XENA MEDIA REVIEW #30 (04-15-97) Borg 09 of 11 ================= CUT HERE =================== [564bs] 10-28-96 PEOPLE. Page 97. 480 words. "Passages" COMMENTARY: Look! Cutting edge news from PEOPLE Magazine. [KT] Or to put it another way: Exactly 20 days after the accident, 12 days after Lawless was released from the hospital, and weeks after the rest of the media reported it, People finally "broke" the story. [DS] EXCERPT: ...Actress Lucy Lawless, 28, the New Zealander who stars in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess, was in stable condition after fracturing her pelvis on Oct. 8 while taping a skit for NBC's Tonight Show. Working in the parking lot of the show's Burbank studio, Lawless tumbled to the pavement when the horse she was sitting on lost its footing and fell.... [564bt] 11-10-96 THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL-BULLETIN. Sunday. Page 6T/ 532 words. "Question & Answers" COMMENTARY: After over a month after Ms. Lawless' injury, it is still being reported.[KT] EXCERPT: I've heard reports of Lucy Lawless being injured in some kind of accident. What's the story? D.D. The star of the syndicated hit Xena: Warrior Princess was thrown from a horse last month while waiting to enter the Tonight Show sound stage for a comedy stunt. She is working with a physical therapist and her trainer so that she can return to work on her action series which is filmed in New Zealand.... [564bu] 11-10-96 THE BUFFALO NEWS. Sunday. Page 3TV. 688 words. "'Pretender' Began Acting as a Child; Michael T. Weiss Got Big Break with Soap Role" By Norma Cavazos COMMENTARY: same as xmr564bo [564bv] 10-18-96 THE NEWS AND OBSERVER (Raleigh, NC). Page A2. 649 words. "Short Stuff" COMMENTARY: More on the release. EXCERPT: ... Lucy Lawless, star of television's "Xena: Warrior Princess," was released from a hospital Wednesday, a week after fracturing her pelvis while taping a skit for "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." The 28-year-old actress from New Zealand is unlikely to resume work for four to six weeks, said Jim Benson, spokesman for MCA Television, the show's distributor. The injury was expected to have little impact on the production of "Xena." [564bw] 10-19-96 THE FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. NEWS. Page 12. 730 words. "People Watch". From Staff and Wire Reports. COMMENTARY: More on the release. EXCERPT: SICK BAY REPORT Lucy Lawless, 28, star of TV's Xena: Warrior Princess, was released from an LA hospital, a week after fracturing her pelvis when she fell from a horse doing a skit for Jay Leno's show. She's expected back at work in four to six weeks. [565] 10-10-96 DAILY VARIETY. Thursday. Page 10. 6367 words. COMMENTARY: The intensely fascinating production charts for 10/96. EXCERPT: ...MCA TELEVISION (818) 777-1242 HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS (synd) (in assn w/Renaissance Pictures) EXP, Robert Tapert, Sam Raimi; CO-EXP, John Schulian; SUPR PROD, Robert Bielak; PROD, Eric Gruendemann; CO-PROD, David Eick; CASTING, Beth Hymson-Ayer. XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS (synd) (in assn w/Renassiance Pictures) EXP, Robert Tapert, Sam Raimi; CO-EXP, R.J. Stewart; SUPR PROD, Steven Sears; PROD, Eric Gruendemann; CO-PROD, Liz Friedman; CASTING, Beth Hymson-Ayer.... [566] 10-11-96 to 10-14-96 NOTE: Ratings for IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE (#24), 2nd release, 09/16/96. Ranked as the third action hour with a 4.3 rating. (ST:DS9 took 1st place; Variety did not give the score for ST:DS9 nor did it mention who held the number two spot; XWP, HTLJ and Baywatch tied for 3rd with 4.3. Other action hours: FX: The Series earned 3.5; Two earned 2.9; Bounty Hunters earned 1.2; The Cape 2.3; Tarzan 1.7; and Beach Patrol 1.0) [SINS 1st release (09/04/95) ratings: XWP 3rd place at 4.5; 2nd release (11/27/95) ratings: XWP 1st place at 5.9] [566a] 10-11-96 DAILY VARIETY. Friday. Page 8. 