     _____               ______                               ._
     `\`/>`\            /`/` /`__________,.'>___      _____   )~\
       /<`\ `\        /`/` /``\ \./------> /|\./\     |\./|  / | \
      /< `\`\ `\    /`/` /`   | | |----\ /  | |\ \    | | |././^\ \
 |\__{o}\--`\`\ `\/`/` /`-----| | |-----`------\`\`\--| | |----^ \ \----.
[\\\\\\\{*}==`>      <`=======| | ==============`\`\`\| | |=====\ \ \==-->
 |/~~{o}/-- /`/  /\ \ `\------| | |---------------`\`\\ | |------\ \ \--'
      \<  /`/` /`  `\`\ `\    | | |_____,.'>| | |   `\`\| | /'    \ \ \
       \< /` /`      `\`\ `\  ,/ /^\------> / |/^\|   \ | |/       \/^\\.
      /`/\>/`           `\`\ `\`~~~~~~~~~~~\ / ~~~~~   )^\,\,      '~~~~~
     `~~~~~`             '~~~~~`            `          ~~~~~~
==========================
XENA: THE MEDIA REVIEW #10
==========================
http://www.teleport.com/~gater/IAXS.html
c/o RIF BBS, P.O. Box 81181, Bakersfield, CA 93308
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XENA Media Review (XMR) is a periodic annotated world press
review of reports regarding the international 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. 10
Release date: June 7, 1996
2nd edition: 07/10/96
Covering 11/23/95 - 12/13/95

Annotations 084 - 099
   [007c] 04-22-95. DES MOINES REGISTER. Mention of RO
***[084a] 11-23-95. DAILY NEWS. 2nd maj int of LL
   [084b] 12-02-95. SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER. Same as XMR084a
   [084c] 01-02-96. ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Version of XMR084a.  
***[085] 11-24-95. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Major article
***[086] 11-24-95. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. 3rd maj int of LL
*  [087a] 11-27-95. VARIETY. Prometheus ratings
   [087b] 11-27-95. DAILY VARIETY. Same content as XMR087a.
*  [087c] 11-27-95. VARIETY. Nielsen Syndication Ratings
   [087d] 12-05-95. DAILY VARIETY. interim November sweeps
   [088] 11-27-95. ELECTRONIC MEDIA. MIP in November 1995.
** [089] 11-29-95. THE GUARDIAN. XWP's 1st Brit Press mention
   [090] 11-30-95. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Intl market   
*  [091a] 12-03-95. SEATTLE TIMES. "Captain Zoom in Outer Space"
   [091b] 12-07-95. TAMPA TRIBUNE. Passing mention
   [092] 12-03-95. AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. Sorbo int
   [093] REMOVED to XMR087d.
** [094] 12-08-95. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Licensing/merchandising
*  [095] 12-08-95. ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Producers' Logos.
*  [096] 12/08/95. DAILY VARIETY. November Sweeps results.
   [097] 12-09-95. WASHINGTON TIMES. Minor mention
*  [098] 12-11-95. VARIETY. Ratings for Hooves & Harlots
*  [099] 12/13/95. CNN. TV Show: Showbiz Today. Mention


-------------
Introduction:
-------------
   First, I must apologize that I did not have time to write any
synopses for XWP.  This issue should have covered "The Titans",
"Prometheus", "Death in Chains" and "Hooves and Harlots".  I will
try to get to them next week.  My time has been used up mostly by
(eek) my day job.  What scraps I had left, after fulfilling
familial and spousal, were used in getting RIF #58 (Resistance is
Futile, my OTHER fanzine) out AND setting up and coordinating
IAXS (International Association of Xena Studies).  Oh, and did I
mention my nervous breakdown? (Er, just kidding.) 
   Back to IAXS! It is going well. So far we have about 23
research projects registered and about 10 others vacillating
(it's okay, procrastination is a time honor academic pursuit).  
   THE BIG NEWS, of course, is we have a web page: 
http://www.teleport.com/~gater/IAXS.html.  
   This page was donated and designed by Tricia Murphy
(gater@teleport.com). 
   On this page we hope to keep everyone informed about IAXS and
XMR and whatever else we fancy.  
   In an earlier XMR I announced two special issues of XMR. One,
the "Let's Analyze the Heck Out of Xena" one has evolved into
Whoosh!, the Journal of the International Association of Xena
Studies.  It will be published 6 times a year and highlight five
episodes of XWP per issue.  The first issue will highlight the
HTLJ Xena trilogy (Warrior Princess, Gauntlet, Unchained Heart)
and the episodes "Sins of the Past" and "Chariots of War".  It is
scheduled to appear sometime next month.  Stay tuned for more
information!
   And now for something completely different...
   I recently had the pleasure of viewing two of the original
five Hercules: The Legendary Journeys movies and I have
discovered that I like the movies better than the weekly Hercules
show.  
   In the movies, or at least the two I saw, Hercules is testy
and rude in. He's got a huge chip on his shoulder and he doesn't
mind showing it. Furthermore, Hercules seems to be dedicated to
tearing down the god-system and making people no longer worship
the gods. He reluctantly helps people and the episodes are not
"whooshy" or too campy. They are rather serious dramas (well, as
serious as Raimi/Tappert could be). I like that. They are much
more akin to the mood in Xena: Warrior Princess. I must conclude
that's why I prefer them over the series.  However, I have only
seen two ("Hercules and the Amazon Women" and "Hercules and the
Lost Kingdom"; the Lost Kingdom being better than Amazon, in my
opinion). I have three more to go. I'll have to wait and see what
what I think after seeing all of them.  
   I am going to post this query on the mailing lists and see if
anyone else has any thoughts on these movies.  The movies, by the
way, are not as rushed as the series and they are beautifully
photographed and scored.  It's been a pleasure to watch them and
I was surprised that I enjoyed them as much as I did.
--Kym

----------
TIMELINE
----------
Tabled until next issue!


