>A few things really bothered me about this episode (in no particular order):
>
> 1) Rubio - just plain annoying! Obviously there for some sort of comic relief, which failed IMHO.
>
With no Joxer to kick around anymore I guess they had to have someone! Plus he came in
handy explaining to Virgil (and us) about what was going on with the cannibals.
> 2) Why would the cannibals smear the mud (which I actually thought was supposed to be some sort
> of barbecue sauce!) OVER Gabby's clothes? They weren't going to eat the clothes, so you'd think
> they would have removed the clothes before putting her over the pit! So whatever purpose the
> mud/sauce served, a lot of it was wasted. And why in the world would they have cooked their food
> alive?? Except for poor lobsters, people always kill their prey before cooking it - and usually
> cut it up for more even cooking. Obviously the writers couldn't kill her off, but from the
> cannibals' perspective, this made no sense.
>
Didn't think of that -- stripping the clothes off (no need to comment on Gab being stripped
since I'm sure everyone was thinking the same thing ). But cooking them alive, I guess, was kind
of like stewing them in their own juices. Plus, if you stab them, you lose the self-basting juices!
> 3) For people who survive on eating other people, you'd think they would be better fighters (so
> as to be able to capture their prey). That fight scene where they are running back in forth
> endlessly in the background was SO ridiculous! Clearly the director wanted a lot of action, but
> it was distracting and dumb and pointless. X & G & V & R were so outnumbered, that any kind of
> organized attack should have allowed the cannibals to subdue them.
>
Happens all the time - they only attack in ones and twos (sometimes maybe in threes). Maybe
they're afraid they will be hit by their own men if they crowd in too close.
> 4) I think Joe LoDuca is a genius and the music he wrote for this series was absolutely
> brilliant - but some of the music for this episode was totally out of place - it sounded like
> something out of Bonanza or a spaghetti western! Totally wrong feel. I guess one mistake out of 6
> seasons isn't too bad, but this was such a blunder that I'm amazed it got through the editing
> process. If there wasn't time to write/record something more appropriate, they could have
> recycled other music from any time in the preceding 5 seasons!
>
I rarely pay attention to the music since it's mostly backround mood music. About the only
time I know I really noticed it was the music Tara was dancing to in "A Tale of Two Muses." It was
simply beautiful!
> All that being said, the interactions between Xena and Gabrielle saved the day and made the
> episode! As David so succinclty put it, "Exactly why we watch them."
>
As wonderful as it was, it's probably a good thing it doesn't happen too frequently,
othrwise it might get humdrum and lose that special-ness. You can't eat steak and/or lobster
everyday.
> I've been very busy with "real life" lately, so I haven't had the opportunity to comment on
> episodes, but overall I think David has been pretty close to the mark with his season 6 ratings.
> Thanks, David, for keeping this episode review project going, even when the rest of us seem to be
> slacking off.
>
> Laura
>
I certainly understand that "real life" thing. It's always there!!
Sometimes I do wonder if anyone is reading the critiques. But since I'm enjoying going
through the eps again, I'm happy to do it.
I used to swap emails regularly with a young lady in Australia. But her real life was
higher education and working, so she's been pretty busy. But I did get a note from her that she
does check out the critiques occasionally.
Not sure what will happen when I get through the end of this season (which I figure should
come about the middle of November). I'll be on vacation the second week of September so I might
miss one week.
David