776 words. "Sophs Stage Surge 'Home' Leads Off-net Pack Ratings Growth" By Jenny Hontz COMMENTARY: IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE (#24), 2nd release, 09/16/96. EXCERPT: While most new firstrun syndie shows have been lagging in the ratings, the second-year off-net sitcoms continued to surge the third week of the new season ending Sept. 29.... ...In weekly action, three new series had their first appearances on the chart. MTM's "The Cape" rated a 2.3, somewhat disappointing considering its clearances on 207 stations covering 94% of the country. Keller Siegel's "Tarzan: The Epic Adventures" debuted to a 1.7 on 132 stations covering 91% of the country. ITC's "Beach Patrol" debuted to a 1 on 114 stations covering 74% of the country. The two-hour premiere of All American's "The Adventures of Sinbad" was reprocessed. Two new action hours grew in their second week on the air. Rysher's "FX The Series" shot up 40% to a 3.5, while New World's "Two" jumped 21% to a 2.9. Two new weeklies went down in week two. "America's Dumbest Criminals" fell 11% to a 1.6, while Tradewinds' "Bounty Hunters" fell 14% to a 1.2. Among the weekly veterans, Par's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" found its way back to the top of the pack, despite a weekly drop of 12% and a year-to-year loss of 17%. Three shows tied for third at 4.3: MCA TV's "Hercules" and "Xena" and All American's "Baywatch." [566b] 10-14-96 VARIETY. Pg. 43. 776 words. "'Home' leads off-net syndie charge" by JENNY HONTZ COMMENTARY: IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE (#24), 2nd release, 09/16/96. Same as XMR566b. [566c] 10-14-96 VARIETY. Page 43. 184 words. "Nielsen Syndication Ratings" COMMENTARY: REPRINT: For week ended September 29, 1996 Stations/ Rank Program % coverage AA% GAA% 1 Wheel of Fortune 230/99 10.8 -- 2 Home Improvement 232/97 9.1 10.4 3 Jeopardy! 225/99 8.9 -- 4 Oprah Winfrey Show 236/99 7.8 7.9 5 Seinfeld 222/95 6.9 -- 6 Entertainment Tonight183/94 6.0 6.1 7 WCW Wrestling 154/91 5.8 9.0 8 Simpsons 209/96 5.6 6.1 9 Home Improvement-Wk. 218/96 5.3 -- 10 Inside Edition 153/91 5.1 5.2 11 Wheel of Fortune-Wk.170/70 5.0 -- 12 Star Trek: Deep SN 230/97 4.5 4.7 13 Baywatch 213/95 4.3 4.4 13 Journeys of Hercules201/93 4.3 4.4 13 Xena 184/93 4.3 4.4 16 Hard Copy 175/91 4.2 4.2 16 Montel Williams 183/93 4.2 4.3 18 RosieO'Donnell Show 222/99 4.1 4.1 19 Live w/Regis& KLee 239/99 3.9 -- 19 Sally Jessy Raphael 162/92 3.9 -- AA average refers to nonduplicated viewing for multiple airings of the same show. GAA average encompasses duplicated viewing. GAA average does not apply when there is only one run of a show. [567] 10-11-96 DAILY VARIETY. Friday. Page 30. 85 words. "Action pair plunder better slots" By JENNY HONTZ COMMENTARY: Variety announced that XWP was being given plumb spots in Houston (KHTV, 6pm Saturday), St. Louis (KTVI, 8pm Tuesdays), New Orleans (WNOL, 7pm Tuesday; 6pm Saturday). [KT] REPRINT: MCA TV action hours "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess" have been upgraded in several large and midsize markets. "Xena" is moving from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays on KHTV Houston; in St. Louis the show will air at 8 p.m. Tuesdays rather than midnight Mondays on KTVI. On WNOL New Orleans, "Xena" moves from 6 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. Sundays to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and 6 p.m. Saturdays. "Hercules" is switching to 7 p.m. Thursdays on KPLR St. Louis from 10:30 p.m. on KTVI. [568] 10-11-96 CALGARY HERALD. Friday. Page C4. 563 words. "The Long Kiss Goodnight: Super-violent action thriller is simply ridiculous" by ALISON MAYES COMMENTARY: In a review of the movie "The Long Kiss Goodnight" the reviewer described the main character's growth as that of a "switch from Betty Crocker to Xena the Warrior Princess." [KT] EXCERPT: The Long Kiss Goodnight is one of those cynically crafted movies that aims straight at the brain and groin of the stereotypical 18-year-old male. Directed by Geena Davis's husband Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger, Die Harder), it's a ridiculous, super-violent action thriller with a smart-alecky sense of humor and a parade of expensive stunts, such as actors being blown through windows by indoor explosions... ...There are moments of good fun here. You can't help liking the saucy Jackson, whose scuzzy but good-hearted character has the amusing habit of talking to himself in the form of blues songs. He gets a lot of humorous mileage out of reacting to Davis's switch from Betty Crocker to Xena the Warrior Princess.... [569] 10-14-96 NOTE: It's MIPCOM season again! [569a] 10-14-96 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. 