-------------------
AMENDED ANNOTATIONS
-------------------
[007c] 04-22-95
   THE DES MOINES REGISTER. Today  Pg.4. 414 words. "A
sociological look at the James boys" 
   COMMENTARY: Another nominal mention of Ms. O'Connor regarding
"Follow the River", an ABC TV movie of the week.
   EXCERPT:
   ..."Follow the River" (ABC at 8 p.m.) Adapted from James
Alexander Thom's novel, this new drama casts Sheryl Lee ("Twin
Peaks") as an 18th-century woman captured by Shawnee raiders.
Wanting to protect her young son (Tyler Noyes) and keep herself
from being enslaved or slain, she agrees to keep company with
their leader (Eric Schweig), though she eventually escapes and
struggles to return home.
   Several months' pregnant, she's joined in her grueling quest
by a fellow captive (Ellen Burstyn).
   Filmed on location in North Carolina, the tale also features
Renee O'Connor and Andrew Stahl as other prisoners who have to
rely on Lee's courage to ensure their survival.


-----------
ANNOTATIONS
-----------

[084] 11-23-95 through 01-02-96
   Christy Slewinski's phone interview and resulting article
represented Lucy Lawless' 2nd major media interview. The first
was in October 1995, reprinted in XMR051a.
   Ms. Slewinski's article appeared first in the 11-23-95 New
York Daily News, and then 12-02-95 in the San Francisco Examiner,
then 01-02-96 in the Arizona Republic.
   Essentially a short interview, the content covers a variety of
topics: how quickly Ms. Lawless went from a three episode deal in
Hercules to her own series; the joys of having an action figure
loosely based upon her body; her loss of personal time because of
her growing celebrity; and her true feelings about Xena's
costume.
   This article added to the growing legend behind Ms. Lawless'
circuitous route to becoming Xena. When asked by Producer Rob
Tappert, Ms. Lawless was quoted as saying, "'I said, "Pardon?"'
and he repeated it. And I then said: 'Ah, Mr. Tappert, that
sounds very nice. Why don't you get back to me at a later date
when it's a bit more concrete?"'"
   While discussing the Xena action figure, Ms. Lawless was
quoted as saying, "It's a very odd facsimile...and the body's
like He-man's body in a skirt...But that's the fun of it."
   Ms. Lawless also discussed her loss of private time with her
family now that she was becoming more successful. "I was sitting
in the looping studio late one night and I had this epiphany that
they weren't paying me for my acting, for god's sake, but to own
me. And from then on, it became clear and an awful lot easier to
deal with...that that's what my contract was all about..."  The
article further mentioned that her daughter Daisy lives with her
father on the weekdays and Lucy only gets to see her on the
weekends.
   Speaking of her costume, Ms. Lawless remarked, "Those corsets
are for the birds, man..."


[084a] 11-23-95
   DAILY NEWS (New York). Page 109. 452 words. "Lawless' Success
All Greek to Her" by Christy Slewinski.
   COMMENTARY: A short, but seminal, interview of Lucy Lawless. 
   REPRINT: 
   MANY actors believe you'd have to be blessed by the gods to go
from a guest appearance on a hit series to the star of your own
spinoff. In Lucy Lawless' case, it was a demi-god who made it all
happen.
   The New Zealand native signed on to do a three-episode arc on
the popular syndicated series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"
during its first season. Before her stint was over, Lawless was
headlining her own actioner, "Xena: Warrior Princess," which airs
Saturdays nights at 9 on WPIX/Ch. 11. (And repeats Sunday
afternoons at 1:30.) 
   Lawless first appeared on "Hercules" which stars Kevin Sorbo
as the mythological half-god, half-man good guy as a feared, evil
marauder who flattened everything in her path. Problem was,
audiences loved her. So Xena did a quick 180, and now battles
evil with the best of the boys. 
   It all came about, says Lawless by phone from New Zealand,
with an incredible call from "Hercules'" co-executive producer,
Rob Tapert "just a voice from America" who asked her if she'd
like to have a show of her own. 
   "I said, 'Pardon?' " and he repeated it. And I then said: 'Ah,
Mr. Tapert, that sounds very nice. Why don't you get back to me
at a later date when it's a bit more concrete?' "
   Obviously, he did.
   Currently, "Xena" is the fifth-highest-rated syndicated
one-hour drama, no doubt buoyed by the phenomenal success of
"Hercules," which often takes top Nielsen honors.
   Lawless who hasn't been to America since the show launched is
still a bit shell-shocked over the sudden success of "Xena,"
which doesn't yet air in New Zealand, where the show is taped.
"If this is a big deal at all, nobody down here knows it," she
says.
   And she laughs at the idea that, before long, little fans will
be acting out their own shows with "Hercules" and "Xena" action
figures, which will be available in stores soon. "It's a very odd
facsimile," she says of the doll, "and the body's like He-man's
body in a skirt. . . . But that's the fun of it." 
   There are, she admits, clouds hidden inside the bright silver
lining. 
   First of all, there's the loss of personal time.
   "I was sitting in the looping studio late one night and I had
this epiphany that they weren't paying me for my acting, for
god's sake, but to own me. And from then on, it became clear and
an awful lot easier to deal with . . . that that's what my
contract was all about," says Lawless, a single mother who sees
her 7-year-old daughter, Daisy, on weekends. The rest of the
week, Daisy lives with her father.
   Then, of course, there's Xena's rigid, restrictive leather and
metal costume, which Lawless wiggles in and out of.
   "Those corsets are for the birds, man," she says.
   GRAPHIC: 'XENA' STEALER: Lucy Lawless' show is riding high.

[084b] 12-02-95
   THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER. Page C1. 560 words. "Don't cross
Xena" by Christy Slewinski.
   COMMENTARY:  Same as XMR084a, but with different graphic
caption.
   EXCERPT:
   ...GRAPHIC: Lucy Lawless plays justice -fighter "Xena: Warrior
Princess," a spinoff of the syndicated "Hercules' show, where she
began as a feared, evil marauder. 

[084c] 01-02-96
   THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Page C6. 338 words. "Lucy Lawless on
Straight and Narrow with Hit Series 'Xena'" By Christy Slewinski.
   COMMENTARY:  Edited down version of XMR084a.  No graphic.


