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Aussie Xena News

 

Special Announcement - Xenites of Sydney
9th February - Now that's a big date!
Keep it free because that's when Istvan's Café will be available exclusively
to those of us obsessed with Xena! Keep tuned in for more details on
6th Gathering of the Fans at Istvan's Café

 

20 November

Good news for xenites with Foxtel cable or satellite. Season 4 of XWP will start airing
December 3, 2001 with Adventures in the Sin Trade Part 1 at 7:30 pm on TV1 with repeats of the episodes on Tuesdays at 1:00 am and 12:30 pm (if you happen to miss it).

27 June 2001

Channel 10 have confirmed that they don't have the rights to Season 6 and will not be showing it.

15 June 2001

I'm not sure what to make of this but I received an email today about the new Xena DVDs from EzyDVD which were due for release in July.

"Unfortunately, we have just been advised by Universal Pictures that they
will no longer be releasing Xena: Volume 2."

The Xena DVDs are also available from the UK at Blackstar Videos/DVDs

7 June 2001

The first two DVDs will start from Season 2 (why? good question). They will contain three episodes each.

xenadvd (44580 bytes)

 

3 June 2001

Oops Foxtel hasn't removed Xena from the lineup. Here is the lineup for June
Saturday line up is Season 2 and Monday nights is for Season 3

Saturday Schedule: Season 2

9 June
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun / Return of Callisto

16 June
Warrior Princess Tramp / Intimate Stranger

23 June
Ten Little Warlords / A Solstice Carol

30 June
The Xena Scrolls / Here She Comes Miss Amphipolis

Monday Schedule: Season 3

11 June - The Quill is Mightier

18 June - Maternal Instincts

25 June - The Bitter Suite

1 June 2001

Bad News

Good News

26 May 2001

21 May 2001

29 April 2001

26 April 2001

24 April 2001

The Comedy Awards that Lucy will be presenting at will be shown in Australia on Foxtel on the 14 May 2001 on the Comedy Channel 12:30 pm.


12 April 2001

Volumes 6 and 7 of the Season 1 tapes can now be purchased from Civic Video Online for $14.95 (that's the lowest price I've found that at - normally retail for $18.95 at Kmart and Target)

Volume 6 contains the episodes:
The Black Wolf & Beware Greeks Bearing Gifts

Volume 7 contains the episodes:
Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards & A Fistful of Dinars

Both volumes contain a special collector's card.

24 March 2001

The third season of Xena will commence on TV1 for those with Foxtel on
2 April 2001 (In Australia Only)

21 March 2001

Volume 5 of the Season 1 Tapes is now on sale. The volumes that you can buy are:

Volume 1 - Sins of the Past / Chariots of War
Volume 2 - Dreamworker / Cradle of Hope
Volume 3 - The Path Not Taken / The Reckoning
Volume 4 - The Titans / Prometheus
Volume 5 - Death In Chains / Hooves & Harlots

They each have a Collector's Postcard inside and they are UNCUT. You can buy them for $18.95 but I've found them online at Civic Video for $14.95.

**

For those you attended the Cult TV Night at Eclectica Bookshop Cafe, I hear it was a great success. Darran, who organised the night sent me this note for the next Cult TV night
The success of the evening has led us to host another event, scheduled for Saturday April the 7th, starting at 6pm and running through to approximately 11pm. The night’s viewing will consist of three new Xena Season Six episodes: 1. Who’s Gurkhan? 2. Legacy. 3. The Abyss. We will also be screening bloopers from the Xena episode Who’s Gurkhan? and two classic episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 1. The Wish. 2. Doppelgangland. Also on the evening artists and writers of the magazine Eschaton will be in attendance to sign copies of the publication, so be sure to pick up a copy (on sale now) and get it autographed on the night. If you do plan on attending please let us know by either calling on 02 9529-6400 or by sending an email to eclectica@optusnet.com.au