536 words. "Syndie market action-packed MIPCOM news" By Robert Marich COMMENTARY: Marich reported from Cannes that MCA was going to concentrate more on getting better domestic viewing times for HTLJ and XWP than trying to create more action-hours for competition in domestic and international markets. [KT] I thought about editing this and only presenting an excerpt, but it provides some interesting insight into the syndicated market. This article is a must read for Xena fans with an interest in the business side of the TV. [DS] REPRINT: A dozen big-budget action-adventure TV series projects lining up foreign sales at the MIPCOM TV program market face a severe bottleneck when they seek first-run syndication slots in United States, TV executives say. ''This syndication season some distributors are going to lose a lot of money,'' predicted Ned Nalle, executive vp at Universal Television. ''The shelf space (on U.S. TV stations) is going to be difficult to come by.'' Primetime and primetime access slots are scarce because of the rollout of the Fox, UPN and WB networks. Among the English-language first-run series being licensed at MIPCOM were Warner Bros.' ''The New Adventures of Robin Hood''; Team Entertainment Group's ''Total Recall: The Series''; Keller Entertainment's ''Conan the Adventurer''; Alice/Seagull Entertainment's ''Merlin: The Quest Begins''; and Rysher Entertainment's ''Soldier of Fortune.'' ''I think only two or three will make it,'' said Drew Levin, president of Team Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based distributor adapting theatrical hit ''Total Recall'' for TV. He said international buyers are getting ''overwhelmed'' as the boon in syndication is augmented by the U.S. TV networks picking up drama series again after tilting heavily toward sitcoms in recent years. While international outlets are keen for U.S. action-adventure, ''people mistakenly believe there's unlimited foreign demand,'' said Jim McNamara, president of worldwide TV distribution at MCA TV. MCA TV is home to reigning first-run champs ''Hercules: The Legendary Journeys'' and ''Xena: Warrior Princess.'' Yet it decided not to launch a new syndicated action-adventure series in the heavy traffic, preferring instead to concentrate on upgrading time periods of ''Hercules'' and ''Xena'' in the United States, studio brass said. First-run syndication action-adventure series are typically budgeted from $600,000 to $1.1 million, a wide range unlike U.S. network series, which hover around $1.3 million per hour. ''A lot of series in the hour-drama syndication area are underproduced,'' said Todd Leavitt, TV division chairman at Toronto-based Alliance Communications, which plans to roll out heist caper ''Once a Thief'' in syndication if Fox doesn't pick up its option on the John Woo creation. ''But what's happening is that the audience expectation levels are set by feature films such as 'Independence Day.' '' Paul Siegel, president of Seagull Entertainment, which is pushing ''Merlin'' and action-drama ''Double Extreme,'' takes a different tack than his competitors.Siegel said his series are produced with European partners as European content, exempting them from quota restrictions in the 15-nation European Community and allowing for more lucrative European sales. ''Merlin'' is scheduled for filming in Ireland and ''Double Extreme'' is set for France. As a result, Siegel said his shows can survive in U.S. syndication, airing in moderately viewed 3-7 p.m. time periods, not primetime slots required by rival shows. ''We're looking to get over a 3 rating,'' he said, ''but if we can't, we'll still make money under that level.'' [569b] 10-14-96 VARIETY. Page 1. 