Well, I've heard several people say a review of "The Official Xena: Warrior Princess Fan Club Kit #4 Behind-the-Scenes Documentary & Fifth Season Bloopers" video would be in order. So far, I don't believe anyone has actually tackled this project. Having just had some minor surgery on my eye, I find myself home from work for a couple days with some time on my hands, so I thought maybe I could be the first, rather than the last, to review something this year. Plus, Xena's in reruns, so I'm short of new review material! In case there are those of you who need it, I'm gonna allow the traditional

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First, this is a documentary, not a Xena episode. We've got to look at this slightly differently from what we normally do in a review of the show. As huge Xena fans (and I assume you are if you're still reading at this point), we are of course totally thrilled at the unique perspective this gives us on our favorite show. How can you not like it? And I, of course, really liked it. Especially the Renee parts, but you knew that! But as a disinterested viewer, was it a good documentary, and were the bloopers worth saving for posterity? What did we learn about the show and the people involved? These are the points I hope to address here--the nuts and bolts of the video.

Sure, I could simply summarize each scene and describe what happens, but if you want that, buy the Fan Kit and watch the tape. I want to analyze the video as a viewing and educational experience. Would it fly on PBS?

So, the hour-long documentary part starts with a written introduction by Sharon, the Fan Club President and director/narrator of the video. She gives the idea very briefly (nine days filming Xena as they shoot "Who's Gurkhan" and prepare for "The Haunting of Amphipolis"). She says she hopes it gives a feel for how much effort the cast and crew put into the show, and it certainly accomplishes that by the end of the tape. She also thanks Rob, Lucy, Renee and the "team." There was a lot of Lucy, Renee and the team, but considering he's the fountainhead of the Xena franchise, very little of Rob. Did he just want to stay out of the way of his stars and give the crew a chance to shine, did Sharon leave him on the cutting room floor, or was he just not available that week much to shoot? But that's alright, as he is in a couple segments. This is still a jam-packed hour.

Anyway, she keeps it short and moves us immediately into the action. We're given a montage of provocative glimpses from the upcoming video, set to the traditional Xena theme music. The camera work looks to be clean and they certainly seem to be right up in the action as they film. I have high hopes.

They take us right into the initial read-through of the script for "Who's Gurkhan." Several things are immediately apparent: the coffee hasn't worked it's way into the actor's systems (they pretty much mumble the opening lines, much of it inaudible to the microphone), and they aren't wearing makeup (the unkempt hair, the small blemishes and freckles in evidence in the close-ups). The opening title says it's 6:30 PM, but it sure looks more like 6:30 AM in the reading room.

Then, the group begins to laugh and get into the story, and we are treated to a scene of the actors pulling apart the dialogue of the script and trying to piece it back together to sound more in character. Michael Hurst, the director for the episode, also pitches in. Since they have time limits on the length of the show, they must make sure every bit of dialogue says as much as possible. I knew they encouraged input from the actors, but I was surprised by how malleable they found the script and how much the dialogue was revamped. And what do they come up with finally? "Insert scary line here." I had to laugh at that.

From here, Sharon's cameras take us to the start of a day on the set. As anyone who's read her writing in the Chakram knows, Sharon has a good feel for what types of things the real fans want to know (basically, anything that hasn't been written about 1,000 times in the regular press), and she does a good job here of really focusing on the interesting bits. Her voice-over narration which usually serves as a bridge from one scene to the next is kept brief and informative (just enough to allow you to follow the next scene). In other words, she steps back and lets the crew tell their own story.

The sun isn't even up, and we see the crew descending on the location to set up lights and prepare the actors. We see Lucy getting her hair extensions put in (I never understood how those work, and even after seeing it happen right in front of my eyes, I still don't get how they blend so naturally into a person's hair--but the end result is certainly stunning). Lucy and her makeup artist discuss the blending and evolution of Xena's makeup over the years, which was quite interesting.

Meanwhile, Renee is being made up along with one of the female extras. She actually appears pretty chipper compared to the other people. Being protein-conscious, she's making breakfast out of a bowl of rather nasty looking porridge. She doesn't appear to be enjoying it at all, and threatens people with it until it's finally all gone. Yuck!

