"The Furies"

Darien Takle did a great job playing Cyrene as innocence, guilty, mysterious, hurt, sad, wicked- among other emotions. In a reboot of the show, i bet Lucy would make a good Cyrene.

There was humor in the show though it came off dramatic given the circumstances of the Furies persecuting Xena. This is what was needed in Comedy pf Eros to give it an edge instead of an eye's rolled expression!

Is it just me or is the blonde Fury kinda skanky? She seemed to have a Southern accent! She threw herself at Ares and seemed jealous of Xena and the two brunette Furies kinda looked down on her. The trailer trash Fury she is, yes'n!

Gabrielle was cast in a better yet sidekick-like roll here. But at least she wasn't comedy relief.

"Been There, Done That"

Xena tries to keep the day from repeating itself.

Best: good tribute to Groundhog Day movie; Xena calculates the chakram throw; the chakram throw; it was funny in parts, serious in others

Worst: it was too light hearted too many times & overall irrelevant; Gabrielle mostly a shadow

Redemption score: 0, nothing here

X&G ying/yang score: 7.5, mostly on par

Greater good comment: Xena saves girl from committing suicide, older guy from getting run over by cart & stops the feuding.

Diversity score: 4.5, not a lot here

Rating: 8 (being very nice)

"Been There, Done That"

Seen that there, dun wanna that for a long time.

Ok it's not bad but i'm in a dramas mood when it comes to Xena. It's till better than the entirety of season 5 & most of season 6.

It might have been more interesting -less silly- if Joxer & Gabrielle weren't in it. Xena didn't need their help from what i seen. Well Gabrielle's help anyway. Gbarielle looked incredibly hot but she didn't get tp contribute to helping Xena. Of course, the day didn't repeat for her...More reason to have this be a Xena only ep.

Ugh i still total up season 2 scores. i so lazE!
i try n do that this weekend. *sigh*

"The Dirty Half Dozen"

Xena gets some thieves & murderers to help her stop Ares who is giving an unstoppable metal to a warlord.

Best: Nice tribute to Sergio Leone & Ennio Morricone; the team-up of Darnelle & Glaphyra;using Hephaestus' metal was a nice idea; Xena & Gabrielle's discussion about "Am I really who I am? Or am I what you made me?"

Worst: Agathon wasn't much of a warlord

Redemption score: 7.5, hinted at about Xena a couple times but mostly for Darnelle & Glaphyra

X&G ying/yang score: 8, back to normal

Greater good comment: Xena & friends stop Agathon & Ares plan

Diversity score: 6

Rating: 9.5

"The Dirty Half Dozen"

"Am I really who I am? Or am I what you made me?"

well, Gabrielle is still herself but not come season 5 when she becomes Xena Jr aka the Xena-bot aka the Bag-zombie aka braindead Gabby. Xena will starting really re-making Gabrielle in S3. i always thought Gabrielle should have left Xena for at least 3/4 of a season for them both to gain perspective on the yin/yang thing.

TPTB liked a winning formula, didn't like change that might have alienated too many viewers. Least til the end when they went too far gone.

more later...

"The Dirty Half Dozen"

The use of Hephaestus' metal was clever though i wish more had come of it- like Ares getting scolded for using it this way.
........................

Too bad they didn't use Darnelle & Glaphyra in another episode. They had chemistry.
.........................

This wp reminded me of "A Fistful of Dinars" in several ways and "Ten Little Warlords" also. TPTB did well when teaming Xena & Gabrielle with a crew of bad guys.

"The Deliverer"

Xena in Brittania vs Caesar; Gabrielle gets raped by Dahak.

Best: Xena & Gabrielle in England; Boadicea stands up to Xena; curious Gabrielle gets her nose in another fix; Discord is kinda punk/goth hot

Worst: Gabrielle gets raped by Dahak & spills her blood innocence

Redemption score: 0, nothing here

X&G ying/yang score: 8, still normal

Greater good comment: Xena does save Gabrielle from Caesar

Greater bad comment: Xena gives in to her hatred of Caesar which leads Gabrielle into her mess.