28 February 2001

Aussie Xena News

Here is some interesting news for Sydney Xenites (and anyone else who wishes to come down for this event

Eclectica Bookshop Cafe
349 Rocky Point Road
Sans Souci 2219
(opposite McDonalds)

Eclectica Bookshop Cafe is hosting a Cult TV night on Saturday March the 10th, starting at 6pm and running through to about 10pm. On the night the first three episodes of Xena Season 6 will be shown, as well as two classic episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The night will also launch fiction magazine Eschaton, and authors and artists from the zine will be in attendance. Delicious meals, drinks and desserts are available. For more info either check out the Eclectica website:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~eclectica   Or send an email to eclectica@optusnet.com.au

11 February 2001

6 February 2001

Foxtel will be airring Xena - Season 3 in April 2001. This will be unedited versions that we were used to from channel 10.
Many thanks to Jake for the news

*

Artzone is an observational documentary series exploring the creative processes of ten Australian artists and performing groups. The series focuses on educational outcomes for Levels 7 and 8 of The Arts - A Curriculum Profile for Australian Schools and is designed for students to examine ways artists approach the creating, making and presenting of their work. Artzone includes artists in the fields - drama, dance, music, visual arts and media.
Ep. 1 Club Swing
Club Swing is a troupe of aerialists whose work sets up a new category of hybrid arts, blending circus and post-modern parody. This program observes Club Swing creating a show that explores ideas about the new female superheroes like Xena Warrior Princess and the Tomb Raider Lara Croft.

Broadcast on Tuesday 13/2/2001 at 11:15 am
Repeat Broadcast 15/5/2001 at 11:15 am

23 January 2001

Foxtel is showing another Xena-Rama from February 5 - Xena for three hours every day from 10:30 pm and 7:30 pm Mondays in the segment Cool Summer Chicks. So if you have Foxtel - you're going to be watching Xena Season 2.

20 January 2001

Great news for Aussies!

Tim Smith the Products Manager for Universal Pictures Video has advised me of some   great news. February 7 is the launch date for the first 3 volumes of Season 1 in PAL format! Each month after there will be a further two volumes released.

In the first 3 Volumes, they have produced 'Collector Cards', which use the front sleeve graphic of each title. There are two eps per tape and the episodes will be released chronologically right from the start! They will be available from all leading video retailers, Target, Big W, Myer Grace Bros, K-Mart etc!

For international folk (particularly those from the U.S.), if they can source them from local online retailers, and they ship overseas - they can pick up each volume for about US$9 each (which is a bargain!). Each volume will retail for the RRP of $18.50.

 

2000

6 November

The wait is over for Aussie Xenites. The many months of protesting, pleading and offering our firstborns (well not quite but it got desperate), Channel 10 have finally relented and will now screen The Way (Season 4). Saturday at 4 am 18th November 2000.

30 October

When Season 4 ended channel 10 didn't show Deja Vu All Over Again (the episode directed by Renee O'Connor). Channel 10 will now be showing DeJa Vu on the 11th of November at 4 AM. The only episode left from Season 4 is The Way as yet no word on when that will be screaned or if it will ever be screened.

12 September

AUSSIE TV Alert

Lucy will make an appearance on the NZ special "In search of the Lonesome Yodel" It's about a yodelling duo called The Topp Twins Time: 9:30 pm AEST - ABC

7 September

Schedule for Season 5 on channel 10 - we will not be getting a full season. The episode Them Bones Them Bones will not be shown and channel 10 have no plans to show it in the future. They consider it too violent for the midday timeslot (and after all it is a kids show <snort>)

For a list of  synopsis, review and montage go to Season 5 Episode Guide

September 11 - Chakram
September 12 - Succession
September 13 - Fatal Attraction
September 14 - Purity
September 18 - Back In the Bottle
September 20 - Little Problems
September 21 - Seeds of Faith
September 22 - Lyre Lyre Hearts on Fire
September 25 - Punch Lines
September 26 - God Fearing Child
September 27 - Eternal Bonds
September 28 - Amphipolis Under Siege
September 29 - Married With Fishsticks

The rest of the episodes will not be shown at this time

28 August

More great news for Aussies!