[085] 11-24-95
   ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Page 85. 643 Words. "Gimme Some Skin;
Drawing Strength from 'Hercules,' 'Xena' Proves a Scintillating
Spin-off--but Without That Bevy of Bods, David Hasselhoff's
'Baywatch' Detective Faces Dismal 'Nights.'" by Ken Tucker.
   COMMENTARY: Five months after mentioning XWP briefly in
context with HTLJ (XMR020), ET finally gave Xena some column
space.
   Mr. Ken Tucker of EW asked the eternal question, "Why is Xena
popular and Baywatch Nights so abysmal?" Describing HTLJ as "one
of the most self-aware of junk television shows", EW also
described Xena as "Wonder Woman on steroids". 
   A paragraph was reserved for a description of the "mini-
martial-arts movies" produced for the fight scenes, which
excelled in "flying fists and vicious leg kicks, sped-up editing
and absurdly exaggerated leaps and flips".  Mr. Tucker described
Xena's chakram as a "stainless-steel-bladed Frisbee".  Mr. Tucker
concluded the analysis of the fight scenes with the realization
that "if I were a 10-year-old, I'd bite anyone who tried to keep
me away from an episode of Xena."
   Mr. Tucker then offered the adult readers a sampling of
dialogue which he referred to as "a stitch".  It was between Xena
and a blind cyclops from "Sins of the Past". Mr. Tucker than
segued into the Baywatch Nights woes with the observation that
"they could use a blind Cyclops or two on Baywatch Nights..."
   Mr. Tucker concluded the entire article with the thought,
"Xena has done a few crossover episodes with Hercules. Maybe she
should pay a visit to Baywatch Nights, scream a few
Yi-yi-yi-yi-yis, and shake Hasselhoff out of his ego stupor."
   Ms. Lawless gets a graphic.
   REPRINT:
   IT'S NOT UNUSUAL for a successful TV show to try to cash in by
producing another, similar series, but it is surprising that the
spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, XENA: WARRIOR
PRINCESS (syndicated, check local listings), is so shrewdly done,
while David Hasselhoff's Baywatch successor, BAYWATCH NIGHTS
(syndicated, check local listings), is so clueless. 
   Followers of the popular syndicated hour Hercules know that
the warrior princess Xena, played by the delightfully monikered
Lucy Lawless, used to be one of the fiercest foes of Kevin
Sorbo's mythical hero. Regular viewers also know that Hercules
has turned out to be one of the most self-aware of junk
television shows; overseen by executive producers Sam Raimi and
Robert Tapert (Darkman, American Gothic), Hercules has attracted
a large following of kids, who like the comic-book-style action
scenes, as well as adults, who appreciate the joke of using
modern slang in an ancient-times context.
   Lawless' Xena--"a mighty princess forged in the heat of
battle," as Xena's opening credits have it--became a fan favorite
breakout character on Hercules. But how to turn her into enough
of a sympathetic protagonist to justify her own show? Easy: She
expressed a twinge of remorse about the havoc she had wreaked
plundering villages and coldcocking peasants, and so she forswore
her ruthless ways and started helping people rather than
exploiting them.   
   Xena is Wonder Woman on steroids, and Lawless--with her dark
bangs, moon face, light blue eyes, and small, grim smiles--plays
the warrior princess with barely concealed delight. The fight
scenes are shot like mini-martial-arts movies, with flying fists
and vicious leg kicks, sped-up editing and absurdly exaggerated
leaps and flips. Xena even gives out with a high-pitched yip
("Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi!") when she moves in for the kill. As if all
this weren't enough, Xena has a special weapon--a sort of
stainless-steel-bladed Frisbee that she tosses to slice up a foe,
and that comes back to her like a boomerang. I truly believe that
if I were a 10-year-old, I'd bite anyone who tried to keep me
away from an episode of Xena.
   For non-10-year-olds, though, the dialogue in Xena is a
stitch. Confronted by a blind, one-eyed giant who's armed with a
sledgehammer, Xena sends him tumbling. "You ought to go into a
new line of work," she says saucily. "Like what?" grumbles the
flattened enemy. "I'm a blind Cyclops, for heaven's sake!"
   They could use a blind Cyclops or two on Baywatch
Nights--anything to make this predictable show more interesting.
The premise is that David Hasselhoff's lifeguard Mitch Buchannon
has gone into business with Baywatch pal Garner Ellerbee
(GregAlan Williams) in a detective agency; their third partner is
Ryan McBride (played by Angie Harmon).
   I guess the phenomenal success of Baywatch has deluded
Hasselhoff into thinking that he--rather than that show's
undulating profusion of crimson bathing suits--is what makes the
series so popular. As a result, Nights is wall-to-wall Mitch
Buchannon; Garner and Ryan barely even register as supporting
characters. Hasselhoff also provides a lot of hard-boiled-cliche
voice-over narration ("[She] had something to do with fate--as in
fatal..."). There are lots of car chases and shoot-outs adorning
plots that seem lifted from old scripts for Mannix. His faith in
old-fashioned television formulas is touching, if utterly
unfounded. Hasselhoff has said that if Nights is a hit, he'll
fade into the background of Baywatch (no more sand jogging for
this middle-aged multimillionaire) and concentrate on his
fledgling detective role. 
   Xena has done a few crossover episodes with Hercules. Maybe
she should pay a visit to Baywatch Nights, scream a few
Yi-yi-yi-yi-yis, and shake Hasselhoff out of his ego stupor.
Xena: Warrior Princess: B+ Baywatch Nights: D 
   GRAPHIC: LETHAL WEAPONS: Xena's Lawless (top left) reigns;
Hasselhoff and Harmon shoot blanks [Lucy Lawless and others on TV
show Xena; David Hasselhoff and Angie Harmon on TV show Baywatch
Nights] 