Diversity score: 8, pretty high but a lot going on

Rating: 9

"The Deliverer"

This is the 1st non-flashback ep for Caesar. Xena's hatred for Caesar gets Gabrielle in trouble. Did Khrafstar know about Xena & Caesar when he was a prisoner of the Romans? Not sure, maybe.

Xena's problem with Caesar is her own fatal flaw. It reflects more on her weakness to reform rather than being an actual problem with Caesar. Other ppl have hurt Xena, and maybe betrayed her but she should have gotten rid of her hang-up with Caesar when she first sought redemption.

And why she never attempts to kill Caesar before the Ides of March ep is beyond me.

more later...

"The Deliverer"

Not sure how Ares knew about Dahak or why he was so paranoid about him or why he didn't destroy the temple himself. Knowing that a sacrifice- or series of them as we learn- had to be mad to bring Dahak into the world, this should have made Ares less worried- as long as he knew.

Dahak proved to be much ado about nuthin. Ares seemed to have a thing about one god religions. The whole Dahak saga was pretty weak even if the consequences weren't.

It also seemed that Khrafstar & Meridian & the other cult kooks were beating round the bush when it came to letting Dahak in the world. Couldn't they have had blood innocence spilled long before the story, instead of when Gabrielle traveled all the way there?

Just more proof that TPTB needed to think the Dahak arc out more before putting it on screen.

more later...

"The Deliverer"

The Rift. yeah. well i think it actually started in season 2 but it went official in this ep.

So is 1) Xena responsible for keeping Gabrielle outta major trouble like she got in here with Dahak's cult or 2) is Gabrielle responsible always for herself as she chose to follow Xena or 3) a combo of both? i say a combo.

If Xena hadn't been so focused on Caesar then maybe she would've noticed something off with the cult, esp. after Ares warned her twice. Ok, easy to brush off Ares but Xena wasn't thinking in clear mode or she might have thought it best for Gabrielle to stay away from culties til she (Xena) had a chance to figure out teh cult and if there was a threat to ppl/mortals.

Gabrielle's tendency to follow lost causes & other nutzoids (like me) got her into a fix here. Xena was too caught up with fighting Caesar to sum up the cult & even when she was on the scene, she didn't catch on to the danger it posed to Gabrielle til too late.

i would say the blame is shared. Xena did let Gabrielle follow her knowing that she (Xena) is a target for ppl either wanting revenge or looking for trouble.

But i did like the end result of this ep when the temple turned into Stonehenge!

more later...

"The Deliverer"

i hated that Gabrielle lost her blood innocence but i guess it had to happen. But it's good that she at least stayed away from killing again til that awful 5th season when she officially became a brain-dead Xena-bot.

i dunno, i also think it was uncharacteristic of her to stab Meridian. Normally she would have thrown herself in front of Khrafstar to protect him. It seems- watching this ep again- that the killing was forced, not a natural instinct to protect someone. Not that it was justified- she had no way of knowing who Khrafstar really was.

And as i mentioned before, the cult shoudl have done this sacrifice a lot sooner with someone else if they really wanted Dahak brought into the world. Using Gabrielle seemed only to advance the Rift plot along and no make a whole lotta sense.

quote:

Originally posted by xenacrazed:
Xena season 1

Redemption score total: 100.6

Average redemption score per ep: 4.2

Highest redemption score eps: tied at 9 for "Sins of the Past" and "Callisto"

Lowest redemption score ep: 0, "The Prodigal" which was basically a Gabrielle ep

Xena season 2

Redemption score total: 38

What a big time drop from season 1!

Average redemption score per ep: 1.72

Yikes! Again, lower than season 1.

Highest redemption score ep: "Intimate Stranger" with 5.5

Lowest redemption score ep: 0, 10 eps tied for this. *sigh*

Clearly redemption became less of an issue in S2. You'd think TPTB would have it more on the mind of a mass murdererss trying to change her ways. i did say "trying" as she sometimes gives in to that dark side. But S2 also had way more comedy/lite eps than S1 which meant that TPTB couldn't face up to the redemption issue very well ha!

quote:

Originally posted by xenacrazed:
Xena season 1

X&G yin/yang score total: 185.5

Average X&G yin/yang score per ep: 8.4

Highest X&G yin/yang score eps: several at 9

Lowest X&G yin/yang score ep: 4, once again "The Prodigal". i probably should have had it lower on The Royal Academy ep as it was a clip show but it did show enough of Xena to bring the score higher.

