many thanks to Tanya for the transcript

Entertainment Weekly #567

November 3, 2000 Issue

On the Air: The latest news from the TV beat - By Lynette Rice

GETTING NO ACTION

Last week's announcement that Xena:Warrior Princess will hang up its sword this summer cuts two ways: Fans will not only lose their favorite femme fatale, but the syndicated action-hour business may also be bowing out. Local TV stations don't need many weeknight alternatives like Xena anymore, thanks to the expansion of The WB and UPN.

As a result, actioners have been relegated to weekends, where they face smaller audiences and frequent sports preemptions. "Xena is as good today as it was when it first came on," says Steve Rosenberg of Studios USA, which produces the series and Jack of All Trades, another recently axed syndie series. "But the viewers just aren't there." Actually, some are. Studios USA has been bombarded with letters from angry fans, demanding that it find Xena a cable home.

But with over 130 episodes in the can ready for syndication, Studios USA doesn't have much incentive to keep producing the costly $1 million-plus-per-episode drama. So the saga of the ancient female warrior could indeed be history.

(There is also a small picture of Xena- "DOWN BY LAWLESS Xena's recent demise is a bad omen for other syndicated action series"

 


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