Category: TV Reviews

Fallen Angel – Director: John Fawcett/Story: Rob Tapert, R.J. Stewart/Teleplay: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with Joxer showing up at Mount Amaro and running into Amarice and Eli. Apparently, he came because he was having nightmares about Xena and Gabi being in trouble, but the reality turns out to be worse when he sees they’ve been crucified. He vows to return their bodies to Greece. Meanwhile, Xena and Gabi’s souls are in the afterlife, where they’re taken up toward Heaven by some angels. But they’re attacked by demons (led by a demonized Callisto), who throw Gabi down into Hell before going after Xena. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 5, Episode 1”

Welcome to my geography and timeline review for Season 4. As always, this is my attempt to bring some continuity to this season’s episodes, trying to figure out where they took place and in the best possible order to make the whole thing flow better. As I’ve said before (in Season 1, Season 2, and Season 3) none of this minutiae really matters all that much (and my reasoning could be completely off), but I’m a continuity nerd, so I have to at least try. Continue reading “Xena Season 4 Geography and Chronology”

Welcome to my overview of Xena Season 4, in which I’ll try to touch on some of the overarching themes that run through the season. (I won’t link to every episode I reference, since you can find them all in the Tag Cloud under “Xena Season 4”.) Continue reading “Xena Season 4 Overview”

Déja Vu All Over Again – Director: Renee O’Connor/Writer: R.J. Stewart

This one starts in modern times (in other words 1999, when this episode originally aired) with a woman named Annie—who looks a hell of a lot like Xena—having a dream. We get a clip of the ladder fight from Callisto and Annie wakes up, convinced she was dreaming of herself in a past life. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 22”

The Ides of March – Director: Ken Girotti/Writer: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with Callisto in Hell, being tormented by the shades of Xena and Gabi. She’s told that the Lord of Hell wants to knock Xena off her redemptive path and is willing to let Callisto be his instrument. But Callisto isn’t allowed to hurt Xena physically, since the triumph has to be a spiritual one. And Callisto has another mission, something to do with Julius Caesar. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 21”

Endgame – Director: Garth Maxwell/Writer: Steven L. Sears

This one starts with Ephiny leading some Amazons (including a new recruit named Amarice) against Roman soldiers who have already killed some of her Amazon sisters. Ephiny ends up facing the Roman commander Brutus and he kills her, leaving Amarice devastated. Xena and Gabi are fishing when Amarice finds them and tells them Ephiny is dead and the Amazons need Gabi to lead them. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 20”

Takes One to Know One – Director: Christopher Graves/Writer: Jeff Vlaming

Xena comes to Amphipolis on a stormy night to find her friends and family (Cyrene, Joxer, Lila, Minya, and even Autolycus) have organized a surprise party for Gabi. Gabi’s not showing up until the next day, so the festivities are put on hold. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 19”

The Convert – Director: Andrew Merrifield/Writer: Chris Manheim

This one starts with a warlord named Kryton and his men desecrating a temple and kidnapping the novitiates. Xena, Gabi, and Joxer show up to stop him, but since Gabi’s a pacifist now, and Joxer’s never been much of a fighter, Xena has to handle them all herself. Joxer takes the dagger from a stabbed acolyte and they head outside to find Kryton and the novitiates. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 18”

The Play’s the Thing – Director: Christopher Graves/Writers: Ashley Gable, Thomas A. Swynden

This one starts with Xena and Gabi doing yoga (yes, Xena’s doing it too) in a meadow, but Gabi can’t enjoy the serenity because she lost her latest scroll. Apparently, it’s a more intimate examination of their relationship (maybe it contains details of their sex life), so Xena tells her to go back to the last town they were in (Piraeus) and look for the scroll. Xena has to go help a prince in another town, so Gabi heads back to Piraeus, a city that’s completely theatre-mad. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 17”

The Way – Director: John Fawcett/Writer: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with Gabi getting philosophical and Xena wondering if her future incarnation as the Mother of Peace means she should renounce violence in this life. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 16”