_____ ______ ._ `\`/>`\ /`/` /`__________,.'>___ _____ )~\ /<`\ `\ /`/` /``\ \./------> /|\./\ |\./| / | \ /< `\`\ `\ /`/` /` | | |----\ / | |\ \ | | |././^\ \ |\__{o}\--`\`\ `\/`/` /`-----| | |-----`------\`\`\--| | |----^ \ \----. [\\\\\\\{*}==`> <`=======| | ==============`\`\`\| | |=====\ \ \==--> |/~~{o}/-- /`/ /\ \ `\------| | |---------------`\`\\ | |------\ \ \--' \< /`/` /` `\`\ `\ | | |_____,.'>| | | `\`\| | /' \ \ \ \< /` /` `\`\ `\ ,/ /^\------> / |/^\| \ | |/ \/^\\. /`/\>/` `\`\ `\`~~~~~~~~~~~\ / ~~~~~ )^\,\, '~~~~~ `~~~~~` '~~~~~` ` ~~~~~~ ========================== XENA: THE MEDIA REVIEW #15 ========================== http://www.teleport.com/~gater/IAXS.html c/o RIF BBS, P.O. Box 81181, Bakersfield, CA 93308 RIF BBS (805) 588-9349 [24hrs, 14.4bps, free] 122 subscribers and growing! This document has 1276 lines. Xena Media Review (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. Copyright, legal, and editorial notices are found at the end of this newsletter. Issue No. 15 Release date: July 12, 1996 Covering 02/25/96 through 03/14/96 Annotations #178 through #200 ------------- Introduction: ------------ This week's exciting issue -------------------------- Most rabid Xena Media Hounds suffered mild ennui for the first fortnight of March 1996. In contrast, January and February reflected the pomp and circumstance of the NATPE related press junkets and press releases. What went up, must assuredly had to come down. It did. The first two weeks of March represented a bit of repose from the previous flurry of activity. Xena addicts in need of a potent fix had to wait until late February for a substantial review; then April for a squall of interviews (including that most eventful moment where Lucy Lawless received her first mention in a sleazy tabloid -- forget about being on the cover of TV Guide or a side of an L.A. bus: you are "in" when the supermarket tabloids start featuring you!). Unfortunately, you, the reader, will have to wait until next week for those little nuggats (maniacal laughter). Be happy I am not leaving for my vacation this weekend. The most significant press in this week's XMR was in the Realms of Fantasy/SCI-FI Channel Magazine interview which for the most part covered HTLJ (XMR184). There were references to XWP, and it included the not-quite- so-infamous Lucy Lawless' quote: "She's [Xena] a bit dysfunctional, yet she understands the dark side of human nature. She's actually the person I could've been if I was born to different parents." The next highlight was an article about writer Brenda Lunsford Lilly who wrote the XWP episode, "Warrior...Princess" (XMR200). Feature articles not about the producers or actors are rare. This piece should be cherished. Other than the fan magazine offerings (XMR184a; XMR184b) and the article about the writer of "Warrior...Princess" (XMR200), there were local paper Q&As (XMR178; XMR191); mentions in local fluff pieces (XMR179); Xena v-chip, censorship, and TV ratings concerns (XMR180; XMR183; XMR193; XMR198) (which were discounted by an actual test of watching XWP with a fully functional V-Chip (XMR198)); local programming blurbs (XMR181; XMR185; XMR188; XMR194); more on Beastmaster (XMR182), the show that will NOT die; ratings for Mortal Beloved, first release (XMR186), Royal Couple of Thieves, first release (XMR190), and The Titans, second release (XMR199); news of Renaissance Pictures continuing relationship with Universal (XMR187); James McNamara's appointment as a President at MCA/Universal TV (XMR189; XMR196); local Xena programming politics (XMR192); local trivia (XMR195); and an article about toy collecting (XMR197). Random thoughts --------------- Last week I opined about Ms. Lawless' hair color. I was going to do the same about her height (5'10" to 6'; not much divergence) and age (27 to 31; significance divergence), but then decided too much of a good thing is, well, too much. I did notice something new this week. My favorite shows of XWP are all by the same person. So, expect a wordy and drawn out analysis of these shows in the somewhat near future. That, or either a nervous breakdown. I just can't seem to fit either into my schedule right now. I will be going on a three week sans internet vacation starting after XMR #17 is scheduled to be released. I will not be sending out any XMRs during that time. However, I will be meeting with some of the many XMR subscribers during my Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Kalamazoo tour. Focused thoughts ---------------- I have been editing XMR for FIFTEEN issues. Wow. It's been three full months and I have been churning this out every Friday except for one week I missed way back when. I have decided that it's time to open up this "lead" article to people other than myself. This is your chance Xenadom! Have your very thoughts and words known to the world! Nothing too small and nothing is too large. All it has to have is some relationship to XWP! Come on, take the heat off me. Start those contributions now! The Great Database Project -------------------------- As stated in last week's XMR, I have begun work on a searchable database of as much Xenalore as I can discover. So far four brave souls have volunteered to begin transcriptions of magazine articles, interviews and dialogue of the shows. Because of copyright reasons, I will not be able to release this database over the web; however, it will be offered to IAXS (International Association of Xena Studies) members on an individual basis for use in their research projects. Hopefully, by December of 1996, I will have all the episodes of XWP transcribed, along with all the fan magazine references and broadcast interviews, along with the XMR material (which covers the major world press) to date. Such a resource will greatly aid Xena scholarship, and I am proud that XMR & IAXS will be able to provide this service. I still need more volunteers to do the transcribing, especially of the shows. I will furnish the material that needs transcribing for free. All you need do is...transcribe it into an ascii text file and send it to me. Bolshie Reference ----------------- I knew it had either to do with the Bolsheviks or ballet. Fourteen subscribers set me right. The Bolsheviks win again! Thanks, I appreciated it. XenaFest II ----------- XenaFest II will be Sunday, July 21, 1996 in Rancho Cucamonga. XMR will be there, covering the momentous event. More on this...next week. Until next week, Kym. ---------- TIMELINE ---------- 2/05/96 15 Warrior...Princess 2/12/96 16 Mortal Beloved 2/19/96 17 The Royal Couple of Thieves 2/26/96 7R The Titans 3/04/96 18 The Prodigal 3/11/96 8R Prometheus 3/18/96 9R Death in Chains ----------- ANNOTATIONS ----------- [178] 02-25-96 USA WEEKEND. Page 02. 