Xena: Warrior Princess (TV Series) Hooves and Harlots (1995) User Reviews

As much fun as I remembered

[silvrhairdevil-79247 · 8/10 · 27 October 2019]

I really enjoyed this episode. What's not to like? There was the content that kept the teens of 1995 watching - scantily clad lithe women dancing in a circle, undulating to the beat of a drum.

There were very well constructed centaurs. I'm not savvy enough to be able to tell CGI from camera trickery; I thought they looked and moved just fine.

There were several realistic stick fights and demos for the martial arts fans and we saw Gabrielle develop some skills.

I'm fortunate to be able to see these old episodes. The CTV Sci-Fi channel is airing them and I'm recording them. And you thought bingeing GOT was bad...

A good load of firsts

[Joxerlives · 7/10 · 30 May 2021]

The Good; Amazons and Centaurs for the first time and both are great, our first meeting with Ephiny, Gabby becomes a Princess and gets her first staff. Love her dancing too.

The Bad; a little obvious who the villain is

Best lines-Xena; "These tracks weren't made by Centaurs"

Ephiny (handling some dung); " You're right, this has hay in it, Centaur don't eat hay".

Xena; "No I meant Centaur's put all their weight on their front hooves"

Ephiny (rapidly ditching the dung); "Oh".

Xena cliches; ?

The pinch; 2 Village threatened by warlord; 2 Xena wounded; 1 Xena doppelganger; 1 Traitorous aide; 1 Fire-breathing; 2, Hot tub; 2, Xena in bondage 2, Gabby in bondage 2, Gabby the black widow; 1.

Xena invents; the tracheotomy and handgliding.

Notches on the headpost;?

Calling Captain Subtext; ?

Twisted history; various explanations for Centaurs, my favourite is Zeus lustfully pursuing his daughter Aphrodite but when she eludes him he "spills his seed on the ground" causing them to spring forth (hence why we don't see any females?). Interestingly they were tasked by Zeus to guard the infant Dionysos from the machinations of Hera? Various explanations as to the Amazons too, one of which is that their first queen Otrera was the daughter of Ares, maybe Xena is a more of an Amazon than she thinks?

Bodycount; byebye one Amazon princess and 2 more kills for Xena

Xena; 19 humans + one giant bird.

Notes; not exactly sure that the Amazons would appreciate being referred to as "harlots"? The great Alison Bruce in the first of 5 separate roles she has in the Xenaverse, also popping up in Hercules and even Young Hercules. Very much I think the ep where Gabby starts to come into her own, she demonstrates such courage and is more than Xena's shadow.

7/10.

Introducing the Amazons and the Centaurs

[reb-warrior · 10/10 · 18 March 2021]

The Amazons and Centaurs are enemies. Terreis, an Amazon princess, is killed. It appears Phantes, a Centaur, did it. He is captured, and if he is executed it will start a war. Xena and Gabrielle are caught up in the middle, as Xena investigates Terreis' death believing that someone else killed her, and Gabrielle becomes an Amazon Princess.

I was thinking about how Gabrielle threw herself over Terreis' body to protect her from the arrows. "What you did, only an Amazon would do for another Amazon." I have to disagree with this. People will sacrifice themselves to save others in real life and in this very show. But I understand her sentiment. The Amazons live an isolated life and don't think very highly of men and anything outside their society. They're kind of misanthropic actually about outside society. Their culture has seen the consequence of others, and this has shaped their worldview.

Gabrielle becomes an Amazon Princess which is kind of cool. She's mainly comical in this episode as she learns to train and has funny banter with Ephiny. Ephiny is a good example I think of an Amazon not trusting outsiders. As it's apparent she doesn't trust Xena in the beginning or Gabrielle. In fact, she's really jittery. But she's smart as she investigates who killed Terreis. She's willing to look at other ideas about what happened.

Why didn't Xena and Ephiny present the arrow evidence to Queen Melosa? That along with the grassy poop would have been even more compelling. Seemed odd to me that they left that key piece of evidence out. Speaking of Melosa, the actress did a great job. She has a certain "I'm in command and don't mess with me" presence. Loved the fight between Xena and Melosa. Especially love when Xena chose chobos as the choice of weapons, in which it seems obvious that it's Melosa's best weapon.

Phantes has one of the most memorable and funny quotes in this episode:

Xena: "I'm not an Amazon."

Phantes: "If it looks like a hydra, and moves like a hydra, it's a hydra."

The great battle of Corinth comes up about how Xena and her army battle the Centaurs in the past. Love that later on in the series that story is fleshed out in season's two, "Orphan of War" and in season's four, "Past Imperfect."

