Yuku free message boards

For an episode that had to be rewritten in a hurry due to an injury to the shows star, Ten Little Warlords turned out pretty darn good. The ep features good comedy and solid development for one of the leading supporting characters, as well as a continuation of Hudson Leick's tour de force as Xena.

TLW is the first episode in which we see a real emotional bond beginning to form between Xena and Ares. Granted, it only lasts as long as Ares is mortal, but it still represents a major change from the Xena/Ares interactions in S1 and early S2. It's particularly striking when you realize just how nasty Ares was in IS, and that Xena is still stuck in Callisto's body; by all rights Xena should tell him exactly where to get off. Sure, shes convinced of the need for a sitting GOW, but she could always have decided that Ares is the last entity she wants to see reinstated in that role. And yet even after all of the horrible acts Ares is responsible for as GOW, theres something about his mortal vulnerability and hard lessons in humanity and humility that get to Xena. KS is great at capturing this new, vulnerable side to Ares, as well as the comic moments in the tavern and on shipboard. One YAXI that jumps out immediately Ares staring at his hands after killing the last warlord and saying that was the first time he'd had blood on them. Yoo-hoo, GOW - remember those villagers you slaughtered in TR?

One of the more interesting aspects of the ep is its inside look at Ares' responsibilities as GOW. One of the things that sets X:WP apart from many other fantasy/adventure shows is the depth it provides for characters that could easily be portrayed as one-dimensional bad guys. Callisto had a thought-provoking backstory, and likewise Ares turns out to regard his job as GOW as a sacred trust. He may enjoy his job a tad too much, but he nonetheless fulfills a vital function in the world and he realizes it. I still don't quite understand why it takes a God of War to help people internalize and control their anger, but it's the internal logic of the story, so I'll go with it. He also seems to have some sense of honor even after he gets the sword back, since he does return Xena to her own body at the end of the ep.

Hudson Leick soldiers on as Xena and provides us with some more choice moments - her screaming Joxer off of the ship and the snarl she gives the biggest warlord are standouts. Her scene with Ares binding his wounds was so well-done that it takes a moment to realize that it's Hudson, not Lucy in the scene. It would have been interesting to have seen a couple of more eps showing Xena dealing with life in Callisto's body and with people who are less than keen about having a psychopath pay them a visit. I don't know if Hudson would have enjoyed it - I've heard that she hated playing Xena - but I know I would have!

Gab and Joxer get to share comic relief duties here, and the Stooge business fits them perfectly as they fall under the influence of GOWlessness. Gab is a riot, all bloodthirsty belligerence and brio - given how quiet ROC is in RL, it was probably a nice release for her as well. Joxer is even more uncoordinated when he's angry, hard as it may be to believe - some good shtick in the cave. Also, we get yet another set of fish jokes at the beginning of the ep - Gab wields a mean halibut!

Charles Siebert makes a decent Sisyphus, although I'm sorry they couldnt get the original actor (Ray Henwood) to reprise the part. The warlords were appropriately warlordy - I especially liked the Earthquake McGoon guy.

Paul Robert Coyle did a masterful job of quickly refurbishing the script, and he created a very appealing mortal Ares. Siebert shows that he can direct as well as play Sisyphus, and the mix of location and soundstage shots was good - I was intrigued by the open-air tavern at the beginning of the ep.

9/10 chakrams - an ep that certainly holds up under repeated viewings, and is also important in shaping the evolving relationship between Xena and Ares.