Channel 10 will be screening Xena EVERY DAY for 3 weeks during the Olympics at 12:00 noon starting September 11! They are putting on non-rating shows during the Olympics. Season 5 will be screened! In addition Foxtel will be screening Xena Season 1 and 2 starting September 1 every day.

September 11 - Chakram
September 12 - Succession
September 13 - Fatal Attraction
September 14 - Them Bones Them Bones
September 15 - Purity

For a complete list of Season 5 episodes plus synopsis for each one, review and montage go to Season 5 Episode Guide

25 August

EXCELLENT NEWS FOR AUSSIE XENITES!

I've been contacted by Tim Smith who is the Catalog Marketing Manager at Universal Pictures Video Australia with the following EXCITING News for Aussies.

February 2001 will see the huge Launch of Xena First Season Tapes.
They will available of two episodes per tape for the recommended retail price of $18.50 from all major retail outlets.

There will be three volumes in February and then 2 volumes per month every month until the end of the series!

Each tape will have 2 episode on them and from what I've been told there will be some extra Xena goodies with the tapes.

If you have any questions you can contact Tim Smith, Catalog Marketing Manager at Universal Pictures Video Australia at playbackoz@unistudios.com
Please be aware you can't purchase the tapes direct from Universal Pictures Video Australia but from the retail outlets in February 2001.

23 August

TV Alerts for Aussies:

E! News! - 28 August 2000 at 8 pm will have a segment on Lucy.
They are doing a Gay Icon story. I believe this is the AUSSIE version of E! News and not the American Version.

Staring from September 1 - TV1 will be showing Xena EVERY DAY. So those with Foxtel - set those VCRs and catch the Warrior Princess in Season 1 and 2.

The following is from Allenka - in response to her letter to channel 10

Dear Alenka

Thank you for your letter of July 24 to our Broadcast Policy Manager regarding XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS. Your letter has been forwarded to me for response.

Firstly, let me clarify that it is not Network TEN or our Marketing Department who has decided that children are our Target Audience of XENA.  Rather, the demographic figures obtained form our ratings each week (when XENA was scheduled) highlighted the fact that the largest demographic watching Xena was Children 5 – 13 years old. This information has of course affected our decision to schedule Xena in the 7.30p.m. timeslot. Also the initial few seasons of Xena were in fact ‘G’ rated, which again, allowed us to schedule the series in the 7.30p.m. building a following at this time. Our difficulties began when the producers of Xena increasingly added violence to the narratives. Whilst our research indicated that our core audience were children, the themes were increasingly targeted at an older audience, which made the task of scheduling the program even more difficult. Therefore the program and its ratings suffered as a consequence and it was taken off air.

It has since been a difficult task in deciding where and when to put Xena  back into our schedule. I was convinced that Xena still had primetime potential and elected to hold back scheduling until the right time. Unfortunately Xena did not perform as well as I had anticipated or hoped on Saturday 22nd July. I am now considering other options availiable, including scheduling the series late night. This decision has not been made or finalised.

Kind regards

DAVID MOTT
General Manager Network Programming

22 August

Xena Video News (in PAL for UK/Australian/NZ Xenites)
Blackstar Videos in the UK is going to be releasing two boxed sets of Season 2.
You can purchase Box Set 1 with episodes 1 - 11 for $70 (Australian) $92.57 (NZ) or £27.99 (UK), $41.69 (US). Box Set 2 with episodes 12-22 are the same price.
Delivery is free worldwide.

