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Ulysses Reviewed

A script that had been around for AGES that again mixes myth and the Xenaverse. This episode was also notable for Poseidon, who appears in the opening credits, finally making an appearance.

Xena and Gabrielle are trying to enjoy nature when they come across a fight on a beach. Coming to the lone warrior`s aid, they discover he is the King of Ithaca, Ulysses(or Odysseus in Greek myth.) He and Xena take an immediate liking to one another. Ulysses is an enemy of Poseidon, god of the sea - which is a problem when trying to reach your island home! Xena and Gabrielle agree to help him sail home. Gabrielle gets very seasick, while Xena and Ulysses get close. When they reach Ithaca, they find that Ulysses wife Penelope is not dead after all, and Xena pretends that she cares nothing for him to give him a chance to be reconciled with his wife. Even when he figures it out, she refuses to come between Ulysses and his rightful kingdom.

Of all of the myth type stories, this one is one of the more mundane ones. John D`Aquino is very dashing as Ulysses but stilted in his acting, and he and Lucy Lawless have very little spark between them. I haven`t been impressed with many of the supposed partners for Xena- Petracles(a creep), Marcus(too dull), Caesar(too unloving!), Hercules(too contrived), and Ulysses is not much better. However, romance for either of the leads has little long term future as this is a two girl show. There are nice parallels with Xena`s attitude to Perdicus, when Gabrielle asks Xena what her intention are, and wishes her to follow her heart. I liked the boat - which reappears in Lost Mariner and Hercules` finale `Atlantis`, and look out for the canoe that is also seen in The Price. Poor Gabrielle`s seasickness got a few cheap laughs, but we all like to see others suffer a bit! I also liked the fact that Xena made reference to the Trojan War from the episode Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts and that she fought for Troy. In the stories, it was Odysseus(or Ulysses) that came up with the wooden horse trick. Also of note is the scene with the Sirens, women whose beautiful song lures men to their deaths. Xena outsings the Sirens! OK, so I thought her song was a bit naff actually and their`s was rather pretty, but it was a nice touch.

This is a competant enough episode, but a dull one and another with a contrived romance for one of the ladies.

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