Welcome to LeedsBard's introduction to Xena Warrior: Princess. I'm going to start with an overview of Xena's initial appearances on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and the first two seasons of Xena: Warrior Princess. I'll focus in more detail on some of the episodes that I think you absolutely must see (although the true Xenite would say "Watch them all!") Apologies in advance to all those who already 'know your Xena'....why not go grab yourself a beer or something until I'm done, and I'll shout you when it's time to come back....(but no apologies for the episodes I've chosen as they are purely a personal choice and I'm allowed my own favourites...!) Oh, and WATCH THIS SPACE for reviews of the following four seasons.....

[Technical note: since Universal are releasing various Xena episodes on video and DVD - however erratic this may be - I have included episode numbers where appropriate, in case you want to do your homework and actually watch some of them! Hercules episodes are prefixed with an H, Xena episodes have no prefix.]

In the beginning....

Xena: Warrior Princess began life as a spin-off from the syndicated action series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, which first aired in the US in January 1995. Hercules had changed the look of action adventure television, bringing a welcome sense of fun, irony and camp to a formulaic and tired genre. Executive producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, already well known to cult audiences as the men behind the Evil Dead films, wanted to take this one step further by bringing elements of Hong Kong action movies into a story with a strong female heroine, and so Xena: Warrior Princess was born.

Hercules: The Xena Trilogy

Xena's early appearances on Hercules aren't the best episodes ever, but they do somehow manage to make her transformation from a murdering harlot into a flawed and remorseful hero both believable and moving, in a very short period of time. Watch them all, even if only to put later events into context.

H1.9: The Warrior Princess
On Xena's first appearance she was merely another murdering warlord intent on destroying Hercules - although her methods were somewhat different than the others - a femme fatale who seduces Iolaus (Hercules' best friend) into trying to kill him...! Of course, her plan did not work, and she rode off at the end of the episode waving her sword, saying 'You haven't heard the last of me, Hercules'. It's not a very strong episode, but it's worth watching for a glimpse of the unreconstructed evil Xena, and for the curiosity value of seeing her as a 'work in progress' - the costume, the hair, the voice are all not quite 'there' yet, although Lucy Lawless does have a commanding screen presence.

H1.12 The Gauntlet
Three episodes later she was back in 'The Gauntlet'. This is a dark and powerful story, when her own army turns on Xena for showing mercy by not killing a baby during a raid on a village. They force her to walk the gauntlet, beating her every step of the way. It is a trial that nobody has ever survived, but somehow Xena does, and joins with Hercules for the first time. This episode is clearly the best of the trilogy, and the gauntlet scene remains shocking even now. Xena has developed since her last appearance, and is getting closer to the character she would eventually become in her own series. (Although thankfully the tacky gold costume she finds at one point has never seen the light of day since!)

H1.13 Unchained Heart
The last of the trilogy is used to tie up some loose ends from Xena's previous appearances, and complete her heroic transformation. She joins with Hercules and Iolaus to fight against Darphus (her evil ex-lieutenant, now in charge of her army.) Iolaus eventually forgives her for using him, but only after she saves his life, and is still not too happy when she falls for Hercules (and why would he be, we ask....) At the end Xena leaves them to make her own way, and the start of her own adventures. It's an interesting episode, not only because for the first time Xena shows remorse for what she has done, but also for seeing how 'cute' they've made her - fluffy hair, coy grins - what's going on?! (Fortunately she loses this look before she reappears in her own show....)

Xena: Warrior Princess - Seasons One and Two

The first season of Xena was groundbreaking, in several ways. There was a strong female heroine who was unashamedly tough and didn't feel the need to excuse this by also being 'feminine'. The action sequences were not only fun and incredibly camp, but thanks to the Hong Kong influence they also displayed a remarkable agility and lightness of touch. The scripts were (generally) very strong, and successfully made the transition between tongue-in-cheek humour and dark, brooding (and very moving) drama. The storylines both featured the Greek Gods and sent them up, with the writers taking huge liberties with both historical accuracy and mythological concepts. The music was both original and powerful. There was a cast of charismatic performers, starting with the two leads and continuing through the various guest stars. And of course there was the beginning of the famous lesbian subtext.

