Why Xena Is Must See TV
OK, we all love Xena: Warrior Princess. That's why you're reading this magazine, after all - unless someone's left it sitting around and you have nothing better to do. Even if you don't need persuading to watch Xena, you may frequently ask yourself what it is that makes you tune in, week in, week out. Kate Anderson is the woman with all the answers…
Official Xena Magazine: Issue 16
1/ Send in the Clones
Five Xenas for the price of one! Yes, that's right - not one, not two, but five Lucy Lawlesses! Now that’s what I would call value for money!
First up we have the original Warrior Princess herself. Loyal and brave, she’s tougher than all the Six Nations rugby teams put together! Oh, and she looks great in leather and simply blooming when modelling ancient Greece’s latest line in maternity wear.
But if she’s not your cup of tea, how about evil Xena? Maybe you find villains a real turn on. Well, they don’t come any nastier than this gal. Next up we have Princess Diana. Pampered and spoilt, but with her heart in the right place, this princess is a real lady.
Our penultimate Xena lookalike is Leah, High Priestess of the Hestian Virgins. Very' innocent and naive, our Leah is as pure as the driven snow, something our last Xena clone most definitely isn’t. Yes, I’m talking about Meg, otherwise known as Xena wannabe. Meg may look the part in leather, but the real Xena wouldn't touch Joxer with a bargepole.
2/ Leather Not Lace
Who will admit that it was the sight of Lucy Lawless in that outfit that first attracted them to the show? Yes indeed, Xena is a sight to behold in that leather dress, and leather is definitely Xena’s look - you can almost picture her walking down the catwalks of ancient Greece, modelling the latest in designer leather.
But then what happens? Arch enemy Callisto comes along and tries to compete in the fashion stakes. It’s no wonder those two ended up hating one another’s guts! What’s a girl to do? Hmmm, and I wouldn’t like to see her dry-cleaning bill!
3/ Let’s Hear it for the Boys!
Xena: Warrior Princess has an abundance of gorgeous guys. The bumbling Joxer may not be everyone’s idea of a hunk, but let's face it, on occasions he’s scrubbed up rather well.
Cupid can fire one of his love-tipped arrows in my direction any time. He really is cute, although I'm not sure I’d want Aphrodite as a mother-in-law. If you like bad guys, Ares is surely your cup of tea. Seductive and charming, the God of War simply oozes sex appeal.
Another ladies man is Autolycus. This scoundrel is a real Jack of all trades, if you’ll pardon the pun. But if you like your men macho and sensitive, Hercules is the one for you. Strong, compassionate and confident, he’s definitely all man.
One thing’s for sure, when it comes to eligible bachelors, ancient Greece was certainly the place to be. Oh, for a time machine!
4/ Kick-Ass Action
Xena’s ass-kicking exploits surely rival those of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Xena’s certainly got the larger-than-life acrobatics - the back flips, the running up walls and things... She’s also pretty handy with a sword, not to mention her fists and feet.
Okay, so maybe Buffy can do all that too, but can she do the Xena touch? And has Ms Summers got her very own battle cry? Oh, and Xena’s got her chakram, while Buffy's got, er, Mr Pointy. Enough said.
5/ Reading Between the Lines
It’s no secret that Xena and Gabrielle's close and loving friendship has caused quite a stir, not to mention much rumour and speculation with regard to their sexuality.
The show has a huge fan base amongst the lesbian community, and both Xena and Gabrielle are extremely popular role models for women, regardless of their sexuality. The subtext has undoubtedly always been one the show's strengths, and the programme makers have handled the subject both positively and maturely.
This intriguing subplot seems to have been cast aside of late, but apparent things, er, hot up between our two favourite female warriors in season six…
6/ Causing Controversy
Two words: sex and violence. Xena is no stranger to either, and never more so than season four's The Way. Whether it’s for its portrayal of Hinduism or that nasty little scene where Xena gets her arms chopped off, The Way will surely go down in television history as Xena’s most infamous episode ever.
Oh, and on the subject of controversial storylines, let’s not forget the ‘are Xena and Gabrielle more than just good friends?’ debate (see above).
7/ A Laugh a Minute
Who'd have thought that a television show about a beautiful female Warrior Princess and her equally beautiful companion - who has made it her mission in life to atone for her past sins, could be so, well, hilarious. But there’s no doubt about it: Xena puts the fun into fantasy television.
Lucy Lawless hamming it up as the scheming - not to mention dim - Meg is funny as any Carry On film. And then of course there’s ancient Greece’s answer to The Three Stooges: Joxer, Autolycus and Salmoneus. These bumbling but loveable idiots are a joy to watch, together or apart
8/ Scoring Points
And so it begins: “In a time of ancient gods, warlords and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero. She was Xena, a mighty princess, forged in the heat of battle. The power. The passion. The danger. Her courage will change the world.”
Thanks to these powerful words and Joseph Lo Duca’s exotic score - with its Bulgarian bagpipes, powerful drumbeats, and Bulgarian backing singers - Xena has one of the coolest opening titles in television history.
9/ Girl Power
The girls of ancient Greece could certainly teach women of the 21st Century a thing or two when it comes to girl power. They are the original Spice Girls.
Just picture it: Xena, with her back flips, is the sporty one, while Gabrielle is a dead ringer for Baby Spice. Callisto could give Scary Spice a run for her money. Okay, so may not resemble Scary Spice in the looks department, but both are brash, confident and loud.
Last but not least, there’s the posh one: mischievous and vain, Aphrodite commands attention wherever she goes. But unlike Posh Spice, she’s yet to find her David Beckham.
10/ Callisto
If ever a character deserved a spin-off series, Callisto did. I can see it now: The Adventures of Callisto, Warrior Queen!
Blonde, berserk and psychotic, Callisto was Xena’s toughest, most formidable opponent, and her most memorable. Every time she appeared, she gave Xena and Gabrielle a run for their money. Okay, so she was crazy, but there was a lot to like about Callisto. Strong, passionate and committed, she was a born fighter. No matter how many knocks she took, she’d always come back for more.
Callisto proved that blondes really do have more fun. Now, whereabouts did I leave that bottle of hair dye?