Issue No. 17, Part 4 Release date: 09/02/96 Covering 04/04/96 to 04/19/96 Annotations XMR221 to XMR247 PART 4 of 4 Number of lines in Part 4: 964 CONTINUATION OF PART 3 Contents: Part 1: INTRODUCTION XMR Returneth The best laid plans of mice and men XenaFest II: The Myth and the Magic The Vacation The Curse of Baywatch Let's Hear it For Stacy Van Stipdonk AMENDED ANNOTATIONS [002.5] 04-25-94 HERCULES AND THE AMAZON WOMEN. [002.6] 05-02-94 HERCULES AND THE LOST KINGDOM. [005.3] 10-17-94 HERCULES AND THE AMAZON WOMEN. [005.4] 10-24-94 HERCULES AND THE LOST KINGDOM. [005.5] 12-12-94 HERCULES AND THE AMAZON WOMEN. [006.5] 12-19-94 HERCULES AND THE LOST KINGDOM. [006.6] 02-20-95 AS DARKNESS FALLS. [010.3] 03-13-95 THE WARRIOR PRINCESS. [010.6] 05-01-95 THE GAUNTLET. [016.5] 05-08-95 UNCHAINED HEART. [019.5] 05-22-95 AS DARKNESS FALLS. [023.5] 06-26-95 THE WARRIOR PRINCESS. [023.7] 07-03-95 THE GAUNTLET. [024.5] 07-10-95 UNCHAINED HEART. [026.5] 08-07-95 AS DARKNESS FALLS. [035.5] 09-04-95 SINS OF THE PAST. [041.5] 09-11-95 CHARIOTS OF WAR. [045.5] 09-18-95 DREAMWORKER. [048.5] 09-25-95 CRADLE OF HOPE. [054.5] 10-02-95 THE PATH NOT TAKEN. [054.6] 10-02-95 THE OUTCAST. [058.5] 10-09-95 THE WARRIOR PRINCESS. [062.5] 10-16-95 THE RECKONING. [066.4] 10-23-95 THE GAUNTLET. [066.5] 10-23-95 UNCHAINED HEART. [068.5] 10-30-95 THE TITANS. [071.5] 11-06-95 PROMETHEUS. [079.5] 11-13-95 DEATH IN CHAINS. Part 2: [083.5] 11-20-95 HOOVES AND HARLOTS. [088.5] 11-27-95 SINS OF THE PAST. [093] 12-04-95 CHARIOTS OF WAR. [098.5] 12-11-95 DREAMWORKER. [106.5] 12-18-95 CRADLE OF HOPE. [114.5] 12-25-95 THE PATH NOT TAKEN. [127] 01-01-96 FEMME FATALE. [128] 01-01-96 STARLOG. No. 222. [128.5] 01-01-96 THE RECKONING. [132.5] 01-08-96 THE BLACK WOLF. [138.5] 01-15-96 BEWARE OF GREEKS BEARING GIFTS. [145.5] 01-22-96 ATHENS CITY ACADEMY OF THE PERFORMING BARDS. [152.5] 01-29-96 A FISTFUL OF DINARS. [158.3] 02-05-96 WARRIOR...PRINCESS. Part 3: [161.5] 02-12-96 MORTAL BELOVED. [172.5] 02-19-96 THE ROYAL COUPLE OF THIEVES. [181.5] 02-26-96 THE TITANS. [196.5] 03-11-96 PROMETHEUS. [203.5] 03-18-96 DEATH IN CHAINS. [210.5] 03-25-96 HOOVES AND HARLOTS. [184] has been removed and replaced as XMR217.5. [215.5] 03-29-96 MCA XENA NETFORUM. [219.5] 04-01-96 STARLOG. No. 225. [219.6] 04-01-96 STARLOG. No. 225. [219.7] 04-01-96 THE BLACK WOLF. ANNOTATIONS [221] 04-04-96 PHILADELPHIA FORUM. [222] 04-04-96 DAILY VARIETY. [223] 04-08-96 VARIETY. [224] 04-08-96 PEOPLE. [225] 04-08-96 BEWARE OF GREEKS BEARING GIFTS. [226] 04-08-96 THE OUTCAST. [227] 04-09-96 The David Letterman Show. [228a] 04-09-96 ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE. [228b] 04-09-96 THE CHARLESTON GAZETTE. Part 4: [229] 04-11-96 USA TODAY. [230] 04-11-96 MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. [231] 04-11-96 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR. [232a] 04-11-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. [232b] 04-11-96 DAILY VARIETY. [232c] 04-15-96 VARIETY. [232d] 04-15-96 VARIETY. [233] 04-12-96 THE VANCOUVER SUN. [234] 04-14-96 DAILY NEWS (New York). [235] 04-15-96 INFOWORLD. [236] 04-15-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. [237] 04-15-96 PEOPLE Daily (on Pathfinder.com). [238] 04-15-96 FORTUNE. [239a] 04-15-96 DAILY VARIETY. [239b] 04-22-96 VARIETY. [240] 04-15-96 ATHENS CITY ACADEMY OF THE PERFORMING BARDS. [241] 04-17-96 STAR TRIBUNE. [242a] 04-18-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. [242b] 04-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. [242c] 04-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. [242d] 04-22-96 VARIETY. [243a] 04-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. [243b] 04-25-96 Daily Variety. [244] 04-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. [245] 04-19-96 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT (Norfolk). [246] 04-19-96 ELECTRONIC MEDIA INTERNATIONAL. [247] 04-19-96 ELECTRONIC MEDIA INTERNATIONAL. THE BACK PAGE :PART 4 [229] 04-11-96 USA TODAY. Page 3D. 430 words. "A Globe-trotting Tarzan Swings in on a New Series" By Jefferson Graham COMMENTARY: The supervising producer of the new syndicated Tarzan show mentioned that XWP "opened the door for a new Tarzan". EXCERPT: ...The show has already been sold to 100 stations; the producers expect the number to reach 150 by September, when the series premieres. Supervising producer Dennis Steinmetz says the recent success of syndicated action series such as The Journeys of Hercules and Xena: Princess Warrior opened the door for a new Tarzan.... [230] 04-11-96 MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Cue. Page 1. 475 words. "Man with a Forgotten past Is Unmemorable" By Joanne Weintraub COMMENTARY: In an article about "The Lazarus Man", another syndicated action hour, the author lamented that the show did not have the "anything-goes panache" of XWP. EXCERPT: Robert Urich wanders through "The Lazarus Man" (Thursdays, 7 p.m., Channel 18, pre-empted this week by basketball) looking as if he's been hit over the head with a mallet. Actually, one quick blow with a blunt object might have been kinder than whatever it was that really happened to his character, which has left him with some nasty scars, a galloping case of amnesia and no more personality than a rutabaga... ...Though its locations are pretty (New Mexico stands in for Texas) and its score appealingly wistful in a Ken Burns-ish way, "Lazarus" doesn't have much else going for it not the provocative plotting of its man-on-the-run forebears, "The Fugitive" and "Quantum Leap," nor the anything-goes panache of two of its syndicated neighbors, "Hercules" and "Xena."