We cut to see Lucy, Renee, Adrienne, and William Gregory Lee, in robes, doing a walk through of a scene on location. Here, we get to see how the camera work is done and we see some clowning around with the crew. It's amazing how long it takes the crew to put on all the armor, bracelets, makeup touches, and so on before they can begin shooting. Sure, being an actor can be glamorous, but it looks like the daily grind is something else. Lot's of standing around and waiting.

A running gag begins when Lucy tells us to watch for a yam in every shot. Sure enough, Sharon uses a little teleprompter arrow to point out the yams as they appear in various places throughout the filming. Silly, sure, but it helps make the video less dry and introduces some of the wacky humor that we've heard permeates the set on this show.

Sharon then takes us to meet the various Xena horses at the horse farm. She uses a straight question-answer format to interview the various handlers as they parade the horses out to display their skills. Two of the horse handlers also work as Xena and Gabrielle doubles, so it's even interesting to see what they look like!

After some shots of the cast, in robes to stay warm, joking around, we get to meet Willa O'Neill, Gabrielle's sister, briefly as she goes in to get her old age makeup put on.

Then, we are treated to a well-done scene. Lucy, in voice-over, is discussing the large number of people working off camera you never see who put in just as much, if not more, work than they do. As she talks, Sharon gives us a time lapse shot of the outdoor shoot as they set up lights, cameras, props and so on. Letting you see the people, in fast motion, swarming all over the set really gives you a feel for the physical effort involved. It's dark, it's cold, and they're working their asses off. My hat goes off to them. Kind of reminds me of watching ants build an ant hill.

Now we get the kind of sequence I've been waiting for. They are filming the opening where Gabrielle runs out of the house and vows to kill Gurkhan. Sharon's camera is back, so we get an overview of the area, and we see how Renee is working with Michael to get into the proper mood for the shoot. They are very intense, and it's interesting to see how Lucy, who from interviews appears to be a much more intuitive actor, steps away to give them space to talk. You can see Lucy and Renee have been together so long, they know what the other requires to prepare to do their best in a shot. We can see the roots of their on-screen chemistry right here.

We see them do the shot, and as Gabrielle says "vengeance," as we saw in the episode, the sky opens up and a rain machine soaks her and Xena. Michael is speaking off screen about the dramatic impact of the rain, and how it gives it a Shakespearean aura. As he said this, I could almost see Shakespeare writing Xena. The dialogue is certainly clever enough to come from the bard (assuming he wrote in contemporary English), and the stories certainly have the intricacy and characterizations worthy of his greatest historical tragedies. Perhaps this is why Michael, who is known as a great Shakespearean actor in his own right, is drawn to continue working on the show. They are creating their own dramatic masterpieces.

Sharon remarks that she sees lots of activity, but nobody giving any orders. They all just know what to do. I guess that's the teamwork you get after six years together.

On what appears to be the next day, Co Executive Producer Eric Gruendemann gives us the story on "Rob's Folly," the ship that seems to pop up in every sea episode. This leads to some interesting shots of how the crew works on a very tiny space like the boat deck. Every time they change the camera angle, they have to move people and equipment out of the way.

Lucy and Renee arrive later, brought out on another, more modern boat. As we see Renee removing her outer wear and revealing her new season costume, Sharon cuts to a scene of Renee showing us her new outfit, and Renee gives us a "tour" of it, discussing how the sais work with the boots, the reasons for the changes in materials and styling, and so forth. She spends a great deal of time going over every facet of her outfit. Very interesting.

We cut back to Renee preparing for her scene on the boat. True to her method acting style, we see her again preparing mentally for the shot. She closes her eyes in concentration and moves dream-like through her moves with the sais. Then, as they yell "Action," Gabrielle suddenly appears from within this little blond girl. And as she says her lines, the intuitive Lucy strolls into the scene pretty much cold and becomes Xena. Amazing how their acting styles are so completely different, yet they mesh together on camera like they can read each others' minds.

