XENA MEDIA REVIEW #25 (08-18-97) Part 3 of 4 =================== CUT HERE =============== [401b] 07-23-96 DAILY NEWS (New York). Tuesday. Page 76. 809 words. "NBC Dashes off to Fast Start in Olympics Ratings Quest". COMMENTARY: Substantially the same basic information as in XMR337a . EXCERPT: ...Strong stuff Cable's USA Network has bought some rerun muscle. The cabler announced yesterday it has acquired repeats of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and its spin-off, "Xena: Warrior Princess," and will start airing them weekdays in September 1998. The one-hour actioners , which star Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless, respectively, regularly claim the top spots in the syndicated ratings race, often beating top competitor, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." (By Christy Slewinski ) [401c] 07-23-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 286 words. "Action: 'Hercules,' 'Xena'" By Scott Hettrick COMMENTARY: More on the USA purchase of the off-syndication rights to HTLJ and XWP. This article mentions that USA Networks is co-owned by MCA Inc! A little incest, it looks like! Or at least cutting itself a pretty hefty deal! [KT] REPRINT: Network has acquired the exclusive off-syndication rights to the one-hour episodes of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and its spinoff series, "Xena: Warrior Princess." Both action series, which have consistently ranked among the top first-run syndicated action-adventure hours, are distributed by MCA TV. USA Networks is co-owned by MCA Inc. USA will get exclusive rights to the 85 one-hour episodes of "Hercules," which premiered in January 1995, as a one-hour series after four two-hour movies were initially produced under the "Universal Action Pack" banner. The two-hour movies are not a part of the deal. "Hercules" will make its premiere as a Monday-Friday strip on USA in September 1998, along with 72 episodes of companion show "Xena," which premiered in September. "USA is the ideal home for 'Hercules' and 'Xena,' " said Jim McNamara , president of MCA Worldwide Television Distribution. "Both shows draw a strong family audience as well as balanced demographics," added USA vp programming Neil Hoffman . "Hercules" and "Xena" have been rated behind only "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" in first-run syndicated action adventure hours, beating the Paramount series on certain weeks. "Xena" is the highest-rated new syndicated first-run action-adventure series. Both shows are filmed in and around Auckland, New Zealand, and are executive produced by Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi's Renaissance Pictures for MCA TV. Kevin Sorbo stars as "Hercules," a fantasy show that blends mythic storylines with humor and contemporary references. [401d] 07-24-96 THE SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER. Wednesday. Page B7 . 734 words. "Bill Cosby blasts language in a show on his network" From The Pittsburgh Post-gazette. COMMENTARY: San Francisco reprints the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette blurb about the USA Network acquisition of the off-syndication rights of XWP. EXCERPT: ...In other TV news, Cable's USA Network has bought some rerun muscle. The cabler has announced that it has acquired repeats of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and its spinoff, "Xena: Warrior Princess," and will start airing them weekdays in September 1998... [401e] 07-25-96 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Thursday. Page 38. 365 words. "Tube Talk" From wire services. COMMENTARY: More on USA Network deal. Reminded the reader that XWP and HTLJ often beat STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE in the ratings. EXCERPT: ...Hero and She-ro: Cable's USA Network has bought some rerun muscle. The network announced Monday it has acquired repeats of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and its spin-off, "Xena: Warrior Princess," and will start airing them weekdays in September 1998. The one-hour actioners , which star Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless, respectively, regularly claim the top spots in the syndicated ratings race, often beating top competitor, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."... [401f] 07-26-96 THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Friday. TV Notes. Page 4. 