1263 words. "H'wood divies digital realm" By ELIZABETH GUIDER and MICHAEL WILLIAMS COMMENTARY: More reportage from the MIPCOM TV Trade Show in Cannes, Oct. 7-11, 1996. Regarding MCA's strategy with HTLJ and XWP, the article said: "'Those two syndicated action hours, Hercules and Xena, are doing great numbers right now. I wouldn't be surprised to see MCA and RTL decide to back a third or fourth such hour, say, something with a Euro feel like Siegfried or Lancelot,' one source quips, only half jokingly." It appears that MCA is getting respect for the both shows success and is receiving the envy of its peers. Also looks like MCA is willing to milk it for all its worth as well. [KT] EXCERPT: You couldn't see it or touch it and practically no one in Europe is actually watching it, but digital television's future was the underlying leitmotif of the 11th annual Mipcom TV trade show in Cannes Oct. 7-11. ...It's not just studios that are making hay in the digital sunshine. Programming-rich indies are also looking to capitalize on digital. "These are great new openings for product providers," comments Worldvision Enterprises exec VP and chief operating officer Bert Cohen. "The key is managing your library with greater efficiency than before," he adds. Industryites predict that attention will shift to Spain and Italy by next April's MIP meet, since German digital alliances are basically wrapped up and France is expected to follow suit rapidly. Some of the main international sales chiefs are predicting, however, that Spanish deals may be the slowest to put together because the studios are finding that certain Spanish networks are late payers. "If you are already having to push hard for payments of your last film, it makes you wonder about when you will see the cash for the kind of digital deals that are on the table. I don't think we'll be rushing in Spain," a veteran sales exec says. "You guys (media journalists) will still be writing about digital battles come next Mipcom," says MCA Worldwide Distribution president Jim McNamara. McNamara says his studio will be launching by summer its first branded Universal action series channel on the Kirch platform in Germany. He and his boss, MCA TV Group president Greg Meidel, did argue that there are other things going on in the business besides the dickering over digital pay TV. The emphasis at MCA right now is coordinating newly revved-up domestic production with newly found international distribution opportunities. To that end, MCA honchos took over a Seagram-owned castle in France on the eve of Mipcom, to wine and dine a select group of German clients from commercial station RTL. The idea is to activate a recent agreement that calls for RTL to fork over several hundred thousand dollars in backing for upcoming action series being developed by MCA in exchange of course for various rights to MCA product in Germany. "Those two syndicated action hours, 'Hercules' and 'Xena,' are doing great numbers right now. I wouldn't be surprised to see MCA and RTL decide to back a third or fourth such hour, say, something with a Euro feel like 'Siegfried' or 'Lancelot,' " one source quips, only half jokingly. In fact the most visible sign of a programming craze at Mipcom was the sudden demand for "medieval chic." Costumed heroes as diverse as Robin Hood, Conan the Adventurer, Sinbad, Tarzan and William Tell roamed the corridors of the Palais hyping their eponymous series... [569c] 10-14-96 ELECTRONIC MEDIA. Page 37. 760 words. "Mipcom Notes" By Greg Spring COMMENTARY: More dirt on MIPCOM at Cannes. The big news was MTM's showing of it's new action hour "Eighteen Wheels of Justice", which follows the exploits of a long-haul trucker pursuing justice on the roads along the United States/Mexico border. Just when you thought everything was going to be mythological and fantasy driven next season! Other news was that MGM has developed an action hour based upon the movie "Stargate". That will first air on Showtime and then be released to syndication (same as their strategy for "Outer Limits" and "Poltergeist". Warner Brothers/Universal Television hawked the international distribution rights to their action hour "Cloak and Dagger". "Cloak and Dagger" [eventually called SPY GAME] also picked up a 13 episode order from ABC. This show was executive produced by Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert, those same wild and crazy executive producers of XWP. MCA, of course, retained all domestic distribution rights to the show. Nickelodeon announced a 90-minute live-action adventure movie to be shot in Australia called "Doom Runners" which will be shown on Showtime. MCA's "Burning Zone" and "EZ Streets" was sold to more than 22 countries and 17 countries, respectively. It looks like the powers that be might be steering away from fantasy action hours and looking more into science fiction and reality based hours for the 1997-98 season. [KT] Xena was only mentioned in reference to "Cloak and Dagger", which lasted only a short time on ABC TV when it was finally shown.