XENA MEDIA REVIEW #30 (04-15-97) Borg 03 of 11 ================= CUT HERE =================== [538] 10-01-96 THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Tuesday. Page E-1. 1124 words. "The Current Cosby Creation Leaves Him Cold" By Welton Jones, welton.jones@uniontrib.com. COMMENTARY: In a review of Bill Cosby's new television show (which doesn't anywhere mention the name of the show and name currently alludes me!), the reviewer criticized the three-camera, flat-lighting, all interior, broad comedy texture of modern situation comedies. While expressing his dismay over the technique he wrote, "I don't seem to be this troubled by quality television shows like "NYPD Blue" or "Xena: Warrior Princess," for example, where there seems to be a budget for outdoor shooting." XWP was referred to as a "quality television show". [KT] Later, Welton Jones would write one of the first serious commentaries praising XWP. The thing that I find so delightful about Jones' writing is that he is one of the few critics who seems to be able to actually see what XWP is doing. [DS] EXCERPT: ...This isn't helped any by the claustrophobia that I always feel in sitcom land. There's something about a studio set with television actors straining for quirkiness, even in brief scenes flashed on as teasers for these shows, that inspires in me an instant loathing I have never felt in, for example, the theater. But this isn't just some kind of snob thing. I don't remember ever feeling this nausea in a movie house. And I don't seem to be thus troubled by quality television shows like "NYPD Blue" or "Xena: Warrior Princess," for example, where there seems to be a budget for outdoor shooting. Even the soap operas I glimpse at the gym seem to be more intelligently shot. The standard three-camera, flat-lighting, all interior, broad comedy texture, invented by Desi Arnaz for "I Love Lucy," is what triggers my phobia. It just seems to absorb all wit and humanity in a bottomless container of Styrofoam peanuts, leaving only the polished aggression of Celebrity Personalities and the urgent hustling of their droll retainers.... [539] 10-01-96 TELEVISION BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL. Page 174. 2587 words. "Platform for Growth". By Tim Westcott. COMMENTARY: One of the interesting things about doing XMR is that we're so, ummm, behind that we're reporting on stories written more than a year ago. While that might seem to be an impediment to others, this interesting little article is an example of how Wayback-Machine Journalism can be an advantage. In this interview with a trade publication, MCA executive Jim McNamara discusses MCA's syndicate strategy. He twice mentions XWP and HTLJ as examples of MCA's successes. From the perspective of Wayback-Machine Journalism, we know that MCA in 1997 sold its TV shows, including XWP and HTLJ, to another corporation. Unfortunately, we can't know whether or not the decision to sell MCA's TV assets was prompted, at least partially, by XWP and HTLJ's success. Could this have been a tastier, and therefore more profitable deal, because Renaissance Pictures has been producing winners? Also, for the reader interested in syndication strategy, this article provides a few new tidbits of information. [DS] REPRINT: Jim NcNamara was one of the new executives brought in at MCA earlier this year as Seagram shook up its TV Group. McNamara, president of worldwide television distribution, says MCA is negotiating further long- term output deals for digital tv operators, launching new channels around the world and making a push to develop its syndication business in the U.S. Interview by Tim Westcott... ... TBI: Given the corporate and regulatory changes in the U.S. television business, is it going to be harder for distributors like MCA to get a show onto primetime? You have to look at it over a longer period of time. I think that this year there might have been a touch of it but not really that much. Where we're really feeling it is in the syndication arena, where the alliances between producers and stations have really taken all the initiative out of producing a good show. It is no longer the show that matters, it's the deal and the alliance. You have CBS and Eyemark basically getting the nod on all the shows that are going to appear on the CBS stations. I can't imagine a new show going on the ABC stations that's not influenced in some way by the Disney organization. NBC is a free player and the Tribune stations are very much in sync with their distribution organization. Fortunately, we made two deals on Hercules and Xena last year, so we can worry about that problem in 1998. TBI: Is syndication