Category: TV Reviews

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”

Between the Lines – Director: Rick Jacobson/Writer: Steven L. Sears

This one starts with Xena and Gabi still in India. Xena gets a new outfit so she can blend in better with the natives, like Gabi does. They see a woman (Nayima) about to be thrown on her husband’s funeral pyre and decide to save her. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 15”

Devi – Director: Garth Maxwell/Writer: Chris Manheim

This one starts with Xena and Gabi in India, exploring the Entertainers’ Quarter in a city. They stop to watch a street magician (Eli) do the classic rope trick, but something goes wrong and his sexy assistant (Maya) goes crazy and attacks him. Xena jumps on stage and knocks Maya into a table. Continue reading “Xena Reviews: Season 4, Episode 14”