1204 words. "Who's news" By Lorrie Lynch. COMMENTARY: Another petite Q&A about Lucy Lawless. EXCERPT: ...- Lucy Lawless, who stars as Xena in the syndicated spinoff of Hercules, is reminiscent of '70s TV action heroines like the Bionic Woman and Wonder Woman. She's really cool. Where is Lawless from? And how tall is she? Matt Clark, North Bend, Ohio. Lawless, a recent TV Guide cover girl, is developing quite a cult following. She's a native of Auckland, New Zealand, where Xena: Warrior Princess is shot. The 6-foot-tall beauty, who is married and has a 7-year-old daughter, took martial arts training for the role... [179] 02-25-96 THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Page 8. 1849 words. "Comedy Is Queen; Funny females stand up to take their place in TV history" By Mike McDaniel COMMENTARY: In a local reader's choice for favorite female comedians, Xena got one vote. EXCERPT: ...Here are readers' choices for their favorite female comedians... 1. Fran Drescher, 64. 2. Ellen DeGeneres, 26. 3. Cybill Shepherd, 18. 4. Christine Baranski, 13. 5. Brett Butler tied with Julia-Louis Dreyfus, 10 each. 7. Candice Bergen tied with Helen Hunt, 6 9. Lisa Kudrow, 4 10. Queen Latifah tied with Tea Leoni and Patricia Richardson, 3 each. Other women with votes were Bonnie Hunt, Peri Gilpin, Roseanne, Crystal Bernard, Jean Smart, Vicki Lawrence, Lucille Ball and Kathie Lee Gifford. Oprah Winfrey and Xena got 1 vote each - and Hillary Rodham Clinton got 2... [180] 02-25-96 AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN. Page G1. 1721 words. "How does TV rate?; Questions abound in ratings controversy, leaving some believing television is in over its head" By Diane Holloway. COMMENTARY: In an article about the controversies surrounding the v-chip and ratings for television, the author mentioned XWP in passing while asking the question who would determine the rating for non-network syndicated programs. EXCERPT: Seems like a simple solution, doesn't it? Slap a PG-13 rating on ''Roseanne,'' flip the V-chip to block PG-13 fare, and Mr. and Mrs. Doe won't have to worry about little Janie stumbling onto crude language, dope-smoking and sexual situations. At least not for that half-hour. But nothing about the debate over television's negative impact on children is simple. And many questions arise out of the recent rumblings from the four major networks about devising a rating system that's similar to the ratings used by the Motion Picture Association of America for theatrical films. Who will impose the ratings, the TV industry (networks and producers) or the government? Will the MPAA guidelines fit TV programs? What about the logistics of such a task?... ...WHO RATES THE SHOWS? Assuming the TV industry comes up with a rating system that is acceptable to the FCC, it likely will fall to cable and broadcast networks' standards and practices divisions, which are responsible for monitoring sex, violence and language on programming now, to apply the ratings. Independent stations would have to apply the ratings themselves. Non-network syndicated programs, such as ''Xena: Warrior Princess,'' might be rated by the distributing companies or by the programs' producers... [181] 02-26-96 TIMES RECORD NEWS (Wichita Falls TX). Page A1. 783 words. "Wichita Falls gets fifth TV network -- UPN" By Jim Mannion. COMMENTARY: Local scheduling announcement. Passing mention of XWP in Texas. Strangely enough, no mention of native daughter Renee O'Connor. EXCERPT: ...At 6 p.m. each weeknight and Saturday, UPN 35 will air "Star Trek: The Next Generation," which had been showing at 9 p.m. Tuesdays and 6 p.m. Saturdays on Fox 18. In its place, Fox will air the original "Star Trek" series at 5 p.m. Saturdays. And--on a note for sci-fi fans--the first airing on March 9 will be the pilot episode for the original "Star Trek," which has not been seen in this market since September 1990 and features a different captain than William Shatner as Capt. James Kirk. At 9 p.m. Tuesdays, Fox will air "Xena: Warrior Princess."... [182] 02-29-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 206 words. "May unlock TV Beastmaster" By Steve Brennan COMMENTARY: News about MCA's possible production of "Beastmaster" as a weekly series to add to the HTLJ and XWP line-up. Passing mention of XWP. EXCERPT: MCA TV is considering developing an action series based on The Beastmaster movies to join its syndication hits Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess. Hercules and its spinoff Xena have made a major impact in syndication with their mythical- heroic themes. MCA TV executives will be looking closely at how the two-hour syndicated action-adventure Beastmaster III: The Eye of Braxus does in its May debut with Marc Singer reprising the role of Dar the Beastmaster.... ...Universal Television executive vp Ned Nalle confirmed that talks have taken place with Singer about the possibility of a series. But in confirming that Beastmaster is being actively considered for a series outing, Nalle said MCA TV had captured the imagination of a lot of people with Hercules and Xena but does not see Beastmaster as a substitute show. While the ratings from the two-hour Beastmaster movie will influence its future as a series, Nalle said the ability of producers to provide story lines for at least five years will also be major factors... [183] 03-01-96 THE ETHNIC NEWSWATCH. Vol. 99. No. 31069. Page 7. 