To order Season 2 - Episodes 1 - 11
http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7100000001057
To order Season 2 - Episodes 12 - 22
http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7100000001058

12 August

Aussie Xenites are protesting to channel 10 about the axing of the show. David Mifsud is collecting names to send to Channel 10. If you're an Aussie why not join and get the show back on air!
My name is David Mifsud & I'm fed up with Network Ten cutting scenes from Xena & I want her back on free to air TV. I wrote a letter to the Official Xena Magazine & they published it in issue 8. It said that I have started a campaign against Ten to bring back Xena & for the Xena fans to write to me & add your names to the fight against Ten. So I need as many names as possible to show Network Ten that we Australians are loyal to Xena. So add your name by sending me an e-mail at ares84@optusnet.com.au   You will have to give you full name & if you like your age as well. Lets win this BATTLE.

28 July

"I'll Make You Happy comes to Oz cinemas..well in Adelaide anyway ;-)
The following is from The Adelaide Advertiser

The Adelaide Advertiser

DISTANT SISTERS CREATE HIT

By Tim Lloyd

A HIT New Zealand ``no budget'' film which has its Australian premiere at the Mercury Cinema tonight was conceived in Adelaide. I'll Make You Happy, started as a ``no budget'' film before attracting backing and turning into a screen success in New Zealand. The movie, described as a comedy heist, was originally inspired by the prostitutes and pimps frequenting a 24-hour fish-and-chip shop in Melbourne's St Kilda. However, the film only made it to the screen because of the separate lives of two Adelaide sisters, Athina and Anne Tsoulis. While Athina moved to New Zealand in 1982 and became involved in the film industry, Anne stayed in Australia and became a screen writer. ``We lost contact for about 10 years,'' said Anne yesterday. ``I didn't know she was making films and she didn't know I was writing films.'' With SA Film Corporation support, Anne Tsoulis wrote the screenplay. However, the project was abandoned by the SAFC, which handed the rights back to Tsoulis in 1995. ``Then my sister gave me a call from New Zealand and said `Jenny (another of the six Tsoulis sisters) says you are writing film scripts'.She said `you can't write scripts - I'm the only one allowed to make films in this family!''' Anne sent her the script and Athina said she wanted to adapt it for a low-budget feature. Athina re-wrote the script and found $100,000 to shoot the movie in Auckland with the support of the New Zealand film community. It stars Rena Owen, from Once Were Warriors, and even includes a cameo from Lucy Lawless of Xena fame. The New Zealand Film Corporation saw the rough cut and agreed to fund post-production of the film, which has since screened to packed houses in New Zealand, although it is still looking for a distributor in Australia. In the meantime, Anne Tsoulis has worked for two years as a project officer with the Australian Film Commission, and has most recently finished a new screenplay, The Watchhouse, which is to be turned into a film by Athina, with Anouk Aimee as its star.

26 July

Bad news All Around

The following is from The Adelaide Advertiser - 26 July 2000

Xena fans are fuming over the ``butchering'' of their show last Saturday in a one-off special by Channel 10. Several key but graphic scenes hit Ten's cutting-room floor - such as peaceable Gabrielle finally snapping and killing more men in two minutes than she has in all her other episodes combined. That the special finished 10 minutes early might indicate the extent of the editing - and the reason fans are besieging Ten with complaints.

Channel Ten says the cuts were made to suit the PG rating.

What hope for the show to return?

And from a woman called Shel posting to the Xena message board:

I wrote to Channel 10 Programming Department regarding whether they were going to air anymore eps of Xena....Here is the response:

Dear Michelle

Thanks for your email. We are pleased you enjoyed the special presentation of Xena, however it is disappointing that the audience figures continue to reflect a huge lack of viewer support . We had every intention of returning the series, if the audience was there to support it, however under these circumstances, we will not be returning it permanently to our schedule.

Regards
PROGRAMMING

15 July

Furthur to the good news coming from channel 10 about the show being shown on 22nd July. The not so good news is that Channel 10 is testing the waters to see how the show rates. Judging from the competition - Seachange (ABC) and Survivors (TCN9) it's going to be tough. Those shows are huge ratings winners so Xena is going to do it tough.

