60: 4x16 "The Way"

Watch out, because this week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST we are armed and dangerous! Vera, Katie, and Livy have found 4x16 “The Way,” the final episode of the India arc, and it is SOMETHING ELSE. We discuss the backlash that led to this ep’s temporary removal from syndication, and the cultural identity issues and prejudices on both sides of the debate. Something tells us we’re gonna need a bigger Problematic Jar for this one... But despite its missteps, we agree that “The Way” is a bold, transporting, ultra-ambitious exploration of Hinduism and spiritual truth-seeking in general, as Xena and Gabrielle look for guidance in how to live correctly in a violent world. We discuss the Hindu epics that inspired the plot, David Blaine??, King Solomon, Gabrielle’s open heart, Hanuman’s secret identity, the many kinds of religious pluralism, Heidi Klum??, and too many arms!

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59: 4x15 "Between the Lines"

This week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST, karma’s a bitch! Vera, Katie, and Livy move on to the second episode of the India arc, 4x15 “Between the Lines,” and good mother, we’re afraid we don’t understand a lot of this. So many questions, like how does the mendhi work? Like really, how does it work? What happens to Arminestra and Shakti’s consciousnesses when Xena and Gabrielle inhabit their bodies? What is Naiyima’s deal? What is Alti’s favorite Terminator movie? How is the female gender symbol going to help Xena and Gabs recognize each other in the next life? Who will be the next New Zealand’s Hottest Home Baker? But who cares about any of this when we have the show’s greatest, most brutal fight scene yet, climaxing with, oh yeah, GABRIELLE GETTING A HAIRCUT.

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58: 4x14 "Devi"

This week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST, the power of Eli compels you! Vera, Katie, and Livy take a passage to India in 4x14 “Devi,” the lushly produced first stop on Xena and Gabrielle’s tour of the subcontinent. Ready the Problematic Jar because we kick it off with a whole montage of Indian stereotypes as Xena and Gabs do their best impressions of ignorant tourists, and a white lady becomes a savior only to find out that the real savior is (gasp!) a white man. But hey, despite its missteps this episode still manages to be really effing fun. We discuss the sneaky irreverence of Eli’s first appearance, priest Vikram’s sexy voice, buying Ganges water on the Internet, and, the main attraction, Renée’s magnificently vampy performance as the Hindu demoness Tataka. MY PEARLS!

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57: 4x13 "Paradise Found"

This week on XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST, the real you is bleeding through! Vera, Katie, and Livy do their best sun salutations in 4x13 “Paradise Found,” a sexy, thinky yogafest that kicks off the India arc with its own unique mix of Hinduism, Taoism, and New Age esotericism--with some Sapphic massage and freaky body horror thrown in. This ep is a lot, you guys! We discuss director Rob Tapert’s actor-focused approach, the many visual references from Maxfield Parrish to Alice in Wonderland to Buddhist art, and how lighting, camera placement, and sound design externalize Xena and Gabrielle’s internal struggles. Plus: Xena breaks the hair scale, Aidan’s abuses of power, 69-ing on the yin-yang bed, Gabrielle’s ‘hot little number,’ so many baths, lotus symbolism, and the most psychologically fraught scene in all of Xena. It’s a TORTOISE, Vera!  
 

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56: 4x12 "If the Shoe Fits"

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful podcast called XENA: WARRIOR PODCAST. And on this podcast there were three maidens named Vera, Katie, and Livy who lived in a little house in the woods where they did nothing all day except watch episodes of Xena and talk about them. One day, they watched 4x12 “If the Shoe Fits” and had a lot of things to say about it. They talked about the relative merits of outdoor showers, why Xena sleeps with rope, Gabrielle’s excellently tailored sack, everybody’s Freudian issues, Alesia’s bizarre speaking voice, the launching of one of the show’s greatest ships, and how obvious it is that the script was written in just one night. And once they were finished talking about this episode, the three maidens never had to watch it again, so they lived happily ever after!

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