879 words. "Legislating Sexual Morality" By Julius Lester COMMENTARY: Article about censoring the internet. XWP was mentioned in passing as a series where "semi-nudity...is the norm". EXCERPT: ...Yet no one asks, from what does the Communication Decency Act protect children? Congress and the Christian right can't be serious when they maintain that they are protecting children from sex. Music videos provide images of sexuality 24 hours a day that are more tantalizing than the pictures on the Internet. A child needs only to know how to turn on a TV set and push a button on the remote to see the semi-nudity which is the norm on television shows like "Baywatch." "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Princess Warrior." Madison Avenue uses half-clad bodies to sell anything and everything. Erotica has been commercialized to such an extent that Americans live in a state of semi-sexual arousal. The ads in Sunday's New York Times Magazine are more erotic than the glossy pictures in Playboy or the fuzzy ones on the Internet. More children are sexualized by television talk shows than the Internet or World Wide Web... [184] 03-01-96 through 04-01-96 NOTE: Craig Reid's article on HTLJ and XWP appeared in two versions in both SCI-FI Channel Magazine March 1996 and Realms of Fantasy April 1996 issues. [184a] 03-01-96 SCI-FI CHANNEL MAGAZINE. Page 54. "Hercules and Xena: The Legends Continue..." By Craig Reid. COMMENTARY: I am not sure of the date of this magazine. I have approximated the date from the content of some articles on the photocopy that was sent to me. If anyone has the proper month of this magazine, please contact me. CONTRIBUTOR: J. Hogan EXCERPT: Since its introduction in January 1995, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys has been a consistent ratings winner in the United States, the crown jewel among Universal Television's offerings, and the sole unqualified TV success of Renaissance Pictures, the outfit behind televisions M.A.N.T.I.S. and American Gothic, as well as the feature films Darkman and Army of Darkness. The show caught viewers' attention with a combination of pugilistic mayhem, sly humor, and the innovative use of the new generation of digital visual effects. All that, and especially the natural "good guy" appeal of Kevin Sorbo, have helped executive producers Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert breathe new life into the "sandal epic" genre, known to previous generations as a domain of overblown Hollywood epics, and bottom-line Italian movie moguls. And now, the show's success has spawned a spin-off series poised for equal success. Xena: Warrior Princess stars Lucy Lawless as the title character, repeating her role from three well-received Hercules episodes of last year. Tapert, whose partnership with Raimi extends back to their college days, comments on the birth of Hercules. "We were approached by Universal Studios to do some Hercules movies for their "Action-Pak" series of television films; we wanted to do Conan, but the rights weren't available. "So we watched the old Steve Reeves Hercules movies, and realized that we couldn't use that stilted dialogue and guys-in-togas. So we invented our own Golden Age mythology, with green pastures, no togas, and a conscious effort to modernize the dialogue -- without making it "hip." We also didn't want to emphasize Hercules' feats of strength. Muscle-bound guys are hard to relate to, so we opted for a more athletic, good-looking kind of guy, someone you felt you could talk to." Sorbo definitely has an athlete's body -- he's 6'3" tall and weighs 215 fatless pounds -- but he's unlikely to be mistaken for a world-class weighlifter. "People are so used to Steve Reeves or Lou Ferrigno, they think that Hercules must have huge muscles," Sorbo says, but the show's producers didn't want to go that way. Critics originally didn't like that, they just didn't understand what the show was all about. Once they realized he is supposed to be more of a decathlete, they loved it. People can identify with Hercules and say, "hey, he's like me," and "I wish I could be like him," He's approachable, attainable, the kind of guy you can share a beer with."... (Discussed Hong Kong action movie influences on the show and Kevin Sorbo's marital arts training) ...Upon the great success of Hercules, Universal turned again to the Renaissance partnership and Tapert proposed a spinoff show, based on a character from the Hercules series. Xena, a warrior woman who, after doing her best to put Herc's head on a pike, was abandoned by her army when she learned that, deep down inside, she was really a compassionate person. Although no longer fighting for territory and the spoils of war, she remains a warrior, in defense of the defenseless and combatting the darkness of her barbaric times. At the start, the biggest problem was that the syndicators were leery about a female action show. Plus, they worried she would be a female Hercules. Says Tapert, "We did everything we could to make her different." "Again, Tapert took inspiration from Hong Kong films. "I have to give a great deal of credit to Bridget Lin. In some respects, we westernized her character from Swordsman and Bride with White Hair films. A volatile dark character, yet still very feminine; you never know what she's going to do next." Lucy Lawless, a New Zealand native, brings a natural thirst for adventure to the role. At 17, she abandoned college in mid-studies in order to travel the world, grape-picking on the Rhine and gold-mining deep in Australia's outback. She returned to Auckland, not yet 20, married and mother to Daisy, now 7 years old. "Xena is as strong as any man or woman," Lawless says of her alter ego. "She's a bit dysfunctional, yet she understands the dark side of human nature. She's actually the person I could've been if I was born to different parents."