3 April 2000

21 March 2000

3 February 2000

1 February 2000

11 November 1999

The following is for AUSSIES ONLY - Want to win a Xena Playstation Game?
http://www.cybershack.com.au/engine.cfm?page=gamesindex

7 November 1999

Foxtel will start airring Xena (Second Season) February 1, 2000! They are working on getting Season 3 and onwards.

As for Channel 10 and the rest of Season 4...no good news yet.

27 October 1999

Foxtel will not be showing Xena on Monday's anymore. Foxtel was showing Season 1 (I think they replayed it 8 times). I have been told that "they may" show Season 2 but they have to negotiate with channel 10 *sigh*

Now here is the EXTREMELY BAD NEWS: After contacting channel 10 various people have been told that "Xena will not be shown on Channel 10 anymore". This means that we won't be seeing "The Way", "Ides of March" or "Deja Vu All Over Again". They stopped the show before the season ended even though they had rights to those episodes! There have been rumours that Channel 7 will pick up the show but the programming department at Channel 7 know nothing about it. So bottom line is this: No Xena in Australia AT ALL.

 

15 October

The following is from The Sydney Morning Herald - the complete article can be read at: http://www.smh.com.au/news/9910/14/business/business9.html

"Despite concern among analysts, Mr McAlpine [managing director of  Ten] welcomed the end of the network's programming agreement with Hollywood studio MCA-Universal in 2001, an alliance that has provided the network with award-winning shows such as Law & Order. 'We don't lose Law & Order or Xena or any of the other Universal programs in 2001'."

'Whichever programs we are showing, when that deal expires we will keep while they keep running,' Mr McAlpine said.Group general manager, finance, Mr Peter Myers, said the quality of programs delivered by the MCA-Universal alliance had been 'disappointing' lately."

 

7 October 1999

Channel 10 has cancelled The Way for the 16 October AGAIN. Their reason? Sensitive cultural problems...well folks I guess this is the last straw. The rumours also abound that Channel 10 may not show Season 5 and channel 7 (even worse that 10 and that stupid logo on every time) might show XWP if CH10 loses the rights or chooses not to renew.

 

28 September 1999

Roc Maniac has created a Channel 10 Petition/Protest page. The petition pushes for Xena Season 5 to be put on at a later timeslot, without the bad edits and have better advertising for the show. The URL is http://members.tripod.com/sxia/  

 

23 September 1999

The following is REALLY cool and it's an Aussie school that is doing it! I was contacted yesterday by Phil Dodd, the Drama teacher at Wanniassa High (High School) in the ACT (The Australian Capital Territory - where our nation's capital is)

Phil wrote: "After some months of negotiations I was able to get the nod of approval from Renaissance Pictures (& Studios USA) to use "The Bitter Suite" as the basis for a stage musical where my Drama students at Wanniassa High in the ACT had to convert it from the screen to the stage. This unofficial, non-profit, purely educational exercise is as far as we know a world-first & is progressing along well with the students even researching the e-archives to create their own Prequel so to explain the later action & many characters who appear. All things going well we are looking at a Mid-November completion date for the exercise."

Phil will keep me in touch with how this is going!

20 September 1999

The Way will not be shown in Australia until October 16, 1999. Wind in the Willows has replaced Xena for 25 September and another special has replaced Xena for the following week. The show will return 16 October.

