Rick's Studio

Well, I'm a little late with this, but since there haven't been any new episodes since, I guess it's still kosher to comment on "Little Problems". I didn't see any lengthy reviews by anyone, so let me try to stimulate some conversation (anything up on the web yet, Lisa?). I'm still looking at writing up something for the Chin episodes during the rerun lull. More later!

Well, for those people who longed for an old fashioned Xena episode (circa season 1 or 2), this should fit the bill. Xena's pregnancy and Gab's warrior 'tude aside, this bit of fluff could've come from early in the series. The plot about the little girl could've come from any baby-saving episode, and the nasty pie-tin-faced warlord was straight from season 1. Throw in a bit of drama regarding the kidnappers, and add some great slapstick and bawdy humor (almost everything else), and you've almost got Xena Classic.

First, when did Aphrodite start wearing that midriff-revealing outfit? I didn't think the Goddess of Love would need any extra help in looking attractive! I guess with Lucy all covered up, everyone else has to show a little extra skin! She was kind of lame in the "Goddess Dept." this time around. Why couldn't she just fix Xena and Daphne with her god powers? I mean, she's the one who did it in the first place! But given that shaky premise, the rest of the episode paid off.

After getting the new chakram in "Chakram", it seemed Xena would never use it again. Suddenly, in the last few episodes, she's been chakramming away with glee (just check out her pre-fling expressions). Check it out when Xena bursts in at the very beginning, pregnant belly protruding obviously, and the chakram starts flying! Even Daphne gets off a good chakram/pie plate toss!

Gabrielle is slicing and dicing with impunity now! I was wondering if she was still writing a little in her spare time, but there was the scene in the earlier episode where she basically says she's not. Now that we've seen her fight so much, and so well, recently, I suddenly realized she must be training her little ass off to get that good! I've inferred Xena accumulated her skills gradually over several years, and now in the space of a few months, Gabrielle's giving her a run for her (admittedly pregnant) dinars. As we see in this episode, she's also mastered Xena's skill with whips. It'd be interesting to get another episode like "A Day In the Life" to see what's going on during an average day. I liked the line about "I wish you could've seen that one" right after the cave fight.

I was really impressed by the girl who plays Daphne. The role could've been sickeningly sweet, or just childishly acted, with ease. Yet the girl, Rose McIver, plays the little girl as smart and spunky, showing great emotional range, and when she switches into Xena mode, she seems to actually become a little Lucy Lawless (albeit with blond hair). They seem to be doing something to her voice, but she beautifully captures the mannerisms and commanding presence of the adult Xena. I wouldn't mind bringing her back in a future episode. When she's older, she'll be able to tell all her friends she was Xena: Warrior Princess (at least for an episode)! How cool is that?

I love seeing Aphrodite and Gabrielle interact. The sparks fly again when they first meet, and the scene where Gab is dragging Xena's body into the cave without Dite's help is hilarious! And then Dite disappears during the fight! But somehow, when it comes to saving Xena, they pull together to become a good undercover team at the party.

How lame is Daphne's dad? His daughter single-handedly saves the marketplace from a runaway horse cart and he doesn't even seem surprised (or impressed)? The next line should've been, "By the gods! How on earth did you learn to do that, Daphne?!" Or "Are you alright?" And after that, he still thinks she's too fragile to hear about her mother's death?

The evil lieutenant was a riot! If not for Daphne, this guy would've stolen the show. Watching him do the slow burn as Xena/Daphne keeps foiling his plots was great! The best spot: when he's explaining to his boss about how he thinks Xena is in Daphne's body, and he says "...and that war cry! ung!" and that look of aggravation that crosses his face is just priceless! Again, I hope we see this guy again, but with a better employer than ol' pie-tin-face!

Watching Gabrielle and Aphrodite talk their way into the twins' party was great fun. I loved the way Gab's horned hat tipped Dite's down over her eyes, but they kept going with the scene anyway. I think Renee and Alexandra were just having way too much fun here and reshooting would've ruined the spontaneity. The racy dialogue between G & A and the Castor and Pollox twins was another comic highpoint ("cunning linguists"?!). The following oil wrestling scene was kind of lame after such a good buildup, but perhaps that was part of the point (much like "pro" wrestling is today!). Did we see a little of the old Gabrielle show up at the end of the fight? "The shameless exploitation of the female form, that's what! You should all be ashamed!" indeed!

How did Gab and Dite apply the oil to Xena? Did they pour it down her throat, pour it over her, or rub it in her skin? She certainly didn't look oily when she appeared at the end!

I was a bit disappointed when pie-tin-face took off his mask. For someone who's had Xena "take away half my face", he didn't look too bad. Nothing a little make-up couldn't fix! But the final fight scene was great. Seeing Daphne do all the trademarked Xena moves was another clever way to work a Xena fight around the pregnancy (like the skeletons in "Them Bones"). What will they come up with next? I guess with the (TV) baby due shortly, we may have Xena fighting like a normal warrior princess soon. Seeing Gabrielle up on that iron grill fighting off warriors was pretty hot stuff. What a bod! Gabrielle, I love you!!! I can't help but wonder why she wears those straps on her upper arms, though. Seems like it would cut off circulation.... And how did the fisherman learn to fight so well?

Overall, a good, strong (Xena-lite) episode to lead us into the desert of rerun month, but won't we all be drooling at the revelations coming up in January?! I can't wait! If this show is ever cancelled, I'll simply have to kill myself!