[086] 11-24-95
   ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Page 86. 327 Words. "Toys in Babeland;
Lucy Lawless of 'Xena'" by A.J. Jacobs.
   COMMENTARY:  A companion piece to the more lengthy XMR085. 
This marked the third major media interview with Ms. Lawless
(first was XMR051a on 10/01/95; the second XMR084a on 11/23/95). 
Even smaller than XMR084, the article at least offered some
direct quotations. Included graphic of Ms. Lawless.
   Starting with Ms. Lawless' horror at her action figure, A.J.
Jacobs then continued the phone interview with topics ranging
from Xena being a role-model ("I don't want any of this
role-model nonsense"), having her hair dyed ("I love being a
brunet"), and the athletic requirements of the show (""I've hit
plenty of people on the set").
   The article then settled into a quick biography, her marital
status, the problems with making Xena into a heroine, her need
for a personal trainer, and Xena's costume ("It makes you
crotchety to be trussed up like a chicken...I think that's why
Xena's such a grump.").
   Presented in People Magazine style but with an EW edge
("Lawless' Warrior Princess could kick Barbie's Butt"), the
article adds to the growing mythos about Lucy Lawless and Xena.
   REPRINT:
   WANT TO MAKE LUCY LAWLESS mad as Hades? Just ask the star of
Xena: Warrior Princess about her soon-to-be-released action
figure. "It looks like they put my head on a He-Man's body!" she
huffs. "It's got these enormously muscular arms. They could shave
a few bloody cubic inches off that dolly!"  
   Still, the leather-clad Xena is no Barbie--and neither is
Lawless (yes, that is her real name). On the phone from her
native New Zealand, where Xena is filmed, the six-foot actress
sounds like a female Charles Barkley. "I don't want any of this
role-model nonsense," declares Lawless, 27, whose show is the
highest-rated new syndicated series. "I don't want anyone copying
me...don't waste your time." She waxes tough on subjects ranging
from her hair dye ("I love being a brunet. People are kind of
intimidated") to the show's kung fu-style fight scenes ("I've hit
plenty of people on the set, and it's great because stuntmen
don't cry").
   How'd the blue-eyed Kiwi get such brass? Her far-from-
Hollywood upbringing probably has something to do with it.
Lawless--who recently separated from her husband and lives in
Auckland with her 7-year-old daughter, Daisy--took off at 18 to
go "grape picking on the Rhine," then headed for Australia to
work in a gold mine. She eventually turned to acting, snagging
spots on commercials down under before her breakthrough last year
as the arch-villainess on Hercules. 
   Next came the Herculean task of turning the butchering Xena
into a spin-off-worthy heroine. "We're trying a 12-step program,"
says executive producer Rob Tapert. The actress, meanwhile,
started a physical regimen. Once nicknamed Unco (for
uncoordinated), Lawless hired a personal trainer last summer and
did a stint in L.A. with a martial-arts master. But perhaps her
biggest challenge has been squeezing into her costume: "It makes
you crotchety to be trussed up like a chicken," she says. "I
think that's why Xena's such a grump." 
   GRAPHIC: LIVING DOLL? Lawless' Warrior Princess could kick
Barbie's Butt [Lucy Lawless]

[087] 11-27-95
   NOTE: Here are the numbers for "Prometheus", episode number 8.
Rated 17th, it tied for third in the action hours. 


[087a]  11-27-95
   VARIETY. Page 32. 729 Words. "Sitcoms Surge in Syndication
Sweeps" by Jim Benson
   COMMENTARY: "Prometheus"
   EXCERPT: 
   ...sweeps week ended Nov. 12...
   ...Most off-net sitcoms enjoyed higher rankings, thanks to
sweeps promotion and the end of daylight-saving time....
   ...Looking at the new weeklies, Par's top-rated "Star Trek:
Deep Space Nine" (7.0) fell 13% from last year. It was followed
by MCA TV's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," which tied its
high of 6.4 set the week ended March 5. 
   MCA's "Xena: Warrior Princess" and All American's "Baywatch"
each wound up with a 5.4, with "Xena" up 4% and "Baywatch" down
22% from a year ago...


[087b] 11-27-95
   DAILY VARIETY. Page 6. 724 words. "Off-net sitcoms strong" By
JIM BENSON
   COMMENTARY:  Same content as XMR087a.


[087c] 11-27-95
   VARIETY. Page 32. 184 Words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings"
   COMMENTARY: Prometheus.
   EXCERPT:
   For week ended Nov. 12, 1995  
                                   Stations/
Rank  Program                     % coverage   AA%   GAA %  
1    Wheel of Fortune              228/99     13.1   --
2    Jeopardy!                     221/99     11.1   --
3    Home Improvement              218/97     10.1  11.0
4    Oprah Winfrey Show            237/99      9.4   9.4
5    Seinfeld                      218/97      7.6   --
6    Wheel of Fortune Wknd.        179/77      7.3   --
7    Entertainment Tonight         170/94      7.2   7.3
8    Simpsons                      187/96      7.0   7.0
8    Star Trek: Deep Space Nine    232/98      7.0   7.5
10    Home Improvement Wknd.        214/95      6.8   --
11    Journeys of Hercules          227/98      6.4   7.0
12    Inside Edition                168/92      6.2   6.3
13    Fresh Prince of Bel-Air       158/87      5.7   6.2
13    Roseanne                      174/93      5.7   5.8
15    WCW Wrestling                 174/93      5.6   8.8
16    Baywatch                      221/97      5.4   5.5
16    Xena                          202/96      5.4   5.9
18    Hard Copy                     174/91      5.3   5.3
18    Warner Bros. Volume 30        150/87      5.3   5.5
20    Jenny Jones                   209/96      4.8   5.0
   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.  


[087d] 12-05-95
   DAILY VARIETY. Page 10W. 325 words. "Syndie Strips Slide;
Weeklies bright as 'Deep,' 'Limits' climb"  By Jim Benson.
   COMMENTARY: XWP hit its highest market share to date.  The
episode? "Prometheus" supposedly. This does not jive with the
other reports, however it may be an interim November sweeps
report.
   EXCERPT:
   Unseasonably mild weather in many parts of the country left
most syndicated strips with modest losses during the week ended
Nov. 13, a period overlapping the third week of local market
sweeps...
   ...MCA TV's "Xena: Warrior Princess" also showed some muscle,
slashing its way into third. It climbed 4% to a record 5.6
mark...
   ...Paramount's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (7.7) continued to
lead the weekly bracket, transporting itself ahead 10% for the
week. Compared to a year ago, it was down 5%.
   MCA's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" slipped 5%, to 6.1,
while All American's "Baywatch" held at a season high of 5.4 for
its second week. Still, the series was off 19% from last year and
its companion, "Baywatch Nights," fell 10%, to 3.6. "Land's End"
lost 2%, to 4.6....