... [231] 04-11-96 THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Page C07. 391 words. "'Xena' Fan Gets Lowdown on Star Lucy Lawless" BY R.K. Shull COMMENTARY: In a very brief local paper Q&A, a reader asked about Lucy Lawless. The answer was a short two sentence reply which mildly emphasized Ms. Lawless' physical attributes. EXCERPT: Dear R.K. Shull: What can you tell me about Lucy Lawless, who plays Xena: Warrior Princess? ' She has great moves. - S.P.B. Dear Reader: Lucy is 28, stands 5-foot-10, and obviously works at being physically fit for her role in the syndicated series. The show is filmed in her native New Zealand, which is also home to its companion show, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys... [232] 04-11-96 to 04-15-96 NOTE: Episode no. 10, Hooves and Harlots, was re-released on 03/25/96. It rated 13th with a 5.4 share, and ranked 3rd in the action hours. Its first release was 11/20/95, where it rated 17th with a 5.1, and ranked 4th for action hours. HTLJ and ST:DS9 tied for the 11th rank and for 1st in action hours with a 5.6 share. Baywatch tied at 18th in rank and earned 4th place with a 4.6 share. [232a] 04-11-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 197 words. "Kato on Simpson gives 'Geraldo' ratings high" By Steve Brennan COMMENTARY: Ratings for 2nd release of Hooves & Harlots. EXCERPTS: ...Nielsen Media Research syndication rankings for the week of March 25-31... ...The hour action shows were jostling for position, with MCA TV's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" tied with Paramount's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" with 5.6 ratings. "Hercules" was up from a 5.5 while "Star Trek" was down from the previous week's 6.0 "Xena: Warrior Princess" was flat at a 5.4... [232b] 04-11-96 DAILY VARIETY. Page w/tab. 483 words. "'Hercules' muscles into 'Trek's' space" By Jim Benson. COMMENTARY: 2nd release of Hooves & Harlots. EXCERPTS: After six consecutive weeks alone atop the weekly pack, Paramount's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" found itself in the company of MCA TV's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" during the week ended March 31. Both shows clocked a 5.6 rating in the Nielsen national syndicated barter rankings, with "DS9" losing 7% of its warp speed -- the fourth time in the past five weeks it has declined -- and "Hercules" gaining 2% to 5.6. The strong man slipped 7% from a year ago. MCA companion "Xena: Warrior Princess" (5.4) was a close third, unchanged from the previous week, while All American's "Baywatch" (4.6) dropped 10% week-to-week and 13% from its year-ago mark... [232c] 04-15-96 VARIETY. Page 84. 182 words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings" COMMENTARY: 2nd release of hooves and Harlots. REPRINT: For Week ended Mar. 31, 1996 Stations/ Rank Program % coverage AA% GAA % 1 Wheel of Fortune 222/97 12.8 -- 2 Jeopardy! 220/98 10.9 -- 3 Home Improvement 219/97 9.1 9.7 4 Oprah Winfrey Show 234/99 8.0 8.1 5 Seinfeld 217/97 7.5 -- 6 Entertainment Tonight 177/95 6.9 7.0 6 Nat'l Geo on Assignment 176/96 6.9 7.5 8 WCW Wrestling 180/93 6.2 10.6 9 Inside Edition 163/89 6.0 6.0 10 Simpsons 190/96 5.8 5.8 11 Journeys of Hercules 227/98 5.6 6.0 11 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 234/98 5.6 5.9 13 Xena 203/96 5.4 5.7 14 Imagination III 152/95 5.2 5.4 15 Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 162/90 5.1 5.4 15 Home Improvement -- Wknd. 200/90 5.1 -- 17 World Wrestling Fed. PR 155/90 5.0 6.4 18 Baywatch 222/96 4.6 4.7 18 Roseanne 171/92 4.6 4.9 20 Hard Copy 178/91 4.5 4.6 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. [232d] 04-15-96 VARIETY. Page 84. 473 words. "'Hercules' muscles in on 'Trek'" By Jim Benson COMMENTARY: Same as XMR232b. [233] 04-12-96 THE VANCOUVER SUN. Page C1. 517 words. "She is Xena, Hear Her Roar as She Evens the Score" By Alex Strachan COMMENTARY: Calling Ms. Lawless a "Shakespearean stage actress from New Zealand", Mr. Strachan described XWP as "a kind of Baywatch BC," that was smarter than HTLJ. Baywatch has always been treated as the evil older sibling of XWP. Sometimes XWP was viewed as a mere reworking of Baywatch, while others courageously argued that XWP was completely different. No matter the extreme, it is apparent that Baywatch, and rumors of Baywatch, permeate the XWP scene. Mr. Strachan was the first reporter to coin the term "Baywatch B.C." for XWP (see XMR130a); the LA Times even stole it, using a derivative 'Babewatch B.C.' (see XMR171). Mr. Strachan used the term again in this article. He did not mean to use it derisively. It was clear from his articles (XMR130, XMR232, and tentative 323) that he