Man of Faith
The epic task of scripting Xena’s 100th episode fell upon the acclaimed writing team of George Strayton and Tom O’Neill. In conversation with David Bassom, George Strayton offers his thoughts on Seeds of Faith…
Official Xena Magazine: Issue 04
XENA MAGAZINE: How did yourself and Tom decide upon the storyline for Seeds of Faith?
GEORGE STRAYTON: We were given several elements to start with: the reincarnation of Callisto most importantly. In addition, we had to make sure that Lucy had a limited shooting schedule, as she was seven months pregnant at the time. We knew Rob Tapert, Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman were heading towards the Twilight of the Gods, so we pitched an idea that incorporated it along with Eli... [The use of] Ares was an excellent suggestion from Rob.
The episode’s main revelation is, of course, Callisto's reincarnation as Xena’s child. Presumably, that was all part of the show’s masterplan...
Yes, the reincarnation was planned all along, as you’ll see in the first episode of the season. Fallen Angel, in which Callisto touches Xena after she's been resurrected by Eli.
What’s your opinion of the finished product?
I think Lucy [Lawless, Xena] and Renee [O'Connor, Gabrielle] are just amazing actors. They made our story come alive, beyond what we had written.
Were there any major changes to the episode between your delivery of the script and its production?
The structure remained the same. Bob and Alex came up with some great dialogue to better reflect where we were trying to take the story.
Seeds of Faith is going to be one hell of a tough act to follow. Will you be hanging up your quill now, George?
As a matter of fact, Tom and I have come aboard as Staff Writers for Xena! By the time this sees print, we’ll have already written two episodes. We’ve also been given the privilege to help determine the course of the second half of this season, leading up to an exciting finale. No one will believe what we’ve got planned. You’ll all just have to stay tuned.