 

14 September 1999

The Way will be shown in Oz for the first time
September 25, 1999 - 7:30 pm
I'm betting cherry ripe chocolate bars that one additional scene will be cut from the Aussie screening...any takers? <g Many thanks to John for that news

**

Jennifer Sky TV Alert for Aussies
Jennifer Sky is appearing on Sins of the City this Thursday 16 September on Foxtel, Channel 8 at 9.30 pm. She plays a model, who is not unlike Amarice in many aspects.
Many thanks to Tara for the alert

**

Hudson Leick TV Alert for Aussies
Saturday 18 September 5.00 pm 9  TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL Labor Of Love
Many thanks to Mark Allen for the alert

**

Jay Laga'aia (Draco) may be quitting Water Rats and heading to New Zealand to film a movie - scan of the article from The Sunday Herald will be up soon. It has a small mention of Jay appearing on Xena for a musical.

**

The rumour that was around for a Xena convention by Photon Productions will not be happening any time soon. The Xena Conventionn by Stirling Entertainment will happen but the dates have not been finalised nor any guest list. Stay tuned for that.

31 August 1999

There is a rumour floating around that channel 10 may NOT renew Xena for Season 5. They (channel 10) want to change their programming from cult tv shows /comedy to something else (currently they don't rate very well in the grand scheme of things). So that means Xena may not be renewed. At this time it's just a rumour. Stay tuned.

23 August 1999

TV Alert: Aussie Xenites
Channel 9 is showing Touched by an Angel and the episode with Hudson is on  Saturday 28 August at 5:00 pm. The episode is called "Angel of Death"
Many thanks to Mark Allen for that alert

23 August 1999

Saturday finally arrived and Between The Lines was shown. Channel 10 BUTCHERED the episode. It was a crime to see it edited that way. One of the major edits was the final big battle between Alti and X&G. It was going fine until I blinked and found that the chakram appeared mysteriously out of thin air striking Xena in the neck. Where did it come from? And why was Gabrielle lying in the dirt with short hair?!! They started by editing from the time Alti takes Gabrielle by the hair and then cuts to the chakram hitting Xena!!! That's a whole lot of storyline cut! Earlier in the fight they didn't cut the "Xena getting pulverised by every man and his donkey" scenes. This is insane. They have destroyed one of the major storylines in the India Arc and now they are also going to ban The Way and next week is The Play's The Thing. ARGH!

23 August 1999

The UK edition of MAXIM is out in stores! I found a couple at my local newsagency. Talk about an attention grabber. So if you haven't seen this edition...go grab it! It will be a collector's item I'm sure

19 August 1999

The continuing channel 10 saga: (this could be a mini series). It seems Tasmania will be missing out on Xena. There are no plans to show it in the Apple Isle - Why you ask? They don't have a timeslot for it!!!! Eyup that is correct. Many thanks to Imogen for that news...Tassie misses out again!

17 August 1999

TV Week - August 16, 1999 Issue:

"To all you Xena fans out there, don't expect to see the Warrior Princess back on screen for at least another four months. The network has remained steadfast in its plans to keep the series off-air despite campaigns to bring Xena back. One insider says Ten was disappointed with the series ratings. "Everyone knows who Xena is but noone is watching." he said. Keep those campaigns going!'

Uh..yeah right - and in the same magazine

Saturday - 21 August 1999 - Channel 10 - 7:30  Xena: Warrior Princess
Episode Between The Lines

17 August 1999

For those Xenites who want to participate in the 2000 Xena Mardi Gras Float

Battle On Sydney 2000!
Given Lucy and Renee's comments at this year's Mardi Gras, a tribe of loyal Xenites are vowing to provide them with a float and anything else the gals might need for the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in February 2000. They aim to overshadow the Marching Xenas that took the parade by storm in 1998.

Campaign Organiser, Meg said: ‘We want to take the ultimate fantasy to Sydney, and are looking for Xenites worldwide to rise to the call. We need Amazons, Romans, Centaurs, Gods and Goddesses to build sets, provide costumes, music, sponsorship, etc. and of course to walk/ride alongside our heroines.' She confirmed that nothing more was required than an overwhelming desire to bring Xena and Gabrielle to Sydney and a willingness to use however many skills they could bring to the table. No matter your age, gender or sexuality these Xenites  want you!