your priority? I think we're in pretty good shape internationally. A lot of my focus is on the domestic syndication business right now, because it's the only business where you can actually make money in the current year. If you're in the network business, you're betting on the long-term back-end. In the international business, what you're really doing is funding part of the current production deficit. But in the first-run syndication business, you can actually make a profit, because you negotiate license fees and you are participating in barter revenue. So there is a potential upside. We have our two very successful once-a-week shows, Hercules and Xena. We're going to be doing another one we'll be announcing at Mipcom. But in the daily strip business, we really are nowhere. That's where a large part of our attention is being focused. You can call me back a year from now and ask if we've succeeded in that. [540] 10-01-96 THE BOSTON GLOBE. National/Foreign. Page B8. 75 words. "Ask the Globe:. Address Book. By Sam Watertown. COMMENTARY: The Boston Globe provides a list of addresses, apparently in response to reader questions. The address they report for Lucy Lawless, however, was out of date soon after this appeared. To write Lawless today send it to The Official Xena Fan Club at 644-A W. Broadway, Glendale, CA 91204. Also know that because of the volume of mail, Lawless cannot read and respond to every letter. On the other hand, every piece of mail is read by someone on the fan club staff. I wonder if the address for Ladies Who Laugh Out Loud is out of date, and I wonder what I have to do to join. [DS] REPRINT: Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to The Society for Ladies Who Laugh Out Loud, P.O. Box 629, Kennebunkport, ME 04046. For L.H., Boston - Celine Dion, c/o Creative Artists Agency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212 For A.O., Revere - Make-A-Wish Foundation of America, 100 W. Clarendon Avenue, Suite 2200, Phoenix, AZ 85013-3518 For M.M., Lynn - Lucy Lawless, c/o The Lippin Group, 230 Park Ave., Suite 550, New York, NY 10169 [541] 10-02-96 to 10-07-96 NOTE: The next few excerpts mention CLOAK AND DAGGER, a new (at that time) TV series being produced by Renaissance Pictures, the makers of XWP. Primarily a Sam Raimi project, CLOAK AND DAGGER was later broadcast by ABC under the name of SPY GAME. The series lasted only a few episodes before being cancelled. [DS] [541a] 10-02-96 LOS ANGELES TIMES. Page F2. 864 words. "Arts and Entertainment Reports from the Times, National and International News Services and the Nation's Press" By Shauna Snow COMMENTARY: A brief look at the unusual business deal that led to the production of Cloak and Dagger (Spy Game). [DS] EXCERPT: ...Warner-Universal Teaming: In a virtually unprecedented arrangement between two major studios, Warner Bros. and Universal will co-produce "Cloak & Dagger," an upcoming ABC action series. The companies were brought together because of separate agreements with the producers involved: John McNamara, who co-created the Fox series "Profit," now has ties to Warner Bros.; Sam Raimi has a deal with Universal, through which he produces the syndicated hits "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess." "Cloak & Dagger," a high-tech action show reminiscent of the old spy series "The Avengers," is expected to air later this season, although no casting has been set. The only previous case of two studios combining on a series also involved Universal and Warner Bros., brought together through filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton on the short-lived 1993 CBS animated program "Family Dog."... [541b] 10-02-96 DAILY VARIETY. Wednesday. Page 1. 551 words. "WB, Universal Team for ABC Drama Series WB, Universal Share 'Cloak'" By Joe Flint. COMMENTARY: A detailed explanation of the CLOAK AND DAGGER/SPY GAME production partnership. Again, XWP was mentioned in passing in reference to Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert. [KT] One interesting note here: Of the three mid-season replacement shows mentioned in this article, only one, The Practice, won a regular spot in the broadcast schedule. [DS] REPRINT: In the latest example of what strange bedfellows the television business makes, rival studios Warner Bros. Television and MCA's Universal Television are partnering on a new mid-season drama for ABC. The deal was driven by both creative and financial needs. Creatively, each studio is supplying elements to the show, while partnering also lowers the risks and costs involved in production. The show in question is "Cloak and Dagger," a one-hour action-adventure thriller