The Execution

Note: Like A Day in the Life, this was just some musings I put on the mailing lists, so it doesn't quite count as a full-blown wool-gathering. But it's getting there!

I didn't think this episode was one of the Great Ones. I didn't have too many problems with Gabrielle wanting to defend Meleager at all costs, for the sake of the plot, but come on, this is our bard here. The best she could come up with at the trial was "whatever he did, I'm sure he didn't do it?" I don't mind Gabrielle acting like a very young woman - that's what she IS - but I would have liked to see her act with a bit more intelligence (or at least better fast-talk) than she did.

Michael's comparison to the old Westerns was spot on, I think, and it didn't occur to me until he said that. Well called! You're right, that's exactly the flavor it had. But when we're talking about parallels with other movies/classic TV shows, what else did this episode remind you of? A man wrongly accused of murder? Escaped and on the run from a single-minded arbiter of justice? Using a one-eyed man as an alibi? Sounded a heckuva lot like The Fugitive to me.

And kudos to Thomerson, the actor who plays Meleager! He's had a fine comedic touch in both his episodes. Re: the rather sudden father-figure thing (or maybe "daughter-figure" would be more appropriate): I think we might have seen Gab's actual father in passing in Sins of the Past, but other than Lilla, we haven't seen anything of her real family, have we? I have the impression both her parents are still alive, but we haven't gotten to see anything of them, even in The Prodigal. Go figure.

And in spite of its faults, The Execution gets credit for creating one more Xena fan. I've been talking with a friend at work about Xena for the past few weeks. She's never really gotten into it, until this Monday when she grabbed me first thing in the morning to tell me "I can't believe it! I was channel-flipping and spotted Xena... and she caught an arrow IN HER TEETH! I loved it!" Ahhh, she's finally hooked. That was my favorite scene in the episode, too. "Ya dropped these." Classic Xena!

Oh, the fight between Xena and Meleager was a classic, macho, warrior, throw-down-your-weapons-and-let's-duke-it-out-till-we-see-wh o-can-still-stand battle, and they both loved it. Nothing like a good brawl to let off some steam.

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