Disclaimer: Many tears of nostalgia threatened to overwhelm me during the writing of this review. Similar to my review of Go Fish, I find myself incapable of merely reviewing Xena: Warrior Princess. The show is too much a part of me, of my experiences as a TV watcher, as a critic, as a writer, even as a lesbian. I find it next-to-impossible to remove myself far enough to evaluate. I'm afraid if you've clicked onto this page you've inadvertantly fallen into the lair of a hard core nutball. A Xenite. A fan. Like many others I was profoundly affected by the stories of Xena the Warrior Princess and Gabrielle the battling bard. True Xena fans are never ashamed to say that they love the show, despite the severe ups and downs the quality of the writing went through over the years. From the first episode I saw (which was not the pilot but an episode from early in season two) I was enthralled. The next day I went on the Internet and discovered the huge fan community out there, still one of the biggest and most active of any fandom, ever. Despite being ridiculed by some critics and dismissed entirely by others, Xena: Warrior Princess was an Emmy-winning show that truly connected with its audience. For six years I let Xena into my heart and my loungeroom, I read and wrote fanfic, I built websites, I participated in fan communities, I spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars on merchandise. I have pictures of Xena and Gabrielle on my wall, I have treasured autographed photos in folders and my 12" Xena doll given to me by mocking work colleagues still stands proudly next to my computer, chakram in hand. XWP first went to air on September 4th, 1995 as a spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. The character of Xena made her first appearance in that series in what is now known as "The Trilogy" (first season Hercules episodes "The Warrior Princess", "The Gauntlet" and "Unchained Heart"). The spin-off soon outrated the original series, becoming the highest-rated syndicated series in the USA during its second and third seasons. Episodes of the show still rate well in syndication, and at the height of its popularity the show was screening in more than 50 countries and was translated into more than 20 different languages. A flawed hero was born. Unlike other genre heroines though, Xena had no superpowers to help in her fight against evil. All she had was her intelligence, her will, her strength, her courage, her heart and of course her overachieving sidekick. It didn't take long before fans began speculating on the Xena/Gabrielle relationship. When the producers caught wind that their lesbian audience was growing exponentially they played up the lesbian subtext within the show itself. At times it seemed that the writing team hadn't established an exact position on the subtext, as some writers liked to go out of their way to play with it while others avoided it or tried to establish Xena and/or Gabrielle as exclusively heterosexual. As a result, going back to the canon and trying to pinpoint the exact nature of the relationship is a farcical exercise. There is enough evidence to support any position on it you wish to take, but the strength and ferocity of the debate sometimes took even the hard core fans by surprise. When asked to weigh in on the subject while the show was in first run, actresses Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor were obviously reluctant to pick a side on the issue, though since the series has ceased production both actresses have commented in interviews that they believe the pair were lovers. Most fans however recognise that the importance of the Xena/Gabrielle relationship lay in the love and loyalty between the two companions, not in their sexual relationship. It was a show that emphasised the friendship and bonds that exist between women. It was better, I think, for people to be allowed to make up their own minds as to the extent of those bonds, despite how much subtext fans (myself included) cherished those rare overtly-romantic moments that did exist. One thing that some people failed to understand (TV reviewers epsecially), perhaps because of the sometimes childish nature of its parent show, was that despite being a fantasy series, this was not a show that was suitable for children. Some of the worst written episodes were dumbed down and seemed aimed towards the younger demographic, but there were others that were extremely violent, including the final episode that at one point showed Xena being shot with hundreds of arrows, then having her head sliced off and her body hung on display. Xena was essentially a violent character, which I am not ashamed to admit was one of the reasons I liked her. While one of the most important messages of the show was always that violence is acceptable only as a last resort to protect yourself and others, when Xena was forced to accept violence as the solution she was strong, courageous, ferocious and unwavering. Set up in deliberate opposition to the Xena character, Gabrielle was positioned as the negotiator whose first thought was towards the victims of violence. She believed that Xena was as much a victim of violence as a perpetrator. As the series progressed their two viewpoints collided and clashed with dramatic consequences, but in the end both always came to see some merit in the path chosen by the other. It seemed so simple and even silly at times, the themes universal, but the telling of it wasmore often than not both powerful and original. It might all seem a bit daggy now, but back when it first aired it was anything but. XWP was the first show I ever personally became aware of as having a social impact. This was probably just because it had an impact on my own life and lives of people I knew, but still it was my first experience with a show being able to be more than simply a piece of entertainment. XWP made women feel empowered, gay or straight. The Xenaverse community made each other stronger, told stories to each other and encouraged each other socially and creatively. I know that many fans had similar experiences within other online communities, but for me it will always be Xena: Warrior Princess. If I ever meet Lucy Lawless it's possible I'll take one look into those seriously blue eyes, be instantly paralysed and not wake up until I've made a complete fool of myself. Or, I'll manage to keep control of my wits, shake her hand and thank her from the bottom of my heart for playing, with such humour and grace, the first superhero I ever looked up to. I sincerely hope it's the latter. Got a comment? Write to me at nancyamazon@gmail.com
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Last updated: 21 April 2008