Xena: Warrior Podcast

Beware the trusty shamrock on this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST! Vera, Katie, and Livy continue on the topic of sequels with 2x06 “Warrior...Princess...Tramp,” a comedy sequel to last season’s “Warrior...Princess.” We talk about the strategies this sequel uses to achieve success: by being bigger, bolder, and finding new ways to be funny. Most notably via the introduction of Meg, one of our all-time favorite supporting characters on the show, and a great showcase for Lucy Lawless’s comic chops. We discuss Meg’s incredibly sweet and romantic meet-cute with Joxer (Joxer/Meg OTP!), sexual mores in the 90s, and baby-throwing 2.0. The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/

On this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST, guess who’s back and badder than ever? AIIIIIIIEEEEE its Callisto!!!! Vera, Katie, and Livy dedicate the podcast to an in-depth discussion of 2x05 “Return of Callisto.” In the tradition of all great sequels, this ep takes what came before and elevates it to a whole new level of dramatic intensity. Because Callisto isn’t the only one who’s back; Perdicus 2.0 returns on bended knee and Gabrielle embraces a heterosexual lifestyle with him...for a couple of minutes. (It’s tough out there for a Perd.) We discuss why Perdicus is Gabrielle’s type, swoon over sex scenes both literal and metaphorical, speculate on whether Callisto is a murderous manifestation of Xena’s repressed jealousy or maybe just her number one fan, cry a thousand tears over Xena resorting to prayer to save Gabrielle’s blood innocence, and lose our minds over that final, shocking scene. Is it vengeance or is it justice? IDK, but it sure is AWESOME! The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/

Join us for a Bacchanalia on this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST! First Vera, Katie, and Livy debate whether 2x03 “The Giant Killer” is a gigantic waste of time or maybe only a tiny bit bad? Sure the pace is slow and the plot predictable, but there's also a significant close-up of Xena and Gabrielle holding hands, plus the novelty of seeing Gabs friend-zoned by her own BOTW! Then we sink our fangs into the trippy frightfest that is 2x04 “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” the show's unique take on the Lesbian Vampire trope. We discuss the horror film history of transgressive female sexuality, the self-defeating short-sightedness of the patriarchy, and how Renée O’Connor would kill it as a Deadite. The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw

On this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST, Season 2 here we come! Vera, Katie, and Livy discuss 2x01, “Orphan of War” and 2x02, “Remember Nothing,” both very juicy episodes about the people Xena loves. And foremost among them...wait for it...wait for it...is the Great Borias! We investigate how one man can be so great (spoiler alert: he can’t). Plus lots of juicy interpersonal drama as Xena’s son Solan is introduced, bringing to the fore Xena and Gabrielle’s differing feelings about motherhood. Then to cap it off, in the second ep we finally meet Xena’s brother Lyceus, who is a peach, and her fiance Maphias, who is ok...ish. He’s no Borias, let’s just say that. But who cares about all these men anyway when you’ve got Gabrielle and Chekhov’s blood innocence about to go off!

Welcome to our very first XWPodcast MINISODE! For each one of these we'll be exploring bigger/broader topics as related to Xena: Warrior Princess in even more glorious detail than in our regular Monday show (which means we'll be talking freely about the series as a whole, so beware of spoilers!). Today, we're traveling through the gateway to Antarctica Middle Earth Ancient Greece: New Zealand! XWP and Hercules: TLJ were on the ground floor for US-backed fantasy productions in NZ, and we can't even imagine what Xena would look like filmed anywhere else. Join Vera, Katie, and Livy as we discuss New Zealand's stunning landscape and its significance to the Xenaverse, as well as to other Hollywood-produced fantasy genre aesthetics (for example, that little trilogy based on a series of books that dropped on the scene a few years later...). The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ————

Charge those defibrillators, it’s time for another episode of XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST..."STAT!" This is a milestone week as Vera, Katie, and Livy reach the end of the first season! But before we can celebrate, we find ourselves DISAAAAPPOINTED by 1x23 “Death Mask,” an episode that looks juicy on paper with its focus on Xena’s origin story and family ties, but poor choices in writing, directing, and casting combine to make this story a real snooze (boob flex notwithstanding). Then it’s on to 1x24, “Is There a Doctor in the House?” We discuss this unconventional finale as a bottle episode, as a medical procedural in the mold of ER, and as an anti-war, anti-violence mission statement -- before it abruptly becomes a first-rate operatic melodrama and gets us all misty-eyed. Ah, the miracle of TV CPR!!! The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodg

