RETURN OF CALLISTO

GUEST STARS, CAST & CREDITS
TV GUIDE PROMO
AIRING AND RATING INFORMATION
SYNOPSIS by Bluesong
WHIMPERS, MURMURS, AND A LOVE GONE TOO FAR
MORE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR
TRANSCRIPT
DISCLAIMER

TV GUIDE PROMO
Gabrielle's consumed by hatred and a desire for vengeance after an escaped Callisto (Hudson Leick) murders her beloved, Perdicas (Scott Garrison), in an attempt to punish Xena.

AIRING AND RATING INFORMATION

1st RELEASE: 10-28-96
An AA average of 5.2
Competition from Syndicated Action Dramas:
(1) HERCULES ranked 9th with 5.7
(2) XENA ranked 11th with 5.2
(3) BAYWATCH ranked 15th at 4.8

SYNOPSIS:

This synopsis is brought to you by guest synopser, (Bluesong@aol.com).

First, the jail where Callisto is being held. She escapes, takes on a new army.

Perdicus finds Xena and Gabrielle while they are camping (Xena punches him in the nose); he says he can't take being a warrior; he almost became suicidal but he thought of Gabrielle. And he asked her to marry him. Gabrielle tells Xena she will say no at first, but then Joxer shows up, telling Xena that Callisto has escaped. During a battle with Callisto's army, Perdicus kills a man; he is in despair, and Gabrielle tells Xena "it's yes." Xena has had a run-in with Callisto; in saving a child she gave Callisto an opening to kill her, but Callisto said she wanted to kill Xena's soul first.

Perdicus and Gabrielle marry. Xena kisses Gabrielle goodbye. Gabrielle and Perdicus have a wedding night. Then Xena goes after Callisto; she finds out that Callisto heard Xena was now traveling alone and disappeared. Xena goes back to Gabrielle just as Callisto does in Perdicus; Callisto goes after Gabrielle but Xena saves her. Then Gabrielle wants to kill Callisto after the funeral. Xena won't teach Gabrielle how to use a sword, at first, but then finally does. They go after Callisto. Xena goes off alone and prays, asking whoever is listening to help her figure out how to keep Gabrielle from killing. Gabrielle sees this. Gabrielle tells Xena she is going home to mourn and leaves. But she really goes to get Callisto, but when it comes to it, can't kill her. Instead she gets tied up to be burned at the stake. Xena comes in and Callisto is ready for her; Xena's tied up and Gabrielle's about to be burned. Joxer stumbles in; Xena manages to get a hold of her chakram, free herself and Gabrielle, and then a fight ensues. Callisto runs out to a chariot; Xena follows. They chase each other, roll down a hill, end up in quicksand. Xena gets out using her chakram and her whip; she watches as Callisto goes under.

WHIMPERS, MURMURS, AND A LOVE GONE TOO FAR

03-16-00. In the Starlog 2000 Magazine #271 (12/99), R.J. Stewart stated that CALLISTO and RETURN OF CALLISTO "was originally conceived as a three-parter when I first pitched it, but the wisdom was, why commit to a three-parter until we see what the girl was like? We decided to do one stand-alone and see who we cast and if it worked. I think virtually everybody on the Earth agrees we cast it pretty well with Hudson Leick."

From XenaStaff on NetForum:
Michelle Calvert was Hudson's riding double in the first Callisto episode. She died in a boating accident just after that show was completed. She was very well loved and is missed by all who knew her.

From T.J. Scott, the director of RETURN OF CALLISTO:
Michelle Calvert was Callisto's Riding Double in the original "Callisto" episode. She was a lovely woman in her late twenties - quiet and reserved, but full of confidence and energy - an absolute pleasure to work with.
We really missed Michelle when we filmed "The Return Of Callisto". In the tag of this episode when Xena and Gabby are looking to heavens and they talk of the dead 'hearing our thoughts', we hoped that Michelle could hear our thoughts to her, for a life cut short in it's prime.

MORE THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

07-04-00. From Eric Chor. Remember in Return of Cal when Cal said she wanted no part of love or procreation? It fits, because in the real myth Callisto was a hunting partner in Artemis' virgin gang. But when Zeus violated her (like so many others) she was cast out and turned into a bear (Ursa Major, the Big Dipper/Great Bear). Arcas is her son, the result of Zeus' lust, not her brother. He was later turned into the Little Bear.

TRANSCRIPT

Click here to read a transcript of RETURN OF CALLISTO.

DISCLAIMER:

Although Xena finally conquered her dark nemesis Callisto, it took her weeks to get the sand out of her leather unmentionables.