While the first season introduced almost all of the important characters and themes that would recur throughout the following years, the second season developed these into something more. The relationship between Xena and Gabrielle remained important, but Xena's continuing struggle against her dark side came to the fore, as she was haunted by guilt over her past actions. There were more 'flashback episodes' specifically looking at Xena's past, and the first clip show set outside Ancient Greece launched a whole new genre of fan fiction (!) The subtext reached its (explicit) height around the middle of the season, and there was more of Joxer.....but the defining incident of the season wasn't even on screen - Lucy Lawless badly hurt her back when she fell off a horse while rehearsing for an appearance on The Tonight Show in LA. This put her out of action for months, and forced the Xena creative staff to think up increasingly inventive ways of producing a show with no lead actress!

LeedsBard's Must-See episodes (and comments on some of the others!):

1.1 Sins of the Past
Having given up the life of a warlord, Xena is returning to her native village of Amphipolis when she comes across some girls who have been captured by slave traders, one of whom is Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor). She rescues them, bringing her into conflict with the warlord Draco (Jay Laga'aia), who invades her home valley under Xena's banner. When Xena reaches Amphipolis she faces widespread hostility - even her own mother wants nothing to do with her - until she defeats Draco in an incredibly camp fight with staves. We find out that Xena's first army was built when the warlord Cortese threatened Amphipolis, and that her younger brother Lyceus was killed during the battle. At the end, when Xena is about to leave, Gabrielle persuades her to let her tag along, and a beautiful friendship is born (ahh!) It's a very strong pilot episode, which pulls no punches in facing Xena's past crimes, and showing the widespread hostility she now faces. Atonement will not be easy. Gabrielle also makes a nice contrast to Xena, talking her way out of trouble rather than fighting.

1.3 Dreamworker
Gabrielle is captured by evil priests of Morpheus, and given several challenges in the hope she will lose her blood innocence. Xena's only chance to rescue her is to enter her own dreamscape, where she must confront her own nightmares and defeat them. The hardest of these is her own dark side, which she eventually realises she can never defeat, but can learn to control. This is a key episode, as it goes straight to the heart of what is Xena, and foreshadows almost all of the darker storylines in later seasons. (And just watch for the scene with the breast dagger!)

1.5 The Path Not Taken
The first appearance of Xena's old lover Marcus, who is still following the path Xena gave up, i.e. murdering and cheating people. Not a classic, but some touching moments, and Xena gets to sing her funeral dirge for the first (of many) times on the show. (Incidentally, Lucy Lawless wrote this herself.)

1.8 Prometheus
A very silly episode, which sees the first visit of Hercules and Iolaus to the series. Hera has chained Prometheus to a mountain, making his gifts of fire and healing lost to humankind forever. Only the sword of Hephaestus can free him, but whoever breaks the chains will die. Hercules and Xena naturally argue over this, until Xena is carried away by a giant bird and drops the sword, which Hercules deflects off a boulder! This episode also has to win the prize for the worst ever costuming on the show - watch for the green egg men and you'll know what I mean! Subtext fans should note the difference between Hercules' farewell to Iolaus and Xena's goodbye to Gabrielle - hmmm!

1.9 Death in Chains
Remarkable only for the scene where Xena crawls through a sewer covered in rats! To quote Lucy Lawless: "I dropped my head and they just kept dumping rats, and they yelled cut, cut and these rats had nestled all over my body, nestled into my cleavage and legs, it was so disgusting! Oh, God, and they stunk. They stunk, and they just pooed everywhere....It was really harrowing!"

1.10 Hooves and Harlots
Introducing the Amazons and the Centaurs! Travelling, Xena and Gabrielle meet a bunch of Amazon warriors, including Terreis and Ephiny. When they come under attack, Gabrielle attempts to save Terreis' life, not knowing that she is next in line to the Amazon throne. Terreis dies giving Gabrielle her Right of Caste (making Gabrielle the new heir.) Phantes, a centaur, is wrongly accused of Terreis' murder and while Xena investigates, Gabrielle is inducted into the ways of the Amazons, and is given her staff for the first time. When Xena and Gabrielle leave, Ephiny takes over the throne. This episode is a lot of fun, with a serious message about tolerance for each others differences (after being sworn enemies for years, the Amazons and the Centaurs become allies against an evil warlord, Krykus, who threatens both tribes.) The ramifications of Gabrielle's Right of Caste will be felt in every future season, as she is called back again and again to the Amazon nation when something happens to their Queen regent.

