Xena: Warrior Princess - Season One

A 5-star show; too bad the DVD collection's overpriced
"In a time of ancient gods, warlords, and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero. She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle. The power. The passion. The danger. Her courage will change the world."

If you don't recognize the above, you've been in a distant land since at least 1995, and this review isn't really for you. But you should buy this collection immediately, because you're in for an entirely novel treat.

Xena: Warrior Princess is a spin-off series from "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys", which followed 5 "Action Pack" (don't ask) Hercules movies. The Hercules and Xena stories are revisionist tales of antiquity. Most of the names are right ("Hercules" instead of "Herakles", and the Roman "Cupid" instead of Greek "Eros" are notable exceptions), but anachronisms abound. We first see Xena sitting on her horse, complete with stirrups (1000 years before their invention) and saddle horn (2000 years early). Xena's sword is bronze, but steel...

Universal re-release of Season One is not that bad
I looked for some reviews before picking up Universal's re-release of Xena: Warrior Princess - Season One, and unfortunately couldn't find any, so I purchased the set even though I didn't know what to expect.

-- Packaging / Discs --

Xena: Warrior Princess - Season One is packaged in one of those standard sized cases capable of holding multiple discs. The previous release by Anchor Bay (AB) was one of those brick sized digi-packs where you had to unfold the entire thing to get to all the discs. The reverse side of the cover lists all the episdoes (by disc) and includes breif summaries. There is not mention of first air date for the episodes. The discs themselves are all single sided, double layered discs. The only artwork on the discs is the red outline of the chakram (the round throwing blade used by Xena) and the "Xena: Warrior Princess" logo.

-- Video Quality --

First of all, I'm watching the episodes on a 32" Vizio 720p HDTV. It's being...

this is how a legend rightfully begins...
The 1st Season of Xena was addictive, mindblowing and, like all beginnings, had some kinks to be worked out. The casting of Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor was phenomenal from day one; Lawless (as most of you probably know) plays a profound, regretful, blue eyed, powerful former warlord who, thanks to help from Hercules, sets out to thoughtfully atone for her past reign of terror.

"Nothing you can do can erase the shame you've brought onto your kinsmen," Xena's mother exclaims. "Probably not," Xena admits sadly, eyes dropping, "but I'm going to spend the right of my life trying." And does she ever! In one of her first attempts at being "good", the warrior princess lays eyes on Gabrielle, a spirited and selfless village girl who, after seeing Xena's heroics, wants to "join up with Xena" and "wants to be a warrior like her" As all fans know, Gabrielle is instrumental in reforming Xena by sharing her unconditional love & showing her how much good there is to be done. Xena, of...

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