THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS.... TWXN 63 01/26/97 Brought to you by Xena: Media Review (XMR): http://xenafan.com/xmr TWXN is the advance sheet for XMR. XMR is a periodic annotated world press review of reports regarding the internationally syndicated television show XENA: Warrior Princess (1995 - ) and the castmembers, Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor. For a free e-mail subscription send "subscribe XMR" to ktaborn@lightspeed.net. Excerpts from the following cites will appear in future issues of XMR. [ ] 01-06-97 ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Page 28. 1027 words. "Touring Seagram's Universal: Frank Biondi Rouses a Sleeping Giant (Part 1/2)" By Diane Mermigas COMMENTARY: The first media news of a XWP Saturday morning cartoon for Fall of 1997 was found in a caption to a graphic in a two part interview with Frank Biondi. EXCERPT: ...GRAPHIC: Chairman Frank Biondi is revitalizing Universal for his employer, Seagram. "Xena" Series spinoffs later this year will include Saturday morning animation. [ ] 01-06-97 ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Page 24. 2680 words. "New Day Dawns for Universal Television" By Diane Mermigas EXCERPT: ...Plans also are under way to develop Universal Television into a animation boutique. Future ''Hercules'' and ''Xena'' series spinoffs will include Saturday morning animated renderings and direct-to-home videos later this year.... ...As the first studio to combine international, domestic and first-run sales, Mr. McNamara said he is insisting on series rebroadcasts (often in the same week as the original broadcast), choice time periods on the strongest stations and top pricing. The new approach has resulted in double the syndication revenues from a series such as ''New York Undercover.'' Through more aggressive sales agreements, Universal's ''Hercules'' and ''Xena'' first-run duo is expected to generate at least $50 million over a five-year life span, due in part to healthy foreign sales.... [ d] 01-06-97 MEDIAWEEK. 5685 words. "NAPTE '97: A look at what's new on the floor" By Michael Freeman COMMENTARY: In a catalog of first-run shows being offered at NATPE, TEAM: KNIGHT RIDER was listed as "'This is not your father's Knight Rider' is the catchphrase studio executives at Universal are passing along at sales pitches for this new version of the former network series. One New York station rep describes the show as 'The A-Team meets Knight Rider.'" The listing concluded with "Whatever they decide to pitch it as won't likely matter--what Universal has done with the hit action-adventures Hercules and Xena makes this series a fairly safe bet." The error of this observation is that although Universal gets the privilege of releasing XWP, they are not the creative minds behind the work. TEAM KNIGHT RIDER is not a Raimi-Tapert/Renaissance Pictures Production. The catalog also listed a show called TRACKER being offered by the BAYWATCH/SINBAD people. The catalog stated, "Former bodybuilding champion Rachel McLish stars as a woman raised in the wilderness (by wolves?) who dedicates her life to tracking down the man who killed her mentor. The trail ultimately leads her to a modern city. Wait--doesn't this sound like an urbanized Xena?" First of all, the analogy misses. Xena is not feral in the way a woman raised by wolves would be. Second, the thought of an urbanized Xena is too scary. Don't take me there, All-American Television. Please. [ ] 01-07-97 ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. Tuesday. Page 2. 1147 words. "TCI Viewers Do Not Need More Cartoons, They Need WGN" COMMENTARY: In a series of letters to the editor discussing TCI's dropping of WGN from their cable line- up, a citizen wrote, "Although I'm not a transplanted Midwesterner (western New York is my former stomping grounds) and not a sports nut like some people, I do like some of the programming I've been able to watch, some of which pertains to movies and the newest action adventure series such as Sinbad, Xena, Warrior Princess and Hercules, the Legendary Journeys. The last three may be somewhat corny to some people, but I enjoy them. They're different, plus quite entertaining, as far as I'm concerned. The last two programs I mentioned used to be on Channel 13. Then they got moved to Channel 10 (CBS). Now, I'm only able to find Xena on that station, and it's constantly being pushed later and later into the wee hours of early Monday morning. Granted, I could tape that program and watch it on a night when nothing else interests me, but what about the other two? Where do I find them?" [ b] 01-08-97 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. Wednesday. Page B2. 