with comedic elements to which ABC has given a 13-episode commitment. The two studios are looking for an 8 p.m. time slot on the Alphabet web. Both studios will share equally in the production and distribution of the show. It is understood that Warner Bros. will get international distribution rights to Cloak and Dagger while Universal will handle domestic distribution. On the surface that may seem to be an advantage to Warner Bros., which can sell the show internationally immediately. But MCA may also look to cut an early syndication deal with a cable outlet such as USA Network, in which it owns a 50% stake. If the show has a short life on ABC, perhaps USA would become the full-time home for the series. While studios and production companies often partner with networks on TV shows, partnerships between studios on a show are rare. A few years ago, Universal and Warner Bros. partnered on a short-lived CBS animated effort called "Family Dog," but that collaborative effort was more out of necessity than voluntary: Universal wanted to do the show, but only with director Tim Burton, who had created the concept only to later sign a deal with Warner Bros. This effort is a little more co-operative. Universal Television president Tom Thayer looked to partner with Warner Bros. so producer John McNamara, who has a deal at Warner Bros., could be involved on the show with Universal producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert. "It's a fairly unorthodox piece of business," said Warner Bros. Television president Tony Jonas, who emphasized that the deal is much more about teaming up the creative elements than it is about minimizing financial risk on the drama. "Cost is not the engine of this deal," Jonas said. "The show itself an 8 p.m. action hour is an elusive form with few successes." By combining talent, Jonas and Thayer are hoping both can share in the returns. "To succeed in today's increasingly difficult business environment, we have to be aggressive," added Universal's Thayer. Universal's Raimi and Tapert are currently executive producers on Universal's first run syndication shows "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess." They also exec produced the short-lived CBS series "American Gothic." McNamara serves as producer of Warner Bros.' "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman." He also co-created and executive produced the critically acclaimed but also short-lived Fox series "Profit." Also serving as producer is Renaissance Pictures Television president David Eick, who played a key part in the deal. For ABC, Cloak and Dagger is the third drama that the web is prepping for mid-season. The others are 20th Century Fox Television's "The Practice" from David Kelley, and "Gun" from Kushner-Locke. ABC also has five comedies in the works for later this season. [541c] 10-07-96 VARIETY. Page 37. 559 words. "'Cloak' big enough for WB" By JOE FLINT COMMENTARY: Same as XMR541b. [542] 10-02-96 THE BUFFALO NEWS. Wednesday. Page 7D. 917 words. "a Sneak Peek at What New Warner Bros. Channel 49 Will Be; Carrying" By Alan Pergament COMMENTARY: Pergament, the writer, pondered what shows will be carried by the new station Channel 49, and XWP and HTLJ are among them. [KT] EXCERPT: The secret is being protected as closely as any clue to what's really going on with Fox Mulder's family in "The X-Files." For the past two months, I've tried to uncover just what programs Channel 49 will be carrying when it switches over from a religious station to a commercial station.... The arrival of the new station, which will have the new call letters of WNYO-TV and remain on local cable systems, should make fans of several missing syndicated shows very happy.... ...That still leaves several hours of prime time for syndicated programming, including "Hercules," "Xena" and "Baywatch," which all have done much better nationally than they did when they were carried on Channel 29... [543] 10-03-97 TIME OUT NEW YORK. Issue No. 54. Page 13. COMMENTARY: Full page photo is on p. 12 of Lucy Lawless holding two swords crossed above her head. This is one of the first-season publicity shots that turn up frequently. Nothing else is known about this. If you have more information, please contact us. [KT] [544] 10-4-96 THE FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. STAR TIME. Page FW2. 