enjoyed the show. However, he was also clearly in the camp that found substantial similarities between XWP and Baywatch. This theme is discussed in the essay "The Curse of Baywatch" in XMR #17 (this issue). Mr. Strachan further observed that "Xena is a sort of Superwoman for the new millennium; she uses her head more often than her brawn; her most reliable allies are other women; and the stories often revolve around strong matriarchal figures." He further noted that "The dialogue...is delivered with loony relish, a curious mix of hifalutin' mythology ('The gods grew jealous of their great love and condemned them to separate destinies,'), weird sentiment ('I'm not leaving you, Gabrielle'; 'I never met a girl who knows every line of Sophocles by heart,') and '90s trash-talk ('You love shoving women around so much? Try me.')." He was concerned that the "'ick factor' is high -- in one recent episode, Xena and a friend were buried under hundreds of squealing rats in a dank tunnel -- but not so high that parents will be scrambling for their V-chip." He concluded that "Xena is that rare crossover show for children and adults that manages to resolve its problems without always having to resort to bloodletting. It's silly and strange and, on a deep level, oddly compelling, whisking viewers who are willing to suspend their belief into a world of mythos, adventure and zaniness. It's little wonder that it's catching on." REPRINT: 'Sorry, sweetheart, but the king doesn't want any visitors," a brutish guard warns Xena, the warrior princess, in a recent episode of the feminist sword-and-sorcery series, Xena: Warrior Princess. "Stick around, and I'll show you a good time." Xena is set in the mythological realm of ancient Greece, but we are watching television in the '90s and Xena is, to all intents and purposes, a modern woman. So she grins widely and swats the lout in the face with a heavy broadsword -- a two-hander, as they say in hockey parlance. Greek mythology was never like this in school. Xena is played each week with brawny verve by Lucy Lawless, a six-foot-tall Shakespearean stage actress from New Zealand, with a Kiwi accent to match. She has big hair, wears clanky-looking body armor and carries herself with the bearing of a rough-and-tumble battler of injustice and new-age philosopher -- part Homer, part Gloria Steinem. Xena is a kind of Baywatch BC, but it is smarter than the show that spawned it, Hercules: The Legendary Adventures. In Hercules' 1994 season, Xena appeared as a nasty warrior princess out to kill the mighty Herc. After just three episodes, she recognized the error of her ways, reformed and got her own TV show. Judging by viewers' response, Xena has become more popular than the mighty man who preceded her. According to recent ratings published by Nielsen Media Research in the U.S., Xena is the most-watched prime-time drama in syndication, a group which includes Hercules, Baywatch and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Xena is a sort of Superwoman for the new millennium; she uses her head more often than her brawn; her most reliable allies are other women; and the stories often revolve around strong matriarchal figures (tonight's episode, 9 p.m. on KIRO, features mythology's Helen of Troy as the centre of a political clash of wills, while another recent episode portrayed Death as a woman, Celestia, "keeper of the eternal flame"). The men, by contrast, are often portrayed as louts of the lowest order: unshaven, ill-mannered and poorly spoken, with names like Toxeus and Cyphilus. The dialogue -- by Babs Greyhosky, Mary Kay Foster and Andy Armus -- is delivered with loony relish, a curious mix of hifalutin' mythology ("The gods grew jealous of their great love and condemned them to separate destinies,"), weird sentiment ("I'm not leaving you, Gabrielle; I never met a girl who knows every line of Sophocles by heart,") and '90s trash-talk ("You love shoving women around so much? Try me."). The "ick factor" is high -- in one recent episode, Xena and a friend were buried under hundreds of squealing rats in a dank tunnel -- but not so high that parents will be scrambling for their V-chip. Xena is that rare crossover show for children and adults that manages to resolve its problems without always having to resort to bloodletting. It's silly and strange and, on a deep level, oddly compelling, whisking viewers who are willing to suspend their belief into a world of mythos, adventure and zaniness. It's little wonder that it's catching on. GRAPHIC: Lucy Lawless: as Xena, the warrior princess [234] 04-14-96 DAILY NEWS (New York). Page 24. 