... (Discussed Ms. Lawless' study of the "white lotus system" of marital arts training; and Tapert commented on how the fight scenes are done they way they are on purpose.) ...Another highlight of both shows is the generous use of visual effects, including some work that is sharply reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen-style stop-motion work. "... (Discussion of fx) ..."Our FX guys are really on the cutting edge, working under incredible time constraints, yet they continue to excel and deliver state-of-the-art effects on a TV schedule and a ridiculously low budget," says Tapert.... (More fx discussion) ...The earliest episodes of Hercules included a fair amount of location-based puppetry special effects, but the production has since gone over to the primary use of CGI [computer-generated imaging] for creature creation. And what creatures they are: giant snakes, pterodactyls, three-headed dogs, half-human snake demons, centaurs, assassins made of fire and water, two-headed fanned-lizard serpents, bird women and, recently, eight (count 'em) sword-wielding skeletons. Not only do Sorbo and Lawless have their hands full, but so does [visual effects supervisor Ken] O'Neill... (More about fx) ...Certainly the biggest challenge was a pet project of producer Tapert. "Jason and the Argonauts" is my favorite mythological film," he says. "I directed a sort of "revisited episode" from Jason, which of course features the famous skeleton fight. It's really cool." Sorbo agrees that the episode was quite a rush. "It was a dream episode. Even as a kid, this was a fantasy for me, watching those skeletons rising up out of the soil and then fighting Jason. I kept thinking, "of all the six billion people in the world, I'm the only one fighting the skeletons!... (More about the episode) ...Flat Earth [FX visual effects company] managed to bring the sequence in economically, without compromise, by making a few discreet inquiries in the appropriate Usenet newsgroups and locating a fellow animator who had created a detailed digital skeleton for another project. "We bought that skeleton model," explains O'Neill, "and modified it to match the skeleton that we used in the practical photography."... (more about fx) ...Tapert left us with his thoughts for the future of both legendary heroes. "I love the fights in Xena, but the Hercules fights are getting just a little bit dull, and too repetitive. It's hard with a guy who punches people to continue to come up with new brawls that are interesting without going into too much kung-fu. But we are continuing to try, still being careful not to use too many gadgets. "For both shows, we'll start to raise a few stories from the Bible. We're going to break out of some of the ruts in Hercules that we are falling into. Lucy is becoming more comfortable with Xena and becoming a much better actress. We plan to do a pure slapstick episode, and perhaps a few dark ones. So going light, then going real dark, we are expanding in all directions, and trying to give the audience an interesting mix." [184b] 04-01-96 REALMS OF FANTASY. "HERCULES AND XENA PUT A NEW FACE ON FANTASY LEGENDS IN THEIR MOST ANCIENT FORMS." By Craig Reed. COMMENTARY: Edited down version of XMR184a. CONTRIBUTOR: Paul S. Manson (pmanson@inforamp.net) [185] 03-01-96 PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Page C16. 394 words. "TV Today" By Lee Winfrey. COMMENTARY: A very dense local promo for The Titans. Included a tangent about Xena's chakram and her medicinal "touch". EXCERPT: ...XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS. (9-10 p.m., Ch. 57) - This mythological action series is the season's highest rated new syndicated show. The formidable Lucy Lawless stars as Xena, a bad girl who turned into a good woman. Xena's weapons include the chakram, a razor-sharp, discus-like weapon she hurls with devastating effect, and the ``Xena touch,'' a two-fingered pinch on the pressure points of the neck, which she uses to extract information from uncooperative sources. Renee O'Connor portrays her feisty young sidekick, Gabrielle. This evening Xena frees three Titans encased for centuries in stone. Syndicated... [186] NOTE: First run "Mortal Beloved" earned a 5.5 rating, and placed 3rd in the action hours genre. [186a] 03-04-96 DAILY VARIETY. Page 16. 649 words. "Bad News for Mags; From 'ET' to 'Journal,' tab shows take a hit" By Jim Benson COMMENTARY: 1st release, Mortal Beloved EXCERPT: In a bad omen for syndicated magazines, the pack continued to erode during the frame overlapping the third week of the February sweeps. The tabmags declined for the second consecutive week and showed significant year-to-year erosion, according to the Nielsen national barter rankings for the week ended Feb. 18... ...At the top of the weekly action race, Par's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" stayed out front despite slipping 7% to 6.5. Against last year, the sci-fi franchise saw 22% of its ratings vaporize. MCA TV's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" apparently offended the gods, declining 9% to 5.9. All American's "Baywatch" floated 6% higher to tie MCA's "Xena: Warrior Princess" (down 4%) for third place at 5.5. However, "Baywatch's" ratings were watered down 23% year-to-year... [186b] 03-04-96 VARIETY. Page 65. 187 words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings" COMMENTARY: 1st release, Mortal Beloved REPRINT: For week ended Feb. 18, 1996 Stations/ Rank Program % coverage AA% GAA % 1 Wheel of Fortune 227/99 12.9 -- 2 Jeopardy! 221/99 10.7 -- 3 Home Improvement 222/97 10.1 10.7 4 Oprah Winfrey Show 235/99 8.8 8.8 5 Seinfeld 218/98 7.9 -- 6 Warner Bros. Vol. 30 163/88 7.8 8.1 7 Wheel of Fortune-Wknd. 184/83 7.1 -- 8 Entertainment Tonight 175/95 6.8 6.8 8 Simpsons 186/96 6.8 6.8 8 WCW Wrestling 176/93 6.8 11.2 11 Home Improvement-Wknd. 214/95 6.7 -- 12 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 235/98 6.5 7.1 13 Inside Edition 165/92 6.1 6.1 14 Journeys of Hercules 230/98 5.9 6.4 15 Baywatch 221/97 5.5 5.7 15 Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 163/92 5.5 5.8 15 Xena 205/97 5.5 5.9 18 Roseanne 178/94 5.3 5.4 19 Hard Copy 178/91 5.0 5.0 19 Live With Regis & Kathle Lee 233/99 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 [187] 03-04-96 through 03-07-96 NOTES: Coverage of the Universal and Renaissance Pictures development deal. [187a] 03-04-96 MEDIAWEEK. Vol. 6. No. 10. Page 28; 259 words. "Front-loading for the back end; Universal Television Div.; Brief Article" By T.L. Stanley COMMENTARY: Passing mention of Xena in regard to