From: daviderl31@yahoo.com   
      
   1-13    Athens City Academy of the Performing Bards – Jan 22, 1996   
      
   A Xena-lite, clip-show episode.   
           It starts out with Gabrielle in a tavern (w/o Xena) telling a story   
   about Xena fighting Ares ('The Reckoning'), being accused of murder, and   
   then being exonerated.   
           Then a young man, later named Orion at Gabrielle's suggestion, tells   
   Gabrielle about a bard competition in Athens. But Orion's father tells   
   Gabrielle that the competition is not for young ladies and stories about   
   housework are not popular. Gabrielle takes exception to this and tells Xena   
   she wants to travel to Athens while Xena takes care of a Cyclops problem in   
   Keremus.   
           Next we see Gabrielle with several novice bards in Athens, and they   
   are telling their tales. The man she met decides to change his name to Draco   
   until Gabrielle tells him about her and Xena's encounter with him (Sins of   
   the Past). It is then that Gabrielle suggests Orion.   
           The next morning (we assume) they are all in class getting pointers   
   when a man runs up and stabs the lecturer. He then tells them to tell the   
   story. But Gabrielle says the real story is what happens afterward, and   
   proceeds to relate the tale of King Sisyphus and Celesta (Death in Chains),   
   the battle with the undead Toxeus, and having to say goodbye to Tallis as he   
   is taken by Celesta.   
           The next day Gabrielle's charade has been found out and she it told   
   to leave. The next day none of Gabrielle's friends will participate unless   
   Gabrielle is reinstated.   
           For her final story, Gabrielle tells about two friends who find each   
   other (combining Sins of the Past and Chariots of War).   
           But it wasn't to be. Either Gabrielle didn't make the cut (only four   
   were to be chosen to attend the academy) or she won and chose to return to   
   Xena. When she rejoins Xena, she is asked who won and Gabrielle answers "I   
   did." She says she realized that while others were telling adventures, she   
   and Xena could be living them.   
           And to prove her point, they are suddenly faced with a half dozen or   
   so evil, dirty mean looking thugs. And Gabrielle says, "This is gonna make a   
   great story."   
      
           Okay,  a couple of things.  I was wondering when Gabrielle is going   
   to start writing down these adventures.   
           We get to see Steve Reeves (the original movie Hercules) and Kirk   
   Douglas as Spartacus.  So - why didn't they go with a muscle bound guy to   
   play Hercules instead of Kevin Sorbo?   
       I think Reneé did a good job of carrying the show mostly by herself,   
   although I guess the flashbacks took up about half of the episode.   
           Although not the best, this was far from the worst, and being a   
   Gabrielle fan, I rated this one 8 out of 10   
       Sins of the Past  -- 7   
       Chariots of War – 7   
       Dreamworker ---   8   
      Cradle of Hope --   6   
      Path Not Taken --  6   
      The Reckoning --  8   
      The Titans -------  6   
      Prometheus---     6   
      Death in Chains - 7   
      Hooves/Harlots - 8   
      The Black Wolf -- 5   
      Beware Greeks – 7   
     Athens City ------  8   
   Average..............   6.8   
      
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   http://daviderl31.blogspot.com/   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)