If the Shoe Fits

This episode may be the most direct attempt at another "Day in the Life" that I've seen yet. Running jokes thread through the episode, Xena and Gabrielle are bickeringly cutely with each other (and taking potshots at Joxer along the way), and... well, ONE of them hits the water, anyways. This episode has a strong dash of the farce side in it, too, with the goofball costumes and storylines of the ongoing tale to Alesia mixing it up with the real events. It was crazed, it was bizarre, it made very little sense, and I was chuckling my way through most of it. Hey, it worked for me.

Now THERE'S an opening sequence that'll stop channel-surfers in their tracks. Gabrielle, what fine back muscles you have! All the better to shower with, my dear!

The big question of the episode: Is this the end of the Bilious Green Sports Bra? Or will it make as speedy a comeback as Xena's whip did after A Day in the Life?

Speaking of the BGSB, it looks like we have the reason for Gabrielle's ever-shrinking clothing; Gab doesn't stop whittling at her new top for the entire episode. First the sack shows off more shoulder, then cleavage, then leg, and then... yes! The abs are back! Gabrielle must be getting quicker with her tailoring: it took her two and a half seasons to do that much with her last outfit.

I must state it for the record: this plot made NO sense. First the bad guys were after their leader/brother Zantar. Then they were after the kid for Aphrodite (who couldn't grab her herself, goddess-that-she-is?). Then they were after the crown jewels, and Zantar was after the kid. Which was forgotten almost immediately. To use an Aphrodite-ism, WHAT-ever. Just go back to the dueling Cinderella stories so I can hear the bad guys scream in drag.

Nice strike-a-pose from Aphrodite with her question "Do these features look evil?" Raise your hand if you think she's referring to her face. Anyone? Anyone?

What's up with Xena's story about a stepfather? Check out her eyeroll when she tells Gabrielle she's trying to help Alesia; methinks the warrior princess is winging it.

Argo continues to be a horse of many skills! "Head for the river and make sure they see you"? Wow, that horse understands a pretty complex set of commands.

I got a kick out of each character's versions of the Cinderella story.

Gabrielle: Positive enlightenment
Aphrodite: 70s go-go sexpot
Xena: Mega-empowerment
Joxer: Loser-boy-dream-come-true (which, sadly enough, is closest to the real thing)

Listen to the popping sound as Tyro uncranks his wedgie. Ee-yew!

Xena gets a dance to the Go-Go-Gabby music! And is it just me, or was her dance a near-duplicate of the one Lucy Lawless did for the bailiff in the Saturday Night Live Judge Judy skit?

Insult piled upon insult! Poor Gabrielle is NOT having a good day. First her shirt is stolen by a "fashionable beaver," only to find out it's being used as a gag rag by Xena. Then her staff is also abducted to tie up the bad guy. She dives from a tree (why WAS she so eager to scout ahead, anyway?). She gets charged with baby-sitting duty, then fish frying, then chastised by both Xena AND Joxer when Alesia wanders away from Joxer's story and Aphrodite disguises herself. And finally is relegated to helium-sucking fairy godsister dishwashing status. No wonder the poor bard took off in a huff!

Listen to Gabrielle's line as she and Xena fight over a very familiar-looking frying pan: "Give me the pan before you hurt someone with it." Some shades of Day in the Life will NEVER die.

Xena takes a close second for Line of the Episode when Gabrielle asks if she wants to attack the baddies with her underwear: "Oh no, that would be too cruel." OH! Score one for the warrior. But the grand prize gets stolen away by the kid with the disgustingly cutesy voice for the entire dialogue:

"Why did you run away?"
"Have you ever heard Joxer tell a story?"
"Well, that's a good point, but all fairy tales have a purpose, and even when Joxer tells them there's a message there."
"Yeah... run!"

The whole dance sequence was ridiculous and took too long. But I kind of liked it. I especially loved the words to the song Tyro and the Princess lip-synch. "My palms perspire," "my stomach churns." How romantic!

Impressive method Aphrodite uses to put Joxer out of commission. What a price to pay, though!

Watch as the whole party is on the road back to Alesia's castle; Gab and Joxer are playing rock-scissors-paper in the background. And at least ONE thing does go Gab's way today - she gets to give Joxer a whack.

Gabrielle's smashup of the Aphrodite's glade was highly reminiscent of the way she got Aphrodite's attention in For Him the Bell Tolls.

Joxer's attempt at sidekicking was pretty vicious salt in the "bard-has-bugged-out" wound for Xena. Suddenly her day isn't looking so hot, either.

I realize it's silly to take anything in that final fight seriously, but I really liked Xena's move when she leaped off one baddie's back to kick the other's head. Cool!

Watch during the final scene as Alesia is standing in front of Xena and Joxer to talk to Aphrodite: for one shot there's a pudgy, old hand resting on Alesia's left shoulder. Whose hand is THAT?

After all that goofiness, did we really need that much corn at the end? Gag. But wow, watch Gabrielle LIFT Xena. You go, buff chick!

Return to the Wool-Gatherings.

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