Well, this episode accomplished a lot. It introduced the Amazons and Centaurs. They will go on to appear in many more stories. Gabrielle becomes an Amazon princess which will contribute to her growth and development as the series goes on. And there's a mention of things that occurred in Xena's past that will get fleshed out later in the series. I love that they managed to get so much in including lots of action, dramatic moments, and comedy(thanks to Gabrielle). 10/10.

Salute to Xena - A 25th Anniversary Review

[skullface2020 · 10/10 · 19 March 2020]

An epic episode where we meet both the Amazons and centaurs for the first time. Gabrielle becomes royalty, and Xena ends an old blood feud in order to prevent a war.

SYNOPSIS

While traveling through a woods, Xena and Gabrielle fall into the custody of the Amazons upon whose hunting land they have entered. They need to get permission from Amazon queen Melosa in order to secure safe passage, but they are all ambushed before arriving safely to the Amazon base. Gabrielle shields as friendly young Amazon named Terreis with her own body in order to protect her from a hail of arrows, but it's too late. With her last breath Terries thanks Gabrielle and bestows her right of cast upon her. Xena does not notice this fact. They make it to the Amazon base, and centaur by the name of Krykus is placed in custody for the murderous attack. While Xena heads off to speak with Krykus' father King Tyldus, Gabrielle finds out that gaining the right of cast from the deceased Amazon Terries means that she inherits everything from her. Gabrielle is now an Amazon princess!

Xena asks King Tyldus to not wage war against the Amazons. She personally knows just how excellent the centaurs are at war since they are intelligent, quick, and agile. However, King Tyldus says that war will happen if he does not get Krykus back, and that Xena will also be in danger of centaur wrath if it comes to this. Meanwhile, Gabrielle is learning all about Amazon life, and how proficient weapon use is important to them. She enjoys learning how to use a fighting staff, but is terrified to learn that it's her job to carry out the execution of Krykus tomorrow at noon. Xena believes that Krykus did not murder the young Amazon, and that neither the centaurs or Amazons really want a war with each other (even though they do have a very troubled past). She is not alone in this theory, as the young Amazon warrior Ephiny doubts Krykus' guilt as well. Xena and Ephiny secretly investigate the murder scene during the night, and find some potent evidence that show a man mounted on a horse, and not a centaur, may be the one responsible. They also find centaur arrows at the encampment of human men who work as weapons merchants. This bolsters Xena's theory that arms dealer Mesas committed the murder in order to start a war from which he would profit.

The following morning Xena tells Queen Melosa that the execution cannot go forth since Krykus is innocent. This does not go over well, but Gabrielle has the right to fight the queen over the disagreement. Fortunately, she can also have Xena fight in her place as her champion, and this is the wise decision she makes. After an intense duel between the two, Xena defeats Melosa, and the execution is on hold. Suddenly they notice that the centaurs have surrounded the Amazon camp in order to prevent the execution. Xena explains to all parties the powerful evidence she found that has resulted in Krykus' release and reuniting with his father. She also points the blame for the murder to the one human who is tagging alone with the centaurs; Celano, a cowardly pathetic looking man. Celano flees while the centaurs and Amazons decide to work together to attack the camp of arms dealer Mesas.

It's a complete blowout as the surprised human men are no match for combined force containing centaurs, Amazon warriors, and of course Xena. In a huge moment, Gabrielle fights successfully as she shows off her new skills using a warrior's staff. Xena kills the coward Celano, and Melosa detains Mesas in order to put him on trail for his crimes. The centaurs and Amazons have made friendship thanks to both Xena and Gabrielle. As a farewell, Xena reminds them that although their friendship will be fruitful, the temptation to renew war is often not far off.

NOTES

The Amazons and centaurs live according to their values, and they always take care of their own. Gabrielle is now a princess. To quote the Amazon princess Terries killed at the beginning of the episode, "It's a man's world, Gabrielle. Not because it should be, but because we let them have it."

Enter: Amazons, Centaurs, Queen Melosa, Ephiny, Krykus, King Tyldus

Hooves and Harlots

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 21 September 2018]

No horsing around here. The special effects budget had to be rammed up as they had to create male centaurs.

Xena and Gabrielle enter the land of the Amazon nation, female warriors who suddenly come under attack. Terreis, the sister of the Amazon queen is mortally wounded. Gabrielle shields her from further arrows. Before she dies, Terreis gives Gabrielle her Right of Cast that makes her an Amazon princess and responsible for avenging Terreis' death.

The Amazons blame the Centaurs for the attack and hold captive the son of the Centaur leader.

Xena figures that someone is trying to start a war between the Amazons and the Centaurs. She thinks a warlord will benefit from the impending war between the two races.

Gabrielle acquires a staff to aid her walking in this episode, Xena shows her many uses of the staff that includes use of combat.

It is a nicely done episode but I noticed that there is already a trend where some third party wants two tribes to go to war for their own personal benefit.