683 words. "Way out There in TV Land" By David Bianculli COMMENTARY: Several casual references to XWP were given in Mr. Bianculli's paean to the joys of watching "fringe" tv shows. He referred to XWP as a "still-embryonic cult hit" and a "not-so- guilty pleasure". He also called the lead female on Weird Science the "Xena of computer genies". Xena made the graphic. EXCERPT: For every thousand viewers who watch "ER" each week, there's one who spends time in the outer limits of TV's less popular shows, checking out the medium's strange and surprising fringes. Those viewers, like those shows, are the oddballs, the misfits, the nonconformists and the uncategorizables. Fringe TV can be anything from a still-embryonic cult hit, like the syndicated "Xena: Warrior Princess," to such goofy TV flotsam as fishing and furniture-repair shows. It doesn't have to be limited to broadcast TV, either; in fact, if you want to skirt the far frontiers of the TV lunatic fringe, new technology cable TV and home satellite dishes of the large and small variety can take you further and do it faster. One tier on my small digital satellite, for example, offers eight or so Encore channels, each keyed to a specific genre old movies, reruns and filling a 24-hour schedule without commercials. Some of the things I find are true diamonds in the rough. Others are just rough but are fascinating precisely because they're so low-key, low-rent or flat-out loony tunes. In no particular order, here's some of what you may be missing on TV . . . and you may want to keep it that way... ..."Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," Saturday nights (8 to 10), WPIX-Channel 11. These two not-so-guilty pleasures are syndicated on broadcast TV and offer the same anything-goes approach to outrageous mythological characters and story lines... ..."Weird Science," The USA Network, Saturday nights at 9. This show, more so than the movie on which it was based, had an endearingly bizarre comic sensibility; it also has Vanessa Angel, the Xena of computer genies...\ ...GRAPHIC: ...'Xena: Warrior Princess'... [235] 04-15-96 INFOWORLD. Page 130. 1132 words. "Down to the Wire; It's the Will of the Gods: Strong Multia Strategy Muddled by Marketing" By Nicholas Petreley. COMMENTARY: Passing mention was a witticism which would escape any excerpt reader. It is excerpted nonetheless. EXCERPT: ...Xena, goddess of camp TV By the way, the other concern I have about the Multia approach to desktop management is the name. Digital should name it after a Greek god such as Seus, the god of children's books. Or maybe Herbies, the god of Volkswagens. Send me e-mail at nicholaspetreley@infoworld.com or visit my forum at http://www.infoworld.com. [236] 04-15-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 591 words. "Keller's 'Conan' into Syndie Wars" COMMENTARY: More competition for XWP: Conan. Casual mention. EXCERPT: Keller Entertainment Group is charging into the fray of syndicated one-hour action TV series with "Conan the Adventurer," a live-action weekly based on the movie series that propelled Arnold Schwarzenegger to fame in the early 1980s. Keller Entertainment will officially unveil "Conan" at a party next week on the opening night of MIP-TV in Cannes, a sign that the company is pushing overseas sales of the project before hammering out domestic distribution deals... ...Keller Entertainment will initially produce 22 episodes of "Conan," each with a budget in excess of $1 million, and a projected air date of early 1997 internationally, according to Micheline Keller. The Kellers will executive produce with Arthur Lieberman as co-executive producer. "We changed the title from 'Conan the Barbarian' to 'Conan the Adventurer' because we're minimizing the violence," Micheline Keller said. In the international arena and when it airs domestically the series will likely cross swords with a horde of action hours, including the dynamic MCA duo of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," and such upcoming shows as MTM's "The Cape," Rysher's "F/X: The Series," MGM Television's "Poltergeist: The Legacy," Paramount's "Viper," New World's "Two," Warner Bros.' "Mad Max" and "Tarzan: The Epic Adventures," a series being distributed by Keller Siegel Entertainment, which is a joint venture between Keller Entertainment Group and SeaGull Entertainment (HR 3/7). Although she conceded that launch of "Conan" coincides with a resurgence of the genre, Keller said the company's interest in making the series predates the success of "Hercules" and "Xena." "Max has been working to get the rights to 'Conan' for five years and they just became available (from Conan Properties)," she said... [237] 04-15-96 PEOPLE Daily (on Pathfinder.com). 3019 words. "Alt.verbatim: Hercules. It's all Greek to us" By Laura C. Smith COMMENTARY: Normally, XMR does not excerpt web pages, but this was an interesting article. Found on the People Magazine's People Daily Page, the writers originally intended to check the on-line discussion areas for a debate on Star Trek vs. Xena; what they found was a wide variety of opinions and approaches. REPRINT: Though leery of starting yet another Hercules-could-kick- Picard's-butt thread, we were wondering how cyberfans of syndicated TV are taking the news that the campfests "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess" have repeatedly challenged "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" for the top of the syndie ratings heap. Hey, we figured, there must be a hot debate a-brewing online. Not exactly. Although a few ticked off DS9 fans have pooh-poohed the mythic rebels, the Greek-geeks' have spent less time dissing their rivals and more time enthusing about