[DS] EXCERPT: ...Warner Bros. International Television Distribution handled international distribution duties for ''Cloak & Dagger,'' the previously announced action hour produced jointly by Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television. The series has picked up a 13-episode midseason order from ABC and will be executive-produced by Universal Television's Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, the duo behind MCA's syndicated ''Hercules'' and ''Xena.'' MCA retains all domestic distribution rights.... [570] 10-14-96 KTLA . Morning News. Contributed by: (schnepp@pepperdine.edu) COMMENTARY: We do not have a transcript of this, but do have a report from Rita Schnepp, which only shows that Xena IS everywhere.[DS] REPORT: This morning ---10/14--the KTLA News team mentioned both Lucy and Xena's name on their news. Most of you know this is a very informal news group which likes to clown around a lot. It was very brief and quick, but they were playing around with bracelets and what kind of reminded you of gauntlets, and they said "They give you Lucy Lawless powers, yeah, they give you Xena powers"(sort of like the Wonder Woman bracelets) [571] 10-14-96 THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL (Memphis). Monday. Page 1C. 543 words. "C.A. EYE" Edited by Jon W. Sparks COMMENTARY: In a tongue-and-cheek social statement, Mr. Sparks takes a quote from John Loring, design director of Tiffany & Co., from New York magazine and titles it, "from Warrior Princess Xena to Margaret Thatcher. [KT] Interesting to note that the writer considers Xena to be one end of the spectrum of female experience. This certainly signals a chance in cultural expectations from only a few decades ago when a character like Xena was unimaginable on TV.[DS] EXCERPT: ...FROM WARRIOR PRINCESS XENA TO MARGARET THATCHER ''Women have gone out in the world and had a tremendous influence on every part of our culture. Their tastes, which were once developed in the hothouse atmosphere of the home, have become more refined. They have all these experiences and all this, what I call 'reality intake.' The result is table settings of tremendous self-assured style and grace.'' - John Loring, design director of Tiffany & Co., in New York magazine.... [572] 10-14-96 GIANT KILLER. Episode no. 27 (203). First release. GUEST STARS. Todd Rippon (Goliath); Anthony Starr (David); CAST. Calvin Tuteao (Dagon); (Jonathan); (King Saul); (Sarah); CREDITS. Story by Terence Winter. Directed by Gary Jones TV GUIDE DESCRIPTION. Xena is caught behind a rock and a hard place when she's pitted against her old friend Goliath (Todd Rippon) in a battle between the Israelites and the Philistines. AIRING AND RATING INFORMATION. 1st RELEASE: 10/14/96. An AA average of 5.4. Competition from Syndicated Action Dramas: (1) HERCULES ranked 8th with 5.8; (2) STAR TREK: DS9 ranked 9TH with 5.7; (3) XENA ranked 10th with 5.4; (3) BAYWATCH ranked 14th with 4.4. SYNOPSIS: The synopsis is brought to you by guest synopser, Bluesong@aol.com. Xena and Gabrielle are walking around a graveyard; a giant's graveyard. Gabrielle asks why they aren't buried. Xena says that it's a sign of honor of death on the battlefield. Xena fought with the giants against someone named Gareth, and 10 years ago she made a pact with a friend to meet him back at this place. Then Gabrielle says, Xena, there are more giants here than dead ones. Xena says, Hello Goliath. "This is your friend?" Gabrielle says. Xena nods. Gabrielle says she's going to take a walk. Gabrielle talks to the trees: you'd think she'd have told me her friend was a giant, why doesn't she tell me these things? And then she's confronted by an army, who has some people captive. They go to take Gabrielle, and one of the slaves (David) tries to protect her but is knocked down. Gabrielle says pick on somebody who can defend themselves -- "Who you?" the man laughs, "No, me!" Xena says, and a fight ensues. Gabrielle is getting good at this fighting stuff, btw. Anyway, once the Philistines find out that it is Xena they are fighting against, they stop, for they have hired Goliath to help them defeat the Israelites, and Xena is Goliath's friend. They invite Xena