Renaissance Pictures development deal with Universal. EXCERPT: When it came time to make some long-term production deals recently, Tom Thayer had his sights set on both the international marketplace and syndication. Thayer, president of Universal Television, says that he and other Universal executives chose a diverse slate of producers based mainly on their edginess and commercial appeal... ...Shaun Cassidy, who created the eerie American Gothic and may return to the small screen as an actor, has inked a multiyear drama development deal with Universal. Also on board are Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, whose Renaissance Pictures created two runaway syndication hits for Universal, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess... [187b] 03-07-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 620 words. "News" COMMENTARY: Notice of Universal and Renaissance Pictures development deal. EXCERPT: ...Universal Television has signed writing-producing partners Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert to a long-term drama development deal. The partners are working on a one-hour pilot drama Lorne & Max set to air on ABC this fall. The duos credits include creating and executive producing CBS American Gothic and MCA syndicated hits Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess... [188] 03-05-96 PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS. Page I8. 1634 words. "Fresh Picks" By various writers COMMENTARY: The selection was by Danielle Campbell, and she was apparently clueless as to the show. She was confused by a syndicated show playing on a network affiliated station. She believed that UPN was showing XWP. Sadly for UPN, she cited XWP as possibly helping the fledgingly network get better ratings. EXCERPT: ...TELEVISION Fox hit the airwaves just about 10 years ago. Initially considered a joke, this fourth network gave birth to several successes that covered all TV genres from comedy to drama. Several years later, other fledging networks, including UPN, have emerged to test their luck. However, unlike Fox, UPN hasn't fully developed a niche. Sticking to Saturday afternoon-type fare rather than more well-planned entertainment has relegated UPN to the status of a pseudo-network. Still, UPN's ``Xena: Warrior Princess'' is gaining some recognition. The show has been on for a minute, but it's started to become a bit of a cult hit. But don't expect to see its episodes rerun as PBS classics 10 years from now. The show, which stars Lucy Lawless as Xena, is identical to an adult version of the Power Rangers. Xena, who is basically an American Gladiator in a dominatrix suit, saunters around a pre-medieval world, encountering mythical challenges. During the course of her hour-long show Xena battles and defeats her male foes, leaving them bruised or dead, but still in awe of her . . . gifts. With a bawdy mix of humor, role reversal and Sonic the Hedgehog-inspired flips and kicks, ``Xena: Warrior Princess,'' is the same type of fodder that is embraced by the lonely male set that made ``Baywatch'' a hit. If this is the path UPN plans to take to increase viewers, don't be surprised if Joey Buttafuoco gets his own talk show there next. - Danielle Campbell, Temple University... [189] 03-06-96 through 03-08-96 NOTE: Coverage of James McNamara appointment as president of the worldwide television distribution at MCA/Universal Television. [189a] 03-06-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 406 words. "McNamara tops MCA TV output McNamara tops MCA TV output" By Steve Brennan COMMENTARY: Passing mention of XWP. EXCERPT: In a first step toward restructuring MCA/Universals television operations, Greg Meidel, MCA TVs group chairman, has appointed James McNamara to the post of president of worldwide television distribution... ...Meidel said that McNamaras deep understanding of the business of domestic and international distribution will be instrumental to us as we reposition our company around the world. McNamara said that while the domestic market will continue to be a primary focus for MCA TV, he envisages that the rate of growth in the U.S. market will pale in comparison with the expansion of the TV markets in such markets as Eastern Europe and Latin America. As these markets continue to develop and the ad pie starts to grow the way it should, it is inevitable that the international market for MCA and other companies will get larger and larger, he added. He forecast more productions from MCA such as the current hits Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, both of which are shot in New Zealand.... [189b] 03-08-96 LOS ANGELES TIMES. Page D4. 320 words. "Executive Suite; MCA TV Unit Gets Chief of Distribution" COMMENTARY: Passing mention of XWP. Told of MCA's plan for producing more hour dramas and using cable more aggressively as an outlet for their product. EXCERPT: James McNamara, the former chief executive of New World Entertainment, has joined MCA as president of worldwide TV distribution for the MCA Television Group. In addition to producing first-run syndication programs, McNamara will supervise distribution of live-action and animated series, specials, TV movies and Universal feature films both domestically and abroad. McNamara, who is the first major hire by Greg Meidel, chairman of MCA Television, said one of his priorities is to get the syndication business humming, building on the success of the action-adventure hits "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess." He said the company will produce one or two more action hours this year and will buy stakes in broadcasters overseas and launch new pay and free channels to help compensate for MCA's lack of U.S. network distribution... [190] NOTE: Royal Couple of Thieves, 1st release, earned a 5.6 share and ranked 3rd in action hours. [190a] 03-04-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 242 words. "Lazarus' alive; action gets results" By Jonathan Davies COMMENTARY: 1st release, Royal Couple of Thieves EXCERPT: Action hours continue to be among the most dynamic shows in syndication, with the newest entrant, "The Lazarus Man," bolting up the ratings chart, according to data from Nielsen Media Research for the week of Feb. 18.... ...The surge from "Lazarus Man" mimics similar sudden movements this season from such shows as "Xena: Warrior Princess," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "The Outer Limits."