their shows. And while "Hercules" generally tops "Xena" in the ratings department, she, er, kicks his butt online. So, in case you don't know what you're missing, check out their mildly amusing official home pages (both on http://www.mca.com/tv) and read a few of the choice Usenet comments. THE YAYS: "When I first started watching "Hercules" and "Xena," as a classicist, I howled. But I actually rather enjoy them because they poke fun at themselves. Aphrodite windsurfing on the half-shell! I nearly fell off the couch, I laughed so hard....They ain't meant to be accurate." "Xena adds to [Hercules' camp] the joys you used to find in the old Wonder Woman show." "They seem to be using the correct familial relationships and minor deities....Let's not even consider the costuming (Ren-fair extras) and dialog (hilariously anachronistic). The cheerful disregard for accuracy in favor of action is part of the attraction." XENA RULES (alt.tv.xena): "Xena is one quadrillion times better than Hercules....I couldn't care less if a monster swallowed him like a Tylenol." HERCULES RULES (alt.tv.hercules-legendary-journeys):" I would love to watch Xena...[but] I can't stand that Whamo-Frisbee thing she kills people with." THE NAYS: "The likes of Herc, Xena and Baywatch are pure fluff...[But DS9] continues to provide a quality product each and every week. Why most of the American viewing public (And about half of fandom) doesn't realize it, I don't know." "The producers said that if they followed the original myths they would be so violent and grim that they would never be able to get them on TV I disagree .... The ancient Greeks couldn't hold a candle to Days of our Lives or Ricky Lake!" "Is Lucy [Lawless--Xena]...well...on the chunky side?" ASPIRING SCREENWRITER (misc.writing.screenplays): "Do Herc/Xena -have-scripts?" AND THE LAST WORD (alt.sex.fetish.smoking): "I was reading the April 8th issue of People.. There was an article about Linda Lawless (AKA.. Xena of Hercules TV fame)... she stated that when she first got into the acting business.. she made through all the hard times on beer and cigarettes.. too bad.. she is in a show now where those beer and smokes would be more common." [238] 04-15-96 FORTUNE. Page 102. 4248 words. "Edgar in Hollywood; Seagram Chief Executive Edgar Bronfman Jr. Has the Determination--and the Bucks--to Be Hollywood's Youngest Mogul. Now All He Needs Is a Business Plan, and the Right People to Execute it at MCA" By Kathryn Harris and Joe McGowan COMMENTARY: Detailed article about Edgar Bronfman Jr. and Seagram's relationship to MCA. The minor mention of XWP made us wonder which production crew left the offending bottle. EXCERPT: Seagram chief executive Edgar Bronfman Jr. has the determination- -and the bucks--to be hollywood's youngest mogul. Now all he needs is a business plan, and the right people to execute it at MCA.... ...Bronfman, a tad self-conscious, observed that the MCA booth "needs more branding"; and chatted with the tall, costumed stars of TV hits Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. But displeasure crossed his face at the hospitality bar, where whiskey from a Seagram competitor was inexplicably displayed. Turning to a hapless MCA executive, he ordered its removal. The offending bottle was whisked from sight. For that brief moment, the Seagram chief knew, exactly and unequivocally, what to do... [239] NOTE: In a Daily Variety article about the inherent problems of video incompatibilities between various technologies, it was mentioned that Sunset Post "is currently working with Pacific Bell to transmit video dailies of 'Xena,' a firstrun syndicated series from Universal, to a production site out of state" and that they were having problems just sending the signal from the west coast to the east. It was reprinted in the weekly Variety. [239a] 04-15-96 DAILY VARIETY. Page 8. 633 words. "Video by Phone Still Hung Up; Lack of compatible tech standards is nub, say NAB nabobs" By Katharine Stalter. COMMENTARY: A report from the National Association of Broadcasters mentioned XWP as an example of a television series impacted by the incompatible technologies. EXCERPT: Problems of incompatibility among various technologies in the video, telco and computer industries threaten to stunt Hollywood's growth in the digital arena, according to post-production execs here for the National Assn. of Broadcasters convention. The show runs through Thursday... ...Optical delusion The key topic was transmission of video over fiber optic lines. Marketing reps from telcos Pacific Bell, Sprint, Vyvx and EDNet were upfront in discussing technological barriers still preventing fast, inexpensive transmission of broadcast-quality video. More telling, however, were the differences in technologies espoused by the individual companies. Because each is marketing its own system, there will likely be difficulties in sending video from a Hollywood post house to a distant location where a director is shooting. "There are no standards," said ITS president Ron Burdett, who is also president and CEO of Glendale's Sunset Post. Sunset is currently working with Pacific Bell to transmit video dailies of "Xena," a firstrun syndicated series from Universal, to a production site out of state. Continued Burdett, "Every one of the telcos is singing from a different page. We already have problems sending video from the West Coast to the East Coast, and the telco deregulation will make it worse, because these companies are more interested in competing with one another than in developing services that are compatible.".. [239b] 04-22-96 VARIETY. Page 63. 