1/2 ft. tall
and 178 lbs., "but I still get hunched over and feel like that
harassed kid. But, fortunately, my parents were very supportive."
   Raimi "never bemoaned" his life, never had many close friends
and, until quite recently, never many girlfriends. "Deep inside
you still have that . . . negative system," he says. "So you
focus on other things, those anti-social things, like acting and
writing."
   Studying drama at Michigan State University was like "studying
theater in the Himalayas," he says. He moved to the University of
Detroit, where his experience with the school's drama company
solidified his interest in acting. 
   Raimi dropped out in 1989 "when I realized there was nothing
more to learn." He headed to L.A. where older brother Sam had
established a career as a director ("Army of Darkness," "Evil
Dead," TV's "Hercules" and "Xena"). 
   Raimi lived with Sam for two years, landing roles in
"Shocker," "Clear and Present Danger," "Hard Target," "Born
Yesterday," "Lunatics: A Love Story" and the horror films
"Candyman" and "Darkman" along with guest roles on TV. 
   Now, Raimi and girlfriend, model and artist Alexa Motley, find
that living in the hurricane zone can be daunting. "But it's a
great house and Alexa is going through room by room painting
murals on the walls."
   While "seaQuest" has a grueling schedule, Raimi finds time to
write -- he penned last season's episode on the lost city of
Atlantis. He hopes eventually to direct and produce. But but
"right now, writing -- the mechanics of it are most important."
   He's gotten his castmates to star in an 8 mm, 10-minute comedy
he penned about a Vietnam vet. The concept, the director says, is
"it's cheesy fun. All those movies, 'the soldier -- he came
back,' and it's like, so what? It's not a response to the actual
war, but to the deluge of movies about them." His goal for the
little film, is "to use it as an excuse to get together and have
a party to show it."
   But now, "I sit in that ('seaQuest') chair all day long. I
never get out it. Chair acting is the hardest friggin' thing,
when you move around you can motivate yourself through action.
This is all about your eyes. For my next role, I want one where I
get out of the chair and walk around."
   "seaQuest 2032" airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.
   GRAPHIC: Photo, Ted Raimi of "seaQuest 2032": "I'm tired of
being the one who things happen to. I want to be the guy who
makes things happen." 