... [190b] 03-07-96 DAILY VARIETY. Page 12. 578 words. "Sweeps Prove Uplifting to 'Oprah,' Other Talkers" By Jim Benson COMMENTARY: 1st release, Royal Couple of Thieves: 5.6 share; tied 3rd in action hour rankings. EXCERPT: ...in February, according to the Nielsen national barter rankings overlapping the local market sweeps.... ...In weekly action, Par's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" veered 18% off course, landing at a 6.6 from an 8.0 a year ago. It managed to edge out MCA TV's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" by the narrowest of margins, with the sophomore series rising 12% to 6.5. MCA's "Xena: Warrior Princess" and All American's "Baywatch" tied for third at 5.6, but the beach patrol sank 25% from last year, when it was second only to "Deep Space Nine."... [190c] 03-11-96 VARIETY. Page 35. 182 Words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings" COMMENTARY: 1st release, Royal Couple of Thieves. REPRINT: For week ended Feb. 25, 1996 Stations/ Rank Program % coverage AA% GAA % 1 Wheel of Fortune 228/99 13.0 -- 2 Jeopardy! 221/99 11.0 -- 3 Home Improvement 223/97 9.9 10.5 4 Oprah Winfrey Show 235/99 9.4 9.4 5 Seinfeld 219/98 8.1 -- 6 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 236/99 7.3 7.9 7 Journeys of Hercules 225/97 6.7 7.3 8 WCW Wrestling 178/93 6.6 10.3 9 Wheel of Fortune-Wknd. 177/82 6.5 -- 10 Entertainment Tonight 174/95 6.4 6.5 10 Home Improvement-Wknd. 217/96 6.4 -- 12 Simpsons 186/96 6.3 6.3 13 Inside Edition 165/93 6.2 6.2 14 Xena 202/96 5.7 6.2 15 Baywatch 222/96 5.5 5.7 16 Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 162/91 5.3 5.7 17 Hard Copy 178/91 5.1 5.2 17 World Wrestling Fed. 159/90 5.1 6.4 19 Roseanne 177/93 5.0 5.1 20 Jenny Jones Show 212/97 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. [190d] 03-11-96 VARIETY. Page 35. 477 words. "Sweeps talk rates sweet to 'Oprah'" By Jim Benson COMMENTARY: same information as XMR190b] [191] 03-10-96 THE TENNESSEAN. Page 43S. "Ask Showcase" By Ken Beck COMMENTARY: An uncharacteristically lengthy Q&A from a local paper. Graphic was of Ms. Lawless. EXCERPT: Q: I have recently become a huge fan of the TV show Xena: Warrior Princess and its star Lucy Lawless. I would like to know more about her personal history. Is she married? Does she have children? What else has she been in and where can I write her? R.S./Gallatin A: Lawless was born and raised in Mt. Albert, Auckland, New Zealand, and coincidentally, the TV series is filmed in and around Auckland. The fifth of seven children, she has four older brothers and is nearly 6 feet tall with intense blue eyes and raven hair. Her father was mayor of Mt. Albert the year Lawless was born and he is now chairman of finance for Auckland City. Lawless grew up a tomboy while attending convent schools and pursuing acting in plays and musicals in high school. After graduating at 17, she traveled to Europe and then went to Australia where she worked for a gold-mining company 500 miles into the outback. She married in Australia and then returned to Auckland, N.Z., where her daughter Daisy, now 8 was born. Lawless sought an acting career and began making TV commercials and wound up in a local TV comedy, Funny Business. Later she moved to Vancouver, Canada, to study drama. When she went back home to New Zealand in 1992, she was hired to co-host Air New Zealand Holiday, a travel magazine show broadcast there and across Asia. She co-hosted for two years before being cast in Hercules and the Amazon Women, which led her to the Xena role. Lawless practices yoga but had no special training in martial arts, sword play or stunt work before becoming Xena. She has always been a horsewoman and now works with a personal trainer. She did spend time in Los Angeles last summer working with martial arts master Douglas Wong, who worked on Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, learning kung fu and fighting techniques with swords and staff. Lawless speaks English, German, French and a little Italian, and has studied opera but now has developed a passion for jazz. You can write to her in care of the Lucy Lawless Fan Club, P.O. Box 49859, Brentwood, Calif. 90049.... ...GRAPHIC: PHOTO: BEFORE LUCY LAWLESS JUMPED TO FAME AS XENA SHE WAS A GOLD MINER IN THE AUSTRALIAN... [192] 03-10-96 NEWS TRIBUNE. Page SL3. 1562 words. "Changed Channels; One Year after CBS Switched from KIRO to KSTW, Stations Are Assessing 'Progress'" By Marisa Lencioni COMMENTARY: In this detailed report on the change of KIRO (Seattle) from CBS affiliate to UPN, the station manager called Xena "sleazy" and stated that it had "poor production values". Thus KIRO was not going to air it any longer. EXCERPT: At KIRO, they're using words like "growth" and "progress." At KSTW, you hear "take some time" and "changing habits." On Wednesday one year will have passed since CBS ended its 37-year affiliation with KIRO (Channel 7), switching to KSTW (Channel 11). Though both stations differ as to who got the better of the deal, they agree that it's too soon to assess the impact definitively. Ratings can tell only part of this tale of two channels. Overall, KIRO, a station emphasizing a format heavy with local news, seems to be doing well; and KSTW is a station affiliated with a network that has been struggling in the ratings until recently.... ...Forty miles up the road and four places down the dial lies KIRO. Though conventional wisdom might have said that losing a network affiliate would be disastrous, personnel at KIRO seem happily surprised with the station's showing so far. "We're still a work in progress, but we're very pleased with the progress," said Glenn Wright, KIRO's general manager. "There's no road map for something like this. No one knew what to expect."