601 words. "Astrodome lauded as GOP's '92 site" By Ann Hodges and Mike McDANIEL COMMENTARY: Blurb on the USA Network deal which allows USA to start showing XWP on weekdays starting September 1998. EXCERPT: ...People and programs USA Cable Channel has won the rerun rights to "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its sister show Xena: Warrior Princess. "" They'll start showing up in September 1998.... [401g] 07-29-96 ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Page 6. 320 words. " Usa Gets Rights To Four Series" COMMENTARY: Article about USA Networks acquired rights to HTLJ, XWP, TOP COPS, and AMERICA'S MOST WANTED: FINAL JUSTICE. Reported that HTLJ and XWP sold for $300,000 per episode for 85 and 72 hours of HTLJ and XWP, respectively. Also announced that USA will begin airing the shows in September 1998. It was further stated that, "MCA opted to sell the shows to cable because of the difficulties in selling one-hour strips in syndication. They will continue in first-run syndication as weekly shows. 'Right now the market is just glutted...It is hard to find shelf hours,' said a spokesperson for MCA Worldwide Television Distribution, adding that it was a 'strong deal, as far as money is concerned.'" REPRINT: USA Network, in a flurry of activity last week, acquired rights to four series: "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," "Xena: Warrior Princess," "Top Cops" and "America's Most Wanted: Final Justice." The off-syndication episodes of "Hercules" and "Xena" will premiere on the cable network starting September 1998 and will be packaged as a counterprogram action block stripped in early fringe and prime access. USA, in a deal with MCA Worldwide Television Distribution, paid an estimated $300,000 per episode for 85 hours of "Hercules" and 72 hours of "Xena," two of the top-rated hours in first-run syndication. MCA opted to sell the shows to cable because of the difficulties in selling one-hour strips in syndication. They will continue in first-run syndication as weekly shows. "Right now the market is just glutted...It is hard to find shelf hours," said a spokesperson for MCA Worldwide Television Distribution, adding that it was a "strong deal, as far as money is concerned." USA also acquired 172 half-hours of "Top Cops" from New World and 130 half-hours of "America's Most Wanted: Final Justice" from Twentieth Domestic Television to add to the network's daytime schedule this fall. "The idea is to create a reality block as part of the daytime lineup," said Neil Hoffman , vice president of programming, USA Network. The two shows, starting Sept. 9, will run back-to-back at noon and again at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. MCA and Paramount own USA. [401h] 07-31-96 THE DES MOINES REGISTER. Wednesday. Page 4. 387 words. "TV Prime Time. Here's the scoop on ice cream" By Jan Currie . COMMENTARY: Yet another blurb about the USA Network acquisition which included a barb towards ST: DEEP SPACE NINE's falling ratings. EXCERPT: ...Scribbles & Scraps 7 Cable's USA Network has bought rerun rights to "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and its spinoff, "Xena: Warrior Princess." They'll begin airing in September 1998. Both series regularly win the syndicated ratings race, often beating "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." [401i] 08-02-96 STAR TRIBUNE. Page 18E . 547 words. "Beam him up: Doohan treks to new UPN show" COMMENTARY: Two sentence blurb on the USA Network's acquisition of XWP reruns. EXCERPT: ...USA Network has acquired the rights to reruns of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess." The shows will be aired back-to-back Monday through Friday beginning in September 1998. [401j] 08-02-96 CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL. Friday. Page P6D . 269 words. "USA Adding Action Shows to its Lineup." COMMENTARY: Notice that USA Network acquired the rights to "The big Easy", "Top Cops", "America's Most Wanted: Final Justice", XWP and HTLJ. EXCERPT: ... The network also has grabbed "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," two of the top-rated syndicated action shows. USA Network plans to unveil the two shows in the fall of 1998 to counter the early evening programming of many stations that centers on game shows and comedy series reruns. The deal brings 85 hour-long episodes of "Hercules," starring Kevin Sorbo, and 72 hours of "Xena" to USA Network... [401k] 08-08-96 THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Thursday. Page 4C . 