[088] 11-27-95
   ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Page M6. 5454 words. "NIP Asia Product
Listings".
   COMMENTARY:  This is the listing of shows MCA TV was trying to
peddle at the MIP in November 1995.
   EXCERPT:
   The following is a list of the key programming available from
48 companies representing six countries at MIP Asia this year...
   ...MCA TV International
   Universal City, Calif.
   ''American Gothic,'' 13 hours of a suspense thriller;
''Earthworm Jim,'' 13 animated half-hours; ''Partners,'' 13
half-hours of a comedy; ''Savage Dragon,'' 13 animated
half-hours; ''Xena: Warrior Princess,'' 22 hours of an
action-adventure series; and made-for-TV movies ''The Android
Affair,'' ''Birds II-Land's End,'' ''Caught in the Act,'' ''The
Colony,'' ''Dangerous Heart,'' ''Deadman's Revenge,''
''Deconstructuring Sarah,'' ''Deep Red,'' ''Disappearance of
Christina,'' ''It Came From Outer Space III,'' ''Knight Rider
2010,'' ''Letter to My Killer,'' ''A Mother's Prayer,'' ''The
Munsters,'' ''New Eden,'' ''Out of Annie's Past,'' ''Problem
Child III,'' ''Simon & Simon'' and ''Trouble Shooters: Trapped
Beneath the Earth.''...


[089] 11-29-95
   THE GUARDIAN. Page T5. 640 words. "Couples Air Miles Apart".
By Ian Katz
   COMMENTARY: XWP's first mention in mainstream British press!
The British press found it amusing that some markets scheduled
XWP against Princess' Di's interview with Barbara Walters.
   EXCERPT:
   ...THANKSGIVING is usually about turkey, tension and American
football. This year it was turkey, tension and Diana. Around 36
million Americans tuned into the Panorama interview when it was
shown on Friday evening, sprinkled with soft-focus inanities from
Barbara Walters that made Di's most cringeworthy remarks sound
positively tasteful. The programme trounced competition from the
X-Files, Free Willy and - a piece of witty scheduling, surely -
Xena: Warrior Princess. The Princess, the real one, that is, may
be disappointed to discover that her audience was barely half as
big as the one attracted by Michael Jackson in his June interview
with Diane Sawyer. The only thing richer than the pumpkin pie was
that every American I encountered over Thanksgiving giggled over
how "very English" the whole business was. In truth, Di's
performance came straight from the world of daytime American TV.
If it had been scheduled between Oprah and Ricki, it might have
gone unnoticed...


[090] 11-30-95 and 12-01-95
   THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 654 words. "Intl market is taking
action U.S. distribs are relying on foreign sales to launch
dramas" By Steve Brennan
   COMMENTARY: More information on the overseas distribution rat
race. Makes a passing reference to XWP in context to the Tribune
stations carrying HTLJ and XWP. It also discussed the alleged
inherent difference between the domestic and the foreign
syndication markets.
   EXCERPT:
   With an explosion of new one-hour first-run dramas on the
market for next season, distributors are more dependent now than
ever before on international sales and overseas production
partnerships to get the new programs launched, observers noted
this week as sales pitches moved into high gear. Competition for
domestic time periods is so fierce for the drama offerings that
some industry experts doubt if there will be room for them all
even with foreign sales locked in. With foreign sales, some
companies will be able to break even by putting together a
hodge-podge lineup and might even make some money...
   ...So Fox is pretty much done (for hour dramas) while the top
Tribune stations (now WB Network affiliates) have Star Trek: Deep
Space Nine and the MCA TV product (Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess) while the Chris Craft
stations, now UPN affiliates, are being very selective...
   ...There's no question that its a tough marketplace for
one-hour programs, but its not impenetrable, said Cynthia
Lieberman, vp TV marketing at Samuel Goldwyn Television, which
has sold Flipper into 40 overseas markets and on 140 stations
domestically. Its not enough for a show to be unique its becoming
more important than ever to have international clearances, she
added. Among the hours selling for 1996 are Paramount's Viper,
New World/Genesis Entertainments Two, MTMs The Cape, MGMs
Poltergeist, Goldwyns Flipper, Turners Lazarus Man, D.L. Taffners
The Wanderer, Warner Bros. Mad Max and All Americans Sinbad.
Tarzan: The Fantastic Adventures is being produced with Malaysias
STI Entertainment Group and shot under a production arrangement
with Disney-MGM Studios near Orlando, Fla.  At least 50% of the
dollars have to come out of the international market...
   ...Its clearly not viable to talk about doing this
domestically, said Sharon Hall, vp syndication at MTM, about its
Cape series about NASAs astronauts. But we believe this is a show
that will have great international legs. The overseas buyers want
to see character-driven action now, not just bimbos and froth...


[091] 12-03-95 through 12-07-95
   NOTE: What follows in the XMR091 series are the reviews of
"Captain Zoom in Outer Space" which did not concern XWP or
Renaissance Pictures.  It was a pilot/TV Movie for a series which
was clearly influenced by Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and
Xena: Warrior Princess.  Consequently, many reviews of the
pilot/tv movie referred to XWP.


[091a] 12-03-95
   THE SEATTLE TIMES. Page 2. 1685 words. "ABC's 'Bye Bye Birdie'
Is Just Right for Holidays" by John Voorhees.
   COMMENTARY:  Compares aspects of XWP to "Captain Zoom in Outer
Space" TV movie/pilot.  Called "Zoom" "in the same vein" as XWP;
cited the same use of contemporary slang; and the heroine's
similarity to Xena.
   EXCERPT:
   ..."Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space," 1 p.m. Sunday,
KIRO-TV.
   This wonderfully silly but entertaining movie, pilot for a
syndicated series, is in the same vein as "Hercules" and "Xena:
The Warrior Princess" in that it takes a familiar genre and has
fun with it...
   ...The writing throughout, as it does with "Hercules" and
"Xena," mixes contemporary slang with ancient situations - "A
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Syndication."...
   ...The unluckiest role is that of the heroine, Tyra, who is
the Xena of this series - and the straight (wo)man for everyone
else. Liz Vassey plays her well enough, but it's a thankless task
and not much fun when everyone else has such wonderfully hokey,
jokey lines...