Anyone interested in taking part, no matter how far the distance or how few the skills, should contact the Float Master at : mgfloat2k@xenafan.com

This could be the best experience of your young life.  

16 August 1999

Just confirmed that Channel 10 will screen Between the Lines on the 21st August 1999 at 7:30. The confusion was that they were going to screen The Comedy Awards in the 7:30 timeslot and they were unsure if they were going to bring back XWP. The Way will not be shown.

11 August 1999

Bad news:

Between The Lines WILL NOT BE SHOWN.

Why? Due to an M Rating - meaning its for mature audiences for sex or violence and in this case violence. It needs to be at a later timeslot. So they won't be showing the episode. The date that XWP will commence is the 28th August and not the 21st. The episode will be The Play's The Thing.

The Way will NOT be shown even if it's back in syndication based on the M rating again. So we miss out on two episodes. Now I have no idea how many of the Season 4 episodes we will miss out due to the M rating.

10 August 1999

Xena is back! Yep Channel 10 will start screening Season 4 episodes where it left off back in June.

10 August 1999

Aussie Xena News: Okay it seems channel 10 have put their Xena section on their web site back! Now to get back to Season 4 and to finish it and there is a survey on the channel 10 site - Who is the Better Warrior? Xena or Hercules? The figures as of yesterday was: (Oh gee what a surprise <g>)

Who is the better warrior?
Hercules
32%
Xena
68%

5 August 1999

Latest News about a return of Xena to Aussie shores

Several people have received replies to their mail about the return of Xena to Australian TV. (Many thanks to those who emailed me to let me know). The general feeling is that Xena will be back later in the year and Channel 10 will continue with the 4th Season. As to whether they will show The Way is not known but it seems unlikely unless Studios USA return the episode into syndication.

30 July 1999

There was a small article in The West Australian newspaper yesterday about a new production of "A Clockwork Orange". It will star Aaron Jeffreys (best known from Water Rats) and apparently Marton 'Borias' Csokas will be playing a character called 'Dim'.
Many thanks to Wallycat for that information

29 July 1999

Xena videoes in PAL in Australia!
Universal Music Australia (aka Polygram) will be releasing season 1 of XWP on video here soon! I will have more information soon so stay
tuned. I do know they will be available at video stories, Target, K-Mart
etc

18 July 1999

XWP in Australian Update: As of this time Xena is not back on tv here in Australia. There was speculation that after the wonderfully rated show Railways, the one that replaced Xena, would end that the show would be back. Nope we get another series about Nature.

5 July 1999

The following is from Mark Allen who did the research!

1998 TV Rating figures for Xena

I did a bit of research last night to find out how much better Xena rated last year for Channel 10. I don't have a full record of the top 10 ratings for the whole of 1998, but Xena made the top 10 at least 5 times, and rated as high as 35th place!!

Here are the episodes and the respective ratings figures ;

Date                   Episode                             Rank         Position
9 May Ulysses 8th 54
20 June Debt Pt 1 7th 39
25 July Warrior.. Princess..Tramp 9th 50
8 August Maternal Instincts 5th 48
29 August One Against An Army 5th 35

In comparison this year, Xena hasn't made the top 10 once! It certainly hasn't helped that 10 stopped showing the highlights of next weeks episode, and only advertised the show in the early morning kids show, and late on Thursdays. It does make you wonder about the attitude of the Channel 10 management, when they run adult shows like NYPD Blue, and Law and Order, and then run shows like The Simpsons (6 days a week), Judge Judy/Joe Brown and The Nanny, talk about trying to please all possible tastes!!

If you were to contrast the ratings for Xena last year with The X Files this year, Xena would equal or out-rate The X Files, and the Panel.!!!

Mark

24 June 1999

Okay I just turned the page of the Sydney Morning Herald to see the ratings in Sydney.

