Home Episode Guide Reviews Cast & Crew Articles Features Links

The Xena Scrolls Reviewed

A real change of pace for the team as we have an Indiana Jones style 1940s tale. Renee O`Connor is the action woman, Dr Janice Covington, the cigar smoking archaeologist complete with whip, hat and leather jacket. Lucy Lawless gets to do YET ANOTHER accent as Southern Belle Mel Pappas, a translator of ancient Greek come to help Janice find the Xena Scrolls. They meet up with Ted Raimi as an Inspector Clouseau type policeman and Mark Ferguson back again as the baddie (guess what, he`s British!) John Smythe.

On finding the underground chamber, they inadvertently release Ares from a trap that Xena had placed him in centuries before, as Mel is a descendat of Xena and Janice of Gabrielle. Xena's spirit takes over Mel and she is transformed into Xena and they must once again entrap the god of war before he can get out and meet up with Adolf Hitler!

This episode is tremendous fun. The stars look as though they really enjoyed themselves and the story is a good one. Janice and Mel are interesting characters in their own right, although you have to give a cheer when Mel takes off those glasses to become Xena. Mark Ferguson appears as his third character, and even Ted Raimi gets to do two roles as the episode ends with a modern day section with him pitching an idea to Executive Producer Robert Tapert for a show about Xena. As a one off this was a great idea, and a very inventive way to do a clip show. Something that both XENA and HERCULES were notable for - the very best clip shows!

Back to S2 Reviews page
Back to Episode Guide page
Back to Main Xena page