[091b] 12-07-95
   THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. Baylife. Page 4. 383 words. ""Zoom' could
be Vassey's launching pad" By Walt Belcher.
   COMMENTARY:  Passing mention regarding that "Zoom" was from
MCA.
   EXCERPT:
   ...It's an entertaining movie from the same folks who gave us
"Hercules" and "Xena: Warrior Princess."...


[092] 12-03-95
   AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. Show World. Page 6. 1148 words.
"'Hercules' star Sorbo plays it cool" By Kinney Littlefield
   COMMENTARY: Article about HTLJ and interview with Kevin Sorbo.
XWP was mentioned when article discussed Hercules lack of a
change of clothes. In referring to who is stronger, Xena or Herc,
Sorbo stated "Oh, Hercules is definitely stronger. He is
half-god, after all. Xena's a very tough female, a female Bruce
Lee. They gave her gymnastic speed, but she is still a mortal
woman."
   REPRINT:
   Darn it, Kevin. We're going to ruin you.
   Call it interviewer's remorse. Kevin Sorbo, star of the smash
syndicated series ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' is so
willing, so agreeable that you feel gobs of guilt about lionizing
him for an hour by phone, chatting away about sore feet and
stunts gone wrong and creme brulee. You worry that too much media
fawning might turn this gentle giant from Mound, Minn., into a
big-time celebrity creep.  
   But, nah. Major heartthrobdom seems inevitable for Sorbo,
given the rise of ''Hercules'' to the top of the syndicated
ratings charts in its second season this fall, given all the
critical praise for the show's cult campiness, given Sorbo's
looks. But Kevin just seems too sweet, too self-effacing to ever
go Hollywood-sour.
   You can tell that from the moment ''Hel-lo, you got Kevin
here'' rings good-naturedly across the line from Auckland, New
Zealand, where ''Hercules'' is filmed 10 months a year. Sorbo has
a date with a real-estate agent as soon as our conversation is
over -- ''Herc'' is so successful that he's anxious to buy
permanent Auckland digs -- yet he's too Midwestern neighborly not
to settle in for a real good trans-Pacific chat, thank you ma'am. 
   ''I want three bedrooms, not huge,'' he says. ''I need a
porch, a veranda, so I can sit and wave to the neighbors and
strum my guitar. I mean, I grew up in a small town, and it's just
a Norman Rockwell, Saturday Evening Post kind of thing.''
   Yep, Sorbo is a real down-home kinda star who does things the
old-fashioned way -- for himself. No celebrity retinue down there
in Kiwiland, no personal publicist, no groupies -- actually
''Hercules'' doesn't even air down there yet. And Sorbo is
single. He does the ''Hercules'' thing by day, all day, then
works out, runs and sits solo by night, guitar-strumming easy
tunes a la hero James Taylor, watching Leno or Letterman on tape. 
   ''Actually I just said 'no' to being on 'The Tonight Show' ...
and, oh, my gosh, 'The Tonight Show' was always a real fantasy
for me,'' Sorbo, 37, says, almost bashful.
   In fact, Sorbo was on ''The Tonight Show'' briefly earlier
this fall, but got quickly bumped into a back seat for ''Brothers
McMullen'' filmmaker Ed Burns. 
   ''I mean Jay Leno, he just seems like the nicest guy, but I
just really want to take some vacation with my high school
buddies,'' Sorbo says. ''Hey, they're my three closest friends.
I've known them for 30 years.''
   That's Sorbo -- tenaciously loyal, just like mythological hunk
Hercules. Just like the superhumanly strong half-man, half-god
who rescues whole villages from barbarian hordes one day, does
yardwork uncomplainingly for his doting mother the next on the
tongue-in-cheek action show that mixes ancient Greek-style kung
fu with bizarro monsters, tie-dyed togas and sly '90s mentions of
bingo, self-actualization and ''you are what you eat.''
   ''When the first movie came out, critics weren't exactly
getting what we were trying to do,'' Sorbo says of ''Herc's''
great Greek goof, spawned by the twisted minds of producers Sam
Raimi (cult flicks ''The Evil Dead,'' ''Darkman'' and ''The Quick
and the Dead'') and Rob Tapert (new paranormal-spiked CBS series
''American Gothic''). ''Herc,'' the series, evolved from five
syndicated ''Action Pack'' tele-films starring Sorbo, airing in
1994. 
   ''Now I guess I'm Hercules for an entire generation of people
under 20 who were never exposed to him before,'' Sorbo says. ''If
you compare this Hercules to the old Hercules films (among them
1959 and 1960 Steve Reeves flexflicks 'Hercules' and 'Hercules
Unchained') this one's more affable, more intelligent. He laughs,
he stumbles. And he isn't afraid to make fun of himself.''    
Not that Sorbo sees himself as Forever Hercules.
   ''It's a great launching pad for my career, but I do want to
grow beyond this,'' says the guy who broke into the TV biz doing
Budweiser, Jim Beam and BMW commercials and a couple of failed
series pilots.
   ''Eventually, I'd really like to do romantic comedy, 'You look
just like Jesus. You're Jesus, you're Jesus.'''
   Long-locked Sorbo, of Norwegian lineage and Viking heritage,
does look pretty Biblical. And although it's hard to imagine his
big frame -- 6-foot-3, 215 pounds -- stepping lightly through
comedic patter, he did just that in a guest stint on the hit CBS
sitcom ''Cybill'' last spring.
   But stunts are Sorbo's biggest rush. They happen often,
because someone's always chasing Herc. Sorbo does most of his own
fight scenes, although ''falling down five flights of stairs I
leave to the stunt guys.'' Before ''Herc's'' first season, he
studied martial arts with master Douglas Wong (''Dragon: The
Bruce Lee Story''), who took him through an accelerated course of
his white lotus system, a kind of sword and staff-embellished
advanced kung fu. 
   ''Of course, in a real kung fu or karate contest, I'd get my
butt kicked,'' Sorbo says. ''But we do connect here when we throw
punches -- and you feel it. I have learned to pull punches and
miss by 6 inches, but I was just really into this one stunt
recently, and I threw an elbow out and hit a guy on the nose, and
he went down. And Michael (New Zealander Michael Hurst, an
accomplished Shakespearean actor who plays Herc's wisecracking
sidekick Iolaus) broke an arm in a stunt about five to six weeks
ago.''
   You wouldn't think it to watch ''Hercules''' pumped-up action,
but Sorbo's concern is making sure the show's writers don't turn
Herc into a wimp. 
   ''They'll have me fighting just one guy one week, after I
moved a 100-ton boulder or mowed down 40 to 50 guys the week
before,'' he says. ''I tell the writers that doesn't make any
sense. I mean there's got to be an element of danger.''
   OK, what about the sore feet?
   Well, the mighty Hercules was developing lower back problems,
from crunching so many bad guys while wearing boots sans arch
support. Then they built him special boots with athletic shoes
inside.
   And how 'bout that chest-baring chamois rag that serves as
Hercules' shirt --on every single episode? After all, former
lover/former enemy Xena (Lucy Lawless), who now has her own
spin-off series ''Xena: Warrior Princess,'' gets a wardrobe
brimming with assorted bits of leather, metal and silk. 
   ''I'd love to have some other kind of outfit, but that's my
Superman cape,'' Kevin says a bit regretfully. ''I've got about
20 shirts, all the same, and six pair of woven leather pants.'' 
   Wow. Woven leather trou.
   And that deep, sleek, glowing Hercules tan?
   ''They paint us,'' he says. ''Actually, I used to be that
tan.'' 
   Speaking of former paramour Xena, who's the strongest one of
all? 
   Here some macho slips by.
   ''Oh, Hercules is definitely stronger. He is half-god, after
all,'' Sorbo says. ''Xena's a very tough female, a female Bruce
Lee. They gave her gymnastic speed, but she is still a mortal
woman.''
   GRAPHIC: The new superhunk Kevin Sorbo bears the adoration of
fans of the syndicated series, 'Hercules: The Legendary
Journeys.'

