Category: TV Reviews

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”

Warrior … Priestess … Tramp – Director: Robert Ginty/Writers: Adam Armus, Nora Kay Foster

This one starts with Xena confronting a warlord named Daxon, but instead of kicking his ass, she throws down her weapons and implores him to embrace the way of peace and love. If you’re thinking this isn’t the real Xena, you’re right; aside from the peacenik stuff, she speaks with a different accent and a slight lisp. She doesn’t even resist when she’s tied to a stake and is about to be burned. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 9”

King of Assassins – Director: Bruce Campbell/Writers: Adam Armus, Nora Kay Foster

This one starts with Xena bringing a bandit to prison and interrogating him to find out where his leader went. She finds Joxer in the prison (for stealing a chicken) and gets him out. Meanwhile, two guys break into a warlord’s place to steal his sword, but end up setting off a trap. When the warlord shows up, one guy kills him. The other guy (who turns out to be Autolycus, King of Thieves) isn’t too happy about his partner killing someone in cold blood. The killer says there will be more deaths to come and when he takes his mask off, he looks exactly like Joxer. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 8”

The Debt Part II – Director: Oley Sassone/Story: Rob Tapert, R.J. Stewart/Teleplay: R.J. Stewart

This one starts with Gabi pleading for Ming Tien to release Xena (which he apparently promised to do when Gabi warned him about her assassination attempt), but he won’t even let Gabi see Xena. Xena is thrown in a watery dungeon with her hands and arms encased in stocks. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 3, Episode 7”