690 words. "A mob of SYNDICATE SHOWS." By Robert Philpot. COMMENTARY: In a story that previews syndicated shows, some so obscure as to be unknown (Anyone remember something called "Two?"), the writer mentions XWP and HTLJ in a report on Sinbad. It's the usual off-hand, snide comment that we've come to expect from TV critics. Hmmm, am I feeling a bit snappish today? Not really, but I do think I'm a teeny bit tired of critics who don't appear to need to watch a show before slamming it. This fellow also gives Sinbad a rating of 3 and a half stars out of a possible five and praises Sinbad's "writing". No comment. [DS] REPRINT: They're not exactly homeless shows. It's more like they live in small, hard-to-find apartments while others live in big houses in familiar neighborhoods. They're syndicated TV shows, those odd shows that either don't show up on network affiliates or appear outside of prime time when they do. They include some of TV's biggest success stories, such as Baywatch and Wheel of Fortune. And they often become cult favorites, such as Hercules or Xena: Warrior Princess. This year, enough new ones debuted that we had trouble catching (and in some cases, finding) them all. The Wrap, which doesn't air in all markets itself, loves this kind of stuff. Because it's where many guilty pleasures lie. Here's a rundown of some of this year's syndi loopers, rated on a scale of one to five stars.... The Adventures of Sinbad: This swashbuckler follows the lead of Hercules and Xena: Namely, dumb, hokey shows can be tremendously entertaining if they're hip enough to themselves to realize that they're dumb and hokey. This show has a lot going for it: Improbably named lead player Zen Gesner has the most charm among the syndicated hunks; the writing has a refreshingly tongue-in-cheek quality; and the special effects (the pilot included a sea serpent, a giant demon and a rock monster) are reminiscent of the great Ray Harryhausen, whose stop-motion animation was featured in several Sinbad movies. Although Gesner and other regulars hold their own, some of the guest-acting is hilariously bad: One actress whose part should have had some lines had nothing to do but scream - and she couldn't even do that well. (Airs 5 p.m. Sundays, KDFI/Channel 27) Rated ***1/2 [545] 10-03-96 NOTE: CALLISTO (#22), 2nd release, 09/09/96. Ranked as the third action hour with a 4.3 rating. (HTLJ took 1st place with a 5.2 and ST:DS9 took 2nd with a 5.1. Other action hours: FX: The Series earned 2.5; Two earned 2.4; Bounty Hunters earned 1.4; TV.Com earned 1.2; The Cape was reprocessed.). [DOCTOR's 1st release (07/29/96) ratings: HTLJ took 1st with a 4.5; XWP took 2nd with a 4.0; and ST:DS9 took 3rd with a 3.9.] [KT] [545a] 10-03-96 DAILY VARIETY. Thursday. Page 3. 1000 words. "No Ratings Payoff for New Syndie Gamers. Talk Losing Streak. New Syndies Fail to Make Dent in Nielsens" By Jenny Hontz COMMENTARY: CALLISTO (#22), 2nd release, 09/09/96. EXCERPT: The new crop of first-run strips that debuted the week ending Sept. 22 barely registered on Nielsen's national ratings radar screen.... ...Weeklies in flux The debut of Rysher Entertainment's "FX The Series" rated a 2.5 on 217 stations covering 93% of the country, a good clearance list. Worldvision's "America's Dumbest Criminals" debuted to a 1.8 on 118 stations covering 77% of the country. Also in its premiere week, Tradewinds' "Bounty Hunters" debuted at a 1.4 on 89 stations covering 71% of the country. Golden Gate Prods.' "TV.Com" debuted to a 1.2 on 92 stations covering 69% of the country. The highly anticipated "The Cape" was reprocessed. In Week 2, New World's "Two" fell 8% to a 2.4. MCA TV's "Hercules" led the weekly pack at a 5.2, just ahead of Par's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 5.1. MCA TV's "Xena: Warrior Princess" was third at 4.3. Compared to last year, all the top weeklies were lower. [545b] 10-07-96 VARIETY. Page 39. 1003 words. "SYNDIE FRESHMAN CLASS FLUNKS TALK" By JENNY HONTZ COMMENTARY: CALLISTO (#22), 2nd release, 09/09/96.Same as XMR- --a. [546] 10-03-96 to 10-08-96 NOTE: The start of a new season. What follows are the promotions for the first episode of the second season, ORPHAN OF WAR. season opener. [KT] [546a] 10-03-96 THE BALTIMORE SUN. Thursday. Page 3E. 486 words. "Suddenly, 'Susan' Feels like We've Seen it Before" By Chris Kaltenbach COMMENTARY: "Myth and mirth" was used to describe XWP and HTLJ. Short description of season opener, "Xena has a pleasant reunion with her son, who has sworn to kill her." [KT] EXCERPT: ..."Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (8 p.m.-9 p.m.) and "Xena: Warrior Princess" (9 p.m.-10 p.m., WNUV, Channel 54) -- A new season of myth and mirth opens as Herc finds himself stranded on a desert island populated by huge, mean worms, and Xena has a pleasant reunion with her son, who has sworn to kill her. And by the way, don't get upset with me if the writers here play fast and loose with their mythology. I don't write these things; I just write about them. [546b] 10-04-96 NEWSDAY (Nassau Edition). Friday. Page B52. 