209 words. "Hercules flexing his rerun muscle" COMMENTARY: More on the USA acquisition. EXCERPT: The USA Network has bought some rerun muscle. The cable network has announced that it has acquired repeats of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its spinoff, Xena:: Warrior Princess for $ 300,000 an episode. The reruns will begin airing weekdays in September 1998. The one-hour action series, which star Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless, respectively, regularly claim the top spots in the syndicated ratings race, often beating top competitor Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.... [401l] 08-09-96 ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY. 50 words. "Winners of the Week" COMMENTARY: Herc and Xena get to be winners of the week because of the USA Network paying $300,000 per episode for the rerun rights. Graphic of both Xena and Hercules. REPRINT: HERCULES AND XENA Kevin Sorbo's and Lucy Lawless' series muscled $ 300,000 per episode from the USA Network for their reruns. LOSERS OF THE WEEK MALIK YOBA AND MICHAEL DELORENZO The New York Undercover cops caved after demanding $ 75,000 per episode. Who did they think they were--Friends? [401m] 08-11-96 LOS ANGELES TIMES. Sunday. TV Times. Page 5. 969 words. "Cover Story; The Changing Face of USA" By Susan King. COMMENTARY: More on the USA acquisition. EXCERPT: ...USA also has been aggressive in snapping up exclusive rerun rights to the popular syndicated series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," as well as to " Baywatch ," "Acapulco Heat," "Sirens," "America's Most Wanted: Final Justice" and "Top Cops." The network also purchased the nonexclusive rights to the popular CBS series "Walker, Texas Ranger." ... [402] 07-25-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 670 words. "Market sky-high with sci - fi . New wave of shows seen as alternative to reality programs" By Steve Brennan COMMENTARY: XWP mentioned in passing when announced that All American Productions are planning on releasing a HTLJ/XWP clone called " Sinbad ". [KT] EXCERPT: ...All American is also bringing out " Sinbad " in the wake of the runaway success of MCA TV's "Hercules" and "Xena" fantasy hours... [403] 07-26-96 NOTE: Ms. Magazine promos. [403a] 07-26-96 THE TAMPA TRIBUNE. Friday. Baylife . Page 2. 405 words. "Someone strong" By Mike O'Neill. COMMENTARY: Extended mention of the XWP appearance on Ms. Magazine's cover and magazine ( XMR349 ). Mentioned highlights of magazine article: most faithful viewers 18 to 34; lots of young girl fans; Lawless does not consider self a feminist even though feminists identify with her character. Graphic is of Lucy Lawless. [KT] EXCERPT: ..."Xena: Warrior Princess" dominates this month's cover of Ms. magazine. Executive producer Rob Tapert says the syndicated show's most faithful viewers are aged 18 to 34. But star Lucy Lawless still receives hundreds of letters from young girls. "They write about how encouraging it is to see someone who's so strong," says Lawless. "I have all these photos of little girls with Xena costumes on." Although Lawless does not consider herself a feminist, she says, "Feminists might identify with me because I'm unapologetic in what they think is a male-dominated world ... no, I guess, what is a male-dominated world." Source: Ms. GRAPHIC: Lucy Lawless. [403b] 07-26-96 ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS. Friday. Page 21H . 334 words. "Kneel Down, Bookworm; Browser" By Bruce Barcott . COMMENTARY: Extended summary of the article about XWP found in the August/September Ms. Magazine ( XMR349 ). [KT] REPRINT: It's late July and the newsstand, as it usually does this time of year, has become a quilt of boring covers. Olympic hopefuls, plane crashes, movie stars. Except -- wait a minute. "XENA-MANIA!" Yes! The warrior princess! On the cover of MS. magazine! Throw us our skates, sister, the rink just opened to Hell! "Why is TV's warrior princess a hit with women?" the editors ask. Writer Donna Minkowitz finds a whole slew of reasons. Start with the fact that Xena kicks everybody's butt all over the ancient land and sea. Add her defeat of the war god Ares, her rescue of Prometheus and her defense of women against roving bands of rapists. "Many feminists have been dreaming of mass-culture moments like this since feminism first came into being," Minkowitz writes. Xena fights men, refuses to smile, doesn't have a boyfriend and has a number of lovers who aren't necessarily limited to one gender. And