and Gabrielle to their camp. The Israelites are put in a dungeon. The Israelites aren't fond of Xena. Xena and Gabrielle go dine with the commander; Gabrielle steals food to take to the prisoners. Xena goes to talk to Goliath, to tell him he's working for the wrong side. But Goliath only wants revenge against Gareth, because Goliath's family was killed in the fighting, and the money the Philistines are paying him will help him find Gareth. Gabrielle goes to the prisoners, gives them food, but they are trying to dig their way out and they are found out. The guard orders them killed. Gabrielle tries to talk him out of it. He says he'll only kill one, and pulls out David. David is put on a stump and Gabrielle throws herself over him to keep his head from being chopped off, and the guard says OK, I'll chop your head off too. The chakram comes flying, knocking the axe from the head-chopper and setting free some captives, and Xena, astride Argo, takes on the Philistines. Another fight; the Israelites and Xena flee to the Israelite home/palace, back to King Saul. The Philistines are on the march, however, and with Goliath the Israelites have no hope. Xena proposes a winner-take-all, with her fighting her friend Goliath, because she knows that giants have a soft spot between the eyes that will kill them instantly, and she only needs one shot. Gabrielle goes to David, and they have a tender moment and almost kiss, but then David's fiancee interrupts; Gabrielle departs going "dumb, dumb, dumb," and smacking herself in the head. She finds Xena alone, standing, watching the storm outside in the darkness. "Is the thunder keeping you up?" Gabrielle slips an arm around Xena. No. Xena explains how Goliath saved her life and in so doing, lost his family. She is very sad about the entire turn of events; Gabrielle takes Xena's right hand in her left hand, and then covers her hand with her right; Xena returns the hand hold, tenuously at first, but then with a tight grip. The next morning the Philistines and Israelites meet; the challenge has been accepted. Goliath goes after Xena, and the Philistines attack the Israelites in a sneak play. Jonathan, the elder son of King Saul, is killed, and the Israelites retreat. Goliath has on a special helmet, and can't be killed, so Xena finally throws salt in his eyes and runs with the Israelites to a cave. Xena tells Gabrielle that with Jonathan dead, the Israelites need a leader, and if she kills Goliath they will not have anyone to proclaim a hero. David has been thinking the same thing; he tells Xena he has to be the one to kill the giant. Xena goes to the graveyard again and finds Goliath; she could have killed him then, but doesn't. They talk and part as friends, planning to meet as enemies. Gabrielle sees David, tells him she was a little upset by the fiancee' meeting, and David says they can be friends; they talk a bit about monotheism because Gabrielle says it is a new thing for her; a god greater than Zeus? a little talk, then he recites a psalm (Psalm 23, the Lord is my shepherd) and Gabrielle likes it. Next morning, the Israelites have gold shields. The weather is cloudy. David is praying; Xena tells him to ask "him" to do something about the weather. The Philistines show up; Goliath comes forward in his helmet, and David walks out to face him. The Philistines laugh and call for Xena, at least, not a small guy. Goliath tries to slice up David; then the sun breaks forth, and Xena yells "now" and the soldiers shine their gold shields so that the sun is reflected into Goliath's eyes and off of his helmet. In anger, Goliath throws his helmet off and when he does, David throws a rock and hits him between the eyes. Goliath goes down; Xena looks pained. Xena walks over to the dying Goliath, and tells him his battle is over. Later, Xena walks through the giant graveyard, her thoughts heard out loud: "Goliath, I know you can hear me, I hope you're with your family. I'll always remember you as a loving husband, a great warrior, and my friend." COMMENTARY: [IF ANY ONE WANTS TO DO THE COMMENTARY FEEL FREE TO DO IT!] HIGHLIGHTS: [DITTO FOR HIGHLIGHTS!] DISCLAIMER: No Bible myths or icons were irreparably mangled during the production of this motion picture. ================= CUT HERE =================== XENA MEDIA REVIEW #30 (04-15-97) Borg 09 of 11