THIS WEEK IN XENA NEWS.... TWXN 79 06/23/97 Monday Brought to you by XENA: MEDIA REVIEW (XMR): http://xenafan.com/xmr All back issues of XMR and TWXN are available at the above site. We herein give praise and thanks to Tom Simpson for the space he has graciously donated from his spectacular, TOM'S XENA PAGE (http://xenafan.com). TWXN is the advance sheet for XMR, an annotated world press review of reports regarding the internationally syndicated television show XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS (1995 - 2000+?) and the castmembers, Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor. TWXN is not available for subscription, however it is posted Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on the XenaVerse, Hercules-Xena, and Chakram Mailing Lists (thank you Lucia!), the MCA NetForum, the Xenite Message Center, and alt.tv.xena. For a free e-mail subscription to XMR subscribe by e-mail to ktaborn@lightspeed.net by stating somewhere in the subject or text "sub xmr". Excerpts from the following cites will appear in future issues of XMR. From the editor: 1. Monday is WHOOSH! Day. WHOOSH! is looking for a cub- reporter/photographer to cover the WarriorCon appearances of Kevin Smith, Robert Trebor, and Michael Levine in Washington D.C. on September 12-14, 1997. This will definitely be Kevin Smith's, and I think Michael Levine's, first convention appearances. If you are interested in servicing Xena fandom, please contact ktaborn@lightspeed.net for further information. 2. Today's edition is quite eclectic, it covers 02/15/97 through 02/19/97. Hong Kong apparently aired XWP and it was at the episode DEATH IN CHAINS (#09) by February 15th. Depending upon their custom for releasing television shows, they most likely have finished up with the first season of XWP by now. A bit further to the south, NZ ran a promotion of the animated HERCULES/XENA flick and was somewhat rude in its reference to Ms. Lawless' injury. I guess that's all just a part of that Kiwi cheek. Back in the States, Xena was used as the measure of several actors' interpretations of characters within a Minneapolis production of A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT DREAM. In a Hollywood moment, HIGHLANDER continued to politely diss XWP (and this is news...I think not!). XWP was mentioned in passing in a contemplation over the current revival of interest in classic mythology. A ray of sunshine was given where XWP was offered as an example of where TV had "never been better", however the compliment was watered down by the assessment that the show was "wholesome, harmless hooey". It also looks like the media may never let Roseanne forget about her reference to the warrior princess on her show. The set ends with an acknowledgment that XWP is a highly tape-able show and a seriously passing reference to XWP that I am wondering why I included it at all because it was so minor. Oh well, live and learn. 3. Look for the following in Wednesday's issue: Nikita talk; NZ promo for the return of XWP; an analysis of MEN BEHAVING BADLY and how critical XWP has become to the show; and a look at STAR WARS and XWP. [ ] 02-15-97 SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST (Hong Kong). Page 11. 960 words. "Redford's natural charm" By Deborah Herd EXCERPT: ...If your idea of escapism is not a beach but a fantasy adventure watch the world's most battle-weary woman, the blue-eyed Xena: Warrior Princess (World, 8.30pm), rescue Hades' sister Celesta, the embodiment of death, from the clutches of King Sisyphus or all mankind will be doomed to eternal life filled with suffering.... [ ] 02-16-97 THE SUNDAY STAR-TIMES (Auckland). Page 13. 790 words. "Roberts stepping down as Communicado boss" By Linda Herrick EXCERPT: ...Will the super-powers of Xena never cease to amaze? Kiwi actor Lucy Lawless has recently recorded a few songs for an animated movie of the hit TV show. The cartoon flick, which will feature both Hercules and Xena, is scheduled for video-only release in the American autumn. Lawless also recently flexed her tonsillar muscles on the Regis & Cathy Lee Show, singing to a flabbergasted studio audience. Amazing what a good bump on the rump can do for a career.... GRAPHICS:...LAWLESS...new area [ ] 02-16-97 STAR TRIBUNE. Page 1B. 814 words. "Dowling's 'Dream': magic and tricks, energy and humor" By Peter Vaughan (Staff Writer) EXCERPT: Where will you find a bit of "South Pacific," an homage to "A Fish Called Wanda" and a tip of the Irish cap to "Riverdance"? Over at the Guthrie Theater, of all places, in Joe Dowling's totally outrageous, hilarious staging of Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."