182 words. "TV this Weekend" COMMENTARY: After offering the date and channel for XWP in New York (Saturday, WPIX/11 at 9 p.m.), the paper noted that HTLJ and XWP were "two of the most successful syndicated action-adventure hours". [KT] EXCERPT: ...Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (Saturday, WPIX/11 at 8 p.m.) and Xena: Warrior Princess (Saturday, WPIX/11 at 9 p.m.), two of the most successful syndicated action-adventure hours air their season premieres.... [546c] 10-04-96 STAR TRIBUNE. Page 1E. 647 words. "On tap: Movies" By Bill Ward COMMENTARY: Passing mention of the new season. EXCERPT: ...Television... ...Among other season premieres of note: "Sightings" (7 p.m. today, SCI), "The American Experience" (8 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 2), "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (9:30 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 29) and "Xena: Warrior Princess" (10:30 p.m. Sunday, Ch. 29).... [546d] 10-05-96 THE PLAIN DEALER. Saturday. Page 12E. 617 words. "The Profile Well Worth Four Hours" By Tom Feran COMMENTARY: New season announcement. EXCERPT: ...WEEKENDING: New seasons start this weekend on Channel 43 for "Kung Fu: The Legend Continues" (4 p.m. today), "Babylon 5" (5 p.m. today), "Xena: Warrior Princess" (4 p.m. tomorrow) and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (5 p.m. tomorrow) ... "Lois & Clark" do tie the knot, at 8 p.m. tomorrow on WEWS Channel 5 and WAKC Channel 23.... [546e] 10-05-95 AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. Pg. E8. 582 words. "Kids' programs on cable television experience growth; ABC to air entire 'Lion King' movie" By DIANE HOLLOWAY and John Carmody COMMENTARY: More new season announcement. EXCERPT: ...HIGHLIGHTS Two popular syndicated shows have season premieres tonight on KNVA Channel 54: ''XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS'' opens its second season at 7, and ''HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS'' begins its third at 8 ... [546f] 10-08-96 CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Tuesday. Page C3. 812 words. "'MURDER' THEY WROTE; J.C. MACKENZIE GIVES UP SOME DIRT ON WHAT'S TO COME ON THE BOCHCO SERIES" By Allan Johnson. COMMENTARY: Hello new season, but with a delightfully humorous twist that quotes a HTLJ disclaimer. EXCERPT: ...Where's the remote: Here's a calming thought for animal-rights activists from the producers of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys." On the season premiere at 4 p.m. Saturday on WGN-Ch. 9, "no flesh-eating Sandrays were harmed during the production of this motion picture." For the uninformed, Sandrays are stingray-like creatures. They slither underneath a desert area that our hero (Kevin Sorbo) wanders with a mercenary (Jeremy Roberts) he's towing in to face a murder charge in this episode, which is more somber than most of the fun-loving segments that mark this mostly cheery, sometimes cheesy syndicated hit. By the by, "Hercules"' sister series, "Xena: Warrior Princess," also starts its season at 3 p.m. Saturday on Channel 9. [546g] 10-08-96 CHATTANOOGA FREE PRESS. Tuesday. Page A8. 826 words. "Tune in Tonight." COMMENTARY: Same as XMR546f. [547] 10-04-96 THE VANCOUVER SUN. Friday. Page C3. 377 words. "Bound to titillate a few" By Peter Birnie COMMENTARY: In a review of the movie "Bound", starring Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon, the reviewer wrote: "Larry and Andy Wachowski write and direct Gershon's character with less femininity than Xena, leading to the suspicion that this slick mix of female skin and glistening guns is less for lesbians than men in need of a little fantasy." He also compared the Gershon character to Xena: "Jennifer Tilly has never been in stronger hands as Gershon's muscles, tank top and plumbing skills make her the warrior to free the fair, breathy maiden next door." The reviewer not only used Xena as a yardstick whether the film was intended for a lesbian audience or a male heterosexual audience, but he also attempted to compare the screen relationship to that of the Xena-Gabrielle relationship in XWP. This is an example of a sophisticated allusion which is now beginning to be seen more commonly in the media. This evidences not only a journalist who is familiar with the nuances of the show, but also exhibits an anticipation that the audience shares the same with them. [KT] REPRINT: BOUND Starring Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon. Restricted. Rating three Pull over, Thelma & Louise. You've been overtaken