Next, we see Xena being "dearmored" after the shot by her helpers. This cuts into a discussion with Lucy about her outfit. Again, we see a lot of difference in Renee and Lucy. Renee gave us a very, very detailed tour of her whole outfit, pointing every last thing out and offering her comments and observations. Lucy meanwhile, like Renee, starts with her boots, and is very descriptive as she works up to her waist. After this she makes a joke about her breast plate ("lifts and separates"), and points out the amazing hand-crafted metalwork that went into the trim. She makes a few interesting comments about the different versions of the costume they use for the stunt people and mentions her pregnancy outfit from last season, but she just basically says, "la-de-dah, that's it." The contrast: Renee is very serious, complete, and detailed; Lucy is flippant (she even gives us a glimpse of Xena's "knickers"), and just talks off the top of her head. But each points out interesting things, and the two scenes together are indicative of how the two actors think about their craft. To Renee, the costume is an extension of Gabrielle. To Lucy, the costume is a costume.

We see Lucy being made up for the slave market scene. I got the impression the actors don't so much wear their costumes, but that the costumes are almost sets that are built around the actors. Every last fold of cloth, every last dash of makeup, every bit of jewelry is painstakingly adjusted just before each camera roll.

While this is going on with Lucy, we get to see Renee at work on her harem dance routine with an instructor. Renee seems to be having a lot of fun learning something different this episode. She's smiling, and I am too as I watch her swivel her hips in her costume and full makeup. Again, Renee provides voice-over commentary about her training and the physical difficulties of the choreography.

Then, after working twelve hours, they go in for the read-through for "Haunting of Amphipolis." No wonder they look so tired at 6:30 in the evening! This time, the group examines the "scream factor" they want to achieve in what Rob calls the "Xena meets the Evil Dead" episode before they begin to tease apart the dialogue as before.

Next, we're shown what the actors do when they are not required for filming. No, they aren't reading or knitting, they're getting fitted for the next episode's costumes. Here, we see Renee being fit for the blue belted dress she will wear in "Haunting of Amphipolis." Again, Renee begins to describe the design process in rather elaborate detail as she did with her costume earlier. She then begins to search for words to describe some things, and at last resorts to pulling her costumer into the frame. She then proceeds to "interview" the woman. It is obvious all these people have respect for each other's jobs. Renee wants the woman to get her due in front of the fans, and even takes effort to introduce the other assistants as they begin to add her accessories to the dress.

We're then taken back to the filming, showing them shooting the scene where Gabrielle has finished her dance and Lucy jumps on her and knocks her out. Sharon allows the camera to keep rolling so we can see not only how the shot was done, but how the crew reacts afterwards and discusses ways to make the take better. Lucy even hits herself with a stick to make sure she won't hurt Renee with her blow. And we see them trying out different ways to play the scene, often saying lines over during the same shot. I assume they will depend on clever editing to produce a smoothly-flowing final product. You think of acting as going on a stage and playing a part, but we see here that many long dramatic moments actually consist of very small chunks of acting which are then strung together in the editing room.

Rob Gillies then comes on to talk about production design--that is, the job of creating the entire "look" of Xena, from the stage sets to the costumes to the types of actors they cast. It's interesting to note that they blend different historical periods together to achieve their look, much as they blend different histories together to obtain many of their plot lines. Jane Holland, the costume designer, then says pretty much the same thing about the costumes, how they are sort of taken from here and there. For "Gurkhan," the two periods being blended are the desert Middle East, where the exteriors are supposed to be (although they are filming in New Zealand), and the interior harem shots which were more oriental in theme.

Sharon then takes us to watch Renee rehearse her fight with the harem girl. There is interesting contrast to the way they practice the scene, in slow motion and with non-contact blows, but when the cameras start rolling, Renee really lets it fly! I can see why they need to choreograph these fights. If you were in the wrong place and Renee actually hit you, you'd feel it! And afterwards, the crew breaks into a hearty round of applause.

Remember the torture scene in the dungeon where a blood-dripping Xena is suspended upside down from the ceiling? Well, that wasn't done with computer animation. Here, we see what Lucy means when she says filming is a really grueling physical experience. She is doused in buckets of water (which she at least insisted on having heated) and then suspended from the ceiling by a chain around her ankles. Do they do the shot quickly and let her down? No, that's too easy! Gotta get the lighting right, touch up the makeup, make sure she's hanging in the right direction, place the pool of blood under her on the floor, and so on. Tell me that's not uncomfortable! I've really gained a new respect for Lucy and her dedication to this show. One can only assume Renee and the others also face challenges like this from time to time. My hat is off to them all! (And the yams are back if you look quickly!)

