After the startling finale of Season 4, Xena swings back into action with its fifth Season, that stands as my second favourite after the iconic Season 3. It’s epic, enjoyable and has almost everything you’d want from the show. Be warned, spoilers may well follow in this overview of the penultimate season.
We pick up as Xena( Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle( Renée O’Connor) are ascending into heaven following their brutal crucifixion.
Following a battle between demons and angels, the two are restored to life by healer Eli . Joxer( Ted Raimi) once more joins them and finally tells Gabrielle his true feelings, which leads to a certain awkwardness between them but once more eases to friendship again. At first, following resurrection, Xena is not herself at all. The memories of being a warlord and her skill in battle are gone. Luckily, once creating a new and improved Chakram that links almost telepathically to her, Xena is back to herself again. Many changes, however, await her back in the land of the living. Chief among these is the fact that she discovers she is pregnant but hasn’t been with anyone in an intimate capacity. Xena still fights when the occasion arises, yet Gabrielle, who herself has honed her fighting skills and ditched the way of peace, is the one who takes up arms more readily this time around. We also have Ares(Kevin Smith) on the prowl, trying to get Xena on side by attempting to sway Gabrielle and those around her. This locks them all in a battle of wills as Ares is a difficult guy to resist, though for once he does seem to be quite genuine in his feelings for Xena. Once Xena gives birth to a daughter named Eve, all matter of evil seems fixated on it. This is because of the prophecy regarding ‘The Twilight of the Gods’; a time when humans will grow tired of Gods and will rise up causing those who have supernatural power to lose such abilities. 
It happens to Zeus, which angers other Gods who will stop at nothing to rid the earth of this child and sets in motion the aforementioned Twilight. Although Xena attempts to protect Eve, she knows that the God’s won’t give up in their search. With help from allies, she, Gabrielle and trick the God’s into believing they are dead, while Eve is placed in safety. What they hadn’t counted on was Ares really believing them and thinking he has lost Xens, he freezes their bodies. Awakening 25 years later, the duo find things have changed. Joxer is now near elderly and even has a skilled fighter son named Virgil(William Gregory Lee), plus the terror Rome has been through Greece. To Xena’s shock, her daughter has grown up to be a vicious warrior who goes by the name of Livia( Adrienne Wilkinson), and kills indiscriminately like Xena in her brutal past. The big question is can Xena and Gabrielle help reform Livia back into Eve before it’s too late and any more devastation can hit?
At this point in the series, I think producers knew exactly what they were doing and how to do it with a lot of confidence. Not that they didn’t know what they were doing before, I simply mean that obviously after a few years working on a show the formula is definitely set up and ready to fire on all cylinders. And once more we are given excitement, adventure along with depth, humour and character, which can’t be faulted and display the creative efforts of many at some of their finest. These are all things fans know and love the show for and in its penultimate series, it supplies them with this assortment of qualities. The music from the very talented Joseph LoDuca is again a high point . Although for the first half Xena doesn’t fight as much as usual(owing to the character’s pregnancy and the fact that Lucy Lawless was pregnant in real life too), it helps establish how much Gabrielle has learned throughout her travels and aids episodes that are Xena-lite. It compliments both, though it’s a kick to see Xena get back to fighting once more following the birth of her daughter. Season 5 is not flawless but the vast majority of it makes it a favourite of mine along with the aforementioned third season. Like that season, this one just has so much good in it that it’s essential viewing for quality and the atmosphere. The only real flaw is the role of Amarice, a scrappy Amazon who is actually lying that was seen late last season. She travels with the group but I just feel like she’s pretty superfluous to the stories and not really that interesting. Jennifer Sky does her best, but the character is rather forgettable. And some episodes in the middle area feel a bit like filler but are at least redeemed by the main bulk of successful episodes that showcase Xena at some of its most fun and darkly epic.
We open with the sensational “Fallen Angel”, which gets Season 5 off to a flying start. As Xena and Gabrielle arrive in heaven, a battle between angels and demons headed by Callisto. Gabrielle is pulled to hell, while Xena ascends. Soon the switching of roles and possibility of redemption and resurrection appears. The settings of heaven and hell are excellent as are the scores of angels, some very skilled in fighting and the vicious demons with their bloodthirsty intent engaging in intense battles. 
