Xena: Warrior Princess - Introduction

The following introduction lifted off of Wikipedia;

Xena: Warrior Princess is an American television series that aired from September 15, 1995 until June 18, 2001. Produced by Pacific Renaissance Pictures Ltd (owned by Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi) in association with/distributed by Universal Studios, Xena was created as a spin-off from Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. It stars Lucy Lawless as Xena and Renee O'Connor as her companion Gabrielle. The show chronicles Xena's quest to seek redemption for her past sins as a ruthless warlord by using her formidable fighting skills to help people. Gabrielle becomes Xena's greatest ally; her initial naïveté helps to balance Xena and assists her in recognizing and pursuing the "greater good."

In addition to Xena and Gabrielle, the show also features a wide assortment of recurring characters, including adversaries Ares (Kevin Tod Smith), Alti (Claire Stansfield) and Callisto (Hudson Leick), and trusted friends Ephiny (Danielle Cormack), Virgil (William Gregory Lee), Autolycus (Bruce Campbell), Eli (Tim Omundson) and Joxer (Ted Raimi).

Influence
Xena: Warrior Princess has been credited by many, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, with blazing the trail for a new generation of female action heroes such as Buffy, Max of Dark Angel, Sydney Bristow of Alias, and the Bride in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.

A subject of much interest and debate among viewers is the question of whether Xena and Gabrielle are lovers. The issue is left deliberately ambiguous by the show's writers. Jokes, innuendo, and other subtle evidence of a romantic relationship between Xena and Gabrielle is referred to as "lesbian subtext" or simply "subtext" by fans.

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