Xena season 2

X&G yin/yang score total: 169.5

Not too far off S1.

Average X&G yin/yang score per ep: 7.7

Highest X&G yin/yang score eps: "The Price" at 10, higher than S1's highest which was 9

Lowest X&G yin/yang score ep: "A Necessary Evil" at 5, which was a point higher than S1's lowest score

All in all, the yin/yang thing did well during S2. Once again, too many comedy eps probably the cause!

"Gabrielle's Hope"

Gabrielle is pregant by Dahak & gives birth to Hope.

Best: Xena's attempt to destroy Hope; the banshees; the knights of the round table; Xena pulls Excalibur from the stone

Worst: Gabrielle's refusal to believe Hope is evil; Gabrielle deceives Xena into thinking she destroyed Hope

Redemption score: 0, nothing here

X&G ying/yang score: 8, still normal

Greater good comment: Xena does save Gbarielle a couple times

Diversity score: 6

Rating: 8

"Gabrielle's Hope"

Never cared much for this arc or really any offspring of Xena & Gabrielle. i wish they would never have had kids or else they should have ended any offspring with the deaths of Solan & Hope as bringing in Eve to satisfy Lawless & her director hubby was at the expensive of the fanhood.

more later...

"Gabrielle's Hope"

Maybe i should lower the rating i gave this ep ha ha. Gabrielle was smart at first, questioning what was going with her being preggers & all. Then she sees the baby & stoopidity takes over.

Was it not obvious as the lies outta Trump's & obombya's mouths that the baby was a killer tot from hell or wherever Dahak is from? Gbarielle said she thought Hope might turn out good but she ought to have known better.

Anyhoo, maybe i change my score. i'll think about it.

i still gotta get the episode score totals for S2 as well as the diversity score totals for both S1 & S2. Yeah i late but i been busE. Hopefully soonage!

"The Debt: Part 1"

Xena goes to Chin to kill Ming T'ien.

Best: Evil Xena; Lao Ma; Borias; the cinematography; Xena emerging from river with knife in mouth ("Apocalypse Now" tribute); Indiana Jones tribute at beginning; more od Xena's back-story; Xena captures Ming T'ien as a boy

Worst: Gabrielle betrays Xena

Redemption score: 1, i think it was hinted at

X&G ying/yang score: 8.5, a bit higbher here cause of Xena's mission

Greater good comment: Lao Ma helps Xena

Diversity score: 6

Rating: 10

quote:

Originally posted by xenacrazed:
Xena season 1

Ep rating total score: 207.5

Average ep rating per ep: 9.4

Highest ep rating: Several were at 10

Lowest ep rating: 6 for "Athens Academy"

More on these scores later...

Xena season 2

Ep rating total score: 181.5
- 26 points less than S1! i tell ya it's the comedies' fault.

Average ep rating per ep: 8.25
- still a very good average

Highest ep rating: 4 eps rated at 10

Lowest ep rating: 4 rated at 7, which is still a better low score than for S!

quote:

Originally posted by xenacrazed:
"The Debt: Part 1"

Xena goes to Chin to kill Ming T'ien.

Best: Evil Xena; Lao Ma; Borias; the cinematography; Xena emerging from river with knife in mouth ("Apocalypse Now" tribute); Indiana Jones tribute at beginning; more od Xena's back-story; Xena captures Ming T'ien as a boy

Worst: Gabrielle betrays Xena

Redemption score: 1, i think it was hinted at

X&G ying/yang score: 8.5, a bit higbher here cause of Xena's mission

Greater good comment: Lao Ma helps Xena

Diversity score: 6

Rating: 10

I loved that ep, and Lao Ma was KICKASS!