696 words. "Nab Hot for Tech Talk; Industry still working out bugs" By Katharine Stalter COMMENTARY: Reworking of XMR239a. [240] 04-15-96 ATHENS CITY ACADEMY OF THE PERFORMING BARDS. Episode no. 13. Second release. Guest stars: Dean O'Gorman, Grahame Moore. Written by R.J. Stewart and Steven L. Sears. Directed by Jace Alexander. COMMENTARY: See XMR 145.5 for synopsis. [241] 04-17-96 STAR TRIBUNE. Page 1E. 1469 words. "Magical 'MST' tour; They're the Best Brains that refused to die: The creators of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" are barnstorming the country to promote a new movie that they hope will resurrect Minnesota's most successful TV series ever." By Colin Covert COMMENTARY: Announcement that Best Brains, the production company of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, was in development of a possible TV series with the producers of HTLJ and XWP. EXCERPT: ...While they wait for the box-office verdict, the Best Brains crew is working on other projects, including a possible TV series for the producers of the syndicated hits "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess." Whatever they do next, they hope to do it as a unit... [242] NOTE: Episode no. 11, The Black Wolf, was re-released on 04/01/96. It rated 13th with a 5.1 share, and ranked 2nd in the action hours. Its first release was 01/08/96, where it received a 4.8 share. HTLJ earned a 5.4 share (rated a tied 10th, ranked 1st); The Outer Limits a 5.0 share (rated 14th, ranked 3rd); and ST:DS9 a 4.6 share (rated a tied 15th, ranked 4th). [242a] 04-18-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 172 words. "Hot news puts crimp in ratings" COMMENTARY: 2nd release of The Black Wolf REPRINT: A bumper crop of news stories including the arrest of the Unabomber suspect and Ron Brown's plane crash apparently knocked the wind out of most of the syndicated shows for the week of April 1-7, with the notable exception of MGM's "The Outer Limits." The supernatural weekly climbed 16% in the ratings for the week, according to Nielsen Media Research, to a 5.0 rating. Its second growth spurt in two weeks put the show on the heels of the top action hours "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (5.4) and "Xena: Warrior Princess" (5.1) from MCA. Meanwhile, Paramount's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" continued to slide. The show was down 18% for the week to a 4.6 its fifth drop in six weeks. The magazine shows also suffered, with every one of them exhibiting a week-to-week decline. The CBS-Group W-Maxam show "Day & Date" saw a 12% drop to a 1.5, while King World's "Inside Edition" and Paramount's "Entertainment Tonight" each dropped 10% to 5.4 and 6.2, respectively. [242b] 04-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. Page 6. 574 words. "Holidays Reduce Yakkers to Whispers in Ratings" By Jim Benson COMMENTARY: 2nd release of The Black Wolf. EXCERPT: News preemptions, sports events on the West Coast, Passover and Good Friday hurt daytime syndie fare during the week ended April 7... In weekly action, MCA TV's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" took over the uncontested lead, despite declining for the fifth time in the past six weeks. After tying Par's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" in its last outing, "Hercules" dipped 4% to 5.4. But that was good enough to hold off "DS9," which dropped 18% to a fourth-place 4.6 (also its fifth loss in the last six missions). Compared with last year, "Hercules" was off 7% and "DS9"-- its phasers on "stun"-- crashed 29%. MCA's "Xena: Warrior Princess" slipped into second place at 5.1, down 6% from last week's battle. MGM's "The Outer Limits," which rallied 16% to 5.0 and matched its best ratings of the season, finished in the top-three weekly hours for the first time... [242c] 04-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. Page 6. 169 words. "For week ended April 7, 1996" COMMENTARY: 2nd release of the The Black Wolf REPRINT: Rank Program (Stations/% coverage) AA% GAA% 1 Wheel of Fortune (225/98) 12.4 -- 2 Jeopardy! (219/98) 10.7 -- 3 Home Improvement (224/97) 8.7 9.3 4 Oprah Winfrey Show (235/99) 8.5 8.6 5 Seinfeld (218/97) 7.0 -- 6 Entertainment Tonight (174/94) 6.2 6.3 7 Wheel of Fortune--Wknd. (180/82) 6.0 -- 8 WCW Wrestling (179/92) 5.8 NA 9 Simpsons (191/96) 5.5 5.5 10 Journeys of Hercules (225/98) 5.4 5.5 10 Inside Edition (163/90) 5.4 5.5 12 Home Improvement--Wknd. (210/95) 5.2 -- 13 Xena (201/96) 5.1 5.2 14 Outer Limits (211/96) 5.0 5.0 15 Roseanne (172/91) 4.6 4.8 15 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (231/98) 4.6 4.7 17 World Wrestling Fed. PR (161/90) 4.5 5.4 18 Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (162/89) 4.4 4.7 18 Live w/Regis & Kathie Lee (233/99) 4.4 -- 20 Montel Williams Show (161/91) 4.3 4.3 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. [242d] 04-22-96 VARIETY. Page 35. 