Category: TV Reviews

Tsunami – Director: John Laing/Writer: Chris Manheim

This one starts with Gabi visiting a fortune-teller, who says she’s going to meet a tall, dark man and that there’ll be danger and death. Xena is skeptical and Gabi remarks that danger and death is pretty typical for them. They separate to get supplies and Gabi notices Autolycus being loaded onto a convict ship. She tries to talk to him and gets into a fight with the guards. The ship sets off and Gabi yells for help. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 19”

Fins, Femmes, and Gems – Director: Josh Becker/Story: Rob Tapert, Adam Armus, Nora Kay Foster/Teleplay: Adam Armus, Nora Kay Foster

This one starts with Aphrodite hanging out in one of her temples when three thugs come in to see her. They’ve stolen the Mystic Diamond from the Temple of the Heavens. The Diamond represents the North Star, without which the world will be thrown into disarray, but Aphrodite doesn’t care; she wants the Diamond for her own constellation and (after some sexual innuendo with the leader) sends the men to Parnassus where she has an astrologer waiting to launch the Diamond into the sky. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 18”

Forget Me Not – Director: Charlie Haskell/Writer: Hilary J. Bader

This one starts with clips of Gabi arguing with Xena and poisoning Hope in Maternal Instincts. We soon realize this is a nightmare and that Gabi’s been having a lot of bad dreams lately, and they’re getting so bad she can barely function. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 17”

When in Rome … – Director: John Laing/Writer: Steven L. Sears

In Gaul, a local chief named Vercinix leads his people against the invading Roman legions. Vercinix sends his family away and ends up being captured by Caesar’s troops, which is quite the publicity coup for Caesar since Vercinix has been giving him so much trouble. Some time later in Syria, the Parthians are successfully resisting the Romans under Crassus when Xena shows up. She drags Crassus out of the camp and tells him she’s going to trade him to Caesar in exchange for Vercinix. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 16”

King Con – Director: Janet Greek/Writer: Chris Manheim

Joxer wins some money at a casino and the owner (Titus) sends goons after him to get it back. But two con men (Rafe and Eldon) run into Joxer outside and con him out of the money (and Eldon steals his sword). Xena and Gabi (who has hurt her ankle again) are coming to meet Joxer, but find the goons pounding him. The goons take off but Joxer is almost dead from the beating and Xena vows to make whoever is behind it pay. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 15”

Forgiven – Director: Garth Maxwell/Writer: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with a couple of bandits (Wayan and Micah) stealing the Urn of Apollo, a sacred vessel that Apollo’s priests use in rituals to forgive people’s sins. The priests ask Xena to get the Urn back. Xena believes forgiveness has to come from within, that it can’t be given by someone else. But Gabi understands the concept and talks Xena into helping. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 14”

One Against an Army – Director: Paul Lynch/Writers: Gene O’Neill, Noreen Tobin

This one starts with Gabi practicing flips by using her staff as a launching point. She finally succeeds and wants to try a flip without the staff, which results in a sprained ankle and Xena’s disapproval (though Xena earns Gabi’s disapproval by ruining one of her boots with her chakram). While tending the ankle, a guy comes by to tell them about Persians invading. Xena says they have to stop the Persians from reaching Athens or all of Greece will be lost. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 13”

The Bitter Suite – Director: Oley Sassone/Writers: Steven L. Sears, Chris Manheim

This is the culmination of the Rift, the sundering of Xena and Gabi’s relationship caused by them lying and mistrusting each other over the first half of this season (although Steve Sears says the Rift technically started in Sins of the Past, since Xena and Gabi have such different worldviews). This one starts with Gabi in an Amazon purging hut (where she’s been for three days), trying to get rid of the guilt she feels over Solan’s death last episode. Xena is on a mountain dealing with her grief when Ares appears and goads her into going after Gabi, saying she’s responsible for Solan’s death. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 12”

Maternal Instincts – Director: Mark Beesley/Writer: Chris Manheim

This one starts with Xena and Gabi arriving at the Centaur village to celebrate a new treaty reuniting the Centaur nation. They soon run into Kaleipus and Solan (who still doesn’t know Xena is his mother) and Xena assures Kaleipus she’s not there to claim Solan. Elsewhere, we see Hope (now a girl of about ten or so) bringing Callisto back from the lava stream she fell into in A Necessary Evil. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 11”

The Quill is Mightier … – Director: Andrew Merrifield/Writer: Hilary J. Bader

This one starts with some punks vandalizing one of Aphrodite’s temples, covering it with pro-Xena graffiti. Naturally, Aphrodite is pissed off and Ares tells her it’s really Gabrielle’s fault, because her writing has turned Xena into a hero. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 10”