she's not afraid to process a relationship. "Xena continually confronts the parts of herself that are least likable," Minkowitz writes. "She keeps meeting people who are terrified of her because of the atrocities they've seen her commit." (Xena's sword gathers no rust.) "And though she's reformed, Xena is one hero whose ethical struggles are never over." Because this is Ms., however, we can't watch our televised camp guilt-free; we have to worry about the sexual objectification of the warrior princess. "A friend of mine took one look at Xena's long legs and tight leather breastplate and decided that [she] was just another R. Crumb drawing in the guise of a feminist hero." It's worth noting (and Minkowitz does) that the star of Xena's sibling show, "Hercules," shows at least as much skin as the warrior princess. In the end, Ms. gives "Xena" its qualified nod of approval. As the show's producer says, "[Xena] doesn't quite fall into this svelte, silicone image. She's a big woman with big shoulders, big hipbones and big thighs." And even bigger ratings. [404] 07-26-96 STAR TRIBUNE. Page 19A . 734 words. "Obviously, being a Nielsen household is an incredible responsibility; It's too important for us to record the shows we really watch" By Mark DePaolis COMMENTARY: A "Nielsen household" viewer ' fessed up about his phobia of being a XWP watcher. Mr. DePaolis stated, "Obviously, being a Nielsen household s an incredible responsibility, much too important for s to record the shows we really watch. I don't want the V people to know that we watch "Xena, Warrior Princess" every time it comes on, which, thanks to cable, is 17 times a week." His next explicit mention was, "Actually, except for 'Xena,' we didn't watch much TV this week, especially since we never watch the Olympics (I would, however, have watched every minute of 'Xena at the Olympics')." [KT] REPRINT: I've been under a lot of stress this week, making hundreds of critical, split-second decisions that could mean the difference between life and death - for TV shows. It's our job. For this week, at least, we are . . . a Nielsen family. We started getting postcards from Nielsen Television Research a few weeks ago, letting us know we had been selected as a Nielsen TV Household. This meant we had a chance to give feedback to "the people who plan TV programs." This is surprising to anyone who thought most TV programs came to life by random chance, like lightning striking primordial ooze. Naturally, I had heard of the Nielsen ratings. I always assumed the Nielsen people came out to your home and attached some high-tech black box to your TV that monitored your viewing habits. This would send a signal to Nielsen Central Command whenever you switched from Dave to Jay because the latest grunge band was about to play. Instead, what we got was a diary. It is a little booklet full of detailed charts and spaces that break down an entire week into 15-minute increments. Filling out the diary is much more work than actually watching TV, even with cable. There are columns to record the name of the programs, the channel number and station name, and whether the TV was on or off during this period. (Research shows watching with the set off is much less harmful.) There is even a place to mark if your TV was on but no one was watching, although in that case I think you only get partial credit. In this way you are supposed to write down every TV show watched by anyone in your house for a full week. There was a crisp one-dollar bill in the packet, as "a token of appreciation" for doing this. This explains a lot. The only people providing feedback are the ones who think doing this much work for a dollar is a good deal, like 5-year- olds . No wonder some programs are popular, like those "Home Video" shows that are basically 60 minutes of people falling down. The top-rated show in the country could soon be "Wishbone," which features a dog dressing up as various figures from classic literature. Evidently, the entire content of television, which sadly has more influence on some people than government, school or family, is determined by a handful of people across the country who have way too much spare time on their hands. Obviously, being a Nielsen household is an incredible responsibility, much too important for us to record the shows we really watch. I don't want the TV people to know that we watch "Xena, Warrior Princess" every time it comes on, which, thanks to cable, is 17 times a week. We don't