This week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST--AAAIIIEEEEEEEEE!!! We’re screaming because it’s time to talk about 1x22, “Callisto!” Vera, Katie, and Livy take on the titular character in all her glory, discussing the ways in which her physicality, costuming, dialogue, and camera framing all add to her complexity as a villain/monster/victim/foil/you name it she is it. When we can pull ourselves away from talking about Callisto, we also explore the experimentalism of director TJ Scott, Joxer’s controversial role in the Xenaverse, and the significance of who gets to, uh, finger Xena’s chakram. The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/

This week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST, Gabrielle steps into Xena’s boots (and boobs?)! We’ve reached 1x21, "The Greater Good" and it is A BIG DEAL, so much so that we’re devoting a whole episode of the podcast to it. (1x22 "Callisto" gets the same treatment next week, don't you worry.) Join Vera, Katie, and Livy for an in-depth conversation about the subtle power of Renee O’Connor’s acting choices, the distressing vulnerability of Xena without her physical strength, the necessity of comedy to underscore tragedy, and the many, many uses of fizzy water! The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/

Daddy issues abound on this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST! First Vera, Katie, and Livy talk about 1x19 “Altared States,” notable less for its ripped-from-the-Old-Testament plotline and more for its insinuating teaser, which, uh, is so NOT about fishing. (Also hello, Karl Urban!) Then it’s on to 1x20, “Ties That Bind,” where Ares pretends to be Xena’s dad and Freud has a field day. We discuss the gorgeous on-location cinematography, Gabrielle’s evolution from comic relief to co-lead, and the symbolic meaning of Ares’ stupid little earring. The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/

The Bruce is loose this week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST! Bruce Campbell makes his first appearance as Autolycus in 1x17, “The Royal Couple of Thieves,” bringing with him his signature comedy stylings and Robin Hood-y charisma. Vera, Katie, and Livy discuss his screwball chemistry with Lucy Lawless and his unique ability to play the role of leading man without pulling focus from the leading lady. Then we move on to 1x18, “The Prodigal,” an important Gabrielle episode in which she gets her own leading man, down-on-his-luck warrior Meleager. We discuss the war trauma that underscores their bond (Gabrielle so has a damaged hero fetish...) and how her experience with Meleager helps Gabrielle overcome her crisis of confidence. We also talk about the return of Lila and the importance of sisterly -- and not so sisterly -- relationships on the show. Cue our “Be More Gay” song! The power, the passion, the podcast! iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: fac

Take a stroll with us through (Tartarus) the Elysian Fields on this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST! Vera, Katie, and Livy laugh it up at the first purely comic Xena ep, 1x15 “Warrior...Princess,” a Mark Twain mash-up of mistaken identity and courtly intrigue. We discuss Xena’s performance of femaleness and the apparently really elaborate tests she’s been administering to Gabrielle behind the scenes?? Then it’s on to 1x16, “Mortal Beloved,” which marks the glorious return of BFOTW Marcus, who, despite being dead, still looks damn good without his vest! We discuss this episode’s two grand romances: Xena and Marcus’s love connection that crosses the boundaries of life and death, and Gabrielle’s unspoken devotion to Xena that leads her to wait (and wait and wait) for her beloved’s return.   The power, the passion, the podcast!   iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Kati

Uh-oh, this is a week of contrary opinions on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST. Vera, Katie, and Livy wax poetical over the improbable gem, 1x13 “Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards,” which despite being a clip show -- that much loathed episode format usually considered a waste of valuable tv plotting space -- actually breaks a ton of new ground! We talk about Gabrielle’s surprising choice to leave Xena behind, the utopian ultra-supportive artists’ collective she establishes with her many charming BFsOTW, and the imaginative editing techniques this episode uses to depict the bards’ different storytelling styles. Then we go against the fandom grain in 1x14, “A Fistful of Dinars,” and give this seemingly well-liked episode a big thumbs down. We puzzle over why Petracles’s hair is the way it is, why the gods created ambrosia in the first place, and why this episode is named after a spaghetti western when it’s more of an Indiana Jones serial?? Just...so many why’s.   The power, the passion, the podcast!   iTunes: ht