440 words. "'Mystery Science Theater' moves as cable channels add new series" By Walt Belcher EXCERPT: ...Also on Monday at 10 p.m., TNT adds "The New Adventures of Robin Hood." Imagine Robin (Matthew Porretta) as a Hercules of the forest and Maid Marian (Anna Galvin) as Princess Xena, and you have an idea where this is headed. Marian should get equal billing because she does have the bigger sword.... [ b] 01-09-97 NEW TIMES LOS ANGELES. Thursday. Calendar. 1943 words. "7 Days in L.A." By Ravi Dhillon COMMENTARY: Ah, the memories...thank you, Sharon and Creation Con. EXCERPT: ...Sunday January 12 Hercules and Xena Adventure Heroes Convention: Although the demigod hero of the syndicated series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys has fought giants, centaurs, a Cyclops, a tri-tailed snake woman, a deadly sea serpent, and a three-headed dog at the gate of Hades, the strapping six-foot-three actor Kevin Sorbo is really a "good guy," who describes himself as a very "human, accessible hero." And Lucy Lawless, star of Xena: Warrior Princess, is actually a compassionate woman "with the devil on her shoulder," who has appeared as the menacing Amazon enforcer Lysia in the TV movie Hercules and the Amazon Women. Both stars undergo strenuous training on a regular basis--to maintain their superhuman physiques and to be able to perform the stunts their roles demand. What else would you expect from action-adventure heroes who "stand alone as warriors and protectors of mankind"? This weekend when they appear in costume at Creation Entertainment's official convention for fans, who will delight in behind-the-scenes footage, on-stage presentations, and merchandise galore. $10-$18. Jan. 11-12, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Burbank Airport Hilton, 2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank, 818-409-0960.... [ e] 01-09-97 LOS ANGELES TIMES. Thursday. Page B1. 1168 words. "These Lawyers Enjoy the Chance to Do the Right Thing" By Jerry Hicks COMMENTARY: Hey! A rumor of a XenaCon for Anaheim! This is not surprising since the Burbank Hilton Convention Center was sold out days before the XenaCon. The Anaheim Convention Center is where STAR TREK holds its Grand Slam Conventions. It would not surprise me that the next Southern California convention would be in Anaheim. The real question is when this will be! EXCERPT: ...Warrior Weekend: Saturday night is my night to read and relax at home. That's because my teen-age son is in his room listening to his music, and my wife and 4-year-old daughter are glued to two hours of back-to-back TV warriors. It's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" at 8 and "Xena: Warrior Princess" at 9 (Channel 5). So when I heard that both Kevin Sorbo (Hercules) and Lucy Lawless (Xena) would be appearing at the Burbank Airport Hilton this weekend, I knew there would be no holding back my wife and daughter. It's the first official convention for fans of the two warriors from long ago. If you're among those fans but Burbank is a stretch for a weekend outing, don't worry. Mary Anderson-Harris, a spokeswoman for show sponsor Creation Entertainment, says it's now trying to put together an Orange County show.... [ ] 01-09-97 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 213 words. "Eick president at Renaissance" By Lisa de Moraes REPRINT: David Eick has been promoted to president of Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert's Renaissance Pictures Television. Eick had been VP since 1994; he joined the Universal Studios-based production company in 1992 as director of TV development. Eick has been instrumental in launching Renaissance's TV division, where he oversees development and production of projects. During his tenure, he has developed four drama series and seven telefilms. Eick currently serves as supervising producer of the company's mid-season drama series for ABC, "Spy Game" (formerly "Cloak & Dagger") and co-producer of the first-run series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys." Eick also was a producer of the CBS series "American Gothic," co-producer of two direct-to-video sequels to the feature "Darkman" and co-producer of the Fox drama pilot "M.A.N.T.I.S." Liz Friedman, Renaissance Pictures Television director of TV development, will continue to report to Eick. She also is a co-producer of the company's first-run series "Xena: Warrior Princess." Eick began his career as executive assistant to MCA/Universal Television executive Richard Lindheim in 1990.