Copyright 1997 The Chronicle Publishing Co.
The San Francisco Chronicle
JUNE 17, 1997, TUESDAY
DAILY DATEBOOK; Pg. E3; LETTERS TO DATEBOOK
HEADLINE: LETTERS TO DATEBOOK
     
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        'XENA' BENEFITS FROM GABRIELLE
     
        Editor -- I really enjoyed Laura Evenson's article (''TV's
     Warrior Princess Rules Over a Diverse Fan Base While Expanding
     Her Multimedia Empire,'' May 29) on ''Xena: Warrior Princess.''
     It is my favorite TV show, which still surprises me. I did not
     start watching Xena until this year; I thought it was just a
     female version of ''Hercules'' or ''Baywatch.'' What makes
     ''Xena'' different from the usual campy action show is its
     quieter moments, usually between Xena and her sidekick,
     Gabrielle, which give the characters depth and make them, and
     the show, a bit more interesting.
     
        I was disappointed, however, that Renee O'Connor received
     only a passing mention as Gabrielle. Unfortunately, Renee's
     contribution to the success of the show is usually overlooked.
     Gabrielle is much more than the typical sidekick who is around
     to provide comic relief, to be rescued and to tell the heroine
     how wonderful she is. The friendship between Xena and Gabrielle
     is the heart of the show; ''Xena'' really is a buddy show.
     Without O'Connor's strong, mature performances and the great
     chemistry between her and Lucy Lawless, the show would not be
     the runaway hit it is.
     
        In all the articles I have read on ''Xena,'' the violence on
     the show is passed over with the usual arguments that it is
     comical and also acceptable in the context of the story, with
     the good guys/gals winning.
     
        Other people, such as Chuck Norris, have been criticized for
     using these arguments. Given that violent crime has dropped in
     this country for the fifth year in a row, maybe the tone and
     context of the violence in a show, whether it is a raised voice
     or a raised sword, are much more important in how people react
     to the violence than the anti-violence crusaders had thought.
     Maybe ''Xena's'' popularity will help take some of the emotion
     out of the TV violence debate and allow for a more reasoned
     examination of the issue.
     
        PAUL BINGENHEIMER
     
        Cupertino
     
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