The episode looks fantastic with the sets for heaven and hell really standing out and backing up the themes at work. Xena transfers her light to Callisto( Hudson Leick signing off in emotional style) in order to save Gabrielle, making Callisto a newly born angel and restoring the good that would have been there if they’d never crossed paths. Its a sublime opening episode that contains action, heart and imagination which are all touchstones of the show. We finish with healer Eli, with the unbeknownst to him help from reformed Callisto, bringing Xena and Gabrielle back to life. Guilt, redemption and vengeance are the starting blocks and go to themes that are always explored well, and they help kick this season off with a bang and a promise of what’s more to come. Another zinger comes courtesy of tongue in cheek “Animal Attraction” with its anachronistic western references and the various facets of love playing out. In it, Xena journeys to help an old friend locked in a battle with her sheriff like ex. Funniest is Xena stopping bickering by announcing her pregnancy, much to the surprise of everyone. The spirit of the villainous Alti returns in ‘Them Bones, Them Bones’. Here she is attempting to corrupt Xena’s unborn child snd bring it into the darkness. With trippy angles and striking imagery of bloodstreams, animals, and lights, it’s a visual feast. Plus. there’s nice tipping of the hat to Jason and the Argonauts, with Xena and Alti’s spirits doing battle as reanimated statues. to I am a sucker for stuff like this and a returning Alti is once more a compelling villain who is devious and a worthy adversary for Xena.
A big emotional and important episode is found in ‘Seeds of Faith’ .Peace preaching Eli tries to rally the people into waging a war of love against the Gods. Ares doesn’t take kindly to this and Eli dies a martyr at the hands of Ares, prompting consternation between everyone of whether his death meant anything or not. Watching the various reactions to his death is fascinating as everyone is wrestling with different paths of life and which way is correct, sublimely realised and displayed. As an audience, we do finally hear of the impending ‘Twilight of the Gods’ which enlivens events and sets the stage for much more drama. And crucially we finally learn how Xena’s pregnancy came into motion with the now reformed Callisto explaining that she is to be reincarnated and that she chose Xena to be the one who carries her spirit. It’s her way of giving something back to her old nemesis and at this point both women are even and have achieved redemption and atonement for their actions against the other. It is emotional and thrilling to watch. A big standout of an episode in a season thats by and large stacked with quality. Then we have “Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire”, a lively musical episode that stands out and isn’t a carbon copy of ‘The Bitter Suite’ in Season 3. We find Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer out to stop a war brewing over who gets possession of an incredibly powerful lyre. To quell any fighting or further violence, Xena organises a battle of the bands to see who’ll claim it. The addition of modern songs in an old setting is rather inspired and the anachronistic instances are a real hoot. There’s also the sensational and scintillating “Amphipolis Under Siege”, which is one of my favourite episodes so far. It blends drama, crafty action and twisty turns that make it a special treat. In it, the goddess of war Athena( played very well and with an unnerving poise by Paris Jefferson ). It must be said that Athena isn’t completely without heart, she respects Xena yet knows that in order to preserve the Gods she must carry out a heinous act. Anyhow, she mounts a siege around Xena’s hometown, the villagers however are rallied to protect Baby Eve. Twists and turns abound as Xena goes into battle against Athena, with each showing just how skilful they are in the art of manipulation. Ares thinks he has Xena onside but he’s ultimately used by Xena and Gabrielle, much to his chagrin developed what seems to be genuine feelings for the warrior. I particularly enjoyed seeing how well Xena and Gabrielle played everyone to perfection to protect Eve. 
The battles are exceptional choreographed and exciting( as is Xena running from flames in an inspired shot)and the personal drama of Xena, plus backup, doing anything for Eve is very involving. Plus, you have to watch carefully to see if you’ve uncovered the subterfuge used which is always quite fun in my book and it’s sneakily done. In short, a fantastic episode that’s fast moving yet still makes time for story, in the show and how on my favourites list. Then there is a sensational run of episodes that are simply dazzling and surprising, chief among these ‘Looking Death in the Eye” “Eve” and “Motherhood” . In ‘Looking Death in the Eye’, a visibly aged Joxer narrates the last adventure of Xena and Gabrielle, before their ‘deaths’. This framing device is suitably intriguing and leads to many twists as the dynamic duo fool the God’s but find themselves inadvertently setting in motion something even more startling. We discover events little by little in a fantastically staged episode that really sets the scene for what’s to come and throws up some cool surprises for the viewer. In ‘Eve’, Xena is in pursuit of her daughter after revealing her identity to her. It’s interesting to watch as it’s a flip of the situation with Hope and Gabrielle claiming she was just an innocent child, the only difference being it is now Xena in the hot seat having to contend with knowledge that her child has grown up to be a murderer. What really shocks is the slaying of Joxer by Livia/Eve’s hands, which genuinely shocks as he does diein bravery thought obviously weakened by age. And who can forget the finale of ‘Motherhood!‘, truly extraordinary and exhilarating viewing as the Twilight begins and Xena takes on the almighty Gods of Olympus.
Our main cast is once more on sensational form having truly grown and shaped their roles, it’s hard to picture any of them being played by anyone better. 