We then see them applying Lucy's beat up prosthetic eye. Even these kinds of things cause problems and discomfort, which Lucy points out in good-natured, it's-all-in-a-day's-work detail. This leads to one of those bizarre scenes you don't expect when Lucy breaks into singing Barry Manilow songs with a bloody eye. I didn't know whether to laugh or gag!

Lucy shot the scene in the dungeon with Gurkhan that day, but had to go back and repeat the experience a week later for her fantasy sequence when Gabrielle appears to her. Sharon filmed both times, and she treats us to a great double exposure when we can see them filming the two shots simultaneously, but the dialogue blends seamlessly so we get a feeling for how they plan on editing it together. Simply stunning.

After that intensity, we are treated to some humorous banter between Renee and Lucy as they wait between shots, and Lucy begins to tell us about some of the pranks she likes to play with her used prosthetics. She's got Renee totally cracking up by the time she's done.

Speaking of silly, we then see a long sequence showing Michael directing the stars through the scene in which Xena returns from the dungeon to the harem and is comforted by Gabrielle. Two things interest me here. First we get a good idea of what the director's part in this is. He doesn't just yell "roll" and sit back and watch. He is constantly running about the set, not so much messing with technical stuff, but addressing the mood, the action, and especially talking to the actors to let them know exactly what he's trying to get them to achieve in each shot. The silly part? He's in a dress the whole time! Seems the crew likes to lighten up with "theme days" occasionally, the most popular of which is "frock day," which we get to see here. Yes, the camera pans around, and many of the crew are dressed, well, colorfully! The guys obviously work long, hard days, and it's interesting to see how they try to keep things fun all the while.

Just so we know there are a lot of people involved (like we haven't figured that out yet!), Sharon gives us a shot of them filming the scene in the bath where Xena and Gabrielle discuss killing Gurkhan. In the show, it's a very intimate scene, shot mainly in close-up, but here we see all the distractions the actors must ignore, as a small army of film makers and equipment is shoved right up in their faces for the shot. They must overdub much of the final dialogue, since Michael seems to have few qualms about giving verbal directions while the cameras are recording.

We see how the makeup is designed for Xena's harem dance scene, and then we get to compare Lucy's preparation for a dance with Renee's. Again, Renee studies hard and fusses over every detail while Lucy seems to get a few last minute instructions from the dance teacher and then just does it. By the end, the crew is hooting and hollering, and a few of the ladies are fanning themselves in the heat of the moment. I'll bet it was a few minutes before Gurkhan could stand up after Lucy straddles that long black veil!

Next we get to see the part where Gabrielle attacks Gurkhan in his bed chamber and decides not to kill him after all. In another fascinating voice-over, we hear the analytical Renee speaking of Gabrielle's motivations and the psychological ramifications of her actions here. This leads into a detailed discussion with Michael about the exact way she will play out the scene, blow-by-blow. Sharon then shows them filming the final scene when all that talk boils down to action and drama. It's interesting to note that the bed is soft, so when Gabrielle stands up to kick Gurkhan, to keep from falling, one of the stage hands holds her out-of-camera arm to steady her. I tell ya, there's a lot more going on here than we ever see in the episode!

Well, what else is there to say? We get to see Xena's body double, at the end of the day, washing off her brown makeup and letting it run down the drain. After seeing all their skin imperfections in the read-throughs, you realize these are just regular people like you and me, just doing their (occasionally glamorous) jobs, and they must have a goodly amount of makeup on to look so flawless on the television. Yes, it's all an illusion, folks, but what an entertaining illusion. And it was quite generous of the cast to allow us to see them warts-and-all (just an expression--I saw no warts during the show, only yams). No prima donnas working here. If you loved Lucy and Renee before, this video will only endear them to you further, showing their professionalism, down-to-earth personalities, and sense of fun.

And before the end credits roll, we see Lucy, Renee, and one of the crew driving off, late at night, car pooling home. They are cheerful and singing, and although it looked a bit staged for Sharon's camera, it was still a perfect way to end the documentary. Just have to say, though, that Renee's hair looks like hell now that she's got it out of those braided corn rows she wore through most of the episode. I wonder how long it takes it to regain its shape again?

Next up, ten minutes of bloopers from season five. I really don't feel I should comment on them too much. Most of these things you just simply have to see.

This blooper reel is pretty much the same as all the other blooper reels from the previous fan kits. For those of you who haven't had the pleasure to view one of these yet, it is simply a compilation of goof ups from last season. You see actors flubbing their lines, breaking into uncontrollable laughter during dramatic scenes, and screwing up fight scenes in every possible way. They drop swords, armor falls off unexpectedly, things get tangled or break. If you've never seen the show, it probably wouldn't mean much to you, but it's interesting to see other takes of things you remember seeing last year.

In one of the best shots, an extra gets axed in the chest, and when he falls on his back, the axe handle spins around and whacks him right in the face! Talk about adding insult to injury! Perhaps the highlight of this reel, for me, is watching Joxer, in a head stock, trade lines with Gabrielle, who has the back of her head to us. Ted Raimi screws up a line, and when they redo it, it gets screwed up worse. We watch as the whole scene gradually breaks apart, Ted spitting his lines out over and over while Renee tries to keep up with the confusion, until they both dissolve into fits of laughter. This is as funny as any of the bits that make it onto the air!

My summary of the blooper tape: if you watch Xena, you want to see this. No better or worse than any of the other blooper reels, but they are all worth watching. It'll give you some chuckles.

As for the behind-the-scenes documentary, I have to say this blew me away totally! Hell, I'll give it a whopping six chakram rating (an extra chakram for the heightened sense of reality, I guess!). I was expecting some cheesy little bit of film that only a Xena fan could love, but they produced an excellent documentary showing the backstage workings of a major television show. Would it fly on PBS? Damn straight it would! Sharon, as she always does in her writing for the Chakram magazine, has managed to get in and show the fans what they want. She primarily keeps herself out of the way and allows these fascinating people to speak for themselves. The camera work is perfect, getting up close to see how Gabrielle's sais fit in her boots to zooming back to give us magnificent views of the crew in action. Lucy and Renee both seem to welcome the camera and are happy to act as guides into their world, and the crew seem flattered that people are interested in what they do. You are left with a real feeling for the camaraderie this crew has, and especially the hard work they put in. If you ever wanted to see a director in action, Michael Hurst really shows us how it's done. The fact it all looks so easy when you see the show finished is a testament to their professional skills. This is one fact-packed hour (no commercials here!) which anyone interested in the world of television would probably find illuminating. There's not a dull moment, and I'm left with a richer appreciation for the show and all that went into it. I don't think you could ask for much more. If you don't have this tape, go buy it right now! It's a shame this is only available to people in the fan club. They should show it on TV.

My only beef? I wish Sharon had interviewed Joseph LoDuca, their music writer. I understand he lives in Detroit, not New Zealand, so I understand his not being around. Still, his scores do as much as any of the set decorators or costumers to set the mood, and we all know he's won awards for his work. Perhaps on the flight back, they could've stopped briefly and filmed him in his home studio discussing how he'll handle the score for this episode. A minor quibble, but I guess in an hour, they can't talk to everybody!

As for Renee O'Connor, all I can say is, that girl just turns me on! I knew I loved the character Gabrielle, but here, as herself, Renee really comes off as a sweet, generous, beautiful, and above all, intelligent woman (yes, much like Gabrielle herself). Big sigh! Why doesn't she ever get to do the television interview rounds like Lucy? I'll bet she'd give great interview. She certainly does in print, and she is very open and talkative here on camera.

Overall, a job very, very well done. Thanks, Sharon!
Rick & Friend (Gabriologist since the late 20th Century)
Visit my web site at ricks-studio.com for Episode Reviews,
Humorous Quotes, and other Xena-themed writing!

"So that's how we do that stuff!" --Gabrielle, watching the Behind-the-Scenes video
"Cut! Renee, let's discuss your motivation here." --Michael Hurst, director
"Let's discuss your motivation for wearing that dress!" --Gabrielle
"Have a yam!" --Michael, trying to change the conversation