Xena (Lucy Lawless) prepares for battle in 'Xena: Warrior Princess'.Image via Universal Television
By
Collier Jennings
Published 47 minutes ago
Collier Jennings is an entertainment journalist with a substantial amount of experience under his belt. Collier, or "CJ" to his friends and family, is a dedicated fan of genre films - particularly science fiction, fantasy and comic book adaptations, not to mention all forms of animation animation. This stems from a close bond with his father, who introduced him to these genres via copies of X-Men comics and reruns of the original Ultraman series. Using his near-encyclopedic knowledge and bottomless love of genre, he's been able to tackle a wide variety of articles.
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Fantasy's been making a big comeback on television lately. Game of Thrones is continuing to pump out spinoff shows, while The Legend of Vox Machina and The Mighty Nein take a genuinely fresh approach to the genre. However, while swords and sorcery reign supreme on TV, there are major issues that need to be addressed. Most of these new shows have significant gaps in between new seasons, often running up to three years. Some shows even wind up canceled despite receiving promising reviews and a loyal fanbase. If fantasy is to thrive in the new TV landscape, it should take more lessons from Xena: Warrior Princess.
Xena's history, much like Lucy Lawless' titular heroine, is the stuff of legend. First appearing as a villain in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena would eventually headline her own series, which would go on to surpass Hercules both in ratings and in cultural impact. But why is Xena: Warrior Princess the mold that fantasy series should look to for inspiration? The answer lies in how creators Robert Tapert, R.J. Stewart, and Sam Raimi (yes, that Sam Raimi) strove to tell a good story with compelling characters first and foremost.
'Xena: Warrior Princess' Shows That Character, Not Budget, Should Drive Fantasy Stories
Lucy Lawless as Xena holding a weapon with a burning building in the background in Xena: Warrior Princess.Image via Renaissance Pictures
The '90s were a very different landscape for television than today, for multiple reasons. Fantasy shows like Xena: Warrior Princess didn't have the blockbuster budgets that The Witcher or Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are packing, or the safety net of a streaming service. If you wanted your show to have a long and healthy run, you had to hope that people tuned in. Thankfully, Xena became a ratings powerhouse by its second season and continued to enjoy success because it was actually willing to let its characters grow and change.
Throughout Xena: Warrior Princess, Xena seeks redemption for her past misdeeds. When she first appeared on Hercules, she was a bloodthirsty warrior willing to kill Hercules (Kevin Sorbo) and his companion Ioalus (Michael Hurst). Due to Hercules sparing her life, Xena decides to try and "fight for the greater good", accompanied by her loyal companion Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor). In an oral history of Xena: Warrior Princess, R.J. Stewart discussed how Xena finally finds redemption in the two-part series finale "A Friend in Need," where she sacrifices her life to save the souls of the people she hurt:
"She knows she just has to keep trying to redeem herself by her selfless, sacrificial acts. And in that last episode, she makes the greatest sacrifice one can make. In my vision, she had redeemed herself at last."
Having such a definitive, tragic ending for a lead character in a fantasy film was a big leap, yet it fits the show's theme perfectly. Redemption is a rocky road and requires hard work. The fact that Xena was willing to do that work, even laying down her own life as penance for her past sins, doesn't just make her one of the '90s most iconic heroines but an iconic character outright.
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Posts By Dawson Nyffenegger 4 days ago'Xena: Warrior Princess' Remains a Pop Culture Icon
Another reason Xena: Warrior Princess stands out in the pantheon of fantasy TV is how it helped shape pop culture. The relationship between Xena and Gabrielle is outright laced with romantic subtext, to the point where they became icons in the lesbian community. Zoë Bell, who's regarded as a legend in the stunt community, rose to prominence thanks to serving as Lucy Lawless' stunt double. Lawless would even appear on The Simpsons's annual "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, decked out in her classic Xena outfit. Fans even clamored for a Xena movie following the series' cancellation, despite Robert Tapert saying he had no plans for a project of that magnitude.
In contrast, it's rare for a modern fantasy series to have a true breakout, given the nature of streaming services. While The Witcher, The Rings of Power and The Legend of Vox Machina enjoy popularity, they're based on pre-existing material. Shows aren't given the timeto grow on fans, due to production gaps and sudden cancellations. Just as Xena's journey to become a hero took time, studios should look to it for inspiration if they really want their fantasy shows to stand out.
Xena: Warrior Princess
Like Follow Followed TV-PG Drama Action Adventure Fantasy Release Date 1995 - 2001-00-00 Network Syndication Showrunner Sam Raimi Directors Garth Maxwell, Rick Jacobson, Mark Beesley, Josh Becker, Charles Siebert, T.J. Scott, John Fawcett, Michael Hurst, Michael Levine, Oley Sassone, Charlie Haskell, Doug Lefler, Gary Jones, John Laing, Bruce Campbell, Jace Alexander, John T. Kretchmer, Paul Lynch, Renee O'Connor, Stephen L. Posey, Chris Martin-Jones, Christopher Graves, Allison Liddi-Brown, Anson Williams Writers R.J. Stewart, Adam Armus, Nora Kay Foster, Emily Skopov, George Strayton, Hilary Bader, Terence Winter, Tom O’Neill, Carl Ellsworth, Chris Black, Peter Allan Fields, Jeff Vlaming, Alan Jay Glueckman, Eric Morris, Gene O'Neill, Gillian Horvath, Katherine Fugate, Linda McGibney, Melissa Blake, Noreen Tobin, Ashley Gable, Brenda Lilly, James KahnCast
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