[082] 11-17-95
   ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE. Weekend. Pg. 2W. 718 words.
"Beefcake, Cheesecake on TV's Myth Menu" by Ellis Widner.
   COMMENTARY: A musing about what XWP & Hercules are doing to
mythology.
   REPRINT:
   I've always had a fondness for mythology, whether it's the
written works of Joseph Campbell, the classic "Bullfinch's
Mythology" or myth-based modern fantasy writers such as Charles
de Lint.
   But I'm really a sucker for the myth-themed movies, such as
the big-budget 1981 film "Clash of the Titans," the wonderfully
cheesy "Hercules" flicks from the '60s, the fine "Jason and the
Argonauts" (1963) and a number of Sinbad films, particularly "The
Seventh Voyage of Sinbad" (1958) with its wonderful sword fight
between Sinbad and a skeleton.
   These days I'm getting my mythology fix from TV: the
syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The
Legendary Journeys. 
   Since Herc and Xena hit the airwaves, Saturday night TV's a
lot more fun. The good times roll with "Hercules" at 7 p.m.,
"Xena" follows at 8. Both are on KASN, Channel 38.  
   Both shows have simple, good-vs.-evil story lines. Good always
triumphs, but not without a struggle that can involve swordplay,
wordplay and goofy martial arts battles with beasts -- human and
mythological. Special effects are darn good, too.
   Then there's the beefcake and cheesecake factor.
   Hercules is a muscular, handsome hunk who runs around in the
same outfit all the time: skin-tight pants and a shirt that never
seems to be fastened. No buttons back then, I guess. Herc's the
son of Zeus, king of the gods, and a mortal mother. Zeus' wife,
the god-Queen Hera, was not amused. Many of the shows turn on
Hera trying to exact revenge by killing the fruit of her
husband's indiscretion. The gods play rough, but Herc triumphs,
his sunny disposition and sense of humor intact.
   Xena is an Amazon-like warrior, nearly Hercules' equal in the
swordplay and martial arts department. But where Herc's modest
and good-natured, Xena's abrupt and all business. Think of her as
a mythological Emma Peel, but instead of the skin-tight leather
jumpsuit the "Avengers" heroine favored, this warrior princess
tools around in a low-cut, short-skirted leather ensemble.
Instead of a fierce hi-yaaaaa!  you'll hear a yell that sounds
like a turkey gobble on speed as Xena leaps over tall enemies
with a single bound, hits the ground and cleans their clocks.
   Herc is the classic good guy seeking to right wrongs, to help
protect humans against the gods' whims. He's a sensitive, New Age
kinda guy.
   But Xena's a former warlord whose single act of compassion
caused her army to betray her. She's a bad girl gone good and
that ongoing struggle with her dark side gives her character
greater depth. In a recent episode, she even outwitted her former
mentor, Ares, the war god.
   Sounds like adventures in bimbo//himbo land, doesn't it? 
   But what sets these shows above programs like "Baywatch" are
the story lines. There's a moral. The dialogue is often
tongue-in-cheek, with good-natured jabs at everything from New
Age philosophies to relationships set in plots involving cyclops,
centaurs and cranky deities.
   Both shows play loose with mythology. On last week's "Xena,"
for example, she and Hercules (they often guest on each other's
show) team up to free Prometheus, the titan who has been captured
by Hera's minions. Why worry? Because with his capture, mankind
lost fire and the ability to heal.
   But in Greek mythology, Prometheus was tied to a rock by Zeus
for eternity for stealing fire from the gods and giving it to
mortals. On "Xena," Hera had Prometheus chained to set a trap for
Hercules.
   To Hollywood, even the gods are not sacred.
   Who would sign on for these roles?
   Xena is played by Lucy Lawless of New Zealand (where both
shows are filmed). Is that a great name for an action actress or
what? The 6-foot Lawless has studied opera, worked as a miner and
on TV.
   Hercules is played by Kevin Sorbo, a Minnesota native who's 6
feet 3 inches tall, weighs 215 and does most of his own stunts.
   Wanna know more? Check the Web. "Hercules" is at http////www/
ca.com//tv//hercules and "Xena" is at http////www/
ca.com//tv//xena 
   Maybe someday Xena's producers will bring Linda Carter
("Wonder Woman") on board as Xena's mom. Or maybe Peel herself,
Diana Rigg. I bet there's still a good karate kick or two left in
her.
   Oh, and by the way, how 'bout buying Herc a clean shirt? At
least Xena gets a change of clothes once in a while.


[083] 11-17-95 through 11-20-95.
   NOTE: Daily Variety and the Hollywood Reporter broke the news
about MCA's "Sinbad" on 11-17-95, and the weekly Variety
reprinted the article on 11-20-95.

[083a] 11-17-95
   DAILY VARIETY. News. Pg. 4. 162 words. "'Hercules' and 'Xena'
give birth to 'Sinbad'"
   COMMENTARY: Shared first annoucement of MCA's "Sinbad". 
Reprinted in full due to size.
   REPRINT:
   The success of MCA TV's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and
"Xena: Warrior Princess" has bred "Sinbad," a firstrun weekly
hour action/adventure series in development by All American TV
and Atlantis Films Ltd. for fall 1996. 
   Ed Naha, who created and wrote the feature film "Honey, I
Shrunk the Kids," is the creator of the new series, which will
rely on special effects and be produced by Atlantis.  
   It is the first hour created under the regime of David Gerber,
the award-winning producer who recently joined All American TV
Prods. as president. Peter Sussman is president of the Los
Angeles-based Atlantis Films. 
   Atlantis will begin production on the initial 22 episodes in
the spring, with casting for the series leads now under way.
   All American TV, whose other firstrun hour series are
"Baywatch" and "Baywatch Nights," will distribute "Sinbad" in the
U.S. and Europe (except Scandinavia). Atlantis Releasing will
handle all other worldwide territories. 

