From: futoran@NOSPAMworldnet.att.net   
      
   "David E. Milligan"  wrote in message   
   news:WJNOj.33632$%15.32566@bignews7.bellsouth.net...   
   > 5-15    Married With Fishsticks   
   >   
   > First airing was Feb. 21, 2000.   
   [snip]   
   > For a straight Xena episode, a generous 5.   
   >   
   > For a kind of humorous and   
   > pass-the-time-episode-that-doesn't-make-me-feel-like-I-actuall   
   -wasted-an-hour   
   > episode, a 7. So, an average 6 out of 10.   
      
   I liked this one, on first viewing and every   
   viewing thereafter.  (I'm one of the very   
   few who can say that.)   Why?  I dunno.  I   
   can barely figure out why I like one drama   
   over another, much less a comedy.   
      
   Normally I strongly dislike underwater-themed,   
   fishy shows.  Most slapstick doesn't do much   
   for me.  And a Xena-light episode - argh.  But   
   still...   
      
   Ah, the subtext:  Joxer/Hagar as a stand-in for   
   Xena, at first manipulating Gabrielle/Crustacea   
   for his own purposes, later learning her value   
   and becoming a decent human in the process.   
   (One could argue Xena never manipulated   
   Gabrielle, but in early episodes there wasn't   
   the respect we saw in later episodes.)   
      
   Renee' and Ted stretching their comedic wings.   
   Not many opportunities in XWP for that.  And   
   both did a grand job, individually and while   
   interacting with each other.   
      
   Discord and 'Dite were pitch perfect in their   
   ditziness (sp?? ).  Even the stupid cake   
   scene worked for me.   
      
   *The* moment, during the wedding, when   
   Gab/Crus starts to remember Xena and   
   her life with Xena (maintext, not subtext) -   
   chilling in a good way, as those moments   
   always are.  Can't remember how many times   
   I re-ran that scene.   
      
   And at the end, Gab has learned how to be   
   a mom.  Cool.   
      
   What's not to like?   
      
   I give it a 7.   
      
   Gail   
   Warrior Gardener   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)