... ...Wright said KIRO's UPN affiliation provides some strong programming for the station, but the relationship isn't always perfect. "We were not happy with 'Live Shot,' " Wright said, speaking about the UPN show about TV news that lead into KIRO's 10 p.m newscast. "It was sleazy. And we're not returning 'Xena.' It hasn't done that well for us and had poor production values." Wright also said KIRO was happy to lose syndicated afternoon talk shows such as "Carnie," the content of which Wright said they didn't like. Wright said within about a year, KIRO plans to replace most of its afternoon talk lineup mostly because the shows' content isn't meeting station expectations.... [193] 03-10-96 PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. Page G1. 1263 words. "Program Ratings Might Not Have the Hoped-for Effect. Research Shows Some Ways of Labeling Violence Attract More People to a Show. A Researcher Recommends Describing the Contents Of a Show, Without Referring to Age Suitability" By Stephen Seplow. COMMENTARY: This article discussed the difficulty of issuing program ratings and how such ratings would affect shows so rated. Author was concerned how a program such as XWP would fare. EXCERPT: Researchers last year described three fictitious television shows to a group of boys aged 10 to 14. Two shows were given no rating, the other carried the warning ``viewer discretion advised.'' Each attracted about a third of the boys, suggesting the rating had no effect. But when the boys were told one of the programs carried the warning ``parental discretion advised,'' things changed. The number of viewers suddenly jumped to 51 percent. Why the parental advisory acted as such a lure for boys was not absolutely clear - perhaps it was just boys asserting their independence. In both cases, less than a third of girls chose to watch the program with the advisory. Clearly, ratings mean different things to different people, and when the television industry begins to rate programs, presumably by the end of the year, the outcome may not always be what's intended.... ...``Now, we're going to try to figure out how to do that. It's going to be much more difficult than it was with movies. Until you sit down and really talk about it, you don't know.'' There are, he said, ``hundreds of questions.'' Three of the most obvious: * If, as several of the executives asserted, news definitely will not be rated, where does news end and entertainment begin? Is it with shows like 60 Minutes, or Entertainment Tonight, or maybe Hard Copy? * How will the ratings make distinctions among Walker, Texas Ranger, where much of the violence is perpetrated for good causes in the name of law and order; Xena, Warrior Princess, where the violence is ludicrous and cartoonish; and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, where the violence is unrelenting and gratuitous? * If, as the industry said, ratings will be done by the network or station showing a program, what's to guarantee that a drama given a particular rating when originally aired on NBC, for example, will have the same rating when repeated several years later on an independent station in Philadelphia?... [194] 03-11-96 THE WASHINGTON POST. Page D04. 1603 words. "The TV Column" By John Carmody COMMENTARY: Minor local Washington DC promo for XWP. EXCERPT: ...Channel 50 introduces "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" at 8 tonight, followed by the spinoff "Xena: Warrior Princess" at 9 ... Both programs formerly aired on UPN's Channel 20... [195] 03-11-96 THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH. Page 6B. 340 words. "Country Show Heavy on the Special Effects" By Jim Spriggs. COMMENTARY: Review of local country western show inspired comparisons to Xena and Hercules; the characters, not the shows. EXCERPT: At first glance, last night's country music show at Veterans Memorial could have been the road show version of Hercules and Xena. Terri Clark, all 5 feet 11 inches of her, would make an admirable Xena, and longtime weightlifter Aaron Tippin would have no problem portraying Hercules. That leaves Lee Roy Parnell, but with his goatee and intense expressions, he was born to play an evil king (his somber bandmates, none of whom ever smiled, would make excellent henchmen)... [196] 03-11-96 BROADCASTING & CABLE. Vol. 126. No. 11. Page 27. 438 words. "MCA taps worldwide distribution chief; James McNamara named president of worldwide distribution for MCA/Universal" By Cynthia Littleton COMMENTARY: In a standard trade blurb about the president of MCA, it was mentioned that H:THJ and XWP helped revive the "moribund action-hour genre". EXCERPT: ...Syndication has been the bright spot in the MCA TV picture during the past year. After launching the high-profile first-run failures Last Call and The Suzanne Somers Show in 1994, MCA has been credited with helping to revive the moribund action-hour genre with its highly rated first-run hours Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess... [197] 03-12-96 PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS. Features. Pg.23. 975 words. "Better Late than Never for Film Pig Babe" By Rose DeWolf COMMENTARY: Interesting article about the problems encountered with making toys based upon television shows. XWP is an example used. EXCERPT: ...Characters based on a TV series tend to be handled differently from movie characters, according to Dumbacher. A toy tie-in to a TV show isn't considered late if it hits the market six to 12 months after the show's premiere. It's done that way, he says, because TV shows take longer than movies to build an audience. Which might explain why it's hard to find ``Xena, Warrior Princess'' on toy shelves. Xena, a TV series beauty with a take-no-prisoners attitude, is seen on Channel 57 Friday nights at 9. The show, launched last fall, is a spin-off of ``Hercules, The Legendary Journeys,'' which comes on at 8 p.m. Herc, well known ancient strongman, battles evil monsters and assorted villains. Xena started her TV career as a villainess who challenged Herc, but she was so popular that MCA/Universal decided to have her go straight and start fighting evildoers on her own. But Xena doesn't have her own toy line yet. She appears in a line of action figures produced by Toy Biz Inc. for the Hercules show. In a box of 24 five-inch action figures, there may be two Xenas. Toy Biz sales coordinator Nally Dookwah says the growing demand for Xena hasn't gone unnoticed. This year, she says, her company will be coming out with a 10-inch Xena in addition to the 5-inch. Dumbacher says decisions are being made now about which characters from Xena's stories could be featured in a Xena action-figure line. Which comes first, the mass entertainment or the toy? Almost always, the entertainment.... [198] 03-12-96 THE TORONTO STAR. Page A1. 