always go looking for it; sometimes we come across it while browsing. We use TV as the video equivalent of a police band scanner. And the fact that we watch a show is no guarantee of quality. Sometimes we find awful, horrible programs, which we watch in their entirety in order to make fun of them. There is no place in the diary to record this, just as there is no place to list the shows you actively avoid watching. This is like voting against the candidate you hate. For a long time I watched whatever was on opposite "Roseanne," just hoping someone would finally get the message. Actually, except for "Xena," we didn't watch much TV this week, especially since we never watch the Olympics (I would, however, have watched every minute of "Xena at the Olympics"). Most of the time our VCR watches TV for us. It's a tremendous time saver. We set it to record the shows we like, then we stack the tapes on a shelf and never watch them. Eventually we forget which tapes have TV shows and which have our wedding video or exclusive footage of our infant son taking a bath in the sink. Then we go buy more tapes. I couldn't let the Nielsen people know this. Instead, I kept a list of the shows we would have watched if we weren't so busy, shows like "Masterpiece Theatre " and "The MacNeil / Lehrer News Hour," although I think they changed the name when one of the main guys, I forget which one, quit. Whichever, he's retired now, with plenty of time on his hands, which means he should be the one keeping a Nielsen diary, not me. I'll stick with medicine. Frankly, I can't handle the pressure. - Mark DePaolis is a writer and physician with a practice in Brooklyn Center. [405] 07-29-96 VARIETY. Page 28. 185 words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings" COMMENTARY: MORTAL BELOVED (#16), 2nd release. (1st release: 02/12/96, #14 at 5.7, 3rd place in action hours). 07/01/96, tied at #12 at 4.9, 2nd place. HTLJ, #8 at 5.6, 1st; ST:DS9, tied at #14 at 4.5, 3rd place. No other action hours made it onto the top twenty. [KT] REPRINT: For week ended July 14, 1996 Stations/ Rank Program % coverage AA % GAA% 1 Wheel of Fortune 225/98 9.8 -- 2 Jeopardyl 219/98 8.7 -- 3 Home Improvement 227/98 7.2 7.7 4 Oprah Winfrey Show 234/99 6.8 6.9 4 WCW Wrestling 184/93 6.8 12.0 6 Seinfeld 222/96 6.2 -- 7 Wheel of Fortune- Wknd184 /84 5.7 -- 8 Journeys of Hercules 224/97 5.6 6.2 9 Inside Edition 164/90 5.3 5.3 10 EntertainmentTonight179 /95 5.2 5.3 11 Home Improvement- Wnd222 /96 5.0 -- 12 Simpsons 193/96 4.9 5.1 12 Xena 205/96 4.9 5.3 14 Jenny Jones Show 214/97 4.5 4.7 14 Star Trek: DSN 233/99 4.5 4.8 16 Ricki Lake 220/98 4.3 4.4 17 FreshPrinceofBelAir 161/89 4.2 4.5 17 Roseanne 177/93 4.2 4.5 19 Live w/Regis& KathieL234 /99 4.1 -- 19 World Wrestling Fed.155/90 4.1 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. [406] 07-29-96 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. Monday. Page 4. 338 words. "Two Administrators Appointed" COMMENTARY: In a photo- promo for the 1992 movie, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", the caption read in part, "a not-serious 1992 movie about a high school cheerleader who becomes sort of a Xena-level warrior in the never-ending war on vampires." It is interesting to note when a year later BUFFY became a popular WB TV series, the comparisons to XWP continued in full force. [KT] EXCERPT: ...GRAPHIC: Photo - (Luke) Perry and ( Kristy ) Swanson - HIGHLIGHTS MOVIES - Kristy Swanson and Luke Perry star in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," a not-serious 1992 movie about a high school cheerleader who becomes sort of a Xena-level warrior in the never-ending war on vampires. 7 p.m. Channel 2. [407] 07-29-96 SALON MAGAZINE. "YES, "XENA" DOES RULE And other answers to TV's FAQs " by Joyce Millman http:// www.salonmagazine.com /weekly/ tvshows960729 . html COMMENTARY:This Salon article still gives me the creeps! Just the mention of Xena and Gabrielle's relationship being characterized as having "single mother/teenage daughter" overtones made me bang out an article to counter that impression RIGHT QUICK.... ahh , one more headstone in my XWP Press Burial Ground (check it out at http:// www.mv.com / ipusers / erb / xena / press2 . htm ). I got a nice rejection note from editor Scott osenburg who said Salon couldn't run my story since hey'd already run this one by Joyce Millman . I wanted o say, "Hey Scott, that's the problem!" but I didn't, cause he called my article a "fun piece" and my attered freelance writer ego really needed anything resembling a compliment at that time. All in all, though, this is a well-written piece, lots of fun and interesting references from one of my favorite Web ' zines . [MBE] EXCERPT: It's summertime, and there's nothing to watch except reruns and the Games of the Nike /Coca-Cola/AT&T Olympiad. At last, we have the time to answer some of the TV questions that have been piling up in the Salon mailbag. 