by the ultimate female road movie. Although most of Bound unfolds in a couple of elegant old Chicago apartments, it's all about movement and change. A lesbian, a bisexual woman and a gangster named Caesar get together and generate enough heat, blood and general creepiness to rate one sleazy piece of cinema as the wildest ride this side of 1946's The Postman Always Rings Twice. Someone is doing a great John Garfield here, but it isn't Joe Pantoliano as the mobster. Gina Gershon, she of Showgirls, is cast as a beautiful, fit lesbian ready to help the gun moll out in a pinch; Jennifer Tilly has never been in stronger hands as Gershon's muscles, tank top and plumbing skills make her the warrior to free the fair, breathy maiden next door. Larry and Andy Wachowski write and direct Gershon's character with less femininity than Xena, leading to the suspicion that this slick mix of female skin and glistening guns is less for lesbians than men in need of a little fantasy. With one writing credit between them -- for Stallone's Assassins -- the brothers Wachowski launch into a murderous assault on our senses. In a bid to become the latest screen siblings to hack out their niche in Coen country, the boys break all the rules, even stealing a few licks of Bernard Herrmann's music to try and tie Hitchcock into their scheme. Bound is extreme from its first scene, which offers the sound of sex in an adjoining apartment, and nothing lets up until the last bullet has been fired at or by Corky (Gershon) and Violet (Tilly). Corky thinks she's a tough kind of beer-for-breakfast gal, but Violet's tiny voice is linked to one voluminous brain. Behind those black bobs are an idea or two about what to do when torture leaves someone no longer in need of a pinky ring and leads to the delivery of $2.176 million US in blood money. Bound is as an example of the way we've been so inured to shock at the cinema that excess blood and lesbian sex are now considered necessary to keep us interested in what's an otherwise plodding murder-mystery. At the Granville, Park & Tilford and Station Square cinemas. [548] 10-04-96 THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Friday. Page F11. 1190 words. "The Adventure Continues for 'Xena'; Profile: Lucy Lawless, Who Plays the Terminator-in-a-bustier Heroine, Dishes the New Season" By Kinney Littlefield COMMENTARY: In a very compact interview while in Universal City (home office of Renaissance Pictures, the production team behind XWP), Lucy Lawless spilled the beans about the next season and offered her views on fan-opinings about the show. Although a very action-packed interview, Kenney Littlefield did not delve into any analysis or offer anything with more depth than spoilers and cute quotes from Lawless. Ms. Littlefield is a good example of the new type of reporter who not only reports on XWP, but obviously watches and enjoys it too. This is clear through her previous articles. Her previous articles included (1) an interview with Kevin Sorbo (XMR092: 12- 03-95, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, "'Hercules' star Sorbo plays it cool"), (2) positive mentionings of XWP (XMR112: 12-24-95, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, "A Look Back at '95 Television; One Trying Year; 1995"; XMR271: 05-04-96, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, and "We're Outta Here"; 09-01-96, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, "Critical Choices; So much TV, so little time."), (3) her weird fantasy about Chuck Norris and Lucy Lawless hosting the Oscars (XMR208: 03-24-96, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, "Oscar program as it really should be done") and (4) her casual reference to XWP in describing people in other reviews (Tentative XMR326: 07-04-96, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, "Summer on the Set"). Littlefield described XWP as "part sexy action show, part sly pop-culture parody", and evidenced the show's rising popularity by listing all the TV parodies of the show this season so far: "Something So Right" and "Almost Perfect". Littlefield also brought up the issue of Xena and Gabrielle's relationship and reported that this "season the are-they-or-aren't-they? adventures continue." Also discussed was the great moral shift of Xena, the humor latent in the show, the moment Ms. Lawless' decided to pursue acting, her brief career as a miner, her break into professional acting, her daughter Daisy, why she was currently reading psychology books, and some spoilers about the second season of XWP and a guy named Julius. ================= CUT HERE =================== XENA MEDIA REVIEW #30 (04-15-97) Borg 03 of 11