Yeah--the whole Gabrielle betraying Xena bit was painful to watch--but still...
"Scratch my nose, willya?"
Yeah that was cool, but I also got a giggle when Gabrielle started crying and Xena was all, "Come on, come on." Kinda excruciating with them restraints on her and that itch must've been brutal! Lol...Xena knew her priorities in that moment...relief first, forgiveness later.

Haha seriously tho...

I think the only thing I hated about that ep was the fact that she DID do what she set out to do, and lied to Gabrielle about it...but at least that was all resolved in--damn, what's that ep where they sing again? Major brain fart... (That was one hell of an ep, tho, whoa, amazing voices! It always intrigued me that LL studied opera for awhile and the result was her being able to sing any style she wanted, including banshee-like wailing! )

Still, "the Debt: Pt. 1" is one of my all time favorite Xena eps! Battle on.

quote:

Originally posted by The Rise and Fall of the Brass Razoo:


I loved that ep, and Lao Ma was KICKASS!

Yeah--the whole Gabrielle betraying Xena bit was painful to watch--but still...
"Scratch my nose, willya?"
Yeah that was cool, but I also got a giggle when Gabrielle started crying and Xena was all, "Come on, come on." Kinda excruciating with them restraints on her and that itch must've been brutal! Lol...Xena knew her priorities in that moment...relief first, forgiveness later.

Haha seriously tho...

I think the only thing I hated about that ep was the fact that she DID do what she set out to do, and lied to Gabrielle about it...but at least that was all resolved in--damn, what's that ep where they sing again? Major brain fart... (That was one hell of an ep, tho, whoa, amazing voices! It always intrigued me that LL studied opera for awhile and the result was her being able to sing any style she wanted, including banshee-like wailing! )

Still, "the Debt: Pt. 1" is one of my all time favorite Xena eps! Battle on.

The 1st musical ep was "The Bitter Suite". It'll be coming up soonage on my dvd's.

i wish they wouldn't have killed off Lao Ma. Maybe she could have faked her death then show up in another ep or two. Lao Moa vs Alti or Callisto or Ares- cool! Plus would Gabrielle be jealous of her? Probably. But TPTB had to kill her off, them dummies.

"The Debt: Part 1"

So we finally get more of Xena's back-story. i'm not really sure i understand wbhy she turned evil. Was it cuz M'Lila was killed? Or that Caesar broke her legs? Why take it out on innocents instead of Romans?

We finally see Borias & his relationship with Xena. There wasn't a whole lot of character building for Borias who is mentioned so highly. Of course- like Lao Ma- they killed him off.

Do we actually see & hear Lao Ma tell Xena to kill Ming T'ien if he gets powerful or deadly or whatever? No. Nor do we see Xena explain the whole Lao Ma story tp Gabrielle as the flashbacks continue when Xena leaves Gabrielle behind. Now Gabrielle wanted Callisto dead after she killed Perdicus but it's not okay that Xena kill Ming T'ien who's a ruthless tyrant? Hmmmm Is it for the greater good for Xena to have left Chin with Ming T'ien still alive to hurt & kill ppl? Me don't think so.

More later...

"The Debt: Part 1"

This ep looked great and mostly had great acting (except for adult Ming T'ien). But so many unanswered questions.

Why did Ming T'ien hate his mom, Lao Ma? Why was there division between the houses? Why did Ming T'ien kill Lao Ma, and why did she let him do so when she had so much power? Why would she then push the job onto Xena? She seemed to want to liberate Xena from hate, so why have Xena kill her son?

i'll see the 2nd part of The Debt this weekend, maybe there are answers i've forgotten.

"The Debt: Part 2"

Xena is betrayed by Gabrielle for trying to kill Ming T'ien.

Best: The "scratch my nose" scene; all the Lao Ma scenes; Xena serves Ming Tzu dinner; Xena uses Lao Ma's powers to free herself

Worst: confusion over the Debt amd Xena thinking Lao Ma wanted her to kill Ming Tien

Redemption score: 2, i think we saw the near beginnings of it here

X&G ying/yang score: 8.5, same as last ep

Greater good comment: Killing Ming Tien was for the best though i don't think Xena had to cover it up

Diversity score: 6, barely

Rating: 10