[093] REMOVED to XMR087d.

[094] 12-08-95
   THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 393 words. "Heroic merchandising
campaign for Hercules Effort expected to be MCAs strongest" By
Steve Brennan 
   COMMENTARY: A discussion of the "massive licensing and
merchandising campaign" for HTLJ. It's expected to be the
"biggest and most lucrative" for MCA.  Article mentioned that a
Xena campaign is being planned for the next year.
   REPRINT:
   A massive licensing and merchandising campaign for the MCA TV
syndication action hit Hercules: The Legendary Journeys is likely
to prove the biggest and most lucrative of its kind for the
studio, MCA/Universal Merchandising Inc. executives predicted
Thursday. Income from the merchandising of major entertainment
properties with goods ranging from toys to clothes and
accessories is mushrooming. It is understood that the
merchandising earnings from Universals Jurassic Park feature hit
topped $1 billion. MCA/Universal Merchandising executives were
reluctant to predict such stellar income for Hercules, though
revenue in that ballpark is not ruled out. But I just would not
want to make that kind of prediction this early, said John
Dumbacher, vp licensing and retail for MCA/Universal. He
stressed, however, With the shows No. 1 action hour status and
innovative product by key players like Toy Biz and Impact, retail
support for the line has been overwhelming.  The division
detailed plans for the merchandising program Thursday and
announced its lineup of licensees. As well as Toy Biz and Impact,
such companies as Acclaim, Cardinal Industries, Fruit of the
Loom, Scholastic, Thermos, Topps and Western Graphics are
included in the roster of licensees. This has the potential to be
the biggest TV (merchandising) program ever done (by MCA/
Universal), predicted Dumbacher. Hercules posted a 6.6 rating in
the latest syndication rankings, landing in the No. 9 slot for
the week ended Nov. 26.   It is cleared in 99% of the country.
Its spinoff action hour, Xena: Warrior Princess (5.1), was in the
No. 19 slot.  MCA/Universal Merchandising is planning a separate
campaign for Xena next year but for this season they will have to
settle for the Xena character being included as part of the
Hercules campaign. Toys in the Hercules line will range from
action figures to play-safe bows and arrows, board games,
electronic games, Halloween costumes, bicycles, skates and even
polyurethane pools. The merchandising program will also include
calendars, balloons, novels, stickers and tattoos from vending
machines, clothing including underwear for boys and girls from
Fruit of the Loom, lunch kits, school supplies, posters, trading
cards and magazines.   


[095] 12-08-95
   ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. Page 22. 806 words. "Ending it All; the
Secret Stories Behind Television Producers' Logos." by Kristen
Baldwin
   COMMENTARY: An article about what those call-off production
company logo-trailers mean. Included is Renaissance Pictures,
producers of HTLJ and XWP.
   EXCERPT:
   THEY'RE PART OF our collective TV unconscious: the mewling
kitty after the Mary Tyler Moore Show (MTM Enterprises' spoof of
the MGM lion), the "Sit, Ubu, sit. Good dog" at the end of Family
Ties (in honor of producer Gary David Goldberg's dog), and the
"...and dance by the light of the moon" ditty that closed every
episode of thirtysomething (the producers' tribute to It's a
Wonderful Life). While they last only a few seconds, these
production-company logos are occasionally more noteworthy than
the programs. Here are some current examples probably jockeying
for space in the recesses of your brain:...
   ...HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS and XENA: WARRIOR
PRINCESS, Renaissance Pictures. Action: A painting rips to the
sound of chanting monks. What It Means: Exec producer Rob Tapert
says, "My partner, Sam Raimi, and I are from Detroit, which once
upon a time named itself the Renaissance City. We wanted
something that looked kind of classy in a Renaissance painting
fashion, and then we wanted to rip it apart. That's the kind of
guys we are." Rejected Ideas: "We thought about volcanoes and
other powerful images, but we decided to go with something that
maintained a semblance of classiness."...


[096] 12/08/95
   DAILY VARIETY. Page 7w. 852 words. "Sluggish sweeps for
tabmags" By JIM BENSON.
   COMMENTARY: November Sweeps results.
   EXCERPT:
   Syndicated magazines looked somewhat sluggish, top off-net
sitcoms soared and talkshows turned in a mixed perf during the
four-week period overlapping the local market November sweeps...
   ...the week ended Nov. 26...
   ...Of the returning weeklies, Par's "Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine" (7.3) dropped 10%; All American's "Baywatch" saw 24% of its
ratings wash away to 5.3; New World/Genesis' "Renegade" crashed
19% to 3.8; and Rysher's "Highlander" sagged 21% to 3.1.
   Turning to the weekly freshman class, MCA TV's "Xena: Warrior
Princess" had the gods smiling with its 5.4 average over four
weeks. BVTV's "Land's End" captured a 4.5, edging past MGM's
"Outer Limits" at 4.4...