[083b] 11-17-95
   THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 278 words. By Steve Brennan.
   COMMENTARY: Shared first announcement of MCA's "Sinbad". 
Reprinted in full due to size. "Sinbad", is another MCA project
trying not to be a Hercules clone.
   REPRINT:
   First came Hercules, then Xena, fantasy action hour characters
muscling up the ratings points for MCA TV in syndication land.
Now Sinbads joining the fray, courtesy of All American Television
and Canadas Atlantis Films.   The two entities announced the new
venture into the syndication action hour genre Thursday,
unveiling its Sinbad project for a fall 1996 launch. But Larry
Lamattina, president and CEO of All American Television, insisted
that Sinbad will not be a Hercules clone. Its not Hercules in the
sense that hes fighting dragons.  Therell be more the magic and
mysticism of Sinbad and there will be a recurring villain. Also,
therell be a lot of humor, he said. David Gerber, who recently
joined All American as president of All American Television
Prods., said, Sinbad is one of those evergreen characters, like
Hercules or Aladdin, whose name is synonymous with mystery,
magic, romance and adventure. He added that the special effects
work of Atlantis will be heavily utilized. In that regard, Peter
Sussman, president of Atlantis Films, observed that the magic and
mythical creatures and forces associated with the Sinbad stories
can now be created so remarkably with todays amazing special
effects technology. Atlantis will begin production of an initial
22 episodes next spring for the fall premiere. Like Hercules,
which is lensed in New Zealand, Sinbad will go overseas for its
principal photography. Lamattina said they were currently looking
at several possible locations, including Malta. Sinbad will be
distributed by All American in the domestic and European market
while Atlantis will distribute in Canada and the rest of the
world.

[083c] 11-20-95
   VARIETY. Television; Pg. 19. 113 words. "All American Sails
'Sinbad'" by Jim Benson
   COMMENTARY:  Same as XMR083a.

-------------
THE BACK PAGE
-------------

XMR #10 will contain annotations #84 through #99, dated from
11/23/95 to 12/13/95.  It is scheduled to be released June 7,
1996. Highlights include Lucy Lawless' 2nd major media interview;
XWP's first mention in mainstream British press; Captain Zoom;
Ken Sorbo interview; licensing of products; November sweeps
results; three Entertainment Weekly articles (big time at last);
and more!

PREFERRED CITATION:  When citing an annotated review, use the
format: XMR:007.  This example means Xena Media Review [issue
#01], annotation #007.

DISCLAIMER: XMR (Xena Media Review) is a free non-profit
informational release.  XMR in no way intends to challenge,
disregard or profit from any of the original copyright holders of
the material excerpted, reprinted, or referred to (including but
not limited to MCA, Universal, Renaissance Pictures, Dallas
Morning News, Record, Buffalo News, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
Houston Chronicle, Chicago Sun-times, Boston Herald, Seattle
Times, Daily Variety, Variety, Adweek, Indianapolis Star, Usa
Today, Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Democrat-gazette, and
Hollywood Reporter).  This newsletter is an academic and
educational pursuit to archive, annotate, and study the media
response to Xena: Warrior Princess (a television production from
MCA/Universal/ Renaissance) and the actresses Lucy Lawless and
Renee O'Connor, especially in the light of popular culture and
the influence of mass media.  XMR exercises its right to quote,
excerpt or reprint as allowed under the law in order to review
and discuss the media reports cited and annotated herein. XMR is
distributed free of charge. Only national/international major
media released in electronic form are considered for inclusion.
Banner graphic by Colleen Stephan. Copyright 1996 by Kym Masera
Taborn.

   REPRINT POLICY: Permission to use, copy and distribute Xena
Media Review (XMR), or parts thereof, by electronic means for any
non-profit purpose is hereby granted, provided that both the
above copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all
copies of the newsletter itself, and that proper credit is given
for any excerpts. Any other format or purpose for distribution
requires permission of the author.
   Reproducing XMR or parts thereof by any means implies full
agreement to the above non-profit-use clause.
   
SOLICITATIONS FOR FUTURE NEWSLETTERS
   Send cites, references, articles, annotations, and/or
submissions to ktaborn@lightspeed.net. XMR is a non-profit
fan publication. The editors retain editorial control and reprint
privileges over the submitted materials and reserve the right to
use the material in whatever way they deem appropriate. Submitted
materials will not be returned to the sender.

Editor-in-Chief: Kym Masera Taborn
BBS: Resistance is Futile BBS (805) 588-9349: Oxnardus
Internet: ktaborn@lightspeed.net
US Mail: RIF BBS, P.O. Box 81181, Bakersfield, CA

I also edit a free netzine called "Resistance is Futile," a Star
Trek parody and all things Borgish newsletter which is issued
every 19 days and has been published since 1992 (the Borg jokes
just keep on coming!).  Request a free subscription at
ktaborn@lightspeed.net.  Check out the back issues at WEB
SITE: http://www.startrek.in-trier.de/rif/

Coming in September '96: WHOOSH! The Journal of the International
Association for Xena Studies.