185 words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings"4 COMMENTARY: 2nd release of the Black Wolf. EXCERPT: ...13 Xena 201/96 5.1 5.2... [243] 04-18-96 to 04-25-96 NOTE: Production officially started on XWP's second season in April. [243a] 04-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. 6094 words. "TV and Cable Production Chart" COMMENTARY: Production charts for April 1996. EXCERPT: ...The TV Production Chart includes only programs that cast actors in the L.A. area.... ...MCA TELEVISION (818) 777-1242 ... HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS (synd) (in assn w/Renaissance Pictures) EXP, Robert Tapert, Sam Raimi; COEXP, John Schulian; SUPR PROD, Robert Bielak; PROD, Eric Gruendemann; COPROD, David Eick; CASTING, Beth Hymson-Ayer. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS (synd) (in assn w/Renassiance Pictures) EXP, Robert Tapert, Sam Raimi; COEXP, R.J. Stewart; SUPR PROD, Steven Sears; PROD, Eric Gruendemann; COPROD, Liz Friedman; CASTING, Beth Hymson-Ayer.... [243b] 04-25-96 Daily Variety. 5944 words. "TV and Cable Production Chart" COMMENTARY: Same information as XMR243a. [244] 04-18-96 DAILY VARIETY. Page 6. 210 words. "MCA TV Group Books Copp, Goodman on Multiyear Deal" COMMENTARY: XWP was once more mentioned in passing as a badge of honor for MCA Television in an article about Rick Copp and David Goodmen, the producers of Captain Zoom. REPRINT: MCA Television Group chairman Greg Meidel, who has been signing up writing talent since coming to the studio in January, has inked the writer-producer team of Rick Copp and David Goodman to a multiyear exclusive TV deal. The pair will create, develop and produce programming for both the network and syndication markets. In a statement, Meidel cited the team's track record, which stretches from comedy to the action-adventure genre and from half-hour to longform. Guided 'Captain Zoom' Copp and Goodman wrote and served as supervising producers of MCA TV's "The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space." It premiered last fall in national syndication as a two-hour firstrun telepic for the "Universal Action Pack," which includes the weekly series "Hercules" and "Xena." Each quarter, MCA delivers to "Action Pack" stations a two-hour TV pic that serves as a back-door pilot for a new hour series. "Captain Zoom" garnered a respectable 4.9 rating, but the studio is waiting to see how the upcoming "Beastmaster" performs before deciding on a new hour project. The team's other writing credits include "Dream On,""Wings" and "The Golden Girls," as well as the upcoming feature film "Aquaman." Copp was also a writer on "The Brady Bunch Movie." [245] 04-19-96 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT (Norfolk). Page E2. 600 words. "Xena: One of TV'S Guilty Pleasures" By Larry Bonko. COMMENTARY: XWP made the no. 1 place in Larry Bonko's list of TV's guilty pleasures. After answering some questions from a reader, Mr. Bonko quickly reviewed LL's career and then started to complain about the accents on the show ("why does everyone sound like they're Americans ordering at McDonald's?") and how everyone has great teeth, even in the "dirty dungeon where helpless villagers await execution". EXCERPT: THIS COLUMN is for you, Jack Fontanilla of Norfolk, and for all others who indulge in the guilty pleasure of watching "Xena, Warrior Princess" Friday night at 8 and Sunday morning at 3 on WGNT. I'm with you, Jack. Hail to the mighty princess of power and passion whose courage will change the world. "Xena: Warrior Princess" is No. 1 on my list of TV's guilty pleasures followed by "Singled Out" on MTV, "Profit" on Fox, "Love Connection" on the USA network, "Absolutely Fabulous" on Comedy Central and "Baywatch" on WGNT. Fontanilla called my number on Infoline (640-5555, Category 3333) to ask this question about "Xena": Does Lucy Lawless as Xena do her own stunts on the series in which Xena in a typical hour might stop cruel warlords from slaughtering peasants, rescue children who stumbled into the path of a man-eating Cyclops, help end a 10-year war and dispense a little mythological philosophy? "Causes are lost only when people give up . . . " Is Lawless some kind of a super athlete who was recruited for TV by series producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, Fontanilla wonders? Hardly. About the most strenuous thing that Lawless engaged in before "Xena" was yoga. She had to take special training in the martial arts and swordplay before "Xena" began in 1995 after Lawless clicked with viewers on "Hercules: Legendary Journeys." After training hard, she could handle the scenes that call for flying fists, high kicks and flashing blades, to say nothing of administering the two-fingered Xena neck pinch. Not bad for an actress whose nickname was once "Unco," as in uncoordinated. Now she's really good with that chakram discus thing that Xena tosses at her enemies. (The producers