Dom Robinson reviews

Season 2: Episodes 1-3

Distributed by

Cert:

Cat.no: 537 462 2

Running time: 127 minutes

Year: 1999

Pressing: 2000

Region(s): 2 (UK PAL)

Chapters: 24 plus extras

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 (Dolby Surround)

Languages: English

Subtitles: None

Fullscreen: 4:3

16:9-enhanced: No

Macrovision: Yes

Disc Format: DVD 9

Price: £15.99

Extras : Scene index, Biographies, Episode Summaries, Photo Gallery

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Directors:

Charles Siebert (Orphan of War)
Anson Williams (Remember Nothing)
Gary Jones (Giant Killer)

Writers:

Steven L. Sears (Orphan of War)
Chris Manheim (Remember Nothing)
Terena Winter (Giant Killer)

Cast:

Xena: Lucy Lawless (TV: Xena: Warrior Princess)
Gabrielle: Renee O'Connor (Darkman 2: The Return of Durant, TV: Xena: Warrior Princess)

Xena: Warrior Princess is a show that first began life in 1995 after its star, Lucy Lawless, appeared on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys predominantly as Xena, but also in two previous roles as Lysia and Lyla. After conquering the dark side of society, Xena has taken steps towards the Greater Good and is helped by her best friend and companion, Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor).

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...so the opener goes.

For their first Xena DVD, Universal have skipped straight to the start of Season 2, instead of begin with the first as they did with the videos. I'm happy to say they are uncut though, unlike the TV screenings on Sky and Channel 5.

In the first episode, Orphan of War, Xena is reunited with her, now nine-year-old, son Solan. He doesn't recognise her at first and tries to kill her, so she proves herself by protecting him from the warlord Dagnine, who uses the fabled "Ixion Stone" to turn himself into a hideous giant.

Ever wanted a magic lamp? Xena may as well have one when she saves a temple from attacking thieves in Remember Nothing, as the three fates offer her anything she wants in return. She asks them to change history so her brother never died fighting and she is no longer a warrior. So, job done. However, if she ever kills again, everything reverts back to as it should be. Spotting Gabrielle as a slave girl here, it's not the only thing which brings reality crashing down around here. This epsiode is rather Quantum Leap-ish.

Finally, in Giant Killer, it's been ten years since Xena killed a giant and returns to his graveyard. She meets up with old friend Goliath who is working as a mercenary for the Philistines who are fighting against the Israelites. She can't watch them suffer so intervenes, but by doing so she has to go into battle against her old friend.

Xena, sponsored by Colgate.

Shot in 4:3 fullscreen, that's how this season is presented, but it can comfortably be zoomed in to fill a widescreen TV. Each episode has a very good average bitrate of 6.86 Mb/s.

Bright, daytime shots look stunning, but dark scenes tend to look a little hazy. I don't know whether that's a problem in the encoding in general or how it's been converted from NTSC - the conversion itself looking no different from how you'd expect it to be so, while it's not as perfect as an original PAL version, it's certainly no disappointment.

The sound is spot-on perfect though. Whether it's the battle scenes, the rousing score or the loud "Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay" chant from Xena, the Dolby Surround sound is entertaining and well-used.

"I *don't* have to please
the cameraman to get the part?"

Extras :

Chapters :

Languages & Subtitles :

And there's more... :

Menu :

"My Dad's bigger than your Dad!"

Overall, this is one season that many DVD fans have been waiting for, my girlfriend included. Universal have already released a number of episodes from the first season, along with a helping of Hercules, but why not start with the original? Perhaps we'll get those later, but please release the whole season!

One note to Universal though: as the first season contained 24 episodes, yes these are effectively episodes 25, 26 and 27, but as they are the first three from season two, they should be labelled 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3, not 2.25, 2.26 and 2.27.

FILM CONTENT PICTURE QUALITY SOUND QUALITY EXTRAS
OVERALL

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 2000.