I was channel surfing today and I flicked across to the scifi channel hoping there would be something interesting to watch on this lazy Sunday evening and I hear the very familiar theme to my favourite all time show!

Season 1 Episode 21 The Greater Good

When Xena is hit with a poisoned dart, Gabrielle must disguise herself as the warrior princess in a plan to save Salmoneus (Robert Trebor) from being killed by the warlord Talmadeus (Peter McCauley).

I loved this episode the first time I saw it and this time round it's even better. I think the most standout moments for me:

- Xena telling Gabrielle not to yell at her (those two are so cute together)
- Gabrielle and Argo (all their scenes - they are hysterical)
- Gabrielle in Xena's leather..if she were taller, Renee could have pulled off being The Warrior Princess
- Gabrielle trying to do the Xena yell (ooh major work needed)
- The Gabrielle Smirk (every time)
- "It's about the Greater Good" scene and Xena's request to Gabrielle...that's a tough request to be made of Gabrielle.
- Xena's Death (WOW)

- Gabrielle's grieving and tree bashing (MAJOR WOW) - the first time round this scene made me really appreciate Renee's acting abilities. Hooves & Harlots opened the door and this episode sealed the deal.

If I remember correctly (it has been 14 years) I created AUSXIP Renee O'Connor (aka The ROC Files) in July 1997 because of this episode. (If you're wondering about the timeline for that - I watched them in a mammoth marathon Season 1 session...thank goodness for video tapes and friends willing to dub them...if I also remember correctly the first time I had seen this episode was in 4th generation copy (awful, snowy copy that went from colour to b/w to something in between. Xena's head turned a greenish hue every now and then) but I was as happy as a piglet in mud.

- Xena's resurrection (This was the first one in a long line of death/resurrection scenes and we won't talk about the only death that didn't have a resurrection)

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Next week: Callisto! The Psycho with the best one liners!

Goodness I love this show even after 14 years!