In a time of ancient gods, warlords, and kings, a land in turmoil cried out for a hero. She was Xena, a mighty princess forged in the heat of battle. The power. The passion. The danger. Her courage will change the world.

How good it is to hear those words spoken again, set against the montage of action shots, most of them taken from the same early season 1 episodes I've been watching since my Best Buy trip yesterday. It was a title sequence which would stay the same for 5 years, until season 6, at which time they decided to update the footage (but not the words, thankfully). Ironically, that was also when the show itself went back to its roots, narratively speaking. (Except for the series finale, but that's another tangent altogether...)

(And no, I am not one of the reprobates. Not for the most part, at least. While I acknowledge that the show went through several significant alterations which were not to the liking of many fans, I personally enjoyed most of these evolutionary experiments, especially some of Tapert's more pseudo-avant garde jaunts. But once again, getting sidetracked, as is so easy to do.)

Anyway, as I go through the old Xena eps in order, nostalgia is unavoidable. That's not to say I want to avoid it. Indeed, watching these shows, some of which I haven't seen since they first aired back in '95, is virtually inviting memories to resurface.

Objectively speaking, the episodes themselves are not the bonfire. They never were. They are mere 45 minute micro-clips depicting characters, places, and stories whose true life would be born in the minds of those who caught these glimpses. People like me, who found some partially tangible, yet largely inexplicable wonder during that hour spent each week in that other world.

It couldn't really be explained to those who didn't get it already (those with "no appreciation for mythology"), but validation was found in finding others online who shared similar experiences. (Much speculation has been devoted to exploring the nature of these devout followers, but again, I think I'm getting sidetracked.)

So it is with the DVD release that I find myself journeying again to this almost-forgotten land. The effect lasts beyond the duration of a mere episode. Even as I go about my day-to-day activities, as I struggle with what to do about dissatisfaction with my current employment situation, in times of uncertainty or weakness, the WWXD (What would Xena do?) question dances on the edge of my conscious thought.

The answer isn't necessarily clear. Even if it were, I wouldn't blindly follow it. But the question itself remains present, acting as a possible lens through which to view any given situation. What would Xena do?

Ultimately, I know that what I am really asking is not what Xena would do, but what would I do if I were to assume all the most admirable traits embodied by the mythic hero. How would one with a past so dark as to be unforgivable transcend not only a harsh world, but also one's own ever-threatening demons within? Can I meet every challenge with courage, cunning, humor, compassion, and love all at once, even if it seems impossible to win? Hence, the question. WWXD?

Speaking of getting sidetracked, I seem to be doing little else tonight.

My review of the DVD set, in critic mode: Good, but not perfect. 4 episodes per disc, as has pretty much become the standard for tv show releases. My biggest complaint would be that the picture quality, judged by DVD standards, ranges from decent to poor. Disappointing, in that regard, especially after the chrystal-clear Hercules set (not complete season, but a few select episodes) that came out a few years ago. How much of the problems are caused by poor transfer, and how much because of source material, I can't be certain. If I were going to guess with my non-expect eye, I would suspect a lot is due to the source medium.

On the documentary, they talk about how Xena was filmed in 16mm for the first season. (As opposed to Hercules, which used 35mm from the get-go.) There didn't seem to be a total consensus on the reason for this. Some of the directors were saying budgetary constraints. Others were saying, "No, it's because that's what Tapert wanted to use. He wanted Xena to have a rough, gritty look."

In any case, on a lot of shots, you can clearly see the film grain. Why weren't we noticing this back when it was broadcast on tv? Two reasons I can think of: 1) The advent of DVD has turned us all into a bunch of picture quality snobs, unable to watch anything without noticing dust or subtle distortion in the frame. 2) I don't know about everyone else, but when I was watching these for the first time, I considered it a good day if there was only a little bit of snow in the tv picture. The Louisville Compound was notorious for its spotty reception of channel 2. The thought of seeing film grain in such conditions? Pwahaha!

On the bright side, the directors also talk on the documentary about how 16mm cameras allowed them to do all sorts of funky things that would have been non-trivial with 35mm, due to the size of the camera. Running hand-held shots, strapping cameras to actors during action scenes, and having all sorts of fun in high-speed chases that involved Argo. Maybe Tapert did have a good idea with 16mm.

In the extras department, there's the 60 minute aforementioned documentary, which comes on a disc that looks like it was hastily included as a last minute addition. (It's stuffed in a folder in the jacket, rather than a normal resting place like the rest of the discs, and wasn't mentioned in the pre-announced specs.) In it, we get to watch a bunch of prominent directors talk about their experiences filming of season 1. (But no cast, writers, producers, or anyone else. Just directors.) I found their insights most entertaining.

There's also a DVD-ROM disc which includes a bunch of software and what-not. Presumably, it's Windows-and-Mac only, so I haven't even bothered to look at it yet. There might be some items of interest to find there.

Blah. This rambling is going on longer than expected. Another subject or two to cover...

Yesterday, I journeyed to the Boulder Compound, where I participated in a mysterious project directed by the Logan Brothers. It's so top secret, I don't even really know what it's really about, and I'm in the cast! I guess we'll all find out eventually...

I must be insane for coming over here tonight. Yesterday and today, I worked a slightly earlier shift than my usual.

(The definitions of "yesterday" and "today" are continually being blurred. I suppose it would be better if I stuck to the conventions established earlier in this rambling.)

Today and tomorrow, I am working a slightly earlier shift than my usual.

(Equally confusing, due to the way I now refer to "tomorrow" as Thursday, even though my clock says it's Thursday right now. Anyway...)

Working a slightly earlier shift than usual, I decided to journey directly to mom's place, since that's where my DVDs are. The plan was to watch a couple of Xena eps and go to bed earlier than usual, so as not to give myself difficulty in waking up for my earlier shift.

I watched three episodes down memory lane, and then laid back in bed. My eyes did not close. Sleep would not come. It was 0100. I thought about what I would write if I could write a rambling. If only, I could write a rambling...

Well, technically, I could. It would just require putting on shoes, driving across town, doing my thing, and then driving back again, which I didn't particularly want to do, especially since sleep was imperative.

"Ah, screw it." I wanted to see Argo. The other Argo. The one I hadn't already seen tonight on my CRT. My Argo.

So here I am at Argo, typing away. Once I got here, of course, I had to check my email, read various websites, and then write a rambling so long that it justified my getting out of bed and driving.

But now, it is over, and this time, I think I will sleep. And it will be time to wake up way too soon. 8 hours, and counting down.

And so, I conclude.