Dreamwatch #119
June 2004
THE TEN WOMEN WHO SHOOK SCI-FI.
Number 5 - Xena
Xena: Warrior Princess (1994-2001)
Played by Lucy Lawless
"You picked the wrong woman to get rough with!"
Up until a few years ago, a woman dressed in a leather breast plate had no place on television unless it
was on a show that you just wouldn't watch with your mum and dad. But then came Xena, and suddenly leather and yelling took on a whole other meaning.
Originally introduced as a guest character on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Lucy Lawless' Xena was such a hit with viewers that the show's producers swiftly continued her quest for redemption in a spin-off show that
fast eclipsed Hercules in popularity.
Never mind the show's ridiculous treatment of history, this passionate and powerful woman stirred the senses of viewers the world over who avidly followed her adventures for six years. In the process, she helped inspire
a wave of female-led action-adventure shows that included Buffy and Alias.
Xena's place in pop culture history was cemented when she cropped up in The Simpsons, appearing in full leather battle gear alongside Bart and Lisa. A class act indeed!
Return to the AUSXIP XenaMedia Archive
AUSXIP - Australian Xena Information Page
AUSXIP Renee O'Connor Files | AUSXIP Lucy Lawless Files