1. Does "Xena" rule, or what? -- C. Paglia , Philadelphia Most definitely. This syndicated spin-off from Sam Raimi's "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" is the perfect antidote to "Dr. Quinn , Medicine Woman's" Martha-Stewart-on-the-frontier sanctimony. "Xena: Warrior Princess" is just as anachronistic as "Dr. Quinn " in its portrayal of a strong woman beset by strangely modern dilemmas, but it's infinitely hipper and funnier. "Xena" is the coolest cult fave around, s well as one of the highest-rated shows in first-run syndication. Like "Hercules," "Xena" takes the comic book tour of ancient Greece. It's a colorful hodge - podge of kung u, pro-social messages, off-the-wall modern colloquial language and, of course, Ray Harryhausen - esque itans, multi-headed snake-beasts and Cyclopses . But, et's be honest here -- nobody's watching "Xena" to rush up on their Greek mythology. Star Lucy Lawless (honest!) is a strapping, buff, black-haired Amazon poured into a leather bustier and skimpy skirt. Stalking her prey with supreme confidence, scowling under her bangs, Xena looks like one of the big-boned Petersen sisters from the Bangles. Unlike Lynda Carter, TV's "Wonder Woman," Lawless is no prissily made-up beauty queen (also, unlike Carter, her breasts and costume move in the same direction when she runs). Xena is terrifically surly, and you can't blame her. Her whole village was destroyed by marauders, her brother was killed, she doesn't know who her father is and her barmaid mother doesn't approve of Xena's career path. Xena is as misunderstood a bad girl as Catwoman or Madonna (who must look at Xena's breastplate costume and biceps and drool). Xena used to fight and kill out of anger over her brother's death, but ever since her tryst with that happy-go-lucky dude Herc, she's been trying to use her fighting skills for the good of mankind. And, man, can she fight! Xena has more martial arts moves in her arsenal than Jackie Chan , and when those don't work she's got her trusty spear, whip and "round killing thing," a razor-sharp discus-like object. Never has a superheroine been allowed to display such enjoyment of the fight -- when she somersaults and kicks her way into battle, Xena ululates like a Middle Eastern woman and she's got a hang time of, like, hours. Along for the ride is Xena's sidekick, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), a young virginal bard seeking excitement. The two have a prickly relationship with single mother/teenage daughter overtones. But let's not put too fine a point on the subtext. The glory of "Xena" is that she can kick the crap out of anybody -- guy, god, goddess, snake-headed monster, whatever. So, yes, "Xena" does rule. 2. Speaking of big-boned women with attitude, what's the deal with CNN 's Lynne Russell? --Rosie O., New York Russell, an anchor on CNN 's "Headline News," has an utterly unique look and presence for a TV newswoman. In a field of all-American Debbie Reynolds -types, Russell is Joan Crawford . She fills the screen with her shoulder-padded presence. She uses makeup as artfully as a Hollywood movie star of yore -- or a Kabuki performer. Her hairstyles are big and fussy and change capriciously every couple of months. She elevates false eyelashes into an art form (for a while last year she sported a pair of spidery lower lashes to rival Alice Cooper's). Her dark, manicured eyebrows are mobile arches of silent editorial commentary. She has a habit of pursing her lips like she's smooshing lipstick, then smiling radiantly into the camera when she's going to a commercial break. She seems perpetually capable of breaking into a scene from "Sunset Boulevard." What makes Russell behave this way? If I had to guess, I'd say boredom. Her CNN bio claims she's a first-degree black belt in Choi Kwang -Do and a licensed private detective. This is clearly a woman who wants to be noticed. Maybe there's a role for her on "Xena." .... =================== CUT HERE =============== XENA MEDIA REVIEW #25 (08-18-97) Part 3 of 4