The Railways show that replaced Xena on ten has come in at #60 with 339 thousand viewers in Sydney. The little blurb about channel 10 says

"Then had another poor week, dropping to a 19.9% audience share in  Sydney with 18.5% across the five cities, and a disastrous 17.3 in Melbourne.

I'm afraid it got better ratings that Xena.

21 June 1999

Many thanks to Xenrielle for the following transcript

In today's TV Scene (Brisbane, The Sunday Mail), Xenites were given a mention!

Fans on the Warpath

Fans are up in arms over Channel 10's decision to replace Xena: Warrior Princess with a travel show. The Xena web site has been blasted with complaints from angry viewers vowing not to watch any of the network's shows until the heroic beauty returns.

The series was replaced on Saturday nights with the six-part Railway Adventures Across Australia, hosted by actor Scott McGregor. It may come as a surprise to Xena fans, but the show was not rating as well as everyone thought. It is understood she will be back, but nobody is saying when

19 June 1999

The writing campaign is underway and it seems already the responses are coming through - the show is NOT cancelled but due to low ratings it will be rescheduled at a later timeslot (duh...why didn't they do this earlier? Who knows) and a later date - no definite time or date has been set yet.

17 June 1999

Spoke to Programming on Channel 10 (in Sydney) - the woman I spoke to said that Xena will be back by the end of the Year. Hope spring eternal....

11 June 1999

The Courier Mail voted Xena as Loser of the Week

"Poor old Xena: Warrior Princess has been dropped from Ten's Saturday night line-up to be replaced by a series on train journeys."
[Many thanks to Xenrielle]

11 June 1999

On the second page, under the title Hot Shots, there is a pic of our beloved Xena, with the sub heading..."What Melbourne will be talking about this week..." With the transcript as follows: "1. How the Warrior Princess was Railroaded. Xenites are not happy. Channel 10 has wrenched the warrior woman from the air mid way through her 4th season and replaced her with the six part mini series, Railway Adventures Across Australia. This week, all tracks lead to Queensland......" [Many thanks to Becky for the transcript]

8 June 1999

Channel 10 have deleted their information on Xena from their website...doesn't look good...I still can't believe that they replaced Xena with a doco on trains...oh yeah I can see this is going to be a huge ratings winner for channel 10..yep. If you would like to protest to channel 10 - Chelsea has organised an online petition to be sent to channel 10

5 June 1999

RedEye records in Sydney (CBD) has copies of the Xena Soundtrack #4 and the Hercules Soundtrack #3. Both are on the pricy side ($37 from memory)

3 June 1999

It seems we broke Channel 10's server...it's offline :-\ Either that or they took it offline. But if you want to register a protest vote over their treatment of the show you can go to - http://www.ten.com.au/feedback.asp
when it's next up!

3 June 1999

Aussies have a chance to see Lucy hosting Saturday Night Live on Foxtel - click here to view times and dates [Many thanks to Tracy Nash for the alert]

2 June 1999

DISASTER FOR AUSSIE XENITES:

Channel 10 have axed the show. They have removed from Saturday's lineup the episode that was supposed to be the last for Season 4 - Between The Lines. There is no indication of when the show will be back or if it will be back.

31 May 1999

VERY BAD NEWS FOR AUSSIES

The next episode to be screened in Australia will be Between The Lines. After that no more for the season. I have contacted channel 10 which informed that it was a "management decision" and the season will not be shown. She said it may be shown at a later date but was quite uncertain of that date. Aussies will be miss out on The Way (that had been decided some time ago) and the rest of the episodes for Season 4.

30 May 1999

TV Alert for Aussies:
Danielle Cormack (Ephiny) will be interviewed TONIGHT on the Movie Show about her new movie. Australia Only.

Date: 30 May 1999
Time: 6:00 pm (SBS)

30 May 1999

Channel 10 will be screening Between The Lines next week - this will be the final episode for the season (or so I'm told). Now where does that leave us with the rest of the season? I'm waiting to find out.


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