1.11 The Black Wolf
Not bad, but only compulsory viewing if you want a look at a soaking wet Xena! (Plus Xena says "I have many skills!" for the first time.)

1.12 Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts
A reworking of the Trojan Horse story. Xena is sent for by Helen of Troy to help out at the siege, and discover the traitor in their midst. At this point, neither Paris nor Menelaus really seem interested in Helen, but are fighting over her like a possession. Xena asks Helen what she wants to do, and Helen replies that nobody ever asked her that before. Meanwhile, Gabrielle becomes reacquainted with her old fiancé Perdicus, who is now a soldier in the Trojan army.

1.15 Warrior...Princess
The comedy highlight of the first season. Xena is called upon to help out her exact lookalike, Princess Diana, whose forthcoming marriage is being threatened by assassins. Diana, of course, is a perfect lady of the court, whereas Xena most definitely is not! It's great fun watching Lucy Lawless in two roles: is it Lucy playing Xena, Lucy playing Diana, Lucy playing Xena playing Diana....you get the picture. Hilarious! And the classic line: Diana to a village child about Xena's chakram: "It's my round killing thing", Gabrielle: "Chakram", Diana: "Bless you!" (It was reprised in the following two seasons as 'Warrior.....Princess....Tramp' and 'Warrior...Priestess....Tramp'.)

1.16 Mortal Beloved
The return of Marcus, from 'The Path Not Taken'. Someone has stolen Hades' Helmet of Invisibility and is sending good souls to Tartarus and evil ones to the Elysian Fields. Marcus is released from the Underworld for 48 hours to try and retrieve the helmet, and asks Xena to help him. There are some wonderfully touching scenes between Xena and Marcus, plus Xena gets to go to the Underworld and battle harpies. Moving, exciting, well acted - an all-time highlight of the show.

1.17 The Royal Couple of Thieves
The debut of Autolycus, the King of Thieves (and erstwhile guest star on Hercules.) Xena enlists his help to recover a stolen chest containing the most powerful weapon in the world. Autolycus and she pose as a murdering warlord and his concubine (!) and much mayhem ensues. Bruce Campbell is just perfect as Autolycus - the best guest star on the show up to this point.

1.19 Altared States
A reworking of the Bible story of Abraham and Isaac - a lame story, but it's the first episode where the writers deliberately included references to the subtext. Watch for the opening scene, the nutbread and Gabby climbing up Xena's body!

1.21 The Greater Good
When Xena is laid low by a poisoned dart Gabrielle must try to save Salmoneus' water factory from an evil warlord by impersonating her best friend. It's fun watching Renee O'Connor dressed in Xena's leathers, but there's a much more serious element when it looks as though Xena has died - despite being distraught Gabrielle continues to fight "for the greater good". This is a theme which will be carried through into every subsequent season, and which is key to an understanding of Gabrielle's character.

1.22 Callisto
Another fabulous episode, and one of LeedsBard's all-time favourites. Xena gets word that a fierce female warrior is impersonating her and massacring innocent people. She comes across the psychotic Callisto (Hudson Leick) who insists that she is Xena's creation - her family had been destroyed when Xena's army sacked their village. Callisto speaks like Xena's conscience, as we see another glimpse of Xena's evil past, and Xena is once again tortured by her own guilt. Oh, and Joxer (Ted Raimi) makes his first appearance (and is promptly whacked by Gabrielle!) Look out for the heart-rending scene between Xena and Gabby beside the campfire and the spectacular fight on ladders (copied from Once Upon a Time in China, Part II.) Stunning!

1.24 Is There a Doctor in the House?
A dramatic end to the season, which was reputedly held back on its first release until some of the more bloody scenes were cut. Xena and Gabrielle stumble into a war, and bump into Ephiny, who is heavily pregnant by Phantes, the centaur from Hooves and Harlots. Phantes is now dead. Looking for a safe place for Ephiny to give birth, Xena and Gabrielle find a healing temple and end up helping out. When Gabrielle is wounded rescuing a young child, Xena fights to save her life. Not only does Xena show remarkable healing skills (in a nice reworking of history, teaching Hippocrates various techniques and inventing CPR to save Gabrielle!), we also get to witness just how much Gabrielle means to her, when she thinks she might lose her. It's also one of Lucy Lawless' own favourite episodes. Watch it!

That's all for now, but don't forget to lookout for issue 2, where I shall be looking at Season 2...