Sing, muses, as we embark upon another epic episode of XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST! This week Vera, Katie, and Livy partake in some whiskey and tackle the Robin Hood-style swashbuckler 1x11, “The Black Wolf,” in which Salmoneus pays homage to Xena’s amazing legs, Gabrielle accessorizes with a fine chakram hat, and Xena teaches people life lessons by dropping them out of trees (as you do). Then we move on to 1x12, “Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts,” an ambitious first outing for one of the show’s most talented directors. We discuss TJ Scott’s unique visual style, the transgressive depiction of Helen of Troy, and the reintroduction of Gabrielle’s greatest BFOTW, Perdicas, so lovable despite looking exactly like Donny Osmond ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.   The power, the passion, the podcast!   iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusic

This week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST, Vera, Katie, and Livy embark on the Sisyphean task of finding deep meaning in the not-very-deep 1x09, “Death in Chains,” in which King Sisyphus lives in Disney’s Haunted Mansion and Gabrielle falls for a BFOTW so generically perfect he may as well have been grown in a lab. (Rats!) But then we move on to crucial 1x10, “Hooves and Harlots,” an essential episode for Gabrielle, who gains a new title, a new outfit, and her very first weapon. So join us as we break out the Problematic Jar and perform the Amazon symbol of peace.   The power, the passion, the podcast!    iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/

The two episodes featured on this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST share a relationship status of “it’s complicated.” First, the Titanic ménage à trois of 1x07, “The Titans” (ew, get a room, guys, if only you could find one large enough!). Then there’s the love rhombus of 1x08, “Prometheus,” where Hercules and Iolaus come to town looking to pair off with Xena and Gabrielle, only to end up pairing off with each other instead (phew!). Listen in as we discuss Gabrielle the cruel, if adorable, little goddess, the Platonic origin of love, and the Real Oracles of New Jersey.   The power, the passion, the podcast!    iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/

On this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST, we confront Xena’s ultimate weakness: hot tubs! Xena’s penultimate weakness, btw, is men with well-muscled arms, which makes this pair of episodes, 1x05, “The Path Not Taken” and 1x06, “The Reckoning,” quite the trial for her. (Not a trial for Vera, Katie, and Livy, though; we loved every minute of these two very strong stories.) Join us as we discuss misogyny as comedy device, the twelve-step program that is the warrior’s path to redemption, and why Ares is totally the Christian Grey of the Xenaverse (though his Red Room is a bit green...screened).   The power, the passion, the podcast!    iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/

What dreams may come in this week’s XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST! Vera, Katie, and Livy venture through the dreamscape of 1x03, “Dreamworker,” which lays the foundations of one of the show’s biggest emotional arcs: Gabrielle realizes that becoming a warrior might not be all fun and games, while Xena wrestles with her dark side...literally. Next, we lighten things up with 1x04, “Cradle of Hope,” an episode that raises pressing questions like, “How high can a warrior princess throw a baby?” and “Is Xena a good dancer?" (But really, is she??)   The power, the passion, the podcast!    iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/

Walk alongside our horse as we begin this wild and magical ride through Ancient Greece. It's the very first episode of Xena: Warrior Podcast! This week, Vera, Katie, and Livy explore the humble beginnings of our dear Warrior Princess on parent show Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, before moving on to the good stuff with XWP Ep 1, "Sins of the Past," and Ep 2, "Chariots of War." We discuss the tragic significance of Xena burying her armor and weapons, pay our respects to one of the greatest TV moms you'll ever meet (LOVE YOU, CYRENE!), alternately laugh and weep for sweet baby angel Gabrielle, and puzzle over Ep. 2's sudden and confusing influx of heterosexuality. Not just one but two BFOTWs (BFOTW=Boyfriend of the Week). Whaaaaaat?   The power, the passion, the podcast!    Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast ——————————————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/m

Xena: Warrior Podcast is a weekly show where three film school grads (Vera, Katie, and Livy) over-analyze the Hades out of Xena: Warrior Princess. This 90’s classic deserves more critical attention and appreciation within the television canon, and that’s where we come in. Watch along with us as we revisit Xena from the beginning. The power, the passion, the podcast! Follow us on.. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/xenawarriorpodcast  iTunes: http://apple.co/2f0NAIM Twitter: @xenawarriorpod Tumblr: xenawarriorpodcast.tumblr.com Facebook: facebook.com/xenawarriorpodcast Instagram: instagram.com/xenawarriorpodcast ———————————————————————— Vera: (@hollywoodgrrl) Katie: (@katetocci) Livy: (@PonderousLivy) Music: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/A_Hawk_and_a_Hacksaw/