... ...Xena and the Valley Girl In contrast, Leslie Silva as Helena and Jennifer Abigail Lopez as Hermia exploit the differences that Shakespeare provided. Silva, a tall and supple presence, goes a step or two further by making Helena a giggling, girlish Valley Girl who could've popped in from the movie "Clueless." Lopez gives Hermia a tough edge, particularly when she whips into a quick imitation of Xena, warrior princess. Isabel Monk could've used a bit of Xena in her own performance as Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons, and Titania, queen of the fairies. She lacks fire and is no match for the power of Stephen Pelinski's Theseus and Oberon.... [ ] 02-16-97 OMAHA WORLD HERALD. Sunday. Page 2TV. 867 words. "'Highlander' Writer Enjoys The Program's Possibilities" By John Keenan (World-Herald Staff Writer) EXCERPT: ...The show is something of an elder statesman among the syndicated fantasy shows now booming, such as "Xena" and "Hercules," but Abramowitz is careful to draw a distinction. "We're a different kind of show," he said during a recent phone interview. "They're more tongue-in-cheek," he said of the newcomers. "We do our comedy episodes, but we're also more serious. We look at the nature of good and evil in a different way - neither better nor worse, just different. I don't know what you'd call us".... [ ] 02-16-97 THE NEW YORK TIMES. Sunday. Page 41. 840 words. "There's Nothing Conservative About the Classics Revival. The Classic Moment" By Celia McGee EXCERPT: ...Others are also profiting from the new popularity of the classics. Scholastic Books recently introduced "Myth Men: Guardians of the Legend," a mass-market book-and trading-card series aimed primarily at boys ages 4 to 8 that uses comic-book-style graphics to tell famous Greek myths. Marvel Comics is still doing well with last summer's "The Incredible Hulk: Hercules Unleashed." On television, "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and its offshoot, "Xena: Warrior Princess" (top right), were among the highest-rated syndicated shows of 1996. ("America's Hot for Hercules!" read the cover of "TV Guide" earlier this month.) NBC, meanwhile, is preparing to broadcast the "Odyssey" in May, at a reported cost of some $30 million. And movie theaters will be getting an animated "Hercules" feature from Disney (below right) in June.... GRAPHICS:...("Xena").... [ ] 02-17-97 THE VANCOUVER SUN. Monday. Page C5. 1891 words. "75 reasons not to give up on TV" By Alex Strachan (Sun Television Critic) EXCERPT: You've heard the warnings. TV is bad for you! TV causes tooth decay! TV is ruining society as we know it! There's a corollary argument to this: TV has never been worse, the argument goes, and the downward spiral has yet to hit rock bottom. Perhaps. But then, as the universe expands to 500 channels and beyond -- and even in our current 50 channels, with their cumulative 1,000 hours of programming each day -- there are dozens of polished gems in all the tripe. In fact, an argument could just as easily be made that TV has rarely been better. Consider:... ...36. "B"-TV like Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Wholesome, harmless hooey.... [ ] 02-17-97 THE INDEPENDENT. Monday. Page 13. 1520 words. "Roseanne Barr the lottery loser of all time; As poor white trash she was America's sweetheart, as rich white trash she ain't" By Daniel Jeffreys EXCERPT: ...Instead of being a clever comedy about trying to be married, with children, on a limited budget, Roseanne has served up duff episodes where the show's star has dressed as Xena the warrior princess, and a centrefold. Roseanne's woes are seen in the American press as a betrayal of those who stayed loyal to the show, no matter what its outrageous star did in her excessive overreactions to stardom.... [ ] 02-18-97 THE TORONTO STAR. Tuesday. Page E1. 566 words. "Your videos hold more secrets than a medicine chest" By Linwood Barclay (Toronto Star) EXCERPT: ...So, my advice is NEVER lend tapes. Or at least keep a couple loaded with seven hours of weird Bravo dance specials and NewsHour With Jim Lehrer. Use these to record programs your friends might ask for. Of course, there's always the reverse kind of shame. What's someone to think when they ask for your Xena: Warrior Princess and find it followed by stuffy old episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs? [ ] 02-19-97 USA TODAY. Wednesday. Page 3D. 489 words. "Going beyond old 'Limits' Revived sci-fi show runs stronger than '60s original did" By Jefferson Graham EXCERPT: ...MGM has followed in the footsteps of Paramount, which built Star Trek into an industry with the The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager series and the Star Trek movies. Former Paramount executive Symes has used The Outer Limits' success -- it's currently the No. 4-rated drama in syndication behind Deep Space Nine, Xena and Hercules and the top show on Showtime -- to branch into other areas of sci-fi and the paranormal....