1124 words. "TV device a dunce at zapping violence" BY Antonia Zerbisias COMMENTARY: In this article the writer reported his experiences using the "V" chip. He noted that XWP was not blocked. Thus showing the previous concern about XWP being harmed by the introduction of the v-chip groundless. EXCERPT: Oh yes , indeed, the V-chip is aptly named. Inventor Tim Collings, an engineer at Simon Fraser University, meant the "V" to stand for violence - as in television violence. For parents, his controversial contraption was going to take the worry out of kids watching VR Troopers, Freakazoid, and those Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. But if you ask me, after three weeks of using it, the V really stands for Vexing - as in Very, Very Vexing.... ...Yet Star Trek (the original) on CBC got through without a hitch, despite Captain Kirk's boldly coming on to every alien female in the galaxy, and, on Fox, the leather-bustiered Xena, Warrior Princes busted heads with impunity.... [199] 03-14-96 NOTE: 2nd release (repeat) of "The Titans", earning a 5.6 share and a 3rd place ranking. The first run earned a 5.4 share. [199a] 03-14-96 DAILY VARIETY. Page 28. 456 words. "Yakkers Quiet in Feb. Sweeps" By Joe Flint. COMMENTARY: 2nd release, The Titans. EXCERPT: The usual promotion blitz associated with sweeps wasn't enough to boost ratings for most talkshows for the week ending March 3, which includes the last three days of the February sweeps. Only four talkers were up, with nine down and six flat... ...Most of the weekly shows suffered losses, probably in part to the influx of college basketball. Paramount's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" fell 11% from last year's 7.5 to a 6.7, but stayed at No. 1. In second was MCA's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," which was up 2% from a year ago to a 6.5 from a 6.4. Spinoff "Xena: Warrior Princess," meanwhile, posted a 5.6. All American's "Baywatch" was off 17% from last year's 6.3 to a 5.2... [199b] 03-18-96 VARIETY. Page 39. 184 words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings" COMMENTARY: 2nd release, The Titans. REPRINT: For week ended March 3, 1996 Stations/ Rank Program % coverage AA% GAA% 1 Wheel of Fortune 228/99 13.2 -- 2 Jeopardy! 220/99 11.3 -- 3 Home Improvement 223/98 9.9 10.5 4 Oprah Winfrey Show 235/99 8.5 8.6 5 Nat'l Geo. on Assignment 171/96 8.4 8.9 6 Seinfeld 216/98 8.1 -- 7 Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey 122/95 7.6 8.2 8 Century 16 198/97 7.4 7.7 9 Entertainment Tonight 176/95 7.0 7.1 10 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 236/99 6.7 6.9 10 WCW Wrestling 174/93 6.7 10.2 12 Journey of Hercules 229/98 6.5 6.9 12 Simpsons 184/95 6.5 6.5 14 Home Improvement Wknd. 206/92 6.4 -- 14 Wheel of Fortune Wknd. 179/83 6.4 -- 16 Inside Edition 164/91 6.2 6.2 17 Xena 203/96 5.6 5.9 18 Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 163/91 5.4 5.7 19 Baywatch 222/96 5.2 5.3 19 Roseanne 176/92 5.2 5.3 AA average refers to nonduplicated viewing for multiple airings of the same show. GAA average encompasses duplicate viewing. GAA average does not apply when there is only one run of a show. [200] 03-14-96 ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES. Page 1C. 558 words. "Asheville Native Brings Writing Talents to ABC Drama" COMMENTARY: An article about writer Brenda Lunsford Lilly who wrote the XWP episode: "Warrior...Princess". EXCERPT: Asheville native Brenda Lunsford Lilly is a story editor on the new ABC television mid-season series, "Second Noah." The show premiered Feb. 5 in the Monday 8 p.m. slot.... ...Brenda Lilly, a writer for the show, is the daughter of Kiffin and Iris Lunsford of Asheville. She attended St. Genevieve of the Pines Academy and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she received a bachelor of fine arts degree in theater arts. After graduation, she and her husband, Michael Lilly, were among the first recipients of Third Century Artist grants from the North Carolina State Arts Council. Sponsored by the United Arts Council in Greensboro, they served as Artists in Residence presenting workshops in creative dramatics in area schools and producing free theater in the back of the Mantleworks Restaurant in Old Greensboro. During the second year of their grants, the formed the ACT CO., a resident theater company and produced two seasons of plays in the Carolina Theater on Greene Street. After moving to California, Brenda Lilly worked as an actress and then turned to writing in 1990. She was staff writer on the CBS series "BIG" and worked as story editor on the syndicated series, "Shades of L.A." Among her other writing credits are "L.A. Law" and "Christy," and the children's animated series, "Bobby's World." In 1993, she was commissioned to write a one-woman show about hotel queen Leona Helmsley which ran for two months in Los Angeles. During 1995, she wrote episodes for "Walker: Texas Ranger" and "Xena: Warrior Princess." She wrote an ABC After School Special called "Bigfoot and Elvis" about a young girl who aspires to play basketball. Lilly is a member of the board of directors of the Writers Guild of America and resides in Sherman Oaks, Calif.... ------------- THE BACK PAGE ------------- Issue #16 will cover annotations #201 through #222, dated from 03/16/96 to 04/08/96. It is scheduled to be released July 26, 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, 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. 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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