Arguably the best TV series ever

silb1208

I just watched this series again for the first time since it ended its run in 2001 and felt compelled to offer some comments.

First of all, you will either love this show or hate it. I can't imagine that anybody could have a Luke-warm opinion about it. The historical inaccuracies alone are enough to turn many people away, and the fight sequences are way over the top. But if reality TV is what you're looking for, then the title of this show should have been enough to warn you off. X:WP is pure escapism--a comic book brought to the small screen. As such, it succeeds as no other TV show ever has.

The performances by Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor were consistently outstanding. I can't imagine any other actresses who could have played Xena and Gabrielle so well. They more than brought the characters to life--they made us fall in love with them. We cared deeply about them as individuals, as well as the relationship that developed between them. Performances for recurring characters, such as Kevin Smith as Aries and Hudson Leick as Callisto, were also exceptional.

The show's small budget didn't allow for such things as really hi-tech special effects or the use of many "extras", though we see improvements in the later seasons. Instead, we got mostly great scripts which usually included just the right balance of drama and comedy, and we witnessed real growth in both main characters. By series end we knew these women as well as we know members of our own families. We were also treated to some incredible music from Joseph LoDuca, exceptional camera work, and wondrous New Zealand scenery.

I cringe at the thought that this show was ever compared to "Baywatch". That was insulting. There can be no argument that Lucy and Renee are two of the most beautiful women to ever walk the planet. What Renee could do for a costume was remarkable. But a show simply about a couple of scantily clad women this is not!

About the "subtext" -- were they or weren't they? The bottom line is that it really doesn't matter. These women shared a love so compelling that we all drowned in it. That's great TV!

score 10/10

silb1208 11 January 2009

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2005397/