of "Xena" use computer graphics, animation and elaborate sets and makeup to help along the notion that Xena lives in a world of gods and demons). In some scenes, such as when Xena is airborne with leather fringe flying, the producers bring in stunt doubles. Why? Because stuntmen don't cry, Lawless once told a reporter. As TV's Wonder Woman of the 1990s, Lawless said she's pleased to be playing Xena, who alternates from mesmerizing men ("Those boots, that leather, those legs") to thrashing them. "I see Xena as a very human hero who knows all the darker side of human nature. She has to battle it within herself every day. . . ," she said. The slightly superhuman image is helped by the fact that Lawless is almost 6 feet tall. She's 27, the mother of a 7-year-old. Her bangs are dyed black. She has to be shoe-horned into her costume. Lawless once worked as a gold miner. Lawless is a New Zealander who buries her accent when playing Xena, which is filmed in Auckland. The diction of the actors on that show is a puzzle. The producers say the series is set in the distant age of myth "long before Greece or Rome." So, why does everyone sound like they're Americans ordering at McDonald's? Xena's sidekick Gabrielle, played by Renee O'Connor, sounds positively hip at times. The dialogue is a hoot: Xena to an old friend: "I see you've grown up." Old friend to Xena: "I see you've grown legendary." Love it. Ever notice that the cast of "Xena" has perfect teeth? Since when did people in the dark, dark ages have teeth a model would kill for? Silly me. I assumed that orthodontics came along long after Hercules' time. The last place you'd expect to find a set of perfect choppers is in dirty dungeon where helpless villagers await execution on the feast of Zeus. Unless Xena rescues them. Love it. [246] 04-19-96 ELECTRONIC MEDIA INTERNATIONAL. Page 18. 414 words. "MCA'S 'Hercules,' 'Xena' Pump up New Action Genre" By Wayne Walley. COMMENTARY: Recognition that HTLJ and XWP have singled handedly revived the action genre. REPRINT: "Hercules" and its spinoff series "Xena: Warrior Princess" have helped redefine a genre with what's been called "good clean fun with action." The action-adventure fantasy shows from MCA Television Group have sold globally and have expanded the one-hour venue beyond hard-edged action shows, sexy dramas, detective or science- fiction shows. They also could propel MCA toward its first global co-venture for future hour-longs. "Hercules" is on the air in France, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, Canada and Australia. While "Xena" has been sold overseas, it's not yet on the air. James McNamara, president of worldwide television distribution at MCA Television Group, said new projects in development such as "Beastmaster," a series based on the movies, are different but in the same mold of light fantasy action-adventure. Originally, "Hercules" took some knocks for its style, but its success now has some competitors paying closer attention. "It's action without a lot of violence. It's only when a show is too dark or too violent or too esoteric that they do not travel as well," said Gary Marenzi, president of MGM/UA Telecommunications Co. MGM/UA, with "Outer Limits" and "Poltergeist: The Legacy," is riding the wave of interest in the science-fiction or supernatural arena partially fueled by the worldwide success of Twentieth Century Fox International Television's "The X-Files." Armando Nunez, president of New World International Television Distribution, said interest in program genres is cyclical. "Certainly the action-hour is traveling well internationally. Now it's this fantasy/science-fiction or whatever you want to call a 'Hercules' or 'Xena.' Or the action show that gets into the paranormal or supernatural like 'X-Files' or 'Strange Luck.' That genre is very much in vogue right now," he said. [247] 04-19-96 ELECTRONIC MEDIA INTERNATIONAL. Page 30. 1800 words. "MIP-TV Listings." COMMENTARY: XWP was listed in the listings for the 33rd MIP-TV conference (Cannes, France) offering 24 episodes for the first season. MIP is the main selling market for overseas television. EXCERPT: ...MCA TV International Universal City, Calif. "American Gothic," 22 hours of a suspense series; "Beast," a four-hour miniseries; "Campus Cops," 13 half-hours of a comedy; "Casper," 26 animated half-hours; "Earthworm Jim," 13 animated half-hours; "Partners," 22 half-hours of a comedy; "Savage Dragon," 13 animated half-hours; "Swift Justice," 13 hours of a crime drama; "Xena: Warrior Princess," 24 hours of an action-adventure; and TV movies "The Android Affair," "Birds II-Land's End," "Captain Zoom,"... ------------- THE BACK PAGE ------------- Issue #18 is scheduled to contain annotations #248 through #280, dated from 04/22/96 to 05/17/96. It is scheduled to be released, oh, sometime when I feel like it. 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, and any other rightful and legal copyright holder). 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. This is an All Talk No Action Publication. 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. 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