[097] 12-09-95
   THE WASHINGTON TIMES. Page B4. 833 words. "Echoes of
Shakespeare, Tolstoy" By Joseph Szadkowski
   COMMENTARY:  In a review of comic book titles to watch out for
in the coming months, the author threw in these two sentences in
the middle of a paragraph.  A complete tangent.
   EXCERPT:
   ...The personal endorsement: I love the TV show "Xena: Warrior
Princess." No point - just thought I'd plug a great TV show...


[098] 12-11-95
   VARIETY. Page 46. 187 Words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings"
   COMMENTARY: Hooves & Harlots
   EXCERPT:
   For week ended Nov. 26, 1995  
                                               Stations/
Rank       Program                 % coverage   AA%   GAA% 
1    Wheel of Fortune                225/97     11.9   --  
2    Jeopardy                        211/96      9.1   --  
3    Home Improvement                214/96      8.7  9.3  
4    Oprah Winfrey Show              231/98      7.2  7.2  
5    Star Trek: Deep Space Nine      235/98      7.1  7.6  
6    Entertainment Tonight           172/95      6.9  7.0  
7    Seinfeld                        216/97      6.8   --  
8    Home Improvement -- Wknd.       210/94      6.6   --  
9    Journeys of Hercules            223/98      6.4  7.0 
10   Wheel of Fortune -- Wknd.      170/75      6.2   -- 
11   Inside Edition                 165/91      6.1  6.1 
12   Simpsons                       177/94     5.8     5.8 
13   World Wrestling Fed. Pr.       158/90      5.6  7.4 
14   Baywatch                       220/96      5.5  5.7 
15   Entertainment Tonight          166/93      5.3  5.4 
15   WCW Wrestling                  180/94      5.3  7.9 
17   Fresh Prince of Bel-Air        155/89      5.1  5.4 
17   XENA                           200/96      5.1  5.5 
19   Hard Copy                      174/91      5.0  5.1 
19   Roseanne                       167/90      5.0  5.0 
   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.  


[099] 12/13/95
   CNN. TV Show: Showbiz Today 5:41 pm ET. 519 words. "Syndicated
Shows Catch on Worldwide" Guests: Bernard Weinraub, "N.Y. Times",
Entertainment Correspondent; Dick Wolf, Television Producer; Jim
Parriott, Executive Producer, "Forever Knight"
By Paul Vercammen
   COMMENTARY: An interesting discussion about the growth in the
international market for US Domestic syndicated drama hours.  
   XWP is referred to as "the increasingly popular Xena" in
context to international demand.  
   Also contained a discussion about how syndicated dramas face
fewer restrictions and consequently can take more creative risks.
   EXCERPT:
   ...Syndicated television has produced the world's most popular
show, "Baywatch". Now other shows, such as "Hercules" and "Xena",
have prompted network TV producers to heighten a rivalry...
   LAURIN SYDNEY, Anchor: Something dramatic is happening in the
world of television, and the networks have nothing to do with it. 
Syndicated dramas like Hercules and Bay Watch are finding a niche
on stations around the country and around the world.  Paul
Vercammen reports, some of them have become popular enough to
spawn their own spin-offs.   
   PAUL VERCAMMEN, Correspondent: The fists now fly in Bay Watch
Nights, the stepchild of the most popular syndicated television
show in the world, Bay Watch.  The beauty and the beach
phenomenon shows that syndicated first-run dramas, the shows that
aren't network, aren't reruns, and are most often found on
independent stations, are no joke in the TV business.  Bay Watch
boasts an estimated 1 billion viewers in 142 countries...
   ...PAUL VERCAMMEN: Bay Watch's David Hasselhoff and Pamela Lee
are international stars.  In the United States, the show runs on
220 stations.  Star Trek Deep Space 9, a consistent winner among
syndicated dramas, runs on 235 stations in the United States. 
The Journeys of Hercules are also seen on more than 200 stations,
as is its spin-off, . Dick Wolf, producer of network shows Law
and Order and New York Undercover, believes the networks are
succeeding with reality in dramas, while syndicated shows are
cashing in on fantasy.
   DICK WOLF, Television Producer: The ones that are doing well
in first-run syndication are not really reality based, and that
may be the defining characteristic between the two.  They're not
separate mediums, but it almost seems like they are...
   PAUL VERCAMMEN: Syndicated dramas, such as the vampire saga
Forever Knight face fewer restrictions than if they appeared on
NBC, CBS, ABC, or Fox.    
   JIM PARRIOTT, Executive Producer, 'Forever Knight': We don't
have broadcast standards breathing down our neck if we say a bad
word or if we show a little flesh or if we're a little bit- maybe
a little bit more violent, not that we try to do those things...
   PAUL VERCAMMEN: Forever Knight, like Bay Watch, started on
network, got tossed into syndication, and survived.  There's not
as much pressure to rack up huge ratings on a non-network show.  
   JIM PARRIOTT: Your budgets are smaller, but your longevity is
greatly increased because you don't have to pull as large an
audience. 
   PAUL VERCAMMEN: The battle for on-air supremacy will intensify
next month when station managers head to an annual TV convention
in Los Vegas, searching for the next Bay Watch or Xena.  Paul
Vercammen, CNN Entertainment News, Hollywood.


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

Issue #11 will contain annotations #100 through #112, dated from
12/14/96 to 12/24/96.  It is scheduled to be released June 14,
1996.

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, Arizona
Republic, Austin American-statesman, CNN, Daily News, Daily
Variety, Des Moines Register, Electronic Media, Entertainment
Weekly, The Guardian, Hollywood Reporter, San Francisco Examiner
Seattle Times, Tampa Tribune, Variety, and Washington Times). 
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
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non-profit purpose is hereby granted, provided that both the
above copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all
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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.
   
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submissions to ktaborn@lightspeed.net. XMR is a non-profit
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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.


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