Lucy Lawless, of intense, blue eyes and oodles of appeal is on hand as the eponymous warrior atoning for her past crimes. She also has the strength and protective love of the character as she becomes a mother who can also kick ass when it’s needed. Xena is a woman of many facets, from tough, sarcastic fighter to smart, emotional woman who is flawed but likeable. You can’t ask for anyone better at getting across all these different angles to Xena than Lucy Lawless. She is Xena, it’s as simple as that. The same can be said of Renée O’Connor, who has charted the journey of Gabrielle from tag along to powerhouse assailant with a heart. Renée O’Connor clearly relishes getting to show more physicality than ever in the part yet keeping hold of a decent enough worldview. She’s more steely and ready to do what needs to be done with a dash of cynicism, while not completely forgetting her depth and understanding. Lawless and O’Connor once more bounce off each other with great ease and conviction. Although his character is often divisive among the show’s fandom, Joxer makes his mark again for the last time courtesy of Ted Raimi. He gives the character both humour and immense depth that we really feel sad when he meets his end. 
Despite arriving late in the season, Adrienne Wilkinson makes an impact. Kevin Smith does some of his finest work here, shading Ares with a deep brooding and what seems like a genuine love for Xena. It’s nice seeing that he actually appears to care, rather than just the bravado he puts across as the God of War. Playing Livia/Eve, she is handed the difficult task of essentially playing two disparate characters in a short period of time. Thankfully, she rises to the occasion and displays both a vicious cunning and a redemptive desire in her run of episodes, balancing between both personas wonderfully. William Gregory Lee portrays the son of Joxer as someone more skilled than their father but with a similar temperament and humour to match fighting skills. I’m interested to see the development of the newer characters on here, particularly Eve.
Below are my episode rankings:
- Fallen Angel – A+
- Chakram -B+
- Succession – B-
- Animal Attraction – A
- Them Bones, Them Bones -A
- Purity – B
- Back in the Bottle – C
- Little Problems – D-
- Seeds of Faith – A+
- Lyre, Lyre, Hearts on Fire – A
- Punch Lines – B
- God Fearing Child – B+
- Eternal Bonds – B+
- Amphipolis Under Siege – A+
- Married with Fishsticks – D-
- Lifeblood – B
- Kindred Spirits – B
- Antony and Cleopatra – A
- Looking Death in the Eye – A+
- Livia – A
- Eve – A+
- Motherhood – A+
Season 5 is a sensational penultimate season of Xena that boasts some of the best the show has to offer, I’m mightily satisfied and looking forward to the last season that awaits me.
They are both chained to pipes and between them is a bloodied corpse holding a cassette player and a revolver. Both men seem to have no recollection of how they arrived in this dank, disused place. Soon discovering that the room is filled with clues and objects that may be useful, the two men use the cassette player to listen to the messages left. A gargled voice explains that Lawrence’s wife Allison(Monica Potter)and daughter Diana have been kidnapped and will be killed if Lawrence doesn’t kill Adam by a certain time. Adam is urged to escape, though it seems the only way to do that is to saw off his foot and crawl to hopeful safety. Soon memories start coming back to Lawrence who realises something awful about their predicament. Him and Adam are part of an elaborate and disturbing game set up by The Jigsaw Killer(Tobin Bell). He is a man who puts people who don’t appreciate life in horrifying situations involving torture to see how much they want to survive. As time keeps ticking by, we also witness a former detective named David Tapp(Danny Glover) who had previously runs in with Jigsaw, becoming dangerously obsessed with finding him. Both scenarios promise much in the way of horror and brutality for everyone involved with a killer twist.
There is definite gore and much unpleasant imagery to behold( like one unfortunate victim of Jigsaw in a maze of barbed wire), but it’s often shown briefly or in ways that don’t display everything. Take for instance when we see a victim of Jigsaw with a reverse bear trap strapped to her head. Instructed by the madman to retrieve the key to release her from sudden death, she must brutally kill a sedated man and find the object in his stomach. It would have been easy to make it a full on bloodbath, but Wan chooses to speed up footage and only display various parts do that our imagination does the rest of the work and makes us picture the horror. It’s one of many scenes where you see bits of the gore but it’s largely left up to us to visualise what is happening in the story in that particular grisly. 
Granted the set up is simple but effective, but Wan and Whannell are clearly interested in playing with the formula as well as injecting some pertinent questions on the nature of morality and desperation. Saw isn’t without its flaws( sometimes the script shows that it’s from a novice and a few times things can move too quickly to focus), yet this shouldn’t detract from a creepy as well as horrifying film that knows how to get under your skin. It’s hard to forget the clown like puppet that acts as the terrifying mouthpiece for Jigsaw, uttering the now infamous line “ I want to play a game”. This moment and visual has become synonymous with the film and rightfully so as it’s chilling. One of the best elements in Saw is the score from Charlie Clouser. It has an industrial influence that hums away with an electronic pulse that underscores the mounting terror of the film. 
Occasionally both actors go a little overboard( especially Whannell in a few stretches), but what still remains is good acting as we buy into the shared terror between them that can’t be denied. Sure no Oscars are coming their way for this, but they are acceptably good in their given parts